Apple’s WWDC 2018 keynote could be its most watched developer conference in several years, with the Cupertino company confirming robust browser support for its forthcoming live stream video.
Google Chrome and Mozilla FireFox will be able to access the stream under the right circumstances, according the fine print on Apple’s newly erected live stream page.
Specifically, it says: “Other platforms may also be able to access the stream using recent versions of Chrome or Firefox (MSE, H.264, and AAC required).”
That’s unusual. Apple typically insists users switch to its Safari browser or, recently, Microsoft Edge if you’re using a Windows 10 PC, if they want to tune into the Tim Cook-helmed keynote.
Developers, Developers, Developers!
We can’t confirm what’s behind Apple’s sudden outreach to users on rival browsers, but it likely comes down to expanding its base of developers as much as possible.
This is a developer-focused conference, after all, and the more people who making apps and walk away inspired to learn the Switch programming language, the better of Apple’s software ecosystem will be.
Of course, Apple begins that fine print suggesting: “This stream is best experienced on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch using Safari on iOS 10 or later; a Mac using Safari on macOS Sierra 10.12 or later; or a PC using Windows 10 and Microsoft Edge. Streaming to Apple TV via AirPlay requires an Apple TV (2nd generation or later) with the latest Apple TV software or tvOS.”
But the fine print below that about the inclusion of Chrome and FireFox suggests that Apple wants more eyes than ever on its conference.
For decades, email stood unchallenged as the primary vehicle for business communication, not even instant messaging could shift it from its perch. But the rise of mobile devices and applications, has seen demand for an evolution.
Slack has popularised the concept, offering features, integrations and organisational tools that are making teams more productive. With the right tech and software, you can run your business from the comfort of your home or a co-working environment. And when you begin to grow and take on employees, they can also work wherever they want.
They let you communicate and work on tasks with your co-workers in real-time, regardless of where you happen to be. You don’t even have to own a business – perhaps you’re a freelancer.
But which tools should you use? We’ve all heard of Slack, but is it right for your business? Perhaps you need an app that focused on organisation rather than communication? Never fear, help is here.
1. Slack
A collaboration tool which needs no introduction
Platforms: Web, Windows, iOS, Android, Windows Phone | Features: Drag-and-drop files, on-desktop notifications, group projects | Video calls: Yes | Integrations: Dropbox, Google Docs, Box | Free trial: Free version available
Excellent interface
Impressive free version
Some might want more depth in security
Slack is without doubt a mighty collaboration tool, with millions of users around the globe. It’s an incredibly smart platform, and you can get it on mobile and desktop devices. It allows for the sending of direct messages (DMs) and files to a single person or a group of employees, and there’s the ability to organise conversations into different channels (perhaps for specific projects, one for technical support, general chat, and so forth).
The app also supports video calling. You can use the feature to talk to your colleagues about projects and work in-depth, without having to type everything into a DM. While this isn’t a replacement for cloud storage services, you are able to drag, drop and share files with your colleagues directly within Slack. It’s also compatible with services such as Google Drive, Dropbox and Box.
To round things off, Slack even has a free version, although unsurprisingly it has limitations (in terms of the number of messages stored, overall storage space and so forth).
Most recently, Slack agreed a partnership with GitHub to help developers who use the platform to keep track of projects. GitHub has its own slash command which will set up default notifications for a code repository
Asana has been around since 2008, making it a veteran in the collaboration arena, and companies such as Intel, Uber, Pinterest and TED all use it as their core method of communication.
It’s been designed as an easy way for companies to track the work of employees and to get the best possible results. Using the platform, you can create to-do lists for ongoing projects, set reminders for upcoming deadlines and send requests to colleagues. Team members can also assign comments to posts within the app.
You can organise all your projects in a list or board format, and there’s a search function so you can locate past work quickly. In short, Asana is a very effective way to stay super-organised and facilitate conversations when it comes to updates on how work is progressing.
Asana recently raised $75m and added several new languages to continue its global growth plans, so it’s worth keeping an eye on
3. Podio
A mobile-friendly collaboration tool
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android | Features: File sharing, project tracking | Video calls: No | Integrations: Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote, Zendesk, Campaign Monitor | Free trial: No
Quality mobile apps
Wide range of integrations
Multiple subscription plans may confuse some
Podio describes itself as a flexible and customisable online platform for work and communication among teams. In other words, it gives you a way to organise large stacks of work and to delegate tasks between employees.
Just like many of the other business collaboration apps out there, Podio provides you with the tools to share files, view the status of ongoing projects and get feedback on the things you’re currently working on. These functionalities are combined into an easy-to-use interface.
