Major League Baseball Expands Use of Apple's Passbook

Erica Ogg, writing for GigaOM.com. notes:

For the 2013 baseball season, Major League Baseball is more than tripling the number of stadiums that will accept mobile tickets via Apple’s Passbook app. This year there will be 13 stadiums that will enable paperless ticketing via Passbook, MLB announced at a fan event in New York City Tuesday night. That’s up from four last season.

It is notable that MLB was an early adopter of Passbook, which launched as part of Apple's iOS 6 update last year. Passbook's quick access to ticketing information when geographically relevant (i.e. at the ballpark) makes it an excellent fit for creating a better live experience for baseball fans.

The rest of the article talks about how MLB is enhancing its "At Bat" app for iOS and Android to provide better engagement with the fans. This part of the article has two interesting data points regarding the free version of At Bat and the paid version (via subscription) of At Bat. For the free version, iOS users are 70% of the audience (though it is noted that the Android user base is growing). With regard to the paid subscription version, iOS users account for 85% of the user base. Interesting stats about the difference between iOS and Android users of the app.

Sadly, my beloved Seattle Mariners were not part of the Passbook announcement (though some hope remains since it is mentioned in the article that a few teams aren't ready to make an announcement just yet).​

Google Might Very Well Be Afraid of Samsung's Growing Influence

Amir Efrati has an interesting article for The Wall Street Journal that describes Google's growing concern with Samsung's influence in the mobile industry. Why might Google be afraid of one of its most successful Android 'champions'? Well, here you go:

Several people familiar with the relationship between the companies said Google fears that Samsung will demand a greater share of the online-advertising revenue that Google generates from its Web-search engine. Samsung in the past has received more than 10% of such revenue, one of the people said. Samsung has signaled to Google that it might want more, especially as Google begins to produce more revenue from apps such as Google Maps and YouTube, another person familiar with the matter said.

Google is worried that Samsung might hit Google where it really hurts...in the wallet. As noted in the article, Samsung sells roughly 40% of all Android devices.​ That makes them a huge beast in the market. While there has been some speculation that Google might be worried about Samsung's dominance causing an awareness issue for the 'Android' brand versus the 'Galaxy' brand, the real fear here is that Samsung will be able to start eating away at Google's profit margins. Google wants its services everywhere so that it can make more money (thus the continued support for its platform rival, iOS), but this business model is threatened if Samsung is able to get a bigger piece of the revenue pie.

Both competitors know this, by the way. Google is reportedly looking to protect itself by helping to boost competition within the Android space (as well as reportedly working on the rumored 'X Phone' via its Motorola subsidiary). Samsung, likewise, is looking out for its own interests by placing support behind the HTML5-based Tizen operating system.​

Folks, get your popcorn ready.​

LG Buys webOS From HP

Arik Hesseldahl wrote a post for AllThingsD.com that covered the recent announcement by LG that it had acquired webOS from HP:

The deal, Veghte said, will include the source code, documentation, a license to all the associated patents (HP won’t be letting those go) and the remaining user experience team.

According to the post, LG is going to use webOS in its Smart TVs (and likely will include it in additional devices in the future). webOS had some interesting UI design metaphors (e.g. its 'cards' multi-tasking feature) that have yet to be replicated in the other major mobile platforms. Unfortunately, webOS also was horribly mismanaged by HP (and before that, by Palm) and never took hold in the mobile device market. At this point, it is a given that it will not be a contender in the mobile market (thus LG's plans do not include a smartphone or tablet device).

Perhaps the most interesting part of this deal is that LG did not acquire the rights to the patents related to webOS. It says a lot about the value of software patents that HP was unwilling to ​let go of that part of its intellectual property. In any case, at least LG has acquired some of the members of the webOS user experience team.

​There's no telling how successful webOS will be on appliances such as Smart TVs, but at the very least this deal breathes a bit of new life into an otherwise defunct platform.

A Response to 'What Games Are: Consoles Are Sinking. Get To The Lifeboats!'

Tadhg Kelly wrote an opinion piece for TechCrunch that requires a response due to just how awful​ it is. The premise for Kelly's article is that traditional video game consoles are stuck in the past, with a questionable future ahead. He uses the recent PlayStation 4 announcement event as the lens by which he examines this premise.

“Sony’s PS4 is DOA. Microsoft has won.” So said a friend of mine on Facebook moments after the PS4 event broadcast all around the Internet on Wednesday.

It's entertaining to know that there are some out there who think what Sony announced, while flawed, was somehow so devastatingly bad as to signal defeat before the other competitor has even announced its entry in the competition​. Kelly's post just gets worse from here, folks.

​Later in the post, Kelly talks about the sharing capabilities described at the PS4 announcement and compares them to the Sega Dreamcast:

When Sega tried to strike back at Sony’s original PlayStation (and the Nintendo 64) with a machine that was meant to connect every player in the world, every player in the world responded with profound apathy.

