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Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Apple, Siri, and the booted blogger: A Conversation with John Gruber
Just how big a deal is John Gruber, the blogger whose Daring Fireball site is a must-read for anyone who cares about Apple? Here's one way to measure Gruber's big-dealness: Every year for the last decade, following Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference, top Apple executives have appeared onstage with Gruber for an extended interview. But not this year. The most likely reason: In March, Gruber wrote a scathing essay about Apple's inability to deliver an AI upgrade for its Siri voice assistant — something it had been promoting and advertising for months. In Gruber's telling, this wasn't just a missed shipping deadline, but a sign that something was deeply amiss with Apple's leadership. If it doesn't get fixed, he wrote, "the ride is over." Apple still hasn't delivered its new Siri — though it insists it is still in the works. And that absence became one of the biggest narratives coming out of the developers' conference it hosted in June. A much smaller story — but fascinating for media and tech nerds like me — was Apple giving Gruber the brush-off. What does that say, if anything, about Apple's mindset right now? "I feel them deciding not to do my show this year is a total win for me and was a huge loss for them," Gruber says. I talked to Gruber about all of that, as well as Apple's rocky relationship with at least some developers about the way it runs its App Store, in the newest episode of my Channels podcast. You can read edited excerpts from our conversation below: Apple is in trouble because they're behind in AI. Do you buy that ? John Gruber: I think there's a chance that they could be, given the almost breathtaking speed with which AI is moving. I think there's a chance that technology leads to new classes of devices that aren't phones and laptops —that we just carry something with us and just talk to a thing or something. But even at this speed, we are years away from replacing the devices we know with some sort of new form of devices. And OpenAI is now working with former Apple design guru Jony Ive to develop some kind of new wonder product — but the messaging from them so far is, " This won't replace your phone. You'll still have a phone." I think it's a very interesting way of framing it — that it won't replace your phone, in the same way that your phone didn't replace your laptop. It's so easy to get caught up when a new thing comes up. The phone is obviously the biggest thing that's happened until AI. And the phone was just a huge sea change. Everybody has a phone. It's made Apple the richest company in the world. But Apple still also makes gobs of money selling laptops. I'm recording this show with you right now on a laptop. I don't know how I would do my job without a laptop. The Apple play seems to be: We make phones that billions of people use. Maybe they will have some AI features. But the main idea is: If you want to use ChatGPT or anything else, you'll use our phone to use them. I think last year's developers conference, where they spent 40 out of a hundred minutes talking about Apple Intelligence — I think that's where Apple itself got caught up in the hype of, "Hey we need to present ourselves as though we are at the forefront of this whole thing," as opposed to, "No, the main thing Apple does is make these devices and these platforms," and just show that these existing platforms are the best ways to use AI from whomever. Apple's done that over the years many times. But the most impressive thing Apple showed off a year ago was a smarter Siri — one that could sift through your emails and texts and tell you when your Mom's flight was arriving. But that never materialized, even though they were running ads for it. And then in March, you wrote a blog post about that called Something is Rotten in the State of Cupertino. You like Apple, you like Apple products. But by the end of the piece, you're saying this isn't just that they've missed a shipping deadline — this is cultural rot. Is this a real problem? Or is it just them announcing early, and if they'd waited a year, and delivered on the timeframe they predicted, this would be fine? I think it's a sign of a real problem in the whole Siri area. The basic premise of the company is that if they hire the best engineers and designers who care about the product — whose No. 1 reason for wanting to work there is that they want to make great art — then ultimately they must make better products than their competition. Siri has been this glaring exception. By the middle of the 2010s, Siri just sort of frustrated people. And a lot of things have gotten worse over the years. There are commands that you could give to Siri that used to work that stopped working. Then once the LLM explosion happened, all of a sudden there's this other thing [that can have] a real conversation. Then you go back to Siri and it's ridiculous. It really feels like more than a decade behind. It's long been a mystery within the company. Because everybody who works there knows that the bar is excellence — or to put it in Steve Jobs's term, insanely great. And then you look and the Siri team is over there spinning their wheels for 10 years with a subpar