Nice post from Walt Mossberg about some of Apple’s apps that have been around a while that could use a little love. I haven’t had many problems with the new Photos app, but I definitely dread opening iTunes on my MacBook.

None of these things is insurmountable. And perhaps Apple is right that bugs do get quashed and that some of what I’m observing is due to my own setup. But I’m convinced there’s something broader going on here. Lots of small software disappointments and aggravations, adding up gradually over time, are putting the sterling experience of using Apple hardware at risk.

I couldn’t agree more. iOS Control Center needs some attention badly. I use the networking toggles all the time as well as the audio source menu for Bluetooth and AirPlay. But the rest of it can go as far as I’m concerned.

I love the top row and screen brightness settings, but as I get closer to the bottom of the screen, the usefulness of Control Center lessens. With the exception of maybe the flashlight button, I’d be fine if the bottom row went away, Calculator and that creepy new Night Mode button included.

Nice post from David Sparks about the state of Apple’s HomeKit framework. I’ve installed both some Phillips Hue smart light bulbs and the ecobee3 thermostat recently that both integrate with HomeKit. While it’s cool that I can access both via Siri, it seems crazy that there is no central app to manage both devices or integrate them with each other without using IFTTT.

I think that home automation is now more on people’s minds than it ever has been. I also think now is a great time for Apple to step in with a single solution. It seems that the existence of HomeKit indicates at least a few people at Apple agree with me. The unanswered question is why haven’t they been pressing down the gas pedal on this?

Cool MLK tribute today on Apple.com

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’ ”
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

And a nice post on Tim Cook’s Twitter as well.
https://twitter.com/tim_cook/status/689119762626904064

Relay.fm has launched a new show all around getting real work done from your iOS device. I’ve really enjoyed reading about iOS workflows from Federico and Frasier over the years and I’m looking forward to hearing them talk about in on their new show.

Hosted by Federico Viticci and Fraser Speirs, Canvas is a podcast all about mobile productivity. Armed with iOS, Federico and Fraser will be walking through workflows, exploring the best apps for the iPad and iPhone and helping users solve problems.

In the two weeks ending January 3, customers spent over $1.1 billion on apps and in-app purchases, setting back-to-back weekly records for traffic and purchases. January 1, 2016 marked the biggest day in App Store history with customers spending over $144 million. It broke the previous single-day record set just a week earlier on Christmas Day.