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Back in April, a handful of developers launched the HackStore, an alternative to the Mac App Store. Similar to Cydia for iOS, the HackStore hosts third-party Mac applications that for one reason or another didn’t make it past Apple’s approval process.
In our first take, we noted that while the Store looked good, it needed some work. It was a bit buggy, and only contained around 50 apps. But after nearly 6 months and a number of updates, we figured it was time to give the HackStore another run-through…
DesignWhen trying out a new application, there are two major things I look at: design and functionality. Design is the first thing you see when you load up an app, so it’s very important. If your app looks terrible, I’m probably going to delete it right away.
In the HackStore’s case, the overall design is great. It’s clean, sharp, and as you can see, it looks almost exactly like the official Mac App Store. This makes it extremely easy to navigate, with links to “New,” “Featured” and “Categorized” apps accessible from any screen.
But that doesn’t mean it’s perfect, as there are certainly opportunities for improvement. For instance, I’ve noticed a few grammatical errors throughout the Store, such as the section labeled “Editor’s choise.” And the UI is definitely lacking the polish that you see in higher-quality apps. These are minor details, sure, but they do take away from the Store’s credibility.
FunctionalityWhile design is the first thing you see when you open up an application, its functionality is the most crucial. A pretty UI might convince you to try an app, but if it doesn’t work correctly, you’ll still end up deleting it.
Unfortunately, the HackStore’s functionality stops all together once you’ve downloaded the 20 or so useful applications — software selection is still a major problem here. Though there seems to be quite a bit more apps available now than there was at launch, I’d wager that there’s still not more than 100 of them, which is extremely low. I said it 6 months ago, and I’m going to have to say it again, I’m just hoping that this number improves over time.
ConclusionJust like the title says, the HackStore has become a viable alternative to the Mac App Store. It has a clean, familiar UI, and it contains a few really handy applications.
That being said, it still lacks the polish and app content it needs to make it a top contender in the category. Just look at other App Store alternatives, like Bodega, and you’ll see what I mean. The HackStore still has a lot of work ahead of it. But at least, for now anyway, it’s still in the game. It’ll be really interesting to see where it’s at in another six months.
If you want to try it out for yourself, you can download the HackStore. Remember, it’s only available for OS X 10.7+ Mac users, and if you’re running Mountain Lion, you’ll have to enable the “Allow applications from anywhere” option for it to work.
Pros:
Overall clean design
Familiar user interface and navigation
Downloading apps is reliable and simple
Easy to perform app updates
Offers a handful of useful applications
Twitter and Facebook sharing options
Cons:
Lacks a certain level of polish
Still needs a few UI tweaks
Extremely limited app selection
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Apple May Be Forced To Remove Telegram From The App Store
Yesterday, the organization Coalition for a Safer Web filed a lawsuit, in which the Telegram leadership is accused of the fact that the messenger does not in any way fight against calls for violence and messages with extremist content. In particular, the situation with the breaking in of the US Capitol in early January is mentioned. The lawsuit says it violates Apple’s App Store Terms of Service.
In this regard, the plaintiffs demand to remove Telegram from the App Store. It is also reported that Coalition for a Safer Web plans to ask the court to remove Telegram from the Google Play store. Recall that in the latter case, Android users always have the opportunity to download applications from other sources. iOS users don’t have this option.
Pavel Durov said that in the first week of January, Telegram’s active user base exceeded 500 million people a month. As of January 12, 25 million new users joined Telegram within 72 hours.
Telegram become the second most downloaded app in the USAs reported by The Telegraph, Telegram messenger is already ranked second in the ranking of the most downloaded applications in the United States. This happened after Twitter blocked the account of US President Donald Trump; and Apple and Google removed from their app stores the popular social network of his supporters Parler.
The founder of Telegram, Pavel Durov, confirmed that after the introduction of the new WhatsApp rules, there were noticeably more new users in Telegram.
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Telegram new update brings voice chats and more featuresThe telegram team has recently released an update to the popular messenger. This is the twelfth and last major Telegram update in 2023, the next batch of innovations will be presented by the developers in 2023. Telegram version 7.3 brings group voice chats for all users, improved editing capabilities, new animated emojis, and so on.
Voice chat is described by the developers as a new type of audio conferencing that group members can connect to at any time. You can start voice chat in parallel with regular correspondence in any group – text and voice will complement each other in a single space.
Unlike regular calls, participants do not have to agree on a time. The voice chat is open on an ongoing basis. In the group, you can immediately see which of the participants is currently speaking in the chat. For Android users, the display mode is available on top of other applications. In this mode, you can control the microphone and see who is talking in the chat; even if the Telegram application is minimized.
