Jim Dalrymple:
Apple introduced a new Photos app during its Worldwide Developers Conference that will become the new platform for the company. As part of the transition, Apple told me today that they will no longer be developing its professional photography application, Aperture.
Aperture’s death has been rumored for years, but I’m a little surprised Apple’s new Photos.app is holding the smoking gun. I had assumed iPhoto would have been replaced, with Aperture remaining for pro users.
Apple:
Apple® today announced its 16GB iPod touch® is now available in vibrant colors and equipped with a 5 megapixel iSight® camera for just $199. The entire iPod touch lineup features the 5 megapixel iSight camera with 1080p HD video recording, brilliant 4-inch Retina® display, Apple’s A5 chip and FaceTime® camera. iPod touch features an ultra-thin and light anodized aluminum design and is available in pink, yellow, blue, silver, space gray and (PRODUCT) RED. iPod touch comes in a 16GB model for $199, 32GB for $249, and 64GB for $299.
Eric DeFriez:
Designed to let you easily deliver Gmail-enabled features, this new API is a standard Google API, which gives RESTful access to a user’s mailbox under OAuth 2.0 authorization. It supports CRUD operations on true Gmail datatypes such as messages, threads, labels and drafts.
As a standard Google API, you make simple HTTPS calls and get your responses in JSON, XML or Google Protobuf formats. You can also make these calls from standard web languages like Java and Python without using a TCP socket, which means the API is accessible from many cloud environments that couldn’t support IMAP.
Steven Aquino, over on MacStories:
Without any tinge of hyperbole, I often marvel at how truly Accessibility reflects Apple’s ethos of designing products for everyone, regardless of cognitive or physical impairment. (A sentiment I have expressed numerous times elsewhere.) Again, these are signs of real innovation, although they (unfortunately) go largely unheralded. It’s my strong opinion that Apple is leading the industry in this regard, and iOS 8 takes another step forward in extending their lead.
Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s new SVP of Retail, in a blog post on LinkedIn:
My father used to always say, “Ask questions, don’t make assumptions." Questions invite conversations, stimulate thinking, break down barriers, create positive energy and show your willingness to understand and learn. Questions show humility, acknowledgement and respect for the past, and give you greater insights into both the business and individuals. And don’t be afraid to ask personal questions or share a few of your personal details. Talking about weekend interests, family and friends can give you a more complete view of your peers and partners, their passion and compassion. Building a relationship is also the first step in building trust, which quickly leads towards alignment and unity.
Over at Quartz:
As Apple’s product line matures and growth slows, it is easy—perhaps too easy—to criticize Apple CEO Tim Cook for not being enough like Steve Jobs, his legendary predecessor. But that misses the real story: Since taking over as CEO, Cook has made several key moves—including some Jobs might never have considered—to set Apple up for its next big thing.
Jason Snell, in his hands-on of OS X Yosemite:
The design changes in Yosemite are noticeable, but the system is still very recognizably OS X. Longtime Mac users’ fears that the Mac was about to collide with iOS in some kind of crazy peanut butter-chocolate disaster have not been borne out. It’s a forward-thinking design that looks better on Retina displays, pointing the way toward a high-resolution future for Mac users.
This morning’s New York Times article on Tim Cook is wide-reaching, discussing Cook’s past, his environmental passion, product strategy and more. The piece praises Cook’s decision to launch the iPad mini and outlines how the CEO is trying to fill the role of his predecessor:
Mr. Cook is amassing a creative brain trust, according to Bono, the lead singer of the band U2, who befriended Mr. Jobs and worked closely with him and Apple’s team on developing a U2-branded iPod, as well as on charitable work in Africa. Mr. Cook is not saying “I’m here to replace him,” said Bono, who is a managing director and co-founder of the venture capital firm Elevation Partners. “He’s saying, ‘I’ll try to replace him with five people.’ It explains the acquisition of Beats.”
Marco Arment:
The first amazing, forehead-smacking innovations with iOS 8 won’t come from us: they’ll come from people who are coming to iOS development from this point forward, never having known a world without the old restrictions.
Apple’s announcements this week were clearly from a company thinking about the future. I’m excited to see what’s next.
There’s been a lot of talk here at WWDC about Apple’s confidence out of the gate on Monday.
Craig Hockenberry says it well:
Apple has a newfound confidence in itself. It’s at the top of its game, and it knows it.
This confidence was felt last week when Eddie Cue shared that Apple had the best pipeline he’s seen in 25 years. It was felt when Tim Cook called Android a toxic hellstew.
The Teech has rounded up a bunch of facts and figures from this morning.