As parts releases have suggested, Bloomberg reports that Apple will release a thinner full-sized iPad in the final three months of this year -- this would suggest that the iPad would be released at a separate media event from the one supposedly scheduled for September 10th when the next iPhone is expected to be released.
Bloomberg also says Apple will release a Retina-equipped iPad mini in the same time-frame, similar to previous reports.
Mockup of fifth-generation iPad next to...
| Read more »Australian writer Sonny Dickson has shared some images of what he claims are the volume buttons for Apple’s upcoming low-cost plastic-shelled iPhone, dubbed the "iPhone 5C." The buttons are shown in bright shades of green, yellow, red, and blue, matching previous descriptions of the device.
The pill-shaped button design, which deviates from the round volume buttons found in the iPhone 5, matches up with design drawings leaked in June. Based on those drawings and other component leaks, MacRumors released...
| Read more »According to a new report from App Store analytics firm Distimo, Apple's App Store revenue still tops Google Play revenue despite the latter’s increase in growth over the past six months.
While Apple's App Store revenue increased 15% over the course of the last six months, Google Play revenue increased 67%. In July alone, Google Play saw 11% growth, compared to the App Store's 3%.
A similar report from App Annie two weeks ago confirmed that App Store revenue remains 2.3 higher than Google Play revenue even though Google Play downloads eclipsed App Store downloads during the second quarter of 2013.
The majority of the App Store's revenue comes from the United States, followed by Japan and the United Kingdom. Though some countries like Russia spent more on...
| Read more »In February we posted a report titled "Samsung to Release a New High-End Smartphone in Q4 with its Own OS to Seriously Challenge Apple's iOS." As a global smartphone leader, it was reported that Samsung had to correct its one glaring weakness: Software. Samsung was to introduce its very own operating system at the Mobile World Congress, but limited its exposure to a behind-the-door presentation that apparently didn't go well. Now the Korean press is stating that Samsung is purposely delaying the debut of a high-end smartphone with the Tizen OS this year.
| Read more »Apple has quietly launched an over-the-air update to its Apple Store app today, replacing its first free content offering, Color Zen, with the children’s book Away in My Airplane by Margaret Wise Brown.
The free iBook offering was detailed in a note to Apple’s retail employees this morning (via 9to5Mac), notifying them that the download is intended to give them a reason to discuss the iBooks app and the iBookstore when communicating with customers.
Earlier this month, Apple launched an "iBooks...
| Read more »In our reports posted in April and June of this year we pointed to Apple having initial problems finding a coating material that wouldn't interfere with their upcoming iPhone fingerprint sensor. The glitch was noted as being serious enough that it could cause the technology to be delayed. Today, a new report confirms that while Apple will launch their next iPhone with fingerprint technology, the initial shipments for September could be slower than usual before ramping up in time for the holiday season.
| Read more »Over the weekend, AllThingsD reported that Apple will hold an iPhone-focused media event on September 10, introducing its next-generation iPhone 5S and perhaps a lower-cost "iPhone 5C".
AllThingsD has an excellent track record with such reports, suggesting that the event will indeed take place on that date, but in case there was any doubt, The Loop's Jim Dalrymple is now confirming the report with a simple "Yep" post.
Dalrymple is well connected at Apple and has on many occasions either confirmed or refuted other reports and rumors in simple one-word posts with 100% accuracy. Such reports are generally taken as coming directly from Apple but delivered through an unofficial channel.
Official media invitations for the event should appear roughly a week before...
| Read more »A rumor surfaced back kin May that Apple was working on a new 12.9" iPad for 2014. The larger tablet could be a better fit for the educational market and/or as part of a new notebook-tablet hybrid product. Today, a new rumor report suggests that the slowdown in Apple's 9.7 iPad model may force Apple to enlarge the iPad to ...
| Read more »Following a report from last week that showed a clear photo of an alleged camera module, French website Nowhereelse.fr [Google Translation] has reposted photos of parts that appear to be the top and bottom strips for the back of the iPhone 5S. The photos were originally posted by a user on Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo who regularly pulls together photos and other leaks from various sources.