product. And it's not this obscure piece of technology that almost no one uses — it's got a dedicated button on the phone. So you write this blistering piece — and it's especially blistering coming from you. What was the reaction from Apple after you wrote that? Did they reach out? They reached out. But my communications over it were mostly private. They were not happy, and they don't think it was fair. You normally interview Apple SVP Craig Federighi or some other high-level Apple executive after their developer conference, every year at a live show. They were not onstage with you this year. Nilay Patel from The Verge and Joanna Stern from The Wall Street Journal were on with you instead. Do you imagine that's it for you and Apple — that they're not gonna come on your shows anymore? I've been told point-blank that it's just a decision for this year, and doesn't mean anything about the future. And I had off-the-record briefings with Apple executives. So I don't think so. If you are permanently cut off from their top talent and you can't have those on-the-record conversations, does that change your work? Not really. I've always set things up that way. I've always been incredibly uncomfortable and wary of access, and needing it. I've always set things up so that I don't need them, and if they cut me off completely, I'll be fine. And maybe better? That's the thing about this — I'm not trying to lack humility here — but I feel them deciding not to do my show this year is a total win for me and was a huge loss for them. Why is it a win for you? It asserts my independence. The fact that I had a show and it was well-attended — the overwhelming feedback for the show is, "Hey, I like this better than the last couple of years' shows with the Apple executives …" If I had gotten the usual interview with top Apple executives, I had questions I would've asked that it doesn't seem like anybody else asked. But overall — I think it asserts my independence. And I think more than making me look good, I think it makes them look bad. My show has never, ever been mainstream. It's appealing to a niche audience. And if Apple sees the need to communicate and have a chance to speak more as humans, as opposed to machines filled with talking points, then my show is a sort of unique venue for that. My argument was: Given everything that's going on, including between me and Apple, the fact that Apple had to delay that, everything going on right now for Apple … I was like: "I don't think, for your sake, this is the year to skip my show." But they did.
Economic Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Stage set for micro-dramas; WhatsApp's monetisation bid
Investors are flocking to micro-drama startups as the next big thing in India's content and entertainment industry. This and more in today's ETtech Morning Dispatch. Also in the letter: ■ K'taka bike taxi ban ■ ID verification crackdown■ Meta's new India head India's big bet on micro drama: Startups, investors eye a new content race Investors are getting hooked on short, binge-worthy micro dramas as the next big wave in India's entertainment space. Unlike user-generated content on Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, micro-dramas are professionally produced, with higher production quality and serialised storytelling designed for mobile-first audiences. Notable actors: Alongside startups such as Flick TV, Eloelo, Kuku FM, Chai Shots, and ReelSaga, larger digital platforms like Amazon, ShareChat, and Zee Entertainment Enterprises (ZEE) are also stepping into the micro-drama market to meet growing demand. Investor interest: Venture capital firms are actively backing local content platforms, hoping to replicate the playbook of their Chinese counterparts. Monetisation hurdles: The big challenge now is figuring out how to monetise the format. In a price-sensitive market like India, where the average revenue per user (ARPU) remains low, this is no small platforms are testing a pay-per-episode model with micropayments, while others plan to introduce monthly and quarterly subscription tiers. A few are also exploring hybrid strategies that combine subscriptions with ad-supported revenue. Zooming out: Micro-dramas have had a breakout moment in China over the past few years. Earlier this year, The Economist noted that the value of China's micro-drama market had jumped 10x between 2021 and 2023. noted that the value of China's micro-drama market had jumped 10x between 2021 and 2023. Its current estimated worth of $5.3 billion is projected to reach $14 billion by 2027. Cumulatively, Chinese micro-drama apps have garnered nearly 55 million downloads and $170 million in revenue overseas, according to iiMedia Research, as reported by The Economist . WhatsApp ads will not impact privacy: Will Cathcart WhatsApp's monetisation efforts will not contravene user privacy, Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp at Meta, told us in an exclusive interview. Monetisation efforts by the platform have created value for both users and businesses, without compromising the app's core promise of privacy, security, and an ad-free chat experience, he said. Driving the news: On Monday, WhatsApp introduced ads in Status updates and launched subscriptions on Channels. The company clarified that these ads will not appear in private chats or calls. No