Telegram gets new featuresAnother innovation for Android is that SD card storage is now supported. For iOS users, it became possible to read messages using the Siri voice assistant.
In addition, for Android, it became possible to edit sent photos without re-uploading; for example, adding a picture, text or stickers to a photo in the media editor. IOS users can quickly edit and send back the resulting photo, without having to save it and re-upload it. Each of these features was previously only available on one of the platforms; but now iOS and Android users have the same editing capabilities.
The developers did not ignore such a beloved area as animated emojis. Almost a couple of dozen new animated emojis were added, as well as several animated emoji with sound.
Recently, Pavel Durov, the founder of Telegram, also announced that this year the messenger monetization will begin; some new functions will be paid, but the current services will continue to be available for free.
What Is App Store Optimization (Aso) In Digital Marketing?
ASO is a process that aims to improve the visibility of your apps within the search results of various app stores, such as Apple’s App Store or Google Play. It involves using various resources to help you improve the ranking of your apps in these stores. The main goal of ASO is to increase the number of people who download your app and support other goals, such as traffic to your website.
One of the most effective ways to increase the organic visibility of a mobile app is through app store optimization. This process involves developing a cohesive marketing strategy that includes a variety of creative assets and metadata. Having the right data sets is very important in order to get the most out of your marketing efforts.
What is the Definition of ASO?ASO is a strategy that aims to improve an app’s visibility in the app store. It involves using keywords, images, and descriptions that are optimized for the store. Having these elements can help boost an app’s rank and attract more users. Although ASO is often associated with SEO, it only applies to the app store’s ranking and search function. There are a variety of ways that they overlap, and it can help you improve the rankings of your app.
ASO is a closed-site approach to searching for content. Similar to SEO, it requires the right indexation and manipulation of the app store’s ranking algorithms to reach its users and increase installs. One of the most important factors that you can consider when it comes to improving the app store’s rankings is having the right communication with the users.
How Important is ASO?One of the most significant benefits of ASO is that it can help increase the visibility of your app in app stores even if people were not looking for it in the first place. This is because search is the most used method to find new apps. A good app store optimization strategy can help you connect with your audience and promote your unique selling points. It can also boost the number of installs and prove to be an effective marketing tool.
Key Ranking Factors
App name
App short description
App URL
App long description
Keywords
Installs and engagement
Reviews and ratings
App updates
In-app purchase titles and descriptions
ASO Marketing StrategyFollow these steps to start optimizing your app store. As you go through the process, you’ll notice the differences between the Google Play and Apple App Stores.
App Title and SubtitleOne of the most important factors that you should consider when it comes to optimizing your app’s title is ensuring that it’s well-written and memorable. It’s also one of the most prominent factors in the search results of both the App Store and Google. Having a good title and name is very important to ensure that your users will find it easy to navigate through. While you can use keywords in your app name, make sure that you use them in a way that doesn’t feel unnatural.
Add KeywordsYou can enter keywords that will be used to describe your app in the Apple App Store’s results. These are the keywords that Apple will consider when it comes to ranking it. Although you can select as many as you wish, you’re limited to only 100 characters per sentence.
This is a space where you can get creative with your keywords, and it’s also a good place to test different combinations and keywords to see which works best for your app’s features. Ideally, you should try to strike a balance between the most competitive and common keywords that you’re likely to rank for and the less competitive ones that you might rank for.
DescriptionYour app’s description fields are very important for ASO strategies, as they give users a more comprehensive view of your app’s features and actions. Google Play provides a short and a long description field, respectively, which are used for app store ranking. Apple’s App Store only has a long one, and it doesn’t appear to be used for ranking. Although it doesn’t appear to be used, the long one’s importance is still significant.
Add Elements Tips for App Store Optimization
When it comes to app stores, they use keyword triggers in their descriptions, names, and associated fields to help you find the most relevant keywords. You should also regularly revisit these areas to find opportunities to improve your search engine optimization.
Through Apple’s app store, users can search for apps they have already installed. This feature, known as Spotlight Search, can help boost engagement levels and app use. It can also make your app more visible to users.
ConclusionYour app’s features and audience will constantly change, and this is why it’s important that your ASO also reflects this. The top apps in the app store regularly update and maintain their content. They do so to reflect the feedback of their users and add new features to the description. One way to improve your ranking is by studying the practices of other apps in the same category.
The rise of app store optimization has outpaced the growth trends of the past few years. As a result, it has become more important than ever that the marketing mix includes the value of apps. The challenge now is how to get the most out of this strategy by attracting users to the various app stores.
