Apple and Microsoft’s diverging paths

Following Microsoft’s Build conference last week, the company has charted a course to power more connected services across platforms than ever before. Microsoft is investing in versions of Microsoft Office for Android and iOS, cloud systems that enable smartphone apps across platforms, and even allows for iOS and Android apps to run natively on its upcoming Windows 10 release with only slight modification. While Apple seeks to unify and control every aspect of its product experiences—combining hardware, software, and services—Microsoft seems more willing to play to its strengths in each category, regardless of the logo on users’ hardware or the steward of users’ operating system.

Order grub from Google search

Ordering midnight snacks just got a whole lot easier. Google this week introduced a new feature in search that allows users to initiate a GrubHub, Seamless, or Eat24 order right from their search results on mobile. When users search for relevant keywords, a new option appears that can hand off the order to any relevant app, and strengthens partnerships for Google with increasingly useful contextual results. Now, users can address their cravings for anything from pizza to General Tso’s by simply saying “okay Google.”

Showtime Channel

Catching up on traditional television via the internet is becoming the new norm—so much so that Apple partnered with HBO to launch HBO Now, its own subscription-based content platform exclusive to Apple platforms. CBS is moving in the same direction with Showtime, its premium cable subscription-based channel. This week, the company announced a direct-to-consumer model, which it hopes will appease the cord-cutter culture that’s growing among tech-savvy viewers.

Fitbit on track for IPO

The wearable tech company is racing to a $100 million price tag as it files with the Securities and Exchange Commission this week. Fitbit has long been a dominant player in the fitness wearable category and boasts impressive brand equity in the wearable market. However, since even Fitbit’s own financial advisors highlight increasing competition from more connected products like Apple Watch, it will be interesting to see how consumer loyalty shifts from smart “bands” to smartwatches, which offer a more immersive experience in the same wrist real estate.

The Future of Travel White Paper

The world of travel is about to get a whole lot weirder. In Punchkick’s latest industry white paper, we explored how mobile and digital experiences have already transformed how we travel for work or play, and how emerging technologies are set to disrupt the travel industry even further. From ordering tickets and planning your stay to navigating to the airport and checking your luggage, mobile intersects with every component of the journey. With new technologies just over the horizon, the mobile industry is about to become a whole lot more powerful, insightful, and helpful than we ever imagined. Download the Future of Travel white paper.