SBS viewers demand Apple TV app, so it’s coming in 2016

Posted on by Nick Broughall
SBS viewers demand Apple TV app, so it's coming in 2016

2016 is set to be a big year for multicultural broadcaster SBS. Hot off the back of launching its own dedicated Food channel, the broadcaster has today confirmed it will launch a new Apple TV app in 2016.

Not only that, but there will also be a new Chromecast support for SBS On Demand to accompany the shiny new Apple TV app, allowing all users to get the full SBS experience on the big screen.

This development will mean that SBS continues to extend its position as a leading digital broadcaster, with its On Demand service becoming available on 25 different platforms.

At this stage there's no word on whether the new Apple TV app will feature deep Siri integration, allowing users to find SBS content to watch using the platform's universal search function.

Room with an iview

While SBS has set its sights on a 2016 launch window for its catch up platform, the ABC is reportedly a bit closer to release.

According to a Mediaweek article yesterday discussing an increase in quality for the streaming service (though not to HD standards), Aunty has also confirmed it is working on an Apple TV iview app, but refused to discuss a launch window.

That said, ABC and SBS presenter Marc Fennell indicated on Twitter that the national broadcaster will launch "Before Xmas for Apple TV".

We've reached out to the ABC for confirmation on its plans for the Apple TV and will update when we hear more.










Your Android phone can now help cure cancer while you sleep

Posted on by Nick Broughall
Your Android phone can now help cure cancer while you sleep

Remember the Folding at Home app on the Playstation 3? The app that used your gaming console to help solve some pretty nasty diseases while you weren't playing?

Well, Australian scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research a new Android app that offers a similar promise for your smartphone.

When your phone is plugged in and charged to at least 95% battery overnight, the DreamLab app will kick into gear, downloading and solving a small part of a cancer research problem without any effort on your part.

The idea is that by pooling together thousands – if not millions – of idle smartphones across the country, the Institute will be able to help solve complex tasks in cancer research significantly faster than before.

Data for science

With the ever-present fear of exceeding data allowances almost ubiquitous for Australians, the biggest hurdle the DreamLab app faces is one of confronting the data challenge.

Fortunately, the app offers users limits on how much data the app can consume each month, both on your mobile network and on WiFi.

What's more, thanks to a three-year association with the Vodafone Foundation, Vodafone has unmetered the data used by the DreamLab app, so it won't count against Vodafone customer's data allowances.

You can download the free DreamLab app here.










Optus making sports mobile by pinching EPL rights from Fox

Posted on by Nick Broughall
Optus making sports mobile by pinching EPL rights from Fox

We may have had a major shift in how we consume television this year with the arrival of Netflix and Stan, but the biggest change is yet to happen as live sports goes digital.

That change just got sped up in a big way today, with Optus successfully acquiring the broadcast rights for the English Premier League from Fox Sports.

Commencing in August 2016, Optus now has the exclusive rights for both "live broadcast coverage and digital rights for broadband and mobile" for the next three seasons of the Barclays EPL.

Mobile Gooooooaaaaaaaaaallllllllll!

Optus is yet to unveil exactly how customers will be able to watch the EPL next year. But one of the interesting aspects of its announcement is that it is moving towards becoming a "mobile-led multimedia company".

Having a solid focus on mobile and broadband streaming of the sport (likely through the company's partnership with Fetch TV) means a fairly drastic change in how sport will be consumed in Australia.

Without a traditional broadcast platform of its own, that focus on mobile takes extra significance. There is a chance that Optus will on-sell the rights to a more traditional broadcaster, but in today's on demand entertainment environment, it seems obvious that the focus for Optus will be in digital delivery.

  • One place we're confident you won't see the EPL is on the new Telstra TV









Apple Maps suggests Apple Pay coming to certain Australian supermarkets

Posted on by Nick Broughall
Apple Maps suggests Apple Pay coming to certain Australian supermarkets

Despite Australia's advanced contactless payments ecosystem, we're still waiting for Apple Pay to officially launch around the country.

While indications point to a profit sharing dispute with the banks as the main hold up, some eagle-eyed Apple Maps users are hoping that we're about to see a shift in strategy from the tech giant.

Apple Pay Maps

First spotted by the Apple Community forum AppleTalk Australia over the weekend, the business listings for certain Coles and Woolworths stores around the country on Apple Maps were updated to show the Apple Pay icon.

In markets where Apple Pay has officially launched, that same icon is used to indicate stores that you can pay with your iPhone or Apple Watch.

