This Week in Apps: Android 11 beta, Snapchat’s makeover, Apple’s WWDC20 plans

Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the Extra Crunch series that recaps the latest OS news, the applications they support and the money that flows through it all.

The app industry is as hot as ever, with a record 204 billion downloads and $120 billion in consumer spending in 2019. People are now spending three hours and 40 minutes per day using apps, rivaling TV. Apps aren’t just a way to pass idle hours — they’re a big business. In 2019, mobile-first companies had a combined $544 billion valuation, 6.5x higher than those without a mobile focus.

In this Extra Crunch series, we help you keep up with the latest news from the world of apps, delivered on a weekly basis.

This week, we’re looking at the mobile news from the events that didn’t happen this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. That includes the launch of Android 11 beta, which would have normally arrived during Google I/O, along with all the new Android developer tools. Snap also held its partner summit this week, where it announced a number of new Snapchat features, new partner relationships, and its plans for its AR ecosystem.

Not to be left out, Apple stole a little attention this week with its reveal of the WWDC20 schedule. Like many others, Apple’s conference is going virtual for the first time. It’s even redesigning its forums to aid with Apple engineer-developer interactions.

This week in app trends, we examine data from new reports on COVID’s impact on home improvement apps and hypercasual gaming.

Headlines

Android 11 beta launches along with new developer tools

After a series of delays and the cancellation of Google I/O, the Android 11 beta finally launched this week. This next major version of the Android OS is focused around three themes, says Google: People, Controls and Privacy.

On the People side, Android 11 gives conversation notifications a dedicated section at the top of the shade, offers a Bubbles API for messaging apps, improves Voice Access, adds new emoji and more. New consolidated keyboard suggestions allow Autofill apps and Input Method Editors (e.g., password managers and third-party keyboards), to now securely offer context-specific entries in the suggestion strip.

 

New device controls make it easier for users to access and control connected/smart home devices with a long press of the power button or access payment options. New media controls in an upcoming beta release will make it easier to switch the output device for audio or video content.

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Apple TV+ to release Tom Hanks naval drama ‘Greyhound’ on July 10

Tom Hanks’ “Greyhound” is the latest movie to skip theaters and head straight to streaming — in this case, to Apple TV+. Deadline reported last month that Apple had picked up the film, which now has a release date of July 10.

Sony had previously pushed back the movie’s release multiple times, most recently settling on June 19 (Father’s Day weekend).

Of course, those plans were scuttled by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting theatrical closures. Although theaters are preparing to reopen with new social distancing measures, with Warner Bros’ “Tenet” and Disney’s “Mulan” scheduled for release in July, it remains to be seen whether moviegoers are ready to return.

Meanwhile, studios have taken different strategies for different films — delaying some, accelerating VOD/streaming releases for others and either skipping theaters for their own streaming services (in the case of Disney) or selling films to streamers (in the case of Netflix and “The Lovebirds”). Sony went the latter route, with “Greyhound” going to Apple.

Aaron Schneider directed the film, while Hanks wrote the screenplay based on C.S. Forester’s novel “The Good Shepherd.” He also stars as a first-time Naval captain during World War II who has to protect a convoy of 37 ships from Nazi U-boats.

Apple was already working with Hanks on “Masters of Air,” a World War II series executive produced by Hanks, Gary Goetzman (who also produced “Greyhound”) and Steven Spielberg.

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Apple reveals its virtual WWDC lineup, including its special keynote planned for June 22

The coronavirus pandemic threw a wrench into Apple’s plans for its annual Worldwide Developer Conference event, now entering its 31st year. Due to the health crisis, Apple in March joined a number of other companies shifting their in-person events to virtual ones with an announcement that WWDC20 would be held online. Today, the company has revealed the lineup it has planned for its virtual developer event, including its anticipated special keynote address on June 22.

