Iterate Weekly - Issue 167
This week we're talking about WWDC, Ikea hires virtual employees, reusable cups for LA arenas, NYC congestion pricing fails, and "Hit Man"!
Welcome to issue 167 of Iterate Weekly.
Hope you’re all doing well. This is just a friendly reminder that you can always reply directly to these messages or leave a comment on the Substack post. Feedback is highly encouraged and I’m happy to answer any and all questions that come up.
Thank you as always for reading!
🤖 Tech
Apple’s WWDC announcements
Apple’s WWDC event is here and it’s time to see what new fun things are coming to Apple devices in the coming months.
Yes, I am one of those odd balls who prefers to use an Android phone and an Apple computer. So I’m curious about some of the iOS updates, but always lean toward the new features that will also be coming to the computer.
The Verge did their best to recap some of the more noteworthy topics from the WWDC keynote for those who weren’t able to sit through the whole thing.
Here are the top 3 things for me:
RCS Support for iPhone - This may not sound like much, but RCS really is the messaging protocol of the present and future. The sooner that Apple can get all iPhone users sending messages via RCS, the sooner we can put an end to all the terrible communication problems between iPhones and Androids.
Airpods Pro Siri Gestures - This one may not be available just yet, but it could really be a game changer. We all want to use our voice assistants at all times, but we don’t want to look silly talking to ourselves in public right? Well, what if you could simply shake your head or nod to respond to questions from Siri? That’s what this update should do. And let’s hope it can pave the way for headphones from other companies who use other virtual assistants to do the same things soon.
OK, fine, I’ll give some of the AI features a try - I’m hesitant to get too excited about the AI features that were demoed. But I am glad that they’re bringing these to Mac computers running M1 chips or higher rather than making them strictly for iOS. Some of the writing and calendar improvements could be welcomed on a laptop or desktop experience. I’ll hold off on saying more until I’m able to give them a try myself.
🎓 Education/Productivity/Work
Ikea is hiring human employees for virtual stores
Ikea is looking to hire some new employees but not for their iconic retail stores. No, they’re looking to bring yellow-clad workers into the virtual world via Roblox.
Right now this looks to only be a specific opportunity for about 10 employees based in the UK and Ireland, but it could very well be a proof-of-concept that could be replicated. The virtual employees will do much of the same things they’d do in physical stores except their services will be provided within the Ikea Roblox experience.
What’s maybe most interesting is that the digital employees can still climb that physical corporate ladder. Roblox employees will be able to get promotions and change roles within the experience.
This may sound a bit out there to some, but it very well could be the future of retail employment.
♻️ Health/Environment/EVs
Reusable cups for LA arenas
Here’s a positive story that should cut back on needless consumer waste.
With an average of 15,000 cups being used at these events, the reusable versions will be a welcomed change. After running some tests at recent events, the venues are confident that they can handle the new process.
The reusable cups will be used at all food and beverage vendors throughout the arenas. Special recycling bins will be used to collect the empty cups as patrons exit. All of the cups will be taken off site to be cleaned and sanitized. The like-new cups are then brought back to the arena for the process to start again.
It sounds very similar to the pilot program that was run at some Starbucks shops earlier this year (including my local shop where I was able to see the process first hand). It’s noteworthy that Starbucks seems to have abandoned the reusable cup effort in favor of making it easier for patrons to bring their own cups instead.
We’ll see if this is a successful launch that will soon find its way to other sports and entertainment venues around the country.
🛍 Grab Bag
NYC congestion pricing reversal will hurt public transit
You’ve probably already heard that the proposed congestion pricing plan to alleviate traffic in parts of Manhattan has been shelved.
A last minute change of heart from Governor Kathy Hochul puts an end to the proposed tax that was supposed to go into effect next month.
This is a very complex problem but it’s clearly a bad sign for those of use concerned with reducing carbon emissions and making cities more pleasant to navigate. If a plan like this won’t fly in New York City, it’s pretty much dead on arrival for any other American city.
I won’t get too deep into the battle between those in favor and those opposed. I’m for congestion pricing as a means to improve traffic but I can also see why drivers don’t feel good about being taxed this way. Sadly, this move will have a great impact on public transportation riders as well as the revenue generated by the tax was to help fund public transportation improvements in the city.
Now, New York has a tough road ahead to find new sources of funding to improve the aging subway infrastructure. It’s one of the few parts of our country where public transportation is engrained into the fabric of daily life and now that may be in jeopardy. This will be a story to continue watching over the coming months.
💬 Quote of the Week
"My fake plants died because I did not pretend to water them."
-Mitch Hedberg
🎥 Content Recommendation
Hit Man
This week I was pleasantly surprised by the new Richard Linklater film “Hit Man”.
It strays a little from the typical Linklater formula, but it was still very entertaining. Glen Powell really shines as the main character who finds himself taking on a variety of different personas. It’s not nearly as violent as the title would suggest.
It’s the perfect summer action/comedy, go check it out on Netflix if you haven’t already.
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
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