Pay yesterday, free tomorrow

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this development is that only certain Coles and Woolworths stores showed the icon.

However, it appears that the references to Apple Pay have since been removed from those same business listings.

In any case, we've got our fingers crossed that these listings were the scouts of the impending Apple Pay invasion into Australia, and not just a glitch in the system.










This is Quickflix’s latest plan to survive the streaming market

Posted on by Nick Broughall
This is Quickflix's latest plan to survive the streaming market

Troubled SVOD operator Quickflix has been having a tough time this year. While the arrival of Netflix and Stan and Presto has been good for competition, it's also meant that the SVOD pioneer has been struggling to make money, launching scheme after scheme to remain relevant.

After going into a trading halt to restructure back at the end of August, yesterday the company sent out an update to shareholders on how plans are progressing.

The good news is that there has been progress. The bad news is that, all things considered, it's still going to be a massive battle to claw back market share, based off the announcement.

Out with the bad

The first part of yesterday's announcement was the restructuring of SVOD debt. It has reached an agreement with one licensor for the release of approximately $2 million of debt, and has negotiations underway to release another $4 million with other studios.

That's all good news, because debt is bad (mmkay). But the other way to reduce your debt is cost saving, which Quickflix has done by cutting 20% of its staff and reducing those costs by 33%.

Other cost cutting measures will bring in further savings, with everything from call centre support to executive board overheads going through the wringer.

All up, Quickflix reckons it will save about $4 million a year via these cost reductions.

In with the good?

Of course, cutting costs is only half the battle. Quickflix needs to try and make money to turn its fortunes around, and in order to do that, it needs new revenue streams.

According to the announcement, Quickflix has "reached an agreement to enter affiliate arrangements with SVOD operators in Australia and New Zealand". This will allow the company to make a small percentage from signups to a complimentary (but still rival) SVOD platform.

The obvious inference here is that Quickflix is taking our advice and pulling out of subscription services entirely and focusing on its DVD mail service and premium video on demand platform.

The safe money is also on that SVOD platform being Presto, following the previous Quickflix plan to resell the streaming platform.

We'll find out more when Quickflix releases its outstanding 30 June 2015 annual financial statements, whenever that may be.










Apple Music hits the beat, plays to 6.5 million active subscribers

Posted on by Nick Broughall
Apple Music hits the beat, plays to 6.5 million active subscribers

Apple Music's free trial only ended for early adopters less than a month ago, but CEO Tim Cook has still given us an indication of the number of people who enjoyed the service enough to keep paying for it.

Speaking at the WSJD Live event, Cook said that the service currently has 6.5 million paying customers, with another 8.5 million customers partaking in the trial.

With big plans to improve the service in the pipeline, these numbers mean that Apple Music currently has over 15 million active users, which is an increase of four million since the start of September.

There is a good chance that a good number of those 6.5 million paying customers simply forgot to cancel their Apple Music subscription, but the fact remains that the generous 3-month trial is definitely bringing in plenty of new subscribers.

Given how long Spotify has taken to get to its 20 million paying subscribers, Apple's definitely moving in the right direction.










Kogan Mobile 2.0 arrives using the Vodafone 3G network

Posted on by Nick Broughall
Kogan Mobile 2.0 arrives using the Vodafone 3G network

According to Ruslan Kogan, the relaunch of Kogan Mobile network today is like the return of Simba to the Pride Lands in the Lion King.

"The way we view the past is a bit like the Lion King," Kogan told the assembled press conference. "Scar was bad and made Simba leave, but that doesn't mean that Simba shouldn't come back when the time is right."

Unlike when Kogan launched Kogan Mobile as an MVNO on the Telstra network and failed spectacularly, this time around Kogan has worked directly with Vodafone to ensure a working partnership without the pitfalls of reselling agreements.

The deal has been in the works for two years - or about the time that the Telstra arrangement ended.

Just can't wait to be MVNO king

Kogan Mobile plan pricing

Kogan will be delivering a complimentary Kogan Mobile SIM card with every connected device it delivers from the Kogan online store. Customers can also sign up through the Kogan Mobile website.

There are three plans on offer, with the option to pay up front for 30 day, 90 day or 365 day instalments for the phone plans.

The 3XL plan offers 3GB of data (renewed every 30 days) with unlimited talk and text for $29.95 for 30 days, $79.95 for 90 days and $299.95 for 365 days.

The 5XL plan has unlimited talk and text plus 5GB of data (every 30 days) at $36.95 for 30 days, $99.95 for 90 days or $369.95 for 365 days.