Notably, the space for the flash modules on the top strip appear to have spacing for a dual-LED flash, which is consistent with a...
| Read more »Apple's suppliers are preparing the next-generation iPad for mass production and will reportedly use the same touch panel technology as the iPad mini in order to make reductions in weight and size, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The same touch-panel technology that made the iPad mini thin and light will likely feature in the next iPad, which is currently being produced by Apple Inc.'s Asian suppliers, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
What many consumers generally call a “screen” consists of multiple layers, and the “touch panel” specifically refers to the layer equipped with touch sensors, between the liquid-crystal display and the outermost cover glass. The iPad mini, according to a teardown report by research firm IHS iSuppli, uses a film-based touch panel, which is thinner and lighter than the glass-based touch panel that the current...
| Read more »On August 12, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest trademark application for "Live Listen." With Apple's iPhone event quickly approaching, ...
| Read more »Following a report late last month that appeared to show plastic retail packaging representing the rumored low-cost iPhone, Japanese blog Mac Otakara is reporting that "iPhone 5C" will indeed be the name of the device. The "C" designation would presumably refer to the various color options available on the rumored lower-cost device.
The blog is also reporting more details on the iPhone 5S, including claims that the phone will be available in a gold color option, and that the camera on the phone will remain at 8 megapixels, but will feature a wider f/2.0 aperture to capture more light while taking photos. Also, the report says that the iPhone 5S will run on Apple's custom A7 processor, and that the rectangular mark on the home button of the phone will be removed, something that may be consistent with a report earlier from yesterday saying that the device would feature...
| Read more »KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has on a number of occasions offered accurate information on Apple's product plans, has issued a new research note indicating that the iPhone 5S may include a sapphire-covered convex home button housing a fingerprint sensor.
The iPhone's home button has had a concave shape since its introduction in 2007, but Kuo believes that moving to a convex shape would give Apple more space in which to fit the fingerprint sensor expected to be a differentiating feature for the iPhone 5S.Convex home button creates space for fingerprint sensor; yield to improve. We think that a fingerprint sensor will be placed under the home button of iPhone 5S. However, assembling it could be difficult as the space under home button is limited as it already has to accommodate the Lightning connector, speaker and microphone. Thus, we think the shape of the home button could be changed from concave to convex to create more space for a fingerprint sensor.
...
| Read more »Apple will unveil its next iPhone on September 10, reports AllThingsD, citing sources with knowledge of the event.
Though the date of the event has been revealed, it is unclear whether the event will focus singularly on the upcoming iPhone 5 or if it will include Apple’s rumored low-cost iPhone, possibly dubbed the iPhone "5C".
Rendering of low cost iPhone
Apple’s iPhone 5S is expected to include a fingerprint sensor, an upgraded 12-megapixel camera, and iOS 7. It is likely that iOS 7 will become publicly available after the announcement or when the phone debuts.
Though OS X Mavericks is also scheduled to be released in the fall, AllThingsD does not expect the software to be debuted at the September 10 iPhone event.
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•...
China's Hong Kong IP Office awarded Apple with 22 design patents in July. While that was impressive, Apple has already racked up 27 design patents in the first ten days of August. Apple was granted fifteen design patents last week and another 12 yesterday. The latest round of design patents are focused on Apple's Lightning Connector.
| Read more »After over three weeks of at least partial downtime, Apple has informed developers that all of their developer services are now online. Apple is giving all developers an extension to their developer memberships by one month.We are pleased to let you know that all our developer program services are now online. Your patience during this time was sincerely appreciated.
