O'Grady's PowerPage

Category: Business

  • Microsoft’s xCloud, Xbox Game Pass rejected from iOS, iPadOS due to App Store restrictions

    Microsoft’s “Project xCloud” streaming service, which pairs with its Xbox Game Pass, won’t be available for the iPhone or iPad when it launches next September, and Apple’s App Store restrictions are said to be part of the issue.
    Xbox Game Pass and its accompanying xCloud streaming feature offer access to hundreds of games that can be streamed to mobile devices, and Apple says that because it can’t review each game available through Game Pass, it can’t be allowed on the ‌App Store‌.

    An Apple spokesperson offered the following comments regarding the situation:

    “The ‌App Store‌ was created to be a safe and trusted place for customers to discover and download apps, and a great business opportunity for all developers. Before they go on our store, all apps are reviewed against the same set of guidelines that are intended to protect customers and provide a fair and level playing field to developers.”

    “Our customers enjoy great apps and games from millions of developers, and gaming services can absolutely launch on the ‌App Store‌ as long as they follow the same set of guidelines applicable to all developers, including submitting games individually for review, and appearing in charts and search. In addition to the ‌App Store‌, developers can choose to reach all ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ users over the web through Safari and other browsers on the ‌App Store‌.”

    Project xCloud allows users to download games to a Windows PC or Xbox, and offers streaming access to more than 100 games for $15 per month, with games that can be played on smartphones or tablets.

    In a statement, a Microsoft spokesperson said that the company wants to make Game Pass available on all devices, but there’s no info on iOS at this time.

    “It’s our ambition to scale cloud gaming through Xbox Game Pass available on all devices, but we have nothing further to share at this time regarding iOS.”

    Microsoft stated that there would be differences in its gaming platforms on iOS, and said that the TestFlight version of the xCloud app would “look and feel different” on iOS given Apple’s limitations. ‌iPhone‌ and ‌iPad‌ users testing the feature could only stream games from the cloud and not from an Xbox console, eliminating the pick up and play on any device option.

    During its TestFlight phase, only “Halo: The Master Chief Collection” was available given that Apple’s ‌App Store‌ rules require games in a game subscription to be owned or licensed by the developer.

    Google offers a similar streaming gaming service known as Google Stadia, which Apple has yet to allow on the App Store. Stadia can be accessed on Android devices, but not Apple’s iOS or iPadOS derives. The same goes for Nvidia’s streaming gaming service, GeForce Now.

    Gaming giant Valve also ran into trouble when it was working to make Steam Link available on iPhones and iPads, Apple rejected the app after it was submitted for review. Valve would eventually work around this restriction by removing the ability to purchase apps within the Steam Link store.

    Steam Link allows users to play their Steam games on an iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV, as well as streaming to a Mac or PC.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Business Insider

  • Microsoft to end cloud-based services for Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac on October 13th, 2020

    If you’re contentedly using Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac, you’re not going to love this.

    Users of all Microsoft Office 2016 for Mac apps will stop receiving security updates in October, and will increasingly face performance and reliability issues as Microsoft drops support.

    From October 13, 2020 on, Office 2016 users will not longer by supported via Microsoft’s Office 365 or Microsoft 365 services. In addition, the business versions of OneDrive, SharePoint and Exchange Online will not be supported, although they may continue to function.

    Microsoft, in turn, has offered a contradictory statement, first declaring that Office 2016 will remain in the list of supported versions, but that “Office 2016 for Mac isn’t supported.”

    The company will officially end all support for Office 2016 for Mac on that point. Office 2016 will still be supported, and Microsoft has been gradually migrating users to Office 365 since 2011. As part of that promotion, subscribers have received continually updated support plus new features that are exclusive to Office 365.

    Where iOS is concerned, iPad users wishing to use Microsoft Office for iPad will also have to subscribe to its Office 365 service.

    “We won’t take any active measures to block other versions of the Office client, such as Office 2013, from connecting to Office 365 services,” says Microsoft in a support statement, “but these older clients may encounter performance or reliability issues over time.”

    Companies who have bought Office 2016 for Mac will notice the lack of support first, as it affects how Word and the other apps can save and share data.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and Microsoft

  • Apple confirms that 2020 model iPhones will launch “a few weeks later” than usual this year

    You’ll have to wait a few additional weeks for the swanky new iPhone this year.

    During its quarterly conference call, Apple CFO Luca Maestri stated that the “iPhone 12” will launch later than its usual September timeframe.

    Maestri stated that Apple projects supply of its 2020 devices to debut “a few weeks later.”

    Given of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Apple is also not providing revenue or guidance for the September quarter.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider

  • Apple posts 3Q 2020 results, cites $59.7 billion revenue, $11.25 billion profit for the quarter

    Apple on Thursday announced the financial results for the third quarter of 2020, and considering the economic circumstances, they’re pretty amazing.

    The company posted a revenue of $59.7 billion with a net quarterly profit of $11.25 billion. Both revenue and earnings per share were June quarter records.

    The gross margin for the quarter stood at 38.0 percent, compared to 37.6 percent for Q3 2019, with international sales accounting for 60 percent of revenue. Apple also declared a quarterly dividend payment of $0.82 per share, payable on August 13 to shareholders of record as of August 10.

    Apple has also announced a four-to-one stock split that will take effect for shareholders of record come August 25th, with split-adjusted trading to begin on August 31st.

    The company, obviously affected by the Coronavirus pandemic, had not issued financial guidance for the quarter in its previous earnings release on April 30th, though the results were generally ahead of Wall Street’s expectations.

    Apple is once again not issuing guidance for the current quarter ending in September, as considerable uncertainty surrounding the health situation’s impact remains.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available, and a replay of the earnings call is linked below.