For those looking at a dedicated data plan without talk and text, there's a 2GB data plan for $14.95 for 30 days.

Be prepared for 4G

One of the surprising elements of the announcement is that the Kogan Mobile network will only be running on 3G rather than Vodafone's 4G network.

Kogan promises that will change early next year, and explained that the reason for the 3G launch was that the deal was initiated back before Vodafone launched its 4G network.

While execs wouldn't comment on whether the arrival of 4G to the Kogan Mobile network would impact pricing when it launched, they did promise anyone signing up to the longer-term plans now would automatically be upgraded for no extra cost when 4G was switched on.










Updated: Buy local: Streaming services bank on Aussie content

Posted on by Nick Broughall
Updated: Buy local: Streaming services bank on Aussie content

Stan's first attempt at original programming is Seinfeld meets The Wire. A cop show where nothing happens – as the name suggests, there is No Activity. The show is half adlib, half cop comedy and – judging from the first two episodes at least – 100 per cent hilarious (and is available on the platform now).

But unlike the show, Australia's streaming video scene has plenty of activity. Since the arrival of Netflix earlier this year, the SVOD market has thrived in Australia, as the local contenders ramp up their offering to compete with the global giant.

In the past few months, Stan and Presto have offered significant updates to their platforms, launching apps on different devices and expanding their lineup with a wide range of international content.

But the next battlefield is the arrival of original programming, specifically created for their platforms. With both No Activity and Presto's 'Let's Talk About' set for release later this month, the battle for SVOD supremacy is ramping up significantly.

While global rival Netflix has long shouted about the importance of its original programming, the arrival of these shows clearly illustrates that targeting the smaller, Australian SVOD market doesn't mean you can survive by simply licensing other people's programming.

"Our vision," Stan CEO Mike Sneesby tells us after a screening of the first two episodes of No Activity, "is to be Australia's most-loved streaming brand. And you don't do that by following everybody else and copying each other – you do it by going out and knowing what direction you want to take and then chasing that direction."

A key part of that direction for Stan is developing original Australian programming for its SVOD platform.

In addition to No Activity, Stan has also commissioned a drama series based on the iconic Australian film Wolf Creek, which began production this week. Stan is also working with Screen Queensland to produce its first feature film, although details on that project are still elusive.

"To be able to go and make good shows consistently, they're great as a key part of building a brand that's got real character and real texture in the Australian market," Sneesby expands.

For Presto CEO Shaun James, original programming is a big part of having an Australian focus – a core pillar of the Presto experience. Being a joint venture between Foxtel and Channel 7, Presto is supplementing original content with locally produced shows from its parent companies.

"We certainly see [original programming] as important, so as well as Presto commissioning programming like the two we've spoken about with Let's Talk About and the Home and Away telemovie, we believe our shareholding between Foxtel and Seven is one of the reasons that the parties came together - both are very strong with respect already to domestic productions," James explains.

Seriously funny

Conspiracy theorists might get excited by the fact that the initial originals offered by both Stan and Presto are comedies, while the follow up pieces are both slated to be dramas.

But the truth is that in both cases, it was the idea, and the fact that the shows were already well-fleshed out, that convinced each service that comedy was the best way to start. In amongst a wide series of pitches from show creators, the comedy option stood out.

"Jungle Boys had such a well developed creative idea already [with No Activity], and having that whole project bundled together and people who are already attached to it with a real passion to do it has made a real difference in terms of being able to move quickly, but also in creating a great result," Sneesby tells us.

Like Stan, Presto has been inundated with pitches for a variety of shows, but the ones that have been commissioned have all had one thing in common: A great idea. And that's not an aspect of television that varies much from traditional broadcasters. In explaining why the "up the duff" comedy Let's Talk About was commissioned, James explains what kind of a show idea gets made.

"It's something that people - we think - are going to find interesting and different and innovative which is no different to someone commissioning for a broadcast network, someone commissioning for Foxtel, someone commissioning for any broadcast medium," James says.

eye for an eye home and away

That said, there are some differences between broadcast and SVOD platforms that change the way shows are consumed.

"In terms of delivery to consumer, we are different and we offer a different utility, which is that ability to stand content up at a particular point in time - you know a full series or a complete season of a particular project, and if you look at the way that people are utilising the service, they're coming to it for that on demand capability," explains James.

Sneesby also tells us that having a show available all at once changes the way it's marketed. Instead of building to a premiere, the arrival of No Activity becomes a selling point of the service for months.