In that statement, Kelly shows a profound misunderstanding of the many reasons why the Dreamcast failed in the market.​ Previous missteps (Sega CD, 32X, Saturn), lack of third party developer support, and the marketing hype behind Sony's PlayStation 2 (with its vaunted Emotion Engine) caused the Dreamcast to fail. Not one bit of the failure had anything at all to do with the Dreamcast's connectivity feature.

Kelly next tackles the topic of the features offered by modern games consoles in the form of streaming video, social networking, and web browsing.​

Sometimes a whole class of a technology just doesn’t make sense any more. In an age of smartphones, for example, nobody needs a Discman. In an age of tablets and laptops, nobody needs a home hub under their TV for browsing and IM-ing, and arguably not even for Netflix.

This is an interesting take. It's mistakenly conflating the obsoleting of a product by a superior product (the Discman and smartphone) with competition between products that meet different, if somewhat overlapping needs (consoles and tablets/laptops).

The entire console business is built on being able to sell games at $50, and it fundamentally doesn’t work in a $5 app world, but this leads to all manner of over-managed and controlled deadweight.

Kelly is making an argument that has become quite popular in the tech media. It is also incorrect. This argument fails to take notice of the fact that while smartphones and tablets have greatly expanded the ​overall video game playing market, it is a mistake to call each one of those users a gamer​. ​​​​​​Not every person who plays a Facebook game or an iOS/Android game is what would traditionally be called a gamer (just as not every driver is a car enthusiast). Based on the fact that this mistake keeps being made in the media, it seems as though we need a new term to distinguish the two different markets.  Perhaps we could refer to the two as casual video game player​ and video game enthusiast​. The needs of the video game enthusiast are not satisfied by the $5 app world. Angry Birds, for all its appeal to casual video game players around the world, does not provide the same kind of experience that the video game enthusiast is seeking when they play a game like Skyrim or Super Mario Bros.

Kelly finally covers the topic of "microconsoles", such as the OUYA, and their potential impact on the traditional game console.

The reason microconsoles are so appealing is all down to price and choice. The Ouya, for example, is aiming to be $99. Its games are likely to be $5, or free-to-play, or something equally straightforward. And you’ll play them with a joypad on your television, just like any gaming machine. Even better, the relatively lightweight process of developing and distributing on microconsole virtually guarantees that they will play host to interesting content.

​While the Apple App Store and Google Play store have allowed for the rise of "interesting content" such as the aforementioned Angry Birds, they also have allowed for a deluge of rubbish in the video game world. Of course, there have always been stinkers in the console world (Atari's E.T., for example) but the lower barrier to entry in the mobile app stores (as compared to console development) makes it far more difficult to find good games. Try picking a few random games from a retailer's store shelf and a few random games from the app store, and see how that turns out for you.

In short, Kelly's premise doesn't stand up to scrutiny. By focusing on certain ancillary aspects of the traditional game console as compared to similar aspects of smartphones and tablets, Kelly has shown a remarkable misunderstanding of the video game market.

Google Glass Could Be a Real Winner

Amar Toor, in a post for The Verge:

Excitement has been building around the project ever since Google first announced it last summer, and will no doubt swell going forward, now that the company has given a fuller idea of its augmented reality future. According to Google, today's video "actually shows how Glass works."

It's easy to see why people would be excited about what was recently shown for the Google Glass project. The product is the latest example of the trend towards wearable computing. It will provide its users with some interesting features.​

First up is media capture and sharing. Google Glass supports taking pictures, recording videos, live video conferencing via Google Hangout, and sharing all of that media with others. This is, of course, functionality that could be done via existing mobile devices, yet the ability to do these things hands-free opens up new possibilities for sharing information. The video in the source link shows quite a few examples of the devices being used while performing other activities such as flying an airplane, swinging on the trapeze, or engaging in a Kendo duel.

Next is the ability to get contextual information such as navigation directions, airport and flight details, weather information, and Google search. In my opinion, this is the true 'meat' of the video. While the media capture capabilities are sexier, the contextual information is what the typical user will get the most value out of on a daily basis. Navigation, in particular, is quite useful when offered hands-free (for example, while walking).

Folks, this very well could be The Next Big Thing.​

Sony is Being Strangely Coy with the PlayStation 4

Sam Byford, writing for The Verge:

Sony just took the wrappers off the PlayStation 4 at a blowout event — but something was missing. Bizarrely, the company elected not to show any glimpse of the console hardware itself, instead focusing on internal details and a showreel of upcoming games.

​Not only did Sony fail to reveal the actual hardware design for the console, they also didn't announce a price or release date. The lack of pricing and release date information makes sense at some level since they want to be able to react to Microsoft's next Xbox announcement, but not showing the console's hardware (beyond the new controller) is downright odd.