A Mixed Experience With Ibeacon At The Apple Store
Following this morning’s report about the deployment of Apple’s iBeacon technology to its 254 US retail stores, I decided to go to my local Apple Store and give it a try for myself. After agreeing to enable in-store notifications within the Apple Store app, I then drove to the Carlsbad Apple Store.
I didn’t expect to be blown away by this new app/store feature, but I did expect it to work and offer a certain level of relevancy. The results were very mixed, to say the least…
As I walked though the door, a notification showed up on the Lock screen. It welcomed me and invited me learn how to make the most of my visit by launching the Apple Store app. Launching the app showed me a splash screen with the EasyPay option front and center. I thought it was a pretty nice touch. I closed the app and continued wandering through the store.
I stayed a few minutes at the iPhone 5s table where I was expecting a notification to tell me more about the device, or at least tell me about my upgrade eligibility, since it’s part of the features touted by the Apple Store app update. Nothing happened.
So I decided to check out the iPhone 5c table. As a side note, I really love those iPhone 5c models. They look good and feel great in your hand. I’d even venture to say the build quality is better than the 5s. Anyways. After a few minutes at the iPhone 5c table, I hadn’t received any notification. I had however received a second welcome notification.
I then made my way to the MacBook Pro section. As I was browsing iDB from a 15-inch MBP with Retina display, an Apple employee approached me and saw I was reading iDB’s post about iBeacon tech being deployed today. The employee mentioned he had heard about it but he didn’t know it was coming out today. I explained him the basics of iBeacon. He seemed impressed, but not so much after all when I told him it had failed to work properly with me so far. As we were talking, I received a third welcome notification, but still nothing about the products I was actually looking at.
I walked to the accessories section of the store, and yes, I received a fourth welcome notification. I guess Apple really wants me to feel welcome. It’s nice but it’s not what I’m looking for. Still no notification about the various cases I’m checking out.
Walking across the store to see other products for sale, I finally get a relevant notification explaining me that I can read product reviews and complete a purchase right from my iPhone. Launching the app takes me to the bar code scanner. I proceeded to scan a couple items. The app was very fast at showing more details about the products. A big colorful button also made it clear I could have purchased the items from the app.
As I was walking out the door, I received a final welcome notification. Not very timely!
From my point of view, this was a very underwhelming experience with more than mixed results. The implementation of this technology is new, which could explain the poor results, but this is certainly not an excuse. Instead of launching this to all its stores at once, it might have been wiser to go through a test period at select stores first.
At the end of the day, this is not a big deal. Sending me notifications when walking around its stores is not something I expect from Apple. However, I have become accustomed to Apple providing a flawless experience in just about every regards. So far, iBeacon hasn’t delivered.
Of course, it must be noted that your experience may vary, but from I gather, iBeacon in Apple Stores hasn’t lived up to its hype quite yet.
The Winning Iphone Strategy Is Shifting To Mac And Ipad
The winning iPhone strategy is shifting to Mac and iPad
Apple tested its strategy out on the iPhone, took a risk, and it paid off: now, it’s the turn of the Mac – and specifically the new MacBook Air – to go next. For long-time MacBook Air fans, the late-2023 update to the ultraportable addressed a lot of complaints. Faster processors, more storage, and a Retina display all checked off boxes long-overdue. However there was one change we were hoping not to see.
On the one hand, you can certainly make the argument that you’re getting a whole lot for “just” $200 more. The new MacBook Air is slimmer and has a smaller footprint than its predecessor; its display bezels are narrower, and the 13.3-inch screen itself is more pixel-dense. You get a beefier processor and more memory, too, all without sacrificing battery life.
At the time, it was seen as a significant risk for Apple to take. Certainly, the fact that its audience has been willing to pay a premium for its smartphones was known and understood. The question was, would they be willing to stray into four-digits?
We now know the answer to that is “yes, they absolutely will” and the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max only doubled-down on that core strategy. Want a flagship iPhone in 2023? Figure on paying at least $1,000 and probably several hundred more than that. Yes, there’s an iPhone XR to undercut the iPhone XS, but even that hit shelves last week at around the price that, only a few years ago, you’d have spent on Apple’s high-end model.
The strategy was as cunning as it was risky. Smartphone sales had begun to slow, across the industry, and Apple couldn’t count on the usual influx of new buyers to buoy its quarterly results. Instead, it shifted focus to a different metric altogether: average selling price, or ASP.
With a higher ASP, you don’t have to sell as many devices to be performing well – each one you do sell just needs to be more expensive. Apple’s gamble paid off, too. Sales since the iPhone X’s launch haven’t exactly been dramatic in terms of rising handset numbers, but average selling price has skewed up sharply.