We understand that the downtime was significant and apologize for any issues it may have caused in your app development. To help offset this disruption, we are extending the membership of all developer teams by one month. If you need any further assistance, please contact us.Apple's developer center originally went offline abruptly on July 18th. It was later revealed that the...
| Read more »According to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. International Trade Commission on ordered a ban on the import and sale of some mobile devices after finding they infringed on two Apple patents.
| Read more »Ken Segall, the creative director behind the Think Different campaign and author of Insanely Simple, a book about his experiences creating advertising for Apple, writes in a blog post about Apple's "evolving view of 'Pro'" that Steve Jobs once considered killing Apple's entire line of Pro products.
Would Apple ever even think about saying goodbye to the pro market?
I hope you’re sitting down for this, but Steve Jobs did in fact once consider that very option.
This was back in the days when iMac had established itself as a global bestseller. During one of the agency’s regular meetings with Steve, he shared that he was considering killing the pro products.
His rationale was as you might expect: consumer products have an unlimited upside, while pro products are...
| Read more »The U.S. International Trade Commission today ordered an import ban against some Samsung products after finding that the company did infringe on two key Apple patents. The patents include the "Steve Jobs patent" that pertains to touchscreen technology and a patent that detects when a headset is plugged into a device.
Like the import ban that was...
| Read more »Back in May, Korean site ETNews.com reported that Apple was looking at the possibility of launching a 12.9-inch iPad in early 2014 as a larger sibling to the original 9.7-inch iPad and the 7.9-inch iPad mini. The rumor, which included a claim that the device would be called the "iPad Maxi", was quickly brushed aside as a likely inaccurate claim, but late last month The Wall Street Journal brought fresh attention to the rumor with its own claims about Apple testing an iPad with a display "slightly less than 13 inches diagonally".
With the rumors sparking interest in what Apple might be able to do with a significantly larger iPad display, we commissioned CiccareseDesign to create...
| Read more »With Apple and the U.S. Department of Justice headed back to court today for a hearing on the government's proposed penalties for Apple, GigaOM highlights several developments in the case. Of particular interest is a letter from DOJ attorney Lawrence Buterman arguing that an objection to the proposed penalties by the publishers that were part of the case is direct evidence of why the penalties are needed to protect consumers.“A necessary component of this Court’s decision finding Apple liable for horizontal price-fixing is that the publishers...
| Read more »In June, reports surfaced of a top secret surveillance program named PRISM, which according to leaked presentation slides was claimed to allow the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) direct access to user data on servers across a wide spectrum of Internet companies, including Apple. Now, Politco is reporting that a meeting between President Barack Obama and technology executives including Apple CEO Tim Cook took place earlier this week to discuss the subject of government surveillance. The meeting was reportedly confidential and was the second meeting this week in which top government officials held discussions with representatives from the technology industry to examine mainstream privacy issues.
President Barack Obama hosted Apple...
| Read more »Back in April, a pair of photos surfaced showing what was claimed to be a white front panel from Apple's fifth-generation iPad, showing narrower side bezels as had been rumored as part of a redesign inspired by the iPad mini. A brief video that surfaced over this past weekend also appeared to show the next-generation iPad's front panel and digitizer paired with a rear shell.
Now, a new listing at parts and repair firm Macfixit Australia includes a number of photos of a similar part, which the company's supplier says is a genuine front panel and digitizer for the fifth-generation iPad....
| Read more »Apple's Board of Directors has expressed concern about the company's "pace of innovation" according to a report from Fox Business Network's Charlie Gasparino. The board is normally extremely secretive and, if accurate, this report is unlike anything we've heard from inside the company in recent years.
From what we understand, there is concern at the board level, sources are telling the Fox Business Network, about the pace of innovation over at Apple. What have they had lately? They had the iPad and a few other things, but they don't have anything innovating from what came from Steve Jobs and that concern is basically manifesting into pressure on Tim Cook to innovate, and to do something fast.
We should point out, this is an interesting boardroom drama. It does not mean that Tim Cook is out of a job or that there is a job search out there, we don't know that...
| Read more »Apple appears to be experiencing another problem with its systems today, as a number of MacRumors readers have reported they are unable to activate their new iPhones. Other reports are showing up on Twitter as the problems continue.