To be fair, Sony did show some interesting stuff. Of course, it all starts with games, and Killzone: Shadow Fall looks beautiful.​ The integration of Gaikai's game streaming technology seems like it will open up some interesting possibilities. Likewise, the integration with mobile devices (e.g. smartphones, tablets) is something that just makes sense.

Overall, Sony did okay with its PlayStation 4 announcement. Not great, but not bad.​

Will Traditional Video Game Consoles Thrive in the Future?

Tricia Duryee, in a post for AllThingsD.com:

In January, Nintendo slashed its sales outlook after holiday sales of the Wii U failed to hit expectations. The poor turnout does not provide a lot of support for the theory that consumers were just holding back spending for the release of the new hardware. The Japanese game company was hoping to rekindle consumer excitement by launching the Wii U with a controller that had a six-inch touchscreen display and acted much like Apple’s iPad. It also enabled consumers to interact with their TVs, by allowing owners to comment on programming within a closed social network. But the console was mostly trying to extend the life of the traditional videogame business, which relies on selling packaged software at $60 apiece.

There has been quite a bit written about the supposed impending demise of the traditional video game console typified by the products available from Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft. There are pundits that point to the rise of mobile gaming on smartphones and tablets and the freemium culture as the major culprits in accelerating this demise. Likewise, there are other pundits pointing to new console competitors such as the OUYA that will be encroaching on the incumbents' retail space. To the pundits, Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft are dinosaurs that have not kept up with the changes in the market. Does this analysis hold up? In a word, no.

Let's start with the premise that consoles are declining. The problem with that view of the world is that it fails to take into account the fact that this console generation has gotten long in the tooth. Very, very, very long in the tooth. The fact of the matter is that Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft have let this console generation extend beyond the traditional 5 years of life before introducing successor consoles. Gamers eventually want to see something new, no matter how much they love their current console. Some have pointed to the Nintendo WiiU's struggles as portending a rough future for new consoles from Sony and Microsoft. The WiiU should not be seen as the standard bearer for the next console generation. According to those who have analyzed the hardware, including a developer for a WiiU launch title, the WiiU is a system that is underpowered compared to what should be expected for a new console. Remember, the Wii/PS3/Xbox 360 group are six years old in terms of technology. Nintendo made a terrible mistake in making the WiiU only 'somewhat better' than current consoles. The technological leap just isn't there. Nintendo also exacerbated the problem by releasing the console without ensuring that a premier title such as a new Mario game accompanied the launch. New Super Mario Bros. U, which could have been released on the Nintendo 3DS, just doesn't cut it as a launch title.

What then, of the rise of mobile gaming? To those who say the console is in trouble, the success of devices like the iPhone and iPad as well as the success of titles such as Angry Birds point to a future where consoles aren't relevant. This is a narrow view of the world that doesn't take into account what is happening in the industry. Mobile gaming isn't taking gamers away from traditional consoles...it is expanding the term 'gamer' beyond its traditional form. Just as the Nintendo Wii helped to bring games into the mainstream by making games more accessible to non-traditional gamers (e.g. the elderly), mobile games have further expanded the gaming market. And that's what it is, an expansion of the overall gaming market, not a reduction of the market for consoles.

How will non-traditional consoles such as the OUYA impact traditional consoles? Probably not much, in all honesty. Despite what some are saying about consoles needing to provide an inexpensive outlet for indie game devs (including, famously, one of the founders of the Xbox project), it doesn't seem at all as though this is an issue holding back traditional consoles. As a developer and a gamer, I am of course interested in the possibilities that more 'open' consoles such as the OUYA offer. I'm just not deluding myself into believing that this is going to take over the industry. Gamers don't really care if those games come from major dev shops or indie dev shops, they want good games, period. The challenge for indie devs will be for them to push Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft into understanding that there is enough benefit to be gained by offering an outlet for indie games.

In short, we should expect that the release of new consoles from Sony and Microsoft will stir interest from gamers. Assuming that they hold up their end of the bargain by releasing much more powerful consoles with decent launch title lineups, Sony and Microsoft will revitalize the sagging console industry.

Mobile Rewards Apps for Brick-and-Mortar Stores

Lauren Goode, writing forAllThingsD.com:

What would it take for you to shop in stores these days, rather than buy from the comfort of your couch? Some companies are betting that smartphones can help lure you back to the mall by offering rewards, coupons and other incentives that can only be earned when you’re physically in a store.

This is an interesting article on mobile rewards apps for brick-and-mortar stores. Goode covers the basics of two apps (ShopKick and Kapture) that encourage users to visit stores, scan items, or share product and business-related posts on their social networks in order to earn rewards such as discounts and freebies.