The company announced this morning that WWDC20 would include many the same features developers have come to expect from the annual event, including the keynote address, Platforms State of the Union, over 100 engineering sessions, 1-on-1 labs with over 1,000 Apple engineers and an “all-new” version of the Apple Developer Forums.

The latter is in reference to a coming redesign of Apple’s existing Developer Forums that arrives June 18. The update is focused on allowing developers to connect with Apple engineers in a virtual environment, given they will no longer be able to do so in person. Apple says over 1,000 engineers will be available to answer questions and engage in technical discussions in the forums, starting on the first day of WWDC. Apple Developer Program members will also be able to post questions for engineers to answer.

Similarly, Apple has virtualized its Developer Labs for this year’s events. Now, instead of sitting down in person with an Apple engineer, developers will be able to request an appointment with engineers who helped build the technical advancements the developer wants to implement in their own apps. These labs, which run June 23 to June 26, will also be made available to Apple Developer Program members as space is available.

Starting June 23, Apple will post videos of over 100 technical and design-focused sessions headed by Apple engineers. The videos will post every day at 10 a.m. PDT and will be available to developers in the new Apple Developer app for iPhone, iPad and Apple TV, as well as on the Developer website.

Of course, the big draw for developers and nondevelopers alike is the Apple Special Event Keynote.

This year, the keynote address will be held on June 22 at 10 a.m. PDT, streaming from Apple Park via apple.com, the Apple Developer app, the Apple Developer website, the Apple TV app and again, YouTube. For viewers in China, it will stream on Tencent, iQIYI, Bilibili and Youku. After airing, the keynote will be offered for on-demand viewing across platforms.

The developer-focused Platforms State of the Union keynote will follow at 2 p.m. PDT, where Apple engineering leaders will offer deep dives into new technical features and advances across iOS, iPadOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS. This keynote will be available on-demand on the Apple Developer app and the Apple Developer website. Like the Special Event keynote, the Platforms State of the Union will also be available for playback on Tencent, iQIYI, Bilibili and YouKu for viewers in China.

Ahead of WWDC20, Apple will announce the finalists for its Swift Student Challenge on June 16, the company notes.

Apple is one of many companies now working to take its event online. But hosting a successful version of WWDC may be difficult because it lacks the real-world interactions, serendipitous connections, in-person networking and face-to-face technical support that Apple’s traditional developer conference offers. After all, developer videos and forums were always available, but developers from around the world still flocked to Apple’s event to attend in person.

Apple says more information will be made available in the Apple Developer App, on the Apple Developer website, and by email ahead of this year’s event.

Here’s a short summary of the schedule for easy reference:

• Special Event Keynote: June 22, 10 a.m. PDT
• Platforms State of the Union: June 22, 2 p.m. PDT
• Engineering Sessions: June 23-26
• New Apple Developer Forums: June 18 redesign, engineers arrive for Q&A June 22
• 1-on-1 Developer Labs: June 23-26

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Apple commits $100M to its new Racial Equity and Justice Initiative

Apple announced today a new Racial Equity and Justice Initiative with a new $100 million commitment.

Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives, will lead the initiative. Jackson has notched an impressive list of achievements during her tenure at Apple by focusing on improving the environmental sustainability of the company’s supply chain.

“We’re at an important moment in our history. A time when progress, which has been far too slow, feels suddenly poised to move forward in a great leap,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook in a statement on Twitter. “Things must change and Apple is committed to being a force for that change.”

Beginning in the U.S. and expanding globally, Cook said that Apple will take its $100 million investment and focus on financing initiatives that address education, economic equality and criminal justice reform.

Cook said the company would build on existing work with historically Black colleges and universities, community colleges, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics education — especially among underserved and Black communities.

In addition to the company’s existing relationships, Cook said Apple would work with the Montgomery, Alabama-based Equal Justice Initiative — a nonprofit that focuses on criminal justice reform and racial injustice.

The company will also hold a developer and entrepreneur camp for promising entrepreneurs ahead of its Worldwide Developer Conference.