Podio is also equipped with quality mobile apps for when you’re out and about, and need to use your smartphone or tablet, and it has an impressive amount of integration with third-party services and apps including Dropbox, Google Drive, Evernote and Zendesk.
Ryver is similar to Slack, aiming to give your organisation a highly effective means of communication, and an easy way to talk over tasks, ensuring that deadlines are met.
What makes Ryver a compelling option is the fact that you can create as many teams as you want within the app, and easily categorise them to boot. As is the case with Slack, you can use the platform to set up chats with groups and individuals.
There are some interesting filters, too. You can control who sees the things you say and post in the app, and obviously enough, join the teams that are most relevant to you. All company posts are located within a Facebook-style newsfeed, and you can mark posts to come back to them later on.
There’s also a host of native clients across mobile and desktop, including Mac and Linux – and best of all, this is a free product. You can’t say fairer than that (a paid-for premium version called Ryver Task will ship eventually).
5. Trello
An app for organising all your projects
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android | Features: Create boards and lists, flexible project management | Video calls: No | Integrations: Evernote, GitHub, Google Drive, Slack | Free trial: Free version available
Clean, easy-to-use interface
Free version
Not many comms features
If you have ever looked into project management software and online collaboration tools, then no doubt you’ve come across Trello. Available on the web and with mobile apps, it lets you easily organise projects and work on them with colleagues.
The platform allows you to work with boards or lists, which can be organised by teams and different tasks. And within these, you can set up to-do lists and delegate amongst colleagues. There’s also the option to assign comments to cards – a quick way to give feedback to others.
Furthermore, Trello boasts a number of integrations with apps such as Evernote, GitHub, Google Drive and Slack. You can download the app for free, but there are premium options available which give access to more features.
The most recent addition? You can now add Emojis to cards, adding a whole new level of communication for teams.
6. Flock
A communication-focused Slack alternative
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android | Features: File sharing, group chats | Video calls: Yes | Integrations: Yes | Free trial: Free version available
Easy to use interface
Neat productivity tools
Free to use
Flock is another application very similar to Slack but is arguably a little less daunting to use and offers more comprehensive communication tools.
Flock supports channels for different teams as well as 1:1 or group conversations. Users can search through messages, files and links and Flock will find it no matter who sent it and where.
There are audio and video calls and screen sharing as well as productivity tools such as polls, note sharing and reminders, while users can assign tasks to certain members of the group.
There’s also integrations with third party applications like Google Drive and Twitter, with notifications appearing directly in channels.
Flock is free to use, but searches are limited to 10,000 messages, there is a 5GB storage limit and only five third party integrations are permitted. A Pro plan adds unlimited search, 10GB of storage per user, and admin controls, while the Enterprise plan ads 20GB of storage per user, more admin controls and dedicated support.
Update:A selection of new leaks suggest Samsung is hard at work on a new smartwatch, but it may actually be called the Galaxy Watch instead of the Gear Sport 2.
We’re not sure whether we’ll get a Gear Sport 2, Gear S4 or perhaps even Galaxy Watch next from Samsung, but one of them is probably in the works, and we’re starting to hear about what it might feature.
You’ll find all that below, along with thoughts on the likely release date and price, and we’ll keep this article updated as we hear more.
But while we wait for the leaks and rumors to properly start rolling in we’ve also come up with a wish list of what we want from the Samsung Gear Sport 2, as the previous Gear Sport is a capable but overly familiar wearable, so we’re hoping for some big changes for the next model.
Cut to the chase
What is it? Samsung’s next smartwatch
When is it out? Probably sometime in 2018
What will it cost? Likely upwards of $299 / £299 / AU$499
Samsung Gear Sport 2 release date and price
There aren’t any release date rumors yet, but with the Samsung Gear Sport being announced in August 2017 (before hitting stores in October) there’s a fair chance we’ll see the Samsung Gear Sport 2 in or around August 2018.
Samsung also launched the Gear S3 and Gear S2 in August of previous years, so it’s very likely we’ll get some kind of smartwatch this August, though whether it will be called the Gear Sport 2, Gear S4 or something else entirely is currently unknown.
As for the price, that will probably be at least as high as the Gear Sport, which launched for $299 / £299 / AU$499.
The next smartwatch from Samsung is likely to be called the Gear S4 after a leak suggested the model number for the company’s upcoming wrist wear follows on from the Gear S3 range rather than the Gear Sport. That doesn’t confirm we won’t ever see a Gear Sport 2, but it’s more likely we’ll get the Gear S4 first.