An AT&T employee has told MacRumors that some Apple Retail Stores are sending customers to AT&T stores, but indicated that those locations are having similar activation issues.
There is no word yet on when users can expect the issue to be fully resolved, but a similar outage occurred two weeks ago.
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Music video company Vevo is developing an app for the Apple TV, according to a report from AdAge. The app will show a 24/7 music video channel with ads made specifically for television rather than for streaming Internet video.
Vevo launched Vevo TV this March as an alternative way to watch and discover music videos on its platform. Previously, users had to search for videos. Vevo's "Vintage" program plays songs from the '80s, '90s and '00s.
Vevo TV -- a linear music video channel -- appears better suited for the "lean back" experience of watching television, as opposed to mobile viewing. Vevo had nearly 62 million unique U.S. visitors in May but only 4.2 million watched on mobile devices (smartphones and tablets), according to comScore.Vevo has an existing iOS app [...
| Read more »According to VR-Zone Chinese [Google Translation] (via BGR) Apple is currently recruiting a development team in Taiwan, in order to establish a new research and development facility.
The Taiwan R&D center will supposedly focus its efforts on future iPhones, but may also work on other future products as well. Apple is said to be hiring for numerous positions at the facility, with a number of different engineering and managerial jobs available. There do not appear to be any new R&D job listings for Taiwan on the Apple...
| Read more »Following his company's earnings release earlier today, T-Mobile USA CEO John Legere told AllThingsD that the carrier is looking forward to expanding its Apple product offerings beyond the iPhone. Back in April, T-Mobile became the last of the four major U.S. carrier to begin selling the iPhone.Legere said it is a good sign that the iPhone is only a portion of the company’s sales growth, accounting for just 21 percent of smartphone sales last quarter.
“I think it’s a healthy percentage,” Legere said.
That said, Legere looks forward to more business with Apple, including carrying products beyond the iPhone...
| Read more »Back in May 2011, patent holding firm Lodsys began threatening lawsuits against a number of small iOS developers, alleging infringement of a Lodsys-held patent through the use of Apple's in-app purchase and upgrade functionalities. The case was an interesting one because small developers were being held liable for their use of Apple's supported tools for iOS apps, with Apple agreeing to back the developers and claiming that Apple's existing license with Lodsys automatically extended to cover third-party developers using those tools.
Lodsys continued to pressure developers, both large and small, to take out their own licenses for Lodsys' patents, with many developers choosing to purchase licenses rather than fight in court....
| Read more »On August 8, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that revealed their original iCloud service for Documents in the Cloud. Our report provides a basic overview of the patent related to Documents in the Cloud along with a video of Steve Jobs introducing the new app/service at WWDC 2011.
| Read more »Apple has applied for a patent with the U.S Patent and Trademark Office (via AppleInsider) on methods for using hyperlinks embedded into audio streams that could offer content creators the capability to link to other forms of media or control a device altogether. The main concept of the patent is outlined in the abstract of the filing, and explains how audio hyperlinks could be used to allow listeners to access such content within audio:Hyperlinks within an audio stream provide a way for a listener to access linked resources. An audio hyperlink encoded in an audio stream...
| Read more »On August 8, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a very interesting future application that involves the building of audible or inaudible audio hyperlinks into an app that could be played back on podcasts, TV shows or as an in-store sale carried over in-store speakers. It could be a message sent directly to your iPhone by a band at a concert notifying you that there's a special deal on music or promotional items because you attended their concert. The inaudible hyperlink is triggered at some point in an audible or inaudible message that's broadcasted. It's easy to see that there's a lot of potential for this type of future application.
| Read more »On August 8, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a new tabbed browser design and methodology, the second in the last three weeks. Apple introduces us to tabbed browsing in "array mode" and a new tab pile metaphor.
| Read more »Apple today added movie support to its iTunes in the Cloud service in Japan and seven additional European countries, enabling customers in those countries to re-download content previously purchased from the iTunes Store. New support for Austria and Switzerland was noticed by iFun.de [Google translate], but the full list of new countries includes Austria, Estonia, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Switzerland.
