HTC Vive taking on business applications with $1,580 Business Edition

HTC's Vive virtual reality rig is red hot with gamers and consumer techies but it has a more serious side set up for business and enterprise applications.

Available from June 2016, Vive BE allows individuals and organizations to order Vive VR systems with additional services adapted for business and commercial environments. Alongside the full Vive VR system, Vive BE comes with commercial licensing, a dedicated Business Edition customer support line and a 12-month limited warranty. Businesses will be able to buy multiple Vive BE systems, with the option to order large quantities.

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Google rumoured to be re-thinking its revenue sharing with app developers

After Apple announced its new plan for app developers, Google’s reportedly thinking of doing the same thing for its own developers. According to Recode, though, the 85/15 revenue split Google also plans to implement will begin immediately. It won’t require developers to have a user subscribe for one year before the new revenue sharing method kicks in, which is what Apple is doing. Unnamed sources said Google has been trying this out with entertainment companies over a year ago with video services to boost its offerings as well as have them work on its TV streaming devices such as the Cast dongle. There isn’t any confirmation yet, though, if Google will implement this and when. Google has long been trying to get developers to invest in its platform like they do with Apple so we won’t be surprised if the tech giant does resolve to do this.

Source: Recode

Apple to start showing ads in App Store

Google’s done it to the Play Store last year and now Apple’s bringing it into its own App Store in the U.S. iOS users will soon see paid ads show up when you search for specific apps in the App Store. Apple claims they’ll show no more than one ad marked in blue at the top of the search list when you look by name or subject. The tech giant claims this it a way to bring visibility to apps that are finding it hard to get noticed in an increasingly crowded app market. Apple promises that wealthy advertisers won’t dominate the results and they are working on ways to help users find new apps.

Aside from this, Apple is encouraging app-makers to sell their apps on a subscription basis. They promise these developers bigger revenue cut (from 70 percent to 85 percent) if consumers maintain their subscription for at least a year. This, they say, will help give developers a more reliable and long-term stream of income.

Source: Apple

Slack introduces voice calls, brings group calls to paying users

Slack is officially moving away from being a messaging service to bringing in voice calls. All users, whether you use Windows or Mac apps, Google Chrome extension, or Android and iOS apps, have access to one-on-one voice calls. You should see a phone icon in the upper right portion of the channel header for those on the desktop, while those using the mobile app can “Start a call” in the app’s channel or DM drop-down menu.

If you want to make group calls in any channel or group DM, you need to be part of a paid team.  If someone from your team starts a group call, you’ll get a message prompting you to join the call. As mentioned before, calls also have the emoji response feature, which allows you to share what you think about the call or the topic you’re talking about.

Source: Slack