"One of the advantages we have in being a streaming service is we've got less of the drivers that other traditional networks and platforms have on an episodic level. We're not relying on that how many weeks until we have to bring back viewers and what our ratings look like – we can really afford to just go out and say is this a great show," Sneesby says.

Shake your moneymaker

Original programming is not just an important brand building tool – something to help these new SVOD services stand apart from their competition. It's also a money making endeavor.

Netflix has made no secret of the fact that original programming is a lure to gain new subscribers around the globe. This approach is true for both Stan and Presto, too, although without the big budgets of the US giant, it's unlikely we'll see anything to the scale of a Daredevil or Marco Polo.

However, what the originals will offer these SVOD platforms is a new revenue stream in the form of licensing deals.

During a recent trip to LA to discuss licensing deals, some top Stan executives took the opportunity to show clips from No Activity to Hollywood executives. The response, across the board, was positive.

"We didn't take No Activity to LA to go and sell it, we went there for a bunch of other reasons, but the response we had from studios was just... We literally sat there in the hotel lobby bar and just went 'we think we might be onto something here'," Sneesby confesses.

"Early indications from those guys overseas, they've literally just said to us the moment they saw it: "Who's bought this show internationally and who's distributing it for you?" so I'm quite confident we're going to see more of No Activity outside of Australia as we expect to for our other titles," he adds.

Interestingly, No Activity wasn't commissioned with international distribution revenues in mind, although the interest from overseas partners is certainly welcome. But according to Sneesby, other programming will definitely be targeted at both local and international audiences.

"No Activity wasn't commissioned as a show that we were planning big international distribution, but other shows that we have in the pipeline are being designed to be produced in Australia with Australian production companies, and Australian talent but also overseas talent, and with concepts that are designed to translate internationally," he says.

"So we've literally taken that model of creating shows, creating them for our platform, creating what we know the audience in Australia wants, but giving them relevance so that we can go and generate international revenues back into Australia and put that money back into more productions here. And really, the more successful we are with international distribution, the greater the pipeline of productions we'll be able to make," Sneesby says.

All six episodes of No Activity arrive on Stan on October 22. Let's Talk About will be available in its entirety on Presto this month, with specific launch dates to be confirmed.










Apple raises the roof on App Store prices in Australia

Posted on by Nick Broughall
Apple raises the roof on App Store prices in Australia

With the Australian dollar consistently struggling against the US dollar, it was only a matter of time before Apple went and adjusted pricing for the Australian market.

According to 9 to 5 Mac, Apple is raising the price of apps on the App Store in Australia, Indonesia and Sweden within the next three days.

The cheap, US$0.99 price tier, which was charged at $1.29 here in Australia, will be pushed up to $1.49, with the increase translating across the board as prices get more expensive.

Alternative pricing

It's not all bad news though. According to the letter sent out to developers, developers will also be getting the option of offering a new alternative cheaper pricing on the Australian App Store.

So instead of having the minimum price stuck at $1.49, devs will be able to charge $0.99 for their apps (the equivalent of about US$0.70).

Whether developers actually decide to use that pricing tier will be up to them on a case by case basis. Fingers crossed they do though.










Tidal enjoys a wave of 1 million subscribers since launch

Posted on by Nick Broughall
Tidal enjoys a wave of 1 million subscribers since launch

Despite all its (99?) problems, and the addition of competitors like Apple Music, Jay-Z's music streaming service Tidal has continued to grow in recent months.

And now we know just how much – while Jay-Z was keen to tell the world that the service was doing fine with 770,000 subscriptions back in April, the entrepreneurial rapper tweeted that Tidal had now gone "platinum" with over one million subscribers.

"Nothing real can be threatened, nothing unreal exists" Tidal is platinum. 1,000,000 people and counting. Let's celebrate 10/20 Brooklyn" the award-winning artist tweeted.

Brooklyn Nine One One

As hinted in his tweet, Jay-Z and the Tidal brand are planning on celebrating the milestone achievement by hosting a charity concert in Brooklyn on October 20.

Starring alongside the rapper will be wife Beyoncé, Prince and Usher, with proceeds from the concert going to non-profit group New World Foundation.

For those not able to make the show, it will also be livestreamed on Tidal's website for both those one million subscribers, as well as everyone else.