iTunes in the Cloud was first launched for music in June 2011 in the United States, with Apple adding movie and TV show support for U.S....
| Read more »Getting ahead of LG's G2 smartphone launch today, another South Korean smartphone maker by the name of Pantech announced yesterday that their new smartphone debuting in later this month through SK Telecom would be shipping with both LTE-Advanced and fingerprint recognition functionality. So why did this smaller smartphone maker rush their announcement yesterday? They did it because they were convinced that they were going to be able to steal LG's thunder on this new smartphone feature due to a Korean report last month claiming that LG was going to steal Apple's thunder on this feature. Their leaked photo in the Korean report was bang-on as to the look of the new LG 2 rear button. But in the end, LG failed to deliver a fingerprint scanner for the G2 today during their event in New York. We reported a few weeks back that both Apple and Samsung were both suffering from low production yield problems with their respective fingerprint recognition sensor chips. So it's a mystery as to why...
| Read more »The five publishers who settled with the U.S. Government in the e-book antitrust case have filed an objection with the court arguing that the Department of Justice's proposed punishments for Apple would violate their settlement agreements from before the trial began, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The DOJ has recommended that the "agency model" deals with publishers be nullified and that Apple require competitors such as Amazon to put direct purchase links to their own e-book stores inside their iOS apps. Some experts have said that Apple could...
| Read more »Microsoft is continuing its anti-iPad ad campaign, today releasing a new commercial comparing the Surface RT to the fourth generation iPad. The ad, which displays a Surface RT tablet and an iPad side-by-side, highlights both pricing and size differences between the two products.
Microsoft also uses the spot to summarize other iPad shortcomings that it has highlighted in previous ads, including the iPad's lack of an integrated kickstand and keyboard, the absence of dedicated productivity software on the tablet, its poor multitasking capabilities, and its failure to offer expandable storage.
Despite its...
| Read more »Apple has seeded the fifth Developer Preview of OS X Mavericks to developers, approximately two weeks after the release of the fourth developer preview. The release comes as Apple continues to work on restoring full functionality to its Developer Center after bringing software downloads back online last week.
OS X Mavericks, which is expected to be released this fall, includes multiple new features like a tabbed Finder, full screen dual monitor capabilities, Safari improvements, and a new Maps app. Developers can receive the update via the Software Update tool in the Mac App Store.
Apple has also simultaneously...
| Read more »A clear photo comparing the iPhone 5 camera module to what may be the camera module for the iPhone 5S surfaced today, showing a distinct design change that may hint at a separate flash component in Apple's next iPhone.
Shared by Nowhereelse.fr [Google translation], the photo of the alleged iPhone 5S camera part does not include a flash component attached via ribbon as the iPhone 5 does, which may be because the iPhone 5S is expected to come equipped with a more powerful dual-LED flash.
The camera module in the photo appears to be the same as one that was...
| Read more »Apple's iOS is losing ground to Android when it comes to smartphone operating system market share, according to a new report from research firm IDC. Apple's share of worldwide smartphone shipments dropped to 13.2% during the second quarter of 2013, while Android climbed to 79.3%.
During the same quarter last year, Apple held 16.6% of the market, while Android held 69.1%. Despite its slight loss of share, iOS remains the number two operating system, with Android and iOS combined making up 92.5% of shipments.
"The iOS decline in the second quarter aligns with the cyclicality of iPhone," says Ramon Llamas, Research Manager with IDC's Mobile Phone team. "Without a new product launch since the debut of the iPhone 5 nearly a year ago, Apple's market share was vulnerable to product launches from the competition. But with a new iPhone and revamped iOS coming out later this year, Apple is well-positioned to...
Apple is preparing to launch several enhancements to its AppleCare services including 24/7 access to chat support services, reports 9to5Mac . The company is reportedly planning to launch the expanded chat services on August 12, although that target date may not yet be firm.