risks to privacy: 'Nothing has changed about the privacy of people's messages, their calls, their statuses,' Cathcart emphasised, adding that these features remain end-to-end encrypted. But how? According to Cathcart, one of the key challenges is that encryption limits the amount of data available for ad targeting. This, he added, was a deliberate trade-off to preserve user privacy. However, the platform will do its 'best to make the ads relevant', he said. The ads in the Updates tab will reflect how users interact with the space, based on factors such as their country, city, language, and Channel activity, among other things, Cathcart said. Sponsor ETtech Top 5 & Morning Dispatch! Why it matters: ETtech Top 5 and Morning Dispatch are must-reads for India's tech and business leaders, including startup founders, investors, policy makers, industry insiders and employees. The opportunity: Reach a highly engaged audience of decision-makers. Boost your brand's visibility among the tech-savvy community. Custom sponsorship options to align with your brand's goals. What's next: Interested? Reach out to us at spotlightpartner@ to explore sponsorship opportunities. How the ban on Karnataka's bike taxis affects gig workers, commuters: ETtech explains On Monday morning, many Bengaluru commuters found themselves in a fix. With the Karnataka government's bike taxi ban taking effect, they were left scrambling for alternative transport. But beyond the inconvenience to riders, the move threatens the livelihoods of thousands of gig workers who relied on the service. What happened to the apps? Initially, Uber renamed its bike taxi option to 'moto courier' while Rapido called it 'bike parcel'. Ola, meanwhile, removed the feature entirely. As users speculated that the aggregators were trying to sidestep the regulations, both Uber and Rapido pulled the options from their apps altogether. Who's hit? Several commuters expressed frustration over the ban, especially those who depended on bike taxis for their speed and 50,000 and 60,000 gig workers are likely to be impacted across Karnataka, according to Shaik Salauddin, founder president of the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union. Companies continue to lobby: In separate statements, ride-hailing firms Rapido and Uber stated they are engaging with the state's transport department in search of a resolution. Both expressed hope that the discussions would lead to a positive outcome. Ola has not commented on the matter. Also Read: Karnataka's ban on bike taxis: A timeline ET Explainer: Behind crackdown on unauthorised use of government databases for user onboarding The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has directed several technology-led startups to cease their offline Aadhaar-based know-your-customer (KYC) services. According to two individuals familiar with the situation, these companies have been accessing Aadhar data through unauthorised channels. Scrambling to comply: As the government tightens scrutiny of data platforms, industry players are now pushing for clearly regulated avenues to carry out Aadhaar verification. What's on offer: With customer onboarding increasingly shifting online, financial services companies and consumer technology firms need to verify users efficiently. This has opened up space for ID verification startups, which help validate documents and cross-check them against official government databases. Also Read: ID please? MeitY verifies identity verification startups The need: Startups rely on these services mainly to prevent fraud in sectors such as digital lending, insurance, payments, and merchant onboarding. Verifying identities on the go makes it easier to onboard users and reduce risk. Problem? The government is now assessing whether these verification services are being offered through legitimate channels and legal means. Industry sources told us that while most large startups follow the rules, several smaller players have allegedly gained unauthorised access to some sensitive government databases. Also Read: NPCI curbs unauthorised use of UPI IDs by fintech companies Other Top Stories By Our Reporters Vidit Aatrey, CEO, Meesho Meesho secures NCLT approval for reverse flip to India: The Bengaluru bench of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved Meesho's proposal to demerge its Indian entities from its US-based parent, marking a significant milestone in the company's plan to relocate its domicile to India. Meta appoints Arun Srinivas as its India head: Meta Platforms has named Arun Srinivas as its new managing director and head for India, the company announced on Monday. ShareChat CBO Gaurav Jain steps down amid leadership shakeups: Jain, who heads ShareChat's monetisation efforts across functions, shared plans to leave amid a string of high-profile exits at the vernacular social media platform. Global Picks We Are Reading ■ AI alone cannot solve the productivity puzzle (FT) ■ OpenAI and Microsoft tensions are reaching a boiling point (WSJ) ■ Would you switch browsers for a chatbot? (The Verge) Updated On Jun 17, 2025, 07:35 AM IST
GSM Arena
5 days ago
- Business
- GSM Arena
Ads are coming to WhatsApp
