Publishers reportedly concerned over revenue it’s gained from Apple News+

Apple News+ seems to be off to a rocky start and the publishers have started to notice. According to a report from Business Insider, multiple publishers have expressed their concern about the early numbers and revenue they’re getting and how it isn’t living up to what Apple promised. The subscription revenue they’ve gotten from the service was reportedly underwhelming, based on the first two months of data after the trial ended. According to the report, one publishing executive said Apple projected publishers would get 10 times the revenue they made from Texture at the end of the first year of Apple News+. But it’s “one-twentieth of what they said” and “it isn’t coming true.” And that the subscription revenue right now is lower or on par with what they got from Texture, which is a small subscription driver to begin with.

Another issue is that the layout and magazine structure doesn’t seem to be conducive for news and that users are getting confused over the free stories and the new paid content. Apple is said to be taking on the feedback from its publishers and will use this moving forward. There isn’t any concrete plan yet, but Apple certainly has its work cut out for it.

Source: iMore

Canadian Reviewer Weekly Roundup – 6/23 – 6/29

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Folding Microsoft Surface that can run Android apps is tipped to launch in the Q1 of 2020

Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro might get an update in September

‘Harry Potter: Wizards Unite’ is now available in Canada

Apple acquires self-driving car startup Drive.ai

Samsung is reportedly working on a folding clamshell phone

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Apple patent shows the company thought of putting a camera in the Apple Watch’s band

Samsung Galaxy Buds update fixes Ambient Sound problem as well as improves on audio quality

Facebook tests out a feature that’ll let you mute notification dots

Google patent shows a foldable ‘smart book’ with multiple screens

Apple’s new AirPods ad promotes its wireless charging case

Waymo starts offering self-driving minivans for Lyft riders

Waymo starts offering self-driving minivans for Lyft riders

If you find yourself in Waymo’s Phoenix, Arizona testing zone, you might be able to get a self-driving Lyft ride. The autonomous driving subsidiary of Google’s parent company Alphabet launched its tie-in with ride-hailing service Lyft. Less than 10 self-driving minivans are roaming the streets of Phoenix and picking up Lyft riders who opt-in with the program. According to TechCrunch, Waymo plans to introduce 10 cars in the testing zone but it “isn’t there yet.” While not a lot of people will get to use the service, those who decide to be part of the testing can choose to use the Waymo minivan or a traditional Lyft ride.

This partnership doesn’t mean Waymo isn’t working on its own projects. The company still has its own commercial autonomous ride-hailing service called Waymo One. Earlier this month, Waymo struck a deal with Nissan and Renault to help build self-driving vehicles for those automakers.

Apple’s new AirPods ad promotes its wireless charging case

This isn’t the first time Apple made an ad for its AirPods, but it is the first one highlighting the wireless charging case for this second-generation earbuds. It shows a bored or melancholic man getting ready for the day. He takes the AirPods and its case off a wireless charging pad before he heads outside. There he discovers ordinary street items are somehow bouncy like a trampoline. The song that plays in the background is “I Learnt Some Jazz Today,” adding vibrancy to this monochromatic video. The AirPods with its wireless charging case retails for $269, or you can get the wireless charging case on its own for $99. It will work with any Qi-based charging mats, like the Apple-exclusive Belkin model.