Finally, Cook said that the company would commit to working on increasing its total spending with its Black-owned business partners and increasing representation within all of the companies that it does business with.

Apple’s initiatives will focus on representation, inclusion and accountability, Cook said.

As part of that, Cook said that the ultimate accountability for changes will fall on the company’s leadership to avoid making requests and having the work fall on the shoulders of employees and partners who are already dealing with lack of representation in their companies. “The burden of change must not fall on those who are underrepresented,” said Cook.

The unfinished work of racial justice and equality call us all to account. Things must change, and Apple's committed to being a force for that change. Today, I'm proud to announce Apple’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, with a $100 million commitment. pic.twitter.com/AoYafq2xlp

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) June 11, 2020

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Xiaomi’s Mi Smart Band 5 sports bigger display and new wireless charging system — and starts at $27

One of the world’s best selling wearable lineups just added a new gadget to the mix.

Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi today unveiled the Mi Smart Band 5 that delivers several improvements and adds features such as a bigger screen, new wireless charging system, and women’s health mode over the company’s one-year-old Mi Smart Band 4 — while retaining its dirt-cheap price point.

The Mi Smart Band 5 features a 1.1-inch AMOLED display that is 20% larger than the one its immediate predecessor sported.

With the new band, the world’s second largest wearable vendor is also bringing a range of new animated watch faces including characters from TV series such as Spongebob Squarepants, Neon Genesis Evangelion and Detective Conan, and eight colorful straps.

Xiaomi says the new smart band is powered by an improved processor — the name of which it did not specify — to enable tracking of menstrual cycles for the first time, and support additional features such as stress assessment that will tell the wearer when it’s a good time to relax.

The Mi Smart Band 5, compatible with iPhones as well as Android handsets, also monitors the wearer’s sleep cycle more efficiently now, adding support for REM sleep as well as evaluating deep and light sleep sessions. The company claimed its heart rate monitoring is now 50% more precise.

One of the biggest improvements in the new band is its new charging system. This is a refreshing change as previous models in Xiaomi’s Mi Smart Band lineup have received complaints from users who described having to get the tracker out of the strap as a clumsy process. Now the company says its new magnetic charging dock automatically snaps onto the bottom of the band. Charging the band once delivers up to 14-days of continuous usage.

Like the Mi Smart Band 4, the Band 5 supports company’s homegrown digital voice assistant XiaoAI that a user can trigger by swiping to the right of the display.

There is an additional variant of the Smart Band 5 that supports NFC. This model features support for mobile payment services, and can be used to unlock smart doors and also serve as a transportation card at select subways.

The Mi Smart Band 5 goes on sale in China next week at a price point of RMB 189 ($26.75) while the NFC variant of the band is priced at RMB 229 ($32.5). The company says the device will be made available in international markets “soon.”

Xiaomi continues to be one of the leading players in the wearable market as it aggressively refreshes and introduces new devices. In November last year, Xiaomi its first smartwatch — called the Mi Watch —  that looks strikingly similar to the Apple Watch. The Mi Watch is priced at $185.

According to research firm IDC, the company shipped 10.1 million wearable devices in the quarter that ended in March this year. It is ahead of Samsung, Huawei, and Fitbit. Apple maintains its top spot in the category.

Data: IDC

Where are wearables going in 2020?

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Pocket Casts and Castro Podcasts removed from Apple’s China store

Before June each year, content and media platforms in China anxiously anticipate a new round of censorship as the government tightens access to information in the lead-up to the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

This year, Chinese users lost access to two podcast apps — Pocket Casts and Castro Podcasts. Neither app is searchable within Apple’s Chinese App Store at the time of writing.

Pocket Casts, which was acquired by a group of American public radio companies in 2018, tweeted that it “has been removed from the Chinese App Store by Apple, at the request of the Cyberspace Administration of China,” the country’s internet watchdog.

