Facebook Introduces Stories on the Heels of Snapchat IPO
Facebook has grown to the point where virtually every smartphone user on the planet has the app on their phone — and those who don’t almost certainly use it at home. That popularity has come at a price for the company’s app developers, though, as the original use cases that brought users to the platform […]
H-1B Visa Policy Remains Unclear for Tech Companies
While the Trump administration has made no bones about their policy plans for illegal and unskilled immigrants, immediate plans for overhauling highly-skilled immigration via H–1B visas remains unclear. This is bad news for app developers, since it’s actually an area that needs serious attention — between the lottery-style assignment system and the ease of abuse […]
The New Apple Headquarters is Steve Job’s Final Product Launch
San Francisco iPhone app developers have been watching with interest as Apple readies to launch their iconic new headquarters in Silicon Valley. In many ways, the building has taken on a new significance after Steve Jobs passed away — it was one of the final “products” he pitched and developed as head of the company, […]
SNAP, Spectacles, and the Social Media App Clone Wars
SNAP, the IPO from social media platform SnapChat, is set to arrive sometime in the next few weeks. SnapChat, for their part, has been pulling some odd moves around the launch, setting the valuation lower than most Bay Area app developers expected. The company also seems keen to prove to investors that they can and […]
Huawei will Launch a Google Now AI Assistant Competitor
Huawei isn’t the new kid on the block anymore — in fact, it’s the third-largest smartphone manufacturer in the world. While not the go-to smartphone for San Fran app developers, it’s a household name worldwide thanks to their affordable, dependable hardware. The company is aggressively working towards claiming the second place in the next year, […]
Immigration Ban is a Disaster for the Tech Economy
On January 27, Trump issued an executive order banning immigrants from select Muslim-majority countries. The shock waves are still rolling through the app development community, creating massive political backlash even from actively non-political tech giants. Critics are quick to suggest that tech companies are simply trying to protect H–1B visa programs. Fair point — H-B1 […]
Are Users Ready to See Ads in their Personal Chats?
Are users ready for ads to enter the personal chat space? Facebook seems to think so, as they recently announced they’ll be integrating ads with their messaging platform in small tests in Australia and Thailand. The move has sparked both approval and outrage from different corners of the app development industry. Predictably, many iOS app […]
Net Neutrality on the Chopping Block at New FCC
Ajit Pai, Trump’s pick to head the FCC as Tom Wheeler steps down, has made no bones about his attitude toward Net Neutrality. “[It’s] days are numbered,” Pai said in previous press statements, adding that he plans to “take a weed whacker” to regulations that allegedly make life difficult for small business owners. However, in […]
The End of Mobile Gold rush is a Good Thing for Developers
A new report from analytics group Flurry broke yesterday, suggesting that the “mobile gold rush” may be coming to a close. Thanks to a second analysis from TechCrunch, iPhone app developers have quickly built a discussion around the data, which shows that while mobile growth is still strong, some categories are growing at the expense […]
IoT Device Playing Central Roll in Criminal Investigation
All the evidence currently public points towards a guilty verdict for James Andrew Bates of Bentonville, Arkansas, but an unexpected witness could overturn the case — or confirm it. Police in the area have issued a warrant to Amazon, demanding data from the Amazon Echo installed in the suspect’s home. The case raises serious questions […]