Apple ponders subscription model
Apple may be preparing to offer iPhones on subscription plan, easing the cost of up-front purchases by charging by the month. Tim Cook stated that the company has a similar plan now that provides upgrades and bundles warranties and tech support. CNBC
dis-rup-shun: As Apple transitions its revenue mix to much more emphasis on services, “throwing in” devices with services is a quick way to do so. iPhones can be a part of a SPaaS (Smartphone as a service) initiative that includes the latest and greatest phone with subscriptions to Apple’s streaming video, game service and news service. Perhaps there is a way to throw in the Apple credit card, which currently charges no annual fee, but could be free with smart phone subscription. Cell phone upgrade plans are confusing enough, so a simple monthly fee including services and regular upgrades could ease the confusion and make people happy.
Internet Archive enables digital access to rare books
The Internet Archive, the non-profit that is cataloging for posterity old websites that have come and gone, is in the processing of digitizing old books that are hard to find or not in print. The service is improving the verification of citations in reference documents such as Wikipedia and enabling researchers to dig deeper into unique data sources, such as old books. In addition, the service is allowing people to check out the digital books, one at a time, for free. Wired
dis-rup-shun: Did you know that you can use the Wayback Machine to find archives of old websites that are long gone? Think of it as the microfiche of old newspaper editions that a librarian could, on demand, retrieve from drawers at the library. The Internet Archive is bridging the gap between commercially available books provided by Amazon and Google, and old volumes long out of print. This amazing service is the digital key to unlock stores of important books that would never be offered by Amazon or Google due to their lack of commercial value.
Ring Fit Adventure — gaming to get fit
Nintendo’s animated exercise adventure game is now available for $80. The game comes with a ring that attaches to a controller (Joy-Con) and a leg strap that attaches to the other Joy-Con. The user works (literally) to foil an ugly dragon that can only be defeated with some hard labor on the part of the player. TechCrunch
dis-rup-shun: In the new world of connected fitness, an old player re-enters. Ring Fit is for the home fitness enthusiast who would rather fight dragons than follow hard bodies teaching live or recorded spin classes and boot camps. The demand for connected fitness should be big enough for many approaches, and there are certainly plenty of people who would prefer to workout in a fantasy world.
New conference to feature top IOT thought leaders
IOTc, the Internet of Things Consortium launches summit
The Internet of Things Consortium launches IOTc Next, The Connected Futures Summit. The event takes place in New York City’s TimesCenter on November 12th.
dis-rup-shun: Readers of dis-rup-shun.com are entitled to event discounts. The one day event features a wide variety of IOT topics and speakers. The agenda topics include: financing IOT projects, user interfaces, media organizations in a connected world, marketing how-to’s, seeing the future, IOT and mobility, smart homes, connected health and wellness, securing devices and networks, connected retail, smart cities, and the ethics of IOT. That’s a busy day!
Forrester’s turn to predict the future
Market research firm Forrester has joined the ranks of future predictors with its 5 trends for 2020.
- 5G will augment existing low power personal area networks (LoWPAN) to provide faster connectivity of networked devices to the cloud.
- Smart speakers will catch on, not just at home but in the corporate conference room to facilitate conference calls and video meetings, with software that adjusts to unique contexts, like too many people speaking at once.
- Cybercriminals will also enjoy the rise of IOT, taking over more devices and holding them ransom. IOT devices will include improved security in an attempt to lock out these challengers.
- Connected trucks that provide more data about their contents will optimize logistics, resulting in fewer empty or partially full trucks. Connected technologies will also keep drivers informed if they are drowsy or showing signs of diminished performance.
- Device makers will shift from selling devices to bundling devices as a part of service delivery. See the Apple subscription story above for an example. Tech Republic
dis-rup-shun: As stated before, IOT has an ROI problem and the exciting news about the future will be examples of IOT making or saving money. Of Forrester’s predictions, improving logistics efficiencies in trucks, or anything that carries paid freight will be a great example of the tangible value of connecting things. Let’s hope that 2020 brings a number of strong examples of IOT making a difference to the bottom lines of industries that have connected their assets.