This is an area of increasing interest for traditional retailers. Every business, of course, wants to find new ways to increase customer engagement (and thus increase revenue). This type of rewards-based engagement is another way that physical stores can help combat the effects of lower-priced Internet-based competition such as Amazon.com. This is also intended to reduce the amount of 'showrooming' that is plaguing the brick-and-mortar industry.

The idea is to get customers to not just simply visit the store to see a product first-hand (and later make their purchase online), but instead to see the other products available at the retailer's location that can be added to their shopping cart. The addition of rewards and perks helps to not only minimize the cost advantages of Internet-based shopping, but also helps sway consumers to choose the immediate gratification offered by purchasing a product in a physical store.

It's worth noting that there have been some troubling developments in a similar space online. Lockerz.com, for example, was once the high-flying darling of the social engagement and rewards industry but recently laid off roughly 30 percent of its staff in its Seattle office and closed an office in San Diego. However, this is still a nascent and rapidly maturing industry. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Airbus Switching Batteries to Avoid 787 Battery Issue

Andrea Rothman, in a post for Bloomberg:

“It suggests that Airbus thinks that the Li-ion problems could be intractable or at least take too long to fix to avoid the risk of inducing delays in A350’s entry into service in late 2014, so that suggests what everyone probably already realizes: this is a difficult problem and could take some months to resolve,” said Nick Cunningham, managing partner at Agency Partners LLP in London.

Airbus is making a smart move here. It remains to be seen how Boeing's issue with lithium-ion batteries on the 787 will be resolved. Switching to the more typical cadmium batteries is a sensible way to ensure that the behind-schedule A350 will not be further delayed by regulatory approval concerns surrounding lithium-ion batteries.

However, there is a price to be paid for this change. The primary reason that Boeing chose lithium-ion batteries is the fact that they pack a lot of power into a very small and lightweight space when compared to cadmium batteries. By switching to cadmium batteries, Airbus is adding over 200 pounds of extra weight to the A350 design. A big selling point for modern aircraft such as the 787 and A350 is fuel efficiency, which is partly obtained by lower weight than previous aircraft designs. In this case, every pound of weight savings is necessary. Adding that much extra weight will not make it easy for Airbus to meet its efficiency guarantees.

Why Nike's FuelBand Won't Have an Android App

Chris Velazco, writing for TechCrunch:

Exactly why the app has been shuttered isn’t yet clear, but that hasn’t stopped we members of the press from ruminating a bit. Consider Business Insider’s take, courtesy of Steve Kovach. He posits that a close relationship between Apple and Nike (Tim Cook sits on Nike’s board, in addition to running Apple) may have ultimately stymied development. For what it’s worth, I suspect the real reason isn’t quite as intriguing — ensuring a smooth syncing experience for a handful of supported iDevices seems like a much simpler proposition than doing the same for a veritable galaxy of Android devices, and it wouldn’t surprise me if the company just got sick of the process.

This story caused quite a bit of consternation in the Android community. It must be a huge disappointment for Android fans that use the FuelBand.  The comments in the linked article (and many others on the web) are filled with questions about this move. Let's analyze the most popular hypotheses.

1. Tim Cook Killed It

As noted in the quote above, Tim Cook is on Nike's board so the idea behind this hypothesis is that he killed the Android app to hurt Android (and by extension, Google). While this certainly sounds juicy, it doesn't necessarily ring true. The potential backlash from making this kind of move is not worth the payoff. At best, this would eliminate a single application for a single device. At worst, this could potentially incur anti-trust allegations. Either way, not worth it.

2. Nike Doesn't Realize That the Android Market is Larger Than the iOS Market

This idea is actually sort of funny. The folks saying this are essentially arguing that Nike, for all its marketing analysis prowess, is somehow unaware that Android has roughly twice as much of an installed user base than iOS. That just doesn't make sense. It's far more likely that Nike realized that the time, money, and effort spent on the Android side may not be worth the investment. The revenue numbers for the App Store versus Google Play as well as the web usage numbers tell an interesting story of how the Android market, despite being considerably larger than the iOS market, is somehow considerably less lucrative.

3. Android Fragmentation is the Issue

This makes sense. The myriad devices coupled with the fact that many devices on the market run a very old version of Android (i.e. Gingerbread) stymies certain types of app development. In this case, device integration via the Bluetooth stack isn't straight-forward when looking at different devices.

What is the most likely reason for Nike dropping Android support for the FuelBand? It is probably the combination of higher development and testing costs (due to platform fragmentation) with the decreased revenue return expectations when developing for Android.

It's not all gloom and doom, though. The fact of the matter is that companies can change their mind at any time. It's not as if Nike committed to never developing for Android. As well, the combined market share for the excellent Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean versions of Android is finally starting to eclipse the market share for Gingerbread. This means that it'll be much easier and less expensive for developers to create apps for Android.

Patience, folks.