Where the smartphone segment goes, so too does the personal computing category. Mac sales haven’t exactly been a thorn in Apple’s side, but neither is the turnover of laptops quite as potent as it once was. Better, then, to sell a few, more expensive MacBook Air models (not to mention those premium-priced MacBook Pro machines, with their top-tier Core i9 processor options) and watch the ASP nudge upwards.
What, then, is the MacBook Air’s equivalent of the iPhone XS’ iPhone XR? That’s the iPad Pro, leaning into its positioning as not only the laptop replacement for some users, but an altogether better option for many use-cases. It’s an argument that makes even more sense with this new, 2023 iPad Pro with the A12 Bionic chipset, and high profile app support like Adobe’s Photoshop coming next year.
For Apple, of course, it’s win-win. The iPad already outsells the Windows notebook segment, Tim Cook crowed at today’s keynote; picking up would-be MacBook Air buyers who have blanched at the $1,200 sticker on this new version certainly won’t hurt there. If they want true notebook replacement, mind, they’re also on the hook for a keyboard case, which adds at least $179 more to the invoice.
It’s easy to balk at Apple’s strategy here. Certainly, had the company revealed a new MacBook Air with the same $999 starting price as its predecessor it would have been an easy upgrade decision for those who have been waiting for that Retina refresh. The risk now is that those shoppers will widen their shopping list and consider other, more affordable notebooks, even if they’re not running macOS.
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Apple’s new gamble rests on a few key things. First, that there’ll be enough MacBook Air upgraders and iPad Pro 2023 buyers to offset anybody dissuaded from a slightly more expensive Air than they might have been expecting. Second, that even if those numbers don’t equal sales that a cheaper new MacBook Air might have managed, the increase in average selling price will make that irrelevant.
Last, but by no means least, it’s counting on a further blurring of the lines between what you need a Mac for, and what you can use an iPad for. Photoshop for iPad is one element of that, as are iOS apps ported to macOS. As that delta between the two ecosystems narrows, the arguments that “I need a Mac to do that” or “these are just mobile apps” will shrink in volume, while Apple’s coffers will only swell.
Comment: 27 Percent App Store Commission Is Apple Treating Regulators With Disdain Again
Apple’s latest response to antitrust regulation is to announce a 27 percent App Store commission instead of the standard 30 percent for apps that offer alternative payment systems.
Not worldwide, of course. Apple is still reacting on a country-by-country, regulation-by-regulation, lawsuit-by-lawsuit basis – so this specific policy relates only to dating apps, and only in the Netherlands…
As we noted earlier, this is clearly the least the company thinks may be needed to comply with the law – and imposes an additional administrative burden on developers too.
A 27% commission does not exactly seem like a compelling option — when Apple’s own In-App Purchase system is easy to use and deeply integrated into the system. Apple says that the 27% cut is based on the price paid by the user, net of value-added tax. It says “this is a reduced rate that excludes value related to payment processing and related activities”.
Each month, developers will have to send a report to Apple that lists their sales. Apple will then send out invoices for its commission, that must be paid within 45 days.
Not only that, but the reduction of just three percentage points is smaller than the four points Google offered in South Korea, and that has been received with disappointment and concern.
The official said the KCC was aware of concern over Google’s planned policy of only reducing its service charge to developers by 4 percentage points when users choose an alternative billing system, and the regulator is waiting for additional information from Google.
Apple is, once again, doing the absolute minimum it thinks it can get away with. I’ve argued before that Apple could have headed off this whole antitrust avalanche by being proactive at an early stage, and emerged looking like the good guy instead of the guy who grumbles as he does the smallest things required of him.
I can only echo my earlier amazement at the incompetence of the company when it comes to protecting its most valuable asset: its brand image.
For a company whose business is “skating to where the puck will be,” it’s astonishing to me how badly the company does this when it comes to reputational issues.
For each of the big issues that have brought the company bad publicity this year, Apple has taken its usual “We know best” approach. When it has made changes, it has been dragged kicking and screaming to its revised position, rather than taking a lead.
I mean, I get it, the company wants to protect as much of its Services income as possible, and it wants to avoid setting precedents that will hurt it in other countries. But that train has not only left the station, it’s halfway to its destination and its passengers are settling down to dinner.
For as long as Apple maintains its miserly approach to concessions, it will continue to face ever more additions to the mountain of antitrust pressure, legislation, and lawsuits it faces around the world. It is utterly insane to try to respond to each new development with a rushed and minor change to policy in one country at a time.
Apple needs to behave like a global company, and like a responsible one that cares about its reputation. It needs to make meaningful change; it needs to do so globally; and it needs to do it proactively, rather than waiting to be forced into compliance.
Photo: Priscilla Du Preez/Unsplash
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