Alchemy by Leban Hyde | UX + Branding

Week 16

Vivo X Fold (banner from Chinese language site)

Vivo X Fold… was announced as the latest addition to the growing crop of foldables. With an internal screen that is certified for up to 30K folds and a crease-free design, there’s plenty to get excited about. However, this is another phone that we likely won’t ever see here in The States. But the more quality foldables that appear on the market, the more likely a certain OEM will have to pony up sooner rather than later.

FIFA+. The new streaming platform for the highest governing body of international soccer launched. Available on phones and tablets (and obviously connected TVs), the service will offer 40K live matches a year as well as original content. And if you already have the app installed on the aforementioned devices, you can start streaming today! Even though the Qatar 2022 matches are not in the current plans, this could be a major step with cutting out broadcasters and cutting the cord with cable.

Fitbit AFib. FDA approval clears the way for atrial fibrillation detection algorithm in Fitbit wearables. According to a 2020 Heart Study, the feature was able to detect AFib episodes with 98% accuracy. If evidence of AFib is present, your Fitbit device will send you an alert through the Irregular Heart Rhythm Notifications feature. Even with rumors of a Wear OS-baserd Pixel Watch in the works, it appears that Google is still equally invested in the Fitbit OS-based devices.

Elon’s Twitter? In what’s being called a hostile takeover, Elon Musk made a $43B offer to buy Twitter. Currently sitting as the world’s richest person, Musk has cited freedom of speech concerns and general mismanagement in his list of grievances driving him to make such an offer. Twitter, in turn, has countered with a “poison pill” to stave off the bid. In the meantime, we can only speculate as to what the Twitter experience might become if the deal goes through.

Apps Roundup. We’ll do this one rapid fire style. Google rolls out app for iOS users to switch to Android. iMovie for iPhone and iPad can generate movies automagically. WhatsApp launches “Communities” feature. Spotify rebrands Greenroom as Live, cannibalizes companion app. And 2022 Android App Excellence Summit happened.

From the desk of…

I wanted to take a moment to talk about How To’s as a source of insight for those of us who are trying to stay current with multiple platforms. For example, I am primarily an iOS user, but my career is dependent on my understanding of both iOS and Android. As such, I carry around a Google Pixel in my pocket (right next to my iPhone) and own a Samsung tablet. However, I often have to remind myself to use them in order to keep myself oriented in those ecosystems. And because I’m not a “natural” user, I intentionally follow more Google newsletters than I do Apple to keep Android top of mind. But it oftentimes feels like it’s not enough.

Enter tutorials. I know it’s easy to overlook and may feel a bit elementary for us supposed subject matter experts, but I’d argue that it’s an appropriately targeted method for deeper platform knowledge. If you approach these articles (and videos) with an open mind, you may find that’s it’s no different than when a friend shows you a trick on their phone or shares some hidden feature that they just discovered. And as a bonus, they typically come with plenty of screenshots as visual aids (i.e., comparative analysis). Who knows, they could even help you gain further mastery of your primary OS.

Just some food for thought.

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