Score! You can watch the AFL and NRL grand final in HD this weekend

Posted on by Nick Broughall
Score! You can watch the AFL and NRL grand final in HD this weekend

Despite the free to air networks launching high definition digital channels five years ago in the form of 7mate and GEM, neither network has truly taken advantage of the extra resolution by offering sport in HD.

But finally that's changing, with the networks confirming that this year, both the AFL and the NRL grand final will be broadcast in high definition on these channels.

Seven will be broadcasting the AFL grand final on Saturday October 3 on both its main channel and 7Mate, with the latter being shown in high definition.

Similarly, NRL fans will get to enjoy the NRL Grand Final on both Nine and GEM on Sunday October 4, with the GEM broadcast being high definition.

While it's kind of sad that this is news in 2015, in a world where Netflix is streaming 4K TV shows no less, any progress is still welcome news for fans of free to air sports broadcasts.










JB Hi-Fi shutting the book on ebooks

Posted on by Nick Broughall
JB Hi-Fi shutting the book on ebooks

JB Hi-Fi's experiment in ebook publishing has officially come to a close, a little under two and a half years after it launched.

The retailer has confirmed that from September 30, customers of the JB Hi-Fi Now ebook store will no longer be able to read or download ebooks purchased through the store.

The good news is that international ebook powerhouse Kobo has stepped up, and customers will be able to transfer their JB Hi-Fi library to Kobo free of charge.

This isn't the first time Kobo has picked up where a smaller player left off, having acquired Sony's ebook store last year.

Reading between the lines

Affected JB Hi-Fi customers should have received an email from September 15 with a unique code and instructions on how to transfer their library to the Kobo store.

JB Hi-Fi does warn that there will be a small number of books not available to transfer, and users will be informed of this during the transfer process.

Also unfortunate is that any bookmarks or highlights made in the JB Hi-Fi app won't migrate over to Kobo.










Opinion: Quick, Quickflix: It’s time to give yourself the flick

Posted on by Nick Broughall
Opinion: Quick, Quickflix: It's time to give yourself the flick

For the past six months, Australia has been bathing in a luxurious jacuzzi of video on demand services.

Perfectly warm Netflix water, refreshingly soothing Stan bubbles and a cold glass of Presto sparkling to set the atmosphere.

But hidden in the water, just below the surface, is the decomposing remains of Australia's first legitimate streaming service: Quickflix.

While the stench is yet to really hit our nostrils, it's still well past time for the pioneering service to drag its corpse out of the hot tub before it ruins the experience for everyone.

Hot Tub Time Machine

It wasn't always this way though. Back in 2011, Quickflix was our biggest hope for a local version of Netflix. From the name to the DVD mail rental approach, Quickflix promised a local version of the impressive streaming service Netflix was delivering in the US.

For $15 a month, you could get unlimited movie streaming on the service. Naturally at launch, the selection of movies wasn't huge (or great), but the fledgling company promised massive growth.

And the promise improved a few months later when HBO – the US network behind stellar hits like The Sopranos and Curb your Enthusiasm – invested $10 million in Quickflix shortly after signing a distribution deal.

But despite having apps on a wide range of platforms, plus some of the most impressive shows available for streaming, Quickflix never really took off.

There are probably many reasons for this, but for me it comes down to three key problems with the platform. Firstly, streaming quality was average, especially on larger TVs. When a program was available in HD, it wasn't immediately obvious, and it could only be accessed on certain platforms.

The second big challenge was the user interface, which dated quickly and never quite reached the refined ease of use that saw people flock to Netflix for.

But finally, the most important thing holding back Quickflix was its content selection. When the streaming platform first launched, the goal was 1,000 movies. When I reviewed the platform for techradar back in February, there were only 485 movies and 413 TV series, many of which would be considered average quality, while even the decent stuff was old.

The thin red line

When HBO bought a chunk of Quickflix stock, things looked promising for the fledgling streaming service. But less than two years later, the US giant sold its stock to Channel 9, which admitted the buy was "opportunistic".

The fact is that since 2012, the company has been bleeding money. The 2012/13 financial year saw a loss of $6.4 million which jumped to a $10.1 million loss in 2013/14.

In the first half of 2014/15, the company continued to slide, posting a loss of $8.6 million in the first six months – before Stan or Netflix even entered the Australian market.

The numbers are only half of this tale of woe. Also littering the Quickflix Google News search results for the past couple of years are story after story of false starts and failed initiatives.

Following HBO's share sale, the company's plea to subscribers to buy shares was a somewhat obvious act of desperation. After a plan to raise $5.7 million in cash from investors only managed to raise $650,000, or 11 percent of its target, Quickflix's situation seemed somewhat dire.

