App Store study, iWork updates, OLED iPad and Samsung's chip plans • AppleTLDR

App Store research and changes imminent

Today, Apple published the results of a study that it commissioned in partnership with economists at the Analysis group. The study aims to highlight competition in the App Store and how successful third party alternatives are, relative to first-party apps that come preinstalled. The study which uses quantitative data has arrived against a backdrop of various legislation designed to curb Apple’s alleged market dominance.

Our quantitative analyses of engagement with apps (not merely app downloads) demonstrates that, across many app types, Apple’s own apps are eclipsed in popularity and account for a relatively small share of usage.
Juliette Caminade, Ph.D., Markus von Wartburg, Ph.D., Analysis Group

In the figures published below, Apple demonstrates that third-party apps dominate their own in many important categories. Mapping, Music Streaming, TV and Movie streaming to name but a few.

Some highlights from the report include:

Third-party apps are the only options for consumers for entire types of apps, including social networking, dating services, travel planning, and food and drink.

Leaders in app types often vary across countries, with many regional leaders outperforming their globally competitive counterparts.

Third-party apps are the most popular among iPhone users in most regions for major app types, including music streaming, TV and movie streaming, reading, communication, and mapping apps.

Across many app types, Apple’s own apps account for a relatively small share of app usage among iPhone users. This is the case even though some Apple apps are preinstalled to enable core functionality of the device.

iPhone users often use multiple apps within a single category, especially apps for communicating, reading the news, watching videos, or navigating — underscoring how easily users can switch between apps and the breadth of opportunity for developers.

The AppleTLDR take

Apple is under significant pressure thanks to regulators. Some of the regulations may be justified, some less so. The problem is that some of the regulation has been lobbied for by those with a vested interest in disrupting Apple’s revenue model for their own financial gain. But what the regulators seem to be failing to understand, is the severe security implications that this will have for the average consumer. It’s frustratingly narrow-sighted and sceptical regulation that assumes the vast majority of users ‘want’ sideloading. Just look at the Google Play Store. Hardly any Android users venture too far outside of it and wisely so. There’s a reason that Android is a ‘toxic hell stew of vulnerability’ as Tim Cook describes.

iWork Updates

Apple updates its iWork suite of productivity apps today to version 12. But it seems that this is actually quite a minor update, despite the increase in version number.

Perhaps the most exciting change is that the iOS app icons have much closer parity with their Mac counterparts…

Apple’s iWork update aligns their iOS icons nearer to their macOS counterparts. pic.twitter.com/AScQroffX1
— Basic Apple Guy (@BasicAppleGuy) April 7, 2022

Keynote

Precision font size editing
Shortcut support on Mac
Increased maximum zoom of slides to 400%

Numbers

Precision font size editing
Shortcut support on Mac
The ability to easily copy and share a snapshot of tables without intrinsic values, formulae or hidden values
Voiceover support for autofilling cells with formulas and text

Oled iPad

In a new report from The Elec, Chinese firm BOE plans to partner with Apple to deliver OLED panels on future models of the iPad and MacBook line.

BOE is planning to build a Gen 8.6 (2250x2600mm) IT OLED panel production line at its B16 factory in the city of Chengdu in Sichuan Province, China, TheElec has learned.
The Elec

The new production line will be in operation by early 2024. But what is rather significant about this report, is the arrival of Gen 8.6 Oled Panels. For context, these panels will be able to be produced in very high quantities with excellent yield rates while offering highly desirable properties. For example the ability to double stack emission layers in the display for increased brightness and a longer panel lifespan.

Samsung’s chip plans with TSMC

In a report from IT Home (you’ll need a website translator), it seems that Apple’s archrival Samsung along with Oppo, are planning to fabricate custom designs chips for smartphones. They plan to partner with TSMC to do so with the intent to directly rival Apple’s custom A-series chips for the iPhone.

Apple’s custom design chips based on technology by ARM holdings have long given Apple a highly competitive advantage. Particularly when it comes to performance per watt in its smartphones and tablets. The competition has clearly noted the benefits of Apple’s approach and in Samsung’s case, is feeling the pressure. Their flagship devices have even been deleted by Geekbench due to Samsung manipulating the performance data to their own advantage.