    Via MacRumors and apple.com/investors

  • Apple Store locations begin to reopen around the world (Updated July 28th)

    The cool cats at The Mac Observer have been compiling a list as to which Apple Store retail locations have reopened in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic.

    Here you go:

    • Alabama
        1. Birmingham, The Summit
        2. Huntsville, Bridge Street
      • Alaska
        1. Anchorage, Anchorage 5th Avenue Mall
      • Arizona
        1. Chandler, Chandler Fashion Center
        2. Gilbert, SanTan Village
        3. Glendale, Arrowhead
        4. Scottsdale, Scottsdale Quarter
        5. Tucson, La Encantada
      • Arkansas
        1. Little Rock, The Promenade at Chenal
      • California
        1. Bakersfield, Valley Plaza
        2. Berkeley, 4th Street
        3. Brea, Brea Mall
        4. Burlingame, Burlingame
        5. Chula Vista, Otay Ranch
        6. Corte Madera, Corte Madera
        7. Carlsbad, Carlsbad
        8. Chula Vista, Otay Ranch
        9. Corte Madera, Corte Madera
        10. Costa Mesa, South Coast Plaza [Open for pickup of online orders and in-store Genius Support.]
        11. Cupertino, Apple Park Visitor Center
        12. Cupertino, Infinite Loop
        13. Emeryville, Bay Street
        14. Escondido, North County
        15. Fresno, Fashion Fair
        16. Irvine, Irvine Spectrum Center [Open for pickup of online orders and in-store Genius Support.]
        17. Los Gatos, Los Gatos
        18. Mission Viejo, Mission Viejo [Open for pickup of online orders and in-store Genius Support]
        19. Modesto, Vintage Faire
        20. Monterey, Del Monte
        21. Newport Beach, Fashion Island [Open for pickup of online orders and in-store Genius Support.]
        22. Palm Desert, El Paseo Village [Open for pickup of online orders and in-store Genius Support.]
        23. Palo Alto, Palo Alto
        24. Palo Alto, Stanford Shopping Center
        25. Pleaston, Stoneridge Mall
        26. Roseville, Roseville
        27. Sacramento, Arden Fair
        28. San Diego, Fashion Valley
        29. San Diego, UTC
        30. San Francisco, Chestnut Street
        31. San Franciso, Stonestown
        32. San Francisco, Union Square
        33. San Jose, Oakridge
        34. San Luis Obispo, Higuera Street
        35. San Mateo, Hillsdale
        36. Santa Barbara, State Street
        37. Santa Clara, Valley Fair
        38. Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa Plaza
        39. Temecula, Promenade Temecula [Open for pickup of online orders and in-store Genius Support.]
        40. Walnut Creek, Broadway Plaza
      • Colorado
        1. Colorado Springs, The Promenade Shops at Briargate
      1. Alpharetta, Avalon
      2. Atlanta, Cumberland Mall
      3. Atlanta, Lenox Square
      4. Atlanta, Perimeter
      5. Augusta, Augusta 
      6. Buford, Mall of Georgia
    • Hawaii
    1. Honolulu, Ala Moana
    2. Honolulu, Kahala
    3. Honolulu, Royal Hawaiian
    • Idaho
    1. Boise, Boise Towne Square
    • Illinois
      1. Chicago, Lincoln Park
      2. Chicago, Michigan Avenue
      3. Deer Park, Deer Park
      4. Naperville, Main Place
      5. Northbrook, Northbrook
      6. Oak Brook, Oakbrook
      7. Orland Park, Orland Square Mall
      8. Schaumburg, Woodfield
      9. Skokie, Old Orchard
    • Indiana
    1. Mishawaka, University Park Mall
    • Kansas
    1. Leawood, Leawood
    • Kentucky
    1. Lexington, Fayette Mall
    2. Louisville, Oxmoor
    • Missouri
    1. Kansas City, Country Club Plaza
    2. St. Louis, Saint Louis Galleria
    3. St. Louis, West County
    • Nevada
    1. Las Vegas, Summerlin
    2. Las Vegas, Town Square
    3. Reno, Summit Sierra
    • New Mexico
    1. Albuquerque, ABQ Uptown
    • North Carolina
    1. Charlotte, Northlake Mall
    2. Charlotte, SouthPark
    3. Greensboro, Friendly Center
    • Ohio
    1. Akron, Summit Mall
    2. Beavercreek, The Greene
    3. Cincinnati, Kenwood Towne Centre
    4. Columbus, Easton Town Center
    5. Columbus, Polaris Fashion Place
    6. Westlake, Crocker Park
    7. Woodmere, Eton
    • Oklahoma
    1. Oklahoma City, Penn Square
    2. Tulsa, Woodland Hills
    • Pennsylvania
    1. Pittsburgh, Shadyside
    • South Carolina
    1. Greenville, Haywood Mall
    • Tennessee
    1. Franklin, CoolSprings Galleria
    2. Knoxville, West Town Mall
    • Utah
    1. Farmington, Station Park
    2. Murray, Fashion Place
    3. Salt Lake City, City Creek Center
    • Virginia
    1. Norfolk, MacArthur Center
    2. Virginia Beach, Lynnhaven Mall
    • Washington
    1. Lynnwood, Alderwood
    2. Seattle, University Village
    3. Spokane, River Park Square
    4. Tacoma, Tacoma Mall
    5. Tukwila, Southcenter
    • Wisconsin
    1. Madison, Hilldale

    Over in Europe, the situation is still varied, but all Apple Store locations have reopened in the UK, Italy, Germany, Spain, and Sweden have reopened.

    All Apple Stores in Australia, Hong Kong, and South Korea are open. In Japan, all 10 of the firm’s retail locations are open.

    As always, be sure to check the location’s web site to see which pandemic stipulations are in place.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via The Mac Observer