Alongside the expanded chat services, Apple will also be launching a redesigned AppleCare support website, featuring large, easy-to-click buttons similar to those that have appeared in other areas of the company's site.The interface has been retooled with large, easy-to-understand controls that are more in line with the colorful icons in iOS. The new design makes it simpler for users to drill-down and provide Apple with information about the issue.
Apple is in the middle of a...
According to a new report from market research company NPD DisplaySearch as related by CNET, Samsung has supplied more 9.7-inch panels for the fourth-generation iPad in recent months than any other Apple supplier, including longtime partners LG and Sharp.
Apple, in fact, has been boosting purchases of displays from Samsung since January, according to the market analyst. Apple got about 2.3 million units from Samsung in the first quarter. That figure jumped about 80 percent quarter-to-quarter to more than 4.1 million units in the second quarter, according to DisplaySearch.
The report also claims that Samsung, LG, and Japan Display will also begin supplying 7.9-inch panels for the next-generation iPad mini, although it declines to state whether the displays will be...
A customer satisfaction survey of streaming video services by analytics firm ForeSee has placed Apple’s iTunes Store in first place with a score of 80, ahead of other popular video services such as HBO GO and Netflix, which both finished with a score of 79. The survey also revealed tendencies about individual usage, such as how often users make visits to premium video services and the number of minutes users spend on streaming services per visit.
iTunes is the de facto experience when consumers are using Apple’s iOS platform. The iTunes app comes pre-installed on iPhones and iPads. It is a significant market advantage that users do not have to elect to download the app. Also, it provides guidance to other content and media apps since the iTunes app’s...
| Read more »Following a video from earlier this week that appeared to show a partially assembled device, Sonny Dickson shares new alleged high resolution photos of the low-cost iPhone, potentially named the iPhone 5C. A prominent poster on Chinese microblogging site Sina Weibo, C Technology, also claims (via phoneArena) the low-cost iPhone in China will be priced at 3000 yuan off contract, which is equivalent to $490 and in line with current pricing on the iPhone 4.
The photos show the shell from various angles, including views from the back and side of the device, as...
| Read more »Apple today released the fifth beta of iOS 7, which brings a number of improvements, changes, and bug fixes to the operating system, including newly redesigned Settings icons and a Control Center option that allows the feature to be disabled within apps.
iOS 7 beta 5 also offers a slew of minor interface tweaks and improvements that continue to make iOS 7 feel both faster and more polished. Our forum members have noted multiple enhancements that have been bundled into the release:
Settings - The icons in the Settings menu have seen a complete design, going from standard blue icons to a variety of square icons in various colors.
Control Center - Control Center’s settings now allow the function to be turned off while in apps, preventing Control Center from being accessed from the bottom of the screen while playing games or otherwise...
| Read more »Apple has just released the fifth beta version of iOS 7 to developers for testing purposes. The update is available as an over-the-air update to existing beta testers and it can also be downloaded via Apple's Developer Center.
The new beta arrives as build 11A4449a, and comes just over a week after the previous beta 4. Apple has also released a new version of its Apple TV beta, version 4, which can be downloaded here by registered members of Apple's paid developer program:
- Apple TV Software beta (3rd generation Rev A)
- Apple TV Software beta (3rd generation)
-...
Apple last week filed for a European patent (via Patently Apple) on methods for fusing glass pieces together to create various types of glass enclosures for a number of products. While the patent application specifically addresses the general concept of such devices, examples and drawings included in the application outline how the process could be applied to such products as iPhones, iPads, iPods, displays, and even televisions.
