Yahoo is making a personal assistant and mobile search app that will compete with Apple’s Siri, Google Now and Microsoft’s Cortana. The app, codenamed “Index,” will be able to pull information from a user’s email to provide the most relevant search results. It will most likely be ad-supported and the company is aiming to complete a pilot version of the app this year. Yahoo executives hopes this app will be able to take some share of the mobile search market from Google. Continue reading Yahoo is Developing a Mobile Search App to Take On Google

Facebook recently open-sourced its React Native framework to allow developers to build native mobile apps without having to compromise their use of JavaScript. The problem for many app developers has been that in order to build high performing apps, they would often have to go through the trouble of using Apple or Google’s complicated native tools. With React Native, app developers will be to create sophisticated apps while making use of the far less complicated JavaScript software.  Continue reading React Native Lets Developers Create Apps Using JavaScript

Ticketing company Fandango plans to launch one of the Apple Watch’s first entertainment apps this Friday when the wearable starts its initial shipments. Similar to its mobile app, Fandango’s watch app will feature scannable movie tickets. The app also offers movie trivia and helpful screening information such as theater directions, seat details and a countdown clock to showtimes. Fandango, which developed an early iPhone app and was one of the first Passbook app partners, already has more than 36 million monthly online visitors. Continue reading Fandango to Feature Scannable Movie Tickets via Apple Watch

Apple Watch may have surpassed global pre-orders of 2.3 million units last week, according to unofficial figures from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. The most popular model is the Apple Watch Sport says Kuo, who has an impressive record of predicting sales of Apple devices. If the figures are accurate, they almost double the 1.25-1.5 million in sales projected for the first weekend. Meanwhile, Apple is introducing workshops called ‘Apple Watch Basics’ at its Apple Store locations to show consumers how to use the new wearable. Continue reading Initial Projections Suggest Apple Watch is Beating Expectations

Worldwide recorded-music revenue fell below $15 billion in 2014 for the first time in years, but the growth of streaming music services may have helped slow the decline, according to a new report from the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. For the first time, digital music sales exceeded CD sales. Revenue from streaming services rose 39 percent, and if the trend continues, the music industry might start to see a rise in revenue as early as next year. Continue reading Streaming Services May Revive Falling Music Industry Revenue

With the Apple Watch release date only weeks away, the reviews for the new wearable continue to roll in. The Watch, Apple’s first new product in nearly five years, is already being coined by many as the best smartwatch on the market. While reviews have been largely positive, there also seems to be a steep learning curve. Some early testers have said it takes time to get familiar with all of the Watch’s functions and features, but that eventually it becomes as simple to use as any of Apple’s other devices.  Continue reading Apple Watch Not Perfect, But Some Say Best New Smartwatch

The anonymous developers behind Popcorn Time, one of the fastest growing torrent platforms in the world, have figured out a way to get their new app on iPhones and iPads without going through the Apple App Store. Apple’s security team will not approve apps that facilitate copyright infringement, so the developers have created a new software called iOS Installer for Windows. This software will allow people to download the Popcorn Time app without jailbreaking their phones. Continue reading Popcorn Time Circumvents Apple App Store with iOS Installer

The highly anticipated Apple Watch will begin shipping April 24, and Apple is hoping for big returns, even if store visitors do not purchase the pricey new wearable. Analysts expect the Apple Watch to draw many curious customers who want to see exactly what a smartwatch entails and whether it is worth the investment. Developers are also anxious to explore the possibilities of a wearable, and Apple received more than 1,000 Apple Watch apps in just four days last week. Continue reading Apple Watch Expected to Increase Foot Traffic in Apple Stores

Tidal, Jay Z’s new artist-backed music streaming service, is the latest addition to a crowded field of companies offering music online. Spotify, Pandora, Rdio and others have featured similar music libraries — until now. Jay Z’s hit album “Reasonable Doubt” disappeared from Spotify earlier this week, while several top artists started to release content exclusively on Tidal. The competition puts increased pressure on music fans to subscribe to one or more streaming services. Continue reading Tidal Could Come Through on Promise to Change Music Industry

Groupon may offer much more than a collection of coupons. The company is currently offering discounted products through a new initiative called Groupon Stores. Retailers can set up an online store on the Groupon site to sell their goods, which must be at least 5 percent cheaper than the normal prices. Groupon will take a 15 percent commission of the retailers’ sales. The company is testing the new marketplace model as a way to continue growing its Goods business. Continue reading Groupon Experiments with Online Storefronts for Selling Goods

Rap star and mogul Jay Z is giving artists unprecedented control over their music by owning a piece of his new music streaming service. Jay Z bought Tidal, a subscription streaming service, for $56 million and plans to go head-to-head with other streaming services such as Spotify. The platform is a new alternative for artists and labels frustrated with the free streaming model. Tidal will feature $10 and $20 subscription options that provide access to millions of songs and videos. Continue reading Jay Z Has Major Plans for Artist-Backed Streaming Music Service

Apple has developed a new iPhone camera with a light splitting cube that can more accurately display colors and produce sharp images even in low-light situations. The tiny digital camera uses three sensors and a light-splitting cube to differentiate between three different color components, creating a sharp and colorful image from all three. This light-splitting technology is similar to the approach used in high quality cameras from companies such as Canon, Panasonic and others. Continue reading Apple Patents Light-Splitting Camera Tech for Color Accuracy

Amazon’s latest cloud storage plan, Unlimited Everything, offers customers unlimited cloud storage for only $60 per year. At that price point, Amazon’s new plan is virtually unmatched by any other storage plan available on the market today. Amazon has also launched Unlimited Photos, a plan available for $12 per year that offers customers unlimited photo storage and 5GB of space for other files. Previously, 5GB of free storage was only made available to Amazon Prime members. Continue reading Amazon Launches Unlimited Cloud Storage for $60 Annual Fee

Apple’s revamped Beats Music streaming service will debut later this year and will be looking to take on other popular streaming services such as Spotify. Originally, Apple intended to offer Beats Music at $8 per month, instead of the competition’s standard $10 per month, by using its leverage in the music industry to secure cheaper rights. The negotiations fell through, and with no plans for a free version of Beats Music, Apple may have to work harder to attract customers. Continue reading Apple’s Upcoming Beats Music Relaunch Has Spotify In Sight

Apple is now letting advertisers tap into its iTunes Radio network to push ads targeted at specific listeners without having to go through the company’s iAd sales team. Instead, advertisers now have the option to make use of the recently automated iAd Workbench tool, which has been enhanced to include Customer Match, a newly developed targeting capability. Customer Match is a sophisticated and secure targeting tool that complements the programmatic element added to iAd last November.  Continue reading Apple Launches New Targeted Ads Feature for iTunes Radio