When Pocket Casts asked for clarification, Apple’s app review team told the podcast firm to contact the CAC directly, an email seen by TechCrunch showed.

“We will most likely contact them to find out more, though we weren’t given that option to stop the app from being removed, only as a potential solution to have it re-instated. The very small amount of warning we were given between there being a problem, and our app being completely removed from the Chinese app store was quite alarming,” a spokesperson for Pocket Casts told TechCrunch.

“We assumed that what they’d want us to remove are specific podcasts, and possible some of the Black Lives Matter content we’d posted.”

Castro Podcasts, bought by Dribbble owner Tiny in 2018, said in a tweet that while it wasn’t given specifics about its removal in China, the incident might have been caused by its “support of the protests.”

We think it might have been our support of the protests in the Discover tab. We were not given specifics.

— Castro Podcasts (@CastroPodcasts) June 7, 2020

Apple cannot be immediately reached for comment.

The losses are reminiscent of Apple’s crackdown on Chinese-language podcasts last year around this time. For many independent podcast creators in China, that was the beginning of the end to free expression. While domestic podcast platforms play by Beijing’s rules to self-censor, cracks have long remained on international platforms such as Apple Podcast.

The Apple app, which functions as RSS feeds rather than a hosting service, has unnerved the authority for its relatively hands-off approach towards audio content. That’s a contrast to its Chinese counterparts, which screen content thoroughly before publishing. While Apple only distributes content, its Chinese rivals “combine content hosting, content distribution, and user listening as a result of China’s regulations and years of commercial development,” observed (in Chinese) Chinese podcasting firm JustPod in a blog post.

Most foreign podcasts had long been inaccessible on Apple within China. When the giant began weeding out Chinese shows that lacked government-approved hosting partners that moderated content, many saw it as Apple’s nod to censorship masked as a law-abiding move.

The company’s shareholders have protested, with 40% of the group (paywalled) casting support for a proposal that would require Apple to be more transparent on how it responds to government demands for censorship.

Pocket Casts and Castro Podcasts are two censorship-free alternatives that many Chinese podcast creators had picked since last year’s purge within Apple Podcast. Pocket Casts said China is now its 7th largest market with rapid growth. These options are now gone.

Recent events suggest that Apple may be increasingly caving to Beijing’s pressure to stay in the market. In February, the firm removed the smash-hit Plague Inc., which was told it included “content that is illegal in China as determined by the CAC,” the same government agency that dropped Pocket Casts. In 2017, Apple stirred up a huge controversy when it pulled hundreds of VPNs that would help mainland users access otherwise blocked websites.

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Apple to discontinue iTunes U after 2021

If you’re a teacher who has been relying on Apple’s iTunes U platform to digitally share your courses with the world, it’s time to shift to something new. After a few years of letting it mostly stagnate (the last update with anything but “stability improvements” was in 2017), Apple has quietly disclosed that iTunes U will be discontinued at the end of 2021.

The news comes via a support document on Apple’s site, as spotted by MacRumors.

Why? In short: it doesn’t really make sense to support it anymore. iTunes is no longer the all-encompassing, cram-it-on-in feature beast that it once was, so the name doesn’t really make sense today. Apple points out that they’ve been building out standalone apps like Classroom and Schoolwork to help teachers distribute material and grade students; meanwhile, plenty of third party apps now focus on digital education as their first and foremost feature.

Apple first launched iTunes U in 2007 as a section of the iTunes Store meant to host courses and content from “top US colleges.” By 2013, Apple said that those courses had been downloaded over one billion times. By the middle of 2019, however, it was shifting much of the content to other platforms (such as moving audio-only content to the Apple Podcasts app), seemingly in preparation for an eventual shutdown.

Apple says that all current content on iTunes U will stay up “through the 2020-2021 educational year”, but encourages instructors to back up their materials sooner than later. If you’re a student working through a course on iTunes U, meanwhile, you’ll need to reach out to the instructor to figure out if/where they plan on moving it.

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