Today, Meta has announced that it's bringing ads to WhatsApp. They will appear in the Updates tab, which is home to both Channels and Status. Meta says the Updates tab is now used by 1.5 billion people per day globally. There will be ads in Status, which will let you "find a new business and easily start a conversation with them about a product or service they're promoting in Status". There will also be Promoted Channels, which are ads too. These will "help you discover new channels that might be interesting to you when you're looking through the directory", Meta says. Adjacently, Channel subscriptions will let you pay a monthly fee to receive exclusive updates from Channels. This isn't ad-related, but is also a new feature announced today. Meta thinks confining ads and subscriptions to the Updates tab, "away from your personal chats", will ensure there's "no change to your experience at all" if you only use WhatsApp to chat with friends and loved ones. Your personal messages, calls, and statuses remain end-to-end encrypted. To show ads in Status and Promoted Channels, WhatsApp will use information like your city or country, language, the Channels you're following and how you interact with the ads you see. If you've added WhatsApp to the Meta Accounts Center, your ad preferences and info from across your Meta accounts will also be used. Meta promises to never share your phone number with advertisers, and that your personal messages, calls, and groups you are in will not be used to determine the ads you may see. All of these features are going to be rolling out "slowly over the next several months". Source
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
WhatsApp is adding ads to the Status screen
After years of providing free services without any bells attached, WhatsApp is now going to start showing ads on the popular chat app. To be clear, users will only see ads on the Status screen — the app's take on Instagram's Stories. So just like you see an ad after watching a few stories on Instagram, you will see ads on WhatsApp after you've scrolled through a few Status updates. The company said that its ad mechanism uses signals like users' country or city, language, and the channels they're following, as well as data from ads that users interact with. Meta said it is not using personally identifiable data, such as users' phone numbers, messages, calls, and groups to serve targeted ads. If a user has added their WhatsApp account to Meta's Account Center, the company will use their Account preferences to show ads. The company said it is allowing companies and users to promote their Channels, WhatsApp's broadcast feature, in the discovery section, and that it would allow select creators and businesses to charge users a subscription to unlock exclusive updates on Channels. The company said these subscription payments will be facilitated by app stores. Meta said that over 1.5 billion people use Status and Channels per day. So far, WhatsApp has generated revenue via its WhatsApp Business platform and click-to-WhatsApp ads. Meta has repeatedly mentioned these as growing channels of revenue in its last few quarterly earnings calls. Alice Newton Rex, VP of product at WhatsApp, said in a briefing ads are a fitting extension of the app's revenue streams. '[The new ads and promotion products] felt like the next natural evolution, now that both those businesses have scaled to help people discover businesses directly within WhatsApp. And that was what we were increasingly hearing from businesses that they wanted to do as well,' she said. WhatsApp said ads and these features will roll out globally in the coming months. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
The Sun
5 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
WhatsApp introduces monthly fee for major feature used by millions – new update puts ads in another part of the app too
WHATSAPP has announced plans for a brand new feature that requires users to pay fees. The popular messaging app has revealed a wave of changes coming soon. However, WhatsApp has assured its 1.5billion users that there won't be any difference to the main chat page. The big shake-up is coming to Channels and Status. For the first time, Channel owners can add a subscription fee so members can pay monthly to receive exclusive updates. There's also Promoted Channels, allowing people to boost their channel's visibility - at a cost. Elsewhere, the Meta -owned app is introducing ads to statuses. These will be picked based on on "limited info" about you, such as your country or city, language, the Channels you're following, and how you interact with the ads you see - or your ad preferences if you've added WhatsApp to Meta's Accounts Center. The firm said the new features will be gradually rolling out globally over the coming months. "Like everything we do at WhatsApp, we've built these features in the most private way possible," WhatsApp explained. "Your personal messages, calls, and statuses remain end-to-end encrypted, meaning no one (not even us) can see or hear them." The company was also keen to stress that they won't get in the way of chats either. WhatsApp reveals exacty how to block one of your contacts It comes after a backlash over increased AI taking space on the main page. "These new features will appear only on the Updates tab, away from your personal chats," WhatsApp said. "This means if you only use WhatsApp to chat with friends and loved ones there is no change to your experience at all."