But things got worse. After a trading halt to announce a reseller agreement with Presto, turning Quickflix into a platform for a newer, better streaming offering, things looked up for the company.

However, that promising step forward lasted less than three months, when Quickflix went into another trading halt to announce the deal had fallen through.

To mitigate the disappointment, Quickflix announced a distribution deal with an unnamed Chinese firm, a strategy that lasted a few weeks before being canned.

Now, Quickflix is in a holding pattern, trying to restructure its business and renegotiate contracts to work out a way to make money. Well, that and try and persuade people not to update to iOS 9 because they weren't able to update their iOS app in time, that is.

Ultimately, Quickflix is doomed.

Money for nothing

The saddest thing about the closure of Ezyflix.TV last month was the fact that nobody cared. While Ezyflix was a rental service like iTunes more than a streamer like Netflix, its closure went largely unremarked in the Australian technology scene.

(It's worth noting that Quickflix here is trying to play both the streaming and the premium rental/purchase game).

Here was a service that actually pioneered UltraViolet in Australia. Admittedly, UltraViolet is littered with issues, but EzyFlix tried to push the envelope, launching a disc to digital service, and challenging streamers like Stan by offering the first season of Better Call Saul to own for $10.

But in the end, the realities of the market proved too much and the platform just ended. No build up, no formal press announcement, no hand-wringing from a stressed out CEO… just a service that no longer existed.

It's unlikely Quickflix could pursue the same end, given its listing on the stock exchange and still-marginally-successful DVD rental business.

But the fact remains that the company has no hope of succeeding in the streaming market, and should stop trying.

The overwhelming consensus within the industry is that the Australian market support more than a couple of streaming services. A combination of our small population size, our average internet speeds and the challenge of content exclusivity will ultimately result in our current glut of services being whittled down, one by one.

With that in mind, Quickflix should be the first to go. But rather than reach a point where the company doesn't have a choice, it should end its attempts at streaming with its head held high.

Admittedly, Channel Nine's shares in the company could make that troublesome - the whole "opportunistic" part of the HBO share buyout came from the clauses which guaranteed the TV network a $10.5 million payout in case of a "liquidation event" for Quickflix. That includes everything from takeovers to mergers and a disposal of assets.

The question now is whether that payout is going to hold back the inevitable bleeding of money Quickflix has already experienced? When the company announces its final numbers for the 2014/15 financial year, is it going to come anywhere near a profit? Hell, will it come close to being less than a $10.5 million annual loss?

I'm guessing no.

So quick, Quickflix. It's time to drag yourself out of the jacuzzi and let us enjoy the services that are not just giving us what we want, but improving with every passing month.

It's time to give yourself the flick.










Gmail brings the blocks to Android

Posted on by Nick Broughall
Gmail brings the blocks to Android

Is there anything in this world as frustrating as copious emails with no easy way to unsubscribe? Well, yes, there are plenty, but that hasn't stopped Google from updating its Gmail app for Android to bring easy Block and Unsubscribe functionality to the app.

This isn't the first attempt at offering easy unsubscribe functionality from Gmail, but given the rise and rise of smartphones, this version is much more useful.

The app update also allows users to block "disruptive" people – so long as they stick with the same email address.

Have yourself a Block Party

To block or unsubscribe yourself from unwanted emails, you simply have to press the three dots menu button next to the email in question while using the latest version of the Gmail app on Android.

From there, you will be given the option to Block or Unsubscribe, alongside traditional options of Moving and Marking as Important

By making these changes, Gmail will automatically start pushing content to the Spam folder. If you change your mind down the track, you can undo the changes later.










The best Australian iPhone 6S Plus plans

Posted on by Nick Broughall
The best Australian iPhone 6S Plus plans

Aussie Apple iPhone 6S Plus plans

With the Apple iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus now available for pre-order and all set for launch on September 25, questions have moved from "when can I get it?" to "how much will I pay?"

And while we know that the iPhone 6S Plus can be purchased outright for $1,229 for 16GB, $1,379 for 64GB or $1,529 for 128GB, the telcos have since announced their contract offerings for the new plus-sized Apple handset.

Over the next few pages, we've broken down the pricing offerings firstly by the phone's storage capacity, and then by telco.

Each plan's pricing is the total for the plan and the handset repayment.

16GB iPhone 6S Plus

Telstra

Getting your hands on the bigger iPhone through the nation's largest carrier isn't the cheapest way to get your iOS 9 fix.

