Have Apple missed the bus?

Some very interesting technology may be coming out with the new Samsung S8 next week by way of a dock supporting a 4K screen which turns the phone in to an Android based desktop.

My feeling is that this is the way of the future and that Apple should have been there at least 12 months ago (and possibly would have if they still had a visionary and perfectionist leading them).

1 Like

Wait, this technology may be coming out next week?

Huh, I thought Microsoft was already there with Continuum.

But yeah, what a huge success that has been. I wish Apple had been there a year ago.

3 Likes

My thoughts exactly.

I’d love a “convertible” iPhone… except for the limits of iOS and the fact that it would gut Apple’s sales of Macs.

1 Like

Samsung, as always, are grasping at any gimmick they can to sell basically the same sh*t to the same consumers.

Perhaps if they weren’t a huge jack of all trades type corporation, they might actually make Smart TVs that weren’t steaming piles of sh*t.

2 Likes

The Ubuntu Phone was there some time ago. Have not followed up on how it is going.

In principle, a very good idea. Are we close to there yet…

It is one of those things that might be a good future use for a much more powerful device than current smartphones and a different world when it comes to connectivity. I suspect that for even the tiny percentage of S8 buyers that actually try to use it, the feature will be used once or twice at best to a) try it out, and b) brag about, then never used again.

This is about throwing feature lists against a wall, regardless of usefulness or capability. It didn’t work out for windows phone, it is less likely to for Samsung.

The only way this would have a chance of working reasonably well with current tech is if all the phone did was provide the OS and apps. The dock would have to be a beast itself, with GPU, battery etc. that is, cost more than the bloody phone.

I don’t think you quite understand that the simple fact is that the Windows phone was (and still is) a dismal failure with little uptake whereas there are more Android devices out there than any other device. If this works as proof of concept for Samsung almost every other Android phone vendor will pick it up and run with it and that will put it in the hands of substantially more users than either Windows phone or iOS has.

I don’t agree this would have to be the case.

Most phones already have Full HD or greater pixel resolution and most monitors are still only Full HD so driving the screen would be trivial even at 4K.

The monitor/dock could run from 240 volt power.

Or laptop style batteries but I think wall power.

TIf it is to be a computer substitute, it would need to have those extras in the dock. If you just want a bigger screen though, sure.

It depends upon what sort of computer they’re aiming for.

I’m thinking ‘chromebook’ competitor web appliance and you’re thinking MacBook Pro replacement.

VERY different hardware requirements.

Did you actually look at the link? Clearly states that the dock supports a 4K screen, ethernet and USB 2 along with an advanced cooling fan to ensure that there are no issues with overheating the the phone is operating in desktop mode. It also offers adaptive fast charging technologies for the battery in the phone

1 Like

Wow, ethernet AND USB2… welcome to 2002 :slight_smile:

1 Like

I can see the appeal in terms of - smart phones (and pads) are becoming the main computing power, so when you then sit down at your desktop, it’s frustrating because everything you’ve been doing is on the other device. The sites you’ve been browsing, the apps you’ve been using, etc etc. I know Apple introduced that thingy to transition from one device to another… No idea if it’s actually useful because none of my computers can use it. But this takes it to a whole new level… Assuming the phone’s interface is “enough” for you - and I’m pretty sure most of the consumer market has overwhelming said YES to that question.

That’s the idea of it. It’s a different solution to the problem. iCloud syncing has gotten to a point where it’s reliable enough for switching devices most of the time.

In short to the original: No they have not missed the bus.

Hand off is useless. When it occasionally works, but just like airdrop between iOS and Mac is unreliable. It’s not enough anyway in terms of files etc. I’d just like to be able to hand off a full workflow setup.

1 Like

@angus With currently only 500Mb/month, I’ve always viewed iCloud as an impossibility. As it is, I currently use 80-90% of the data, so I have presumed adding iCloud’s services to that would chew through my allowance quick smart…

@Oldmacs Yeah, I figured it was too good to be true.

I changed over to a NAS drive about 2-3 years ago… but (possibly cos I went for a cheap-ass WD MyCloud) I’m ready to piss that off and go back to a USB hdd conected to my Airport Extreme… I imagine a lot of users (at least, who know what they’re doing) also use a similar “external” based storage system… which really should allow the idea of Hand-Off to work quite well.

One day… one day.

5GB*

I know. The current iCloud plans are a joke. I’m on the 200GB plan ($4.50 a month) but intend on staying below that for as long as possible.

Previous versions of iOS used to let you exclude core iOS parts from iCloud backup.

The opposite of my own experience with Handoff - I find it works consistently and reliably.

I must be a bit of a unicorn, I don’t seem to experience the niggles that others do with iCloud and associated services.

1 Like

I don’t know what happens half the time - I’ve read a lot online about it working then others who it works perfectly for. I find text message forwarding + iPhone calls in FaceTime + other iCloud syncing (notes, calendar, safari etc) perfect but handoff, Airdrop and personal hotspot are hopeless.