Samsung Gear Sport 2 news and leaks
While we haven’t seen any news or rumors that mention the Gear Sport 2 by name, we have seen a handful of Samsung smartwatch patents, so it’s possible that some of their features will be included in the Gear Sport 2.
One of them talks about having a battery built into the strap, which could provide extra life to the watch or could simply replace the battery that would otherwise be built into the watch body, leaving extra room there for new features.
Another details a blood pressure monitor, which could use a light source and a light receiver to monitor your bloodstream, somewhat similarly to how heart rate monitors work.
The Gear Sport 2 might make better use of its bezel. Credit: Patently Mobile
Patently Mobile has also shared a patent (pictured above) which talks about a screen built into the bezel of the watch, which could potentially tell you things like the date and the weather, leaving the main display free for other functions.
And another patent, this time spotted by 3Dnews, shows a watch that strangely has a camera built into the middle of the screen.
The camera sports optical zoom and while it leaves you with less screen, that could be made up for by the strap, which also has a screen on it, shown in the patent as offering shortcuts to apps and functions.
Could the Gear Sport 2 have a camera in the screen? Credit: 3DNews
We wouldn’t count on any of these features making their way to the Gear Sport 2, especially as many seem ambitious or impractical, but anything’s possible.
Samsung officially trademarked the name Samsung Galaxy Watch in May 2018, and it may be that will be the title for the next flagship watch from the company rather than Gear Sport 2.
Rather than just alluding to the name, it also suggests the company may be embracing Google’s Wear OS instead of including Tizen on the watch. Another rumor also hammered home the idea that the name change signifies a switch to Wear OS software.
Previously Samsung had the Galaxy Gear in 2013, but renamed the line of wearables to just Gear when the product switched from Android Wear to Tizen. Perhaps this switch back to the Galaxy brand suggests Samsung will be using Google’s own OS instead on a future product?
What we want to see
We don’t know much about the Samsung Gear Sport 2 yet, but we have plenty of ideas for what we want from it.
1. Better exercise tracking
Although the Gear Sport can track some things well, we found in our review that it had real issues tracking certain exercises, such as star jumps and lunges.
Not only that, but it doesn’t provide training plans, so for example you have to manually set how many of each exercise you want to do each day, rather than the wearable gradually increasing the number over time on its own.
We want to see some serious improvements for the Gear Sport 2. At the very least we want it to accurately track all the exercises that it claims to be able to, but ideally we also want it to push us to do more.
2. More accurate heart rate monitoring
Hopefully the Gear Sport 2’s heart rate monitor will be more accurate
Although the Gear Sport has a heart rate monitor it’s really not a very good one and it gets even less accurate in cold weather, so we’d like to see some major improvements here. Given that the Gear S3 also has a poor heart rate monitor though we’re not optimistic that the Gear Sport 2’s will be much better.
3. Improved GPS
Although not as bad as the heart rate monitor, the GPS performance of the Gear Sport also isn’t always great, proving slightly erratic in our review.
Given that GPS is likely to be a key feature for many buyers it really needs to perform well. Hopefully it will do for the next model.
4. Better battery life
The Gear Sport is actually a downgrade from the Gear S3 when it comes to battery life, offering around two and a half days where its predecessor offered up to four.
That’s still not awful, but it’s disappointing, especially when the watch looks to track your sleep as well – something you won’t be able to do so much if you’re regularly having to plug it in at night, so for the Gear Sport 2 we want to at least see a return to the life of the Gear S3.
5. A slicker strap
Putting a watch on should be easier than it is with the Gear Sport
Not a big deal, perhaps, but the Gear Sport’s strap can be awkward to get through the holding loops, and what with the regular charges needed it is a watch you’ll be taking on and off quite a lot, so we hope that for the Gear Sport 2 Samsung gives the strap some thought, and makes it faster and less fiddly to put on.
6. More apps
While the Gear Sport has some apps, including notable ones like Spotify and Swim.com, there isn’t a huge selection overall, even compared to other smartwatch platforms like Android Wear and watchOS.
This is likely a side-effect of the Gear Sport using Samsung’s Tizen – an operating system which is less popular than rivals. We doubt Samsung will ditch Tizen for the Gear Sport 2, but hopefully it will convince some more big names to support the platform.
7. A bigger screen
The Samsung Gear Sport has a decent quality Super AMOLED screen, but at 1.2 inches it’s quite small, and a reduction in size from the 1.3-inch display on the Gear S3.
We don’t want a massive screen on our wrists, but a return to the 1.3-inch displays of old could be desirable, as that small difference makes it slightly easier to interact with and means you can see more on your wrist at once.