Telstra's plans start at $95 a month for 24 month, including 1GB of data and $550 worth of talk time. If the paltry 1GB of data doesn't cut it for you, the next plan up brings the bundled data to 2.5GB, with an included $1,000 worth of talk time for $102 a month.

Moving up to the larger plans, $118 per month will get you unlimited talk plus 6GB of data (7GB if you get in early for the bonus data offer), while the biggest plan includes 10GB (or 15GB with bonus data) and unlimited talk for $150 a month.

Optus

Optus' starting plans are significantly cheaper for the iPhone 6S Plus, woth $79 a month including unlimited talk and text plus 500MB of data.

If you want gigabytes of data, you'll need to spend at least $88 per month, which delivers 3GB, up to 150 minutes of international phone calls plus unlimited talk and text.

$94 a month will double the data to 6GB a month, double the International calls to 300 minutes and maintains the unlimited talk and text (you can't really double unlimited now, can you?)

For $108 a month with Optus, things start getting interesting. International calls jump to 400 minutes, plus you get 12GB of data (10GB plus 2GB bonus). Naturally, unlimited talk and text are included.

The top of the line Optus offering – and the first that includes the 16GB iPhone 6 Plus for "free" with the plan – costs $135 a month and offers 20GB of data (16GB plus 4GB bonus), up to 500 minutes of international talk time, unlimited talk and text and a bonus of up to 10 days of Optus Travel packs.

Vodafone

Vodafone's 16GB offerings start at $87 a month, with the standard 500MB of data doubled to 1GB for the plan. Vodafone offers unlimited talk and text on all its plans, and also offers its $5 a day roaming offering.

For an extra $6 a month at $93, you'll get 3GB of data for your troubles, 120 minutes of international calls and unlimited talk and text, plus the $5 roaming offer.

$97 a month will earn you 8GB of data (6GB plus a bonus 2GB if you sign up before November 3), and then includes unlimited standard calls to 10 selected countries on top of the 120 minutes. $5 roaming comes in standard too.

Pumping the repayments up to $110 a month sees you inherit the same plan as the $97 offering, except with 12GB of data to play with each month (10GB plus a bonus 2GB for signing up before November 3).

And if 12GB isn't enough data for you each month, why not go for 20GB (15GB included, plus a bonus 5GB for signing up before November 3). $130 a month and it's all yours.

Virgin Mobile

Virgin has the cheapest offering when it comes to the 16GB iPhone 6S Plus. For $67 a month you get a shiny new handset, $300 worth of talk and text and 300MB of data.

For $79 a month, you'll get $450 worth of talk and text plus 1GB of data. Or for the same price on the same network for the same amount of money, you can get $500 worth of talk and text and 2GB of data. (Yeah, we think something might be broken on the Virgin site here).

$88 a month gets you unlimited talk and text with 4GB of data, but spend an extra $1 (to $89 a month), and you'll find yourself with unlimited talk and text and 6GB of data.

If you need more data than that, $93 a month gives you unlimited talk and text and 9GB of data.

And for the heaviest of data users, Virgin delivers unlimited talk and text plus 13GB of data each month on a fresh iPhone 6S Plus for $100 a month.

64GB iPhone 6S Plus

Telstra

Bumping the iPhone 6S Plus up to 64GB naturally boosts the Telstra pricing up too. The small plan , with $550 worth of talk and text and 1GB of data starts at $102 over 24 months.

$109 a month will buy you $1,000 of talk and text, plus 2.5GB of monthly data. For $125, you'll get unlimited talk and text and 7GB of data (6GB plus 1GB bonus).

And if you're a data hog, $157 a month buys you unlimited talk and text plus 15GB of data (10GB plus 5GB bonus each month).

Optus

Want 64GB in your iPhone 6S Plus from Optus? You'll be dropping a minimum of $85 a month. For that you'll get just 500MB, plus unlimited talk and text.

Pump those repayments up to $94 a month and enjoy 3GB of data, unlimited talk and text and up to 150 minutes of international calls each month.

$100 a month will buy you 6GB of data, unlimited talk and text plus 300 international minutes, while $115 gets you the same unlimited talk and text plus 400 international minutes and 12GB of data (10GB plus a bonus 2GB).

The truly data hungry will need to drop $142 a month, with 20GB (16GB plus a bonus 4GB) of data accompanied by unlimited talk and text, up to 500 international minutes and a bonus Optus travel pack.

