Smartphone Fallout From Memory Shock, Monetizing Apple Maps, Apple’s Sports App Gaining Momentum
Today's Above Avalon Daily update includes the following topics:
Smartphone Fallout From Memory Shock
Monetizing Apple Maps
Apple’s Sports App Gaining Momentum
For the past few months, memory volatility has captured quite a bit of attention within tech circles. In this update, we look at why there is reason to believe that consensus has not correctly mapped potential impacts arising from the memory shock. We then look at various monetization options that Apple will likely have with Apple Maps in mind. The update concludes with the Apple Sports app. The pace of new features being brought to the Apple Sports app continues to impress.
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Google Launches Immersive Navigation, Google Launches Ask Maps, Digital Mapping Needs More Attention
Hello everyone. Happy Monday. Let’s jump right into today’s update.
Google Launches Immersive Navigation
Here’s Google:
“Beyond giving you new ways to explore [in Google Maps], we’re also reimagining how we help you get to your destination. We're giving the driving experience in Maps its biggest update in over a decade with Immersive Navigation – a complete transformation of the navigation experience, with redesigned visuals and more intuitive guidance. This update helps you stay focused and informed on the road, with fresh, real-world information and natural directions that prepare you for the drive ahead.
Now, your map comes to life with a vivid 3D view that reflects the buildings, overpasses, and terrain around you. When it’s helpful, Maps will highlight critical road details like lanes, crosswalks, traffic lights, and stop signs to help you make that turn or merge confidently. This spatial understanding of your route is made possible with help from Gemini models, which analyze fresh, real world imagery from Street View and aerial photos to give you an accurate view of things along your route, like landmarks and medians.”
This announcement may lead to some head-scratching among Apple Maps users as Immersive Navigation boils down to Google launching something that Apple Maps has had for years. Other digital mapping services have had similar functionality as well.
To solidify the argument that Google is
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Exclusive Analysis. Receive the Above Avalon Daily newsletter, widely-recognized as the leading daily newsletter dedicated to Apple. Now in its tenth year.
Archive Access. Access previous updates sent to members in an easy-to-navigate archive built in Ghost.
Full Access to Above Avalon Forum. Access exclusive channels in the Above Avalon forum in Discord.
Email Access to Neil Cybart. Receivetimely responses from Neil to email inquiries.
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Above Avalon Support. Play an active role in supporting Above Avalon as an independent voice and resource. Above Avalon is 100% funded by subscribers.
Microsoft Earnings, Asking the Tough Questions About Surface, Strava Acquires Fatmap (Daily Update)
Hello everyone. Happy Wednesday.
We will kick things off with Microsoft's FY2Q23 earnings. The discussion includes Neil’s thoughts on Microsoft’s Surface business. The update then looks at mapping news with Strava acquiring Fatmap.
Let's jump right in.
Microsoft Earnings
Yesterday, Microsoft reported FY2Q23 (October to December) earnings.
If there were still questions as to why Microsoft was the latest company to announce layoffs, this earnings report provided answers. It was the weakest earnings report for Microsoft in years. Business trends worsened as the quarter progressed. Management commentary suggests little improvement in early 2023.
Here is our earnings recap table looking at the key numbers:
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Apple Introduces Apple Business Connect, Apple’s Play for Small Business, Apple’s Mapping Information Layer (Daily Update)
We kick things off with Neil’s thoughts on Apple Business Connect, a new initiative Apple unveiled yesterday. The discussion then turns to Apple’s broader play for small business. We conclude with a goal Apple has with Apple Maps in terms of creating an information layer.
Hello everyone.
One update to yesterday’s email.
An eagle-eyed member pointed out to me last evening that Eddy Cue’s portion of the Apple Services year in review was changed at some point to include the following (key) paragraph that we talked about yesterday:
“Last week marked my 34th anniversary at Apple, and I’ve never been more excited about what’s ahead. This new year of Apple services will be our most exciting yet — and we can’t wait to share it with you.”
The initial release that Apple put out did not include that paragraph. The Wayback Machine suggests Apple updated the press release roughly ten hours later in the early morning hours of the 11th. My first thought was that this was a simple mistake on Apple's part. An older version of the press release may have been published. There was different paragraph spacing between the two versions as well. Nevertheless, the change may have led to some confusion among members who read the release when it first came out on the 10th and who did not see Cue's hinting of 2023 being a big year.
Apple Introduces Apple Business Connect
In a press release issued yesterday, here’s Apple:
“Apple today introduced Apple Business Connect, a free tool that allows businesses of all sizes to claim their location place cards and customize the way key information appears to more than a billion Apple users across Apple Maps, Messages, Wallet, Siri, and other apps.
‘We created Business Connect to provide Apple users around the world with the most accurate information for places to eat, shop, travel, and more,’ said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services. “Apple Business Connect gives every business owner the tools they need to connect with customers more directly, and take more control over the way billions of people see and engage with their products and services every day.’"
This is an intriguing initiative that has the potential of being both a value-add service for Apple users as well as a development that competitors like Google and Meta need to monitor closely.
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Payment is processed and secured by Stripe. Apple Pay and other mobile payment options are accepted. Special Inside Orchard bundle pricing is available for Above Avalon members.
More information about Above Avalon membership, including the full list of benefits and privileges, is available here.