Vodafone

Voda's entry level offering for the 64GB iPhone 6S Plus offers a decent 1GB of data (500MB plus 500MB bonus) for $93 a month, which also includes unlimited talk and text plus Voda's $5 roaming.

But knocking up the payments to $98 a month lands you a respectable 3GB of data, unlimited national talk and text and 120 standard international minutes as well.

$103 a month will deliver the 64GB phone with 8GB of data (6GB plus 2GB bonus), plus the $5 roaming and 120 international minutes and unlimited talk and text.

The final two Vodafone plans keep all the same trimmings, but include 12GB (10GB plus 2GB bonus) and 20GB (15GB plus 5GB bonus) for $115 a month and $134 a month respectively.

Virgin Mobile

Virgin's plans for the 64GB iPhone 6S Plus model are all fairly closely priced, but with a wide-ranging set of inclusions.

$73 a month includes $300 of talk and text and 300MB of data. $85 a month bumps that up to 1GB and $450 of talk and text.

But for an extra $1 (or $86), you'll get $500 of talk and text and 2GB of data. $94 a month shifts to unlimited talk and text, plus 4GB of data, while an extra $2 boosts that data to 6GB a month.

$99 a month has 9GB of bundled data alongside unlimited talk and text, while $106 a month will give 13GB of downloads and unlimited talk and text each month.

128GB iPhone 6S Plus

Telstra

If you need a lot of space but a small amount of data and want to use Telstra's 4GX network, then the smallest amount of cash you'll be paying is $112 a month. For that, you get 1GB of data, $550 worth of talk and text and the handset, of course.

If you're willing to spend $118 a month, then you can get the 128GB handset with 2.5GB per month and $1,000 worth of talk and text.

If decent data is a prerequisite, you'll need to spend at least $135 a month. That will get you 7GB of data (6GB plus a bonus gig) and unlimited talk and text.

And for the heaviest users, Telstra offers 15GB (10GB plus 5GB bonus) with unlimited talk and text on a $165 a month plan.

Optus

The Optus plans for a 128GB iPhone 6S Plus start at $91 a month. You'll get a fairly restrictive 500MB of data every month, but unlimited talk and text in Australia.

Upping your repayment up to $100 a month will give you a full 3GB of data and up to 150 minutes of International calls in addition to the unlimited national talk and text.

At $107 a month, you'll get 6GB of data, unlimited talk and text and up to 300 minutes of international calls. But an extra $15 a month on top of that will double the data to 12GB (10GB plus 2GB bonus data) and 400 minutes of international talk time.

The top of the line Optus plan for the 128GB iPhone 6S Plus comes in at $149 a month, and gives users 20GB of data (16GB plus 4GB bonus), unlimited talk and text, 500 minutes of International calls and the bonus of up to 10 days of Optus travel Packs.

Vodafone

The entry level plan for Vodafone customers wanting the largest capacity of iPhone 6S will set you back $98 a month, a plan that incorporates 1GB of data (500MB plus 500MB bonus), along with unlimited talk and text and access to Vodafone's $5 roaming offer.

Of course, with a phone that big, most people will need a larger data plan. The next step up delivers 3GB of data each month, unlimited talk and text and $5 roaming, plus 120 standard international minutes to selected countries. All for $109 a month.

8GB of data (6GB plus 2GB bonus) is included in the $110 per month plan, which improves the international call offering to unlimited for calls to 10 selected countries, plus 120 minutes to others. It also includes the unlimited talk and text in Australia and $5 roaming deal.

The next two plans are identical to the $110 a month plan, except with bigger and bigger data offerings. For $121 a month you'll get 12GB of data to use (10GB plus 2GB bonus), while $140 a month will deliver a massive 20GB of data (15GB plus a bonus 5GB).

Virgin Mobile

It's actually quite amazing that you can grab a 128GB version of the iPhone 6S Plus for $79 a month. Admittedly you only get 300MB of data and $300 worth of talk and text, but still, it's a decent way to get the top of the line Apple smartphone.

Of course, if you want to actually use the device, you'll need to pay up at least $91 a month, which delivers $450 worth of value and 1GB of data.

An extra buck (or $92 a month) will double that data to 2GB, as well as boosting the talk and text value to $500. But start paying $100 a month and you'll get unlimited talk and text plus 4GB of data each month.

The next three plans all offer unlimited talk and text, but with varying quantities of data. At $102 a month you'll get 6GB of data to use every month, $105 a month delivers 9GB and $112 a month gives 13GB of data to use.