Three independent claims in the application describe Apple's use of fused glass to create housings to cover displays or other components:1. An electronic device, comprising: a display; and a housing in which the display is mounted, wherein the housing includes glass structures that have a recess that receives at least part of the display, wherein the...
| Read more »The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 41 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In our summary report we highlight five interesting patents, illustrate a number of design patents and provide you with a comprehensive list of the remaining patents that were published today.
| Read more »The European Patent Office published a new patent application from Apple late last week that describes a fused glass process for device housings. We're all familiar with the iPhone 5 having both its face and back housings constructed with glass. Apple's latest European patent filing, which lists Jony Ive as one of the inventors, illustrates the double sided glass construction design possibly extending through to the iPod, iPad, and various displays (iMac, Cinema) including a television encased in glass using a fused glass process.
| Read more »Apple has released a new iPhone ad called "FaceTime Every Day," the third in the popular people-oriented ad series the company launched earlier this year. The previous ads, "Music Every Day" and "Photos Every Day" focused on the iPhone’s Music and Camera apps.
As with the other ads in the series, FaceTime Every Day features a number of colorful shots depicting people of all ages using Apple’s FaceTime app in various locations across the world.
The advertisement ends with a familiar line: "Every day more people connect face to face on the iPhone than any other phone."
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Following the electrocution of a Chinese woman that may have been caused by a counterfeit iPhone charger, Apple has launched a new recycling program to dispose of any USB power adapter used with the iPhone and iPad.
The company is also offering official replacement chargers for $10 to anyone who turns in a suspect adapter..
Recent reports have suggested that some counterfeit and third party adapters may not be designed properly and could result in safety issues. While not all third party adapters have an issue, we are announcing a USB Power Adapter Takeback Program to enable customers to acquire properly designed adapters.
Customer safety is a top priority at Apple. That’s why all of our products — including USB power adapters for iPhone, iPad, and iPod — undergo rigorous testing for safety and reliability and are...
| Read more »Apple has sent an email to streaming Internet radio stations asking them to submit cover art for future use on iTunes and mobile devices. It appears that Apple will soon feature independent streaming music stations more prominently, including making them available on iOS -- perhaps in iOS 7.
The company does note that submitted Internet Radio cover art is not currently displayed to users anywhere.
Dear Internet Radio Provider,
Cover Art
The iTunes Store now requires cover art for Internet Radio stations. The cover art files must be 1400 x 1400 pixels in JPG or PNG format using RGB color space. The image URL must end in ".jpg", ".jpeg" or ".png". To add cover art to your station, send an email to itunesradio@apple.com including your contact name, station name and cover art file.
Cover art should avoid pixelation. Any text should be legible at reduced image sizes on small devices. Note...
| Read more »Nokia has taken a page from Microsoft's advertising book and has today launched (via UKMR) a new advertisement comparing the company's Lumia 925 to the iPhone 5.
The ad focuses on the phone's photographic capabilities and is based on Apple's well known "Photos Every Day" commercial, which began running back in April. It uses a similar voice over and style, focusing on Lumia users taking photographs with their devices.
"Every day, more photos are taken on the iPhone than any other phone. But at Nokia, we prefer to build for quality, not just quantity."The ad goes on to feature the Lumia 925's various photo modes, offering demonstrations of the...
| Read more »Just over a week after Apple began bringing its Developer Center back online after being down for eight days, the company has emailed developers with an update on its progress. Apple has brought a majority of its developer services back online and plans to reinstate most of the remaining services by the end of this week.
Still down are Xcode automatic configuration as well as access to license agreements, Technical Support Incidents, program enrollments, and renewals in Member Center.
The company notes that if membership were set to expire during the downtime, it has been automatically extended and no App Store sales have been affected.
Apple Developer Update: Aug 5, 2013
We sincerely appreciate your patience as we work to bring our developer program services back online, and we want to give you an update on our progress....
| Read more »Research firm IDC today announced its preliminary estimates of worldwide tablet shipments for the second quarter of 2013, finding that Apple's share of the market has fallen to under a third. According to IDC's numbers, Apple held a 32.4% share of the market for quarter, compared to 39.6% in the previous quarter and a 60.3% share in the year-ago quarter.
While other top tablet manufacturers saw their shipments rise by 100-300% over the second quarter of 2012, the lack of a new iPad launch from Apple in the March-April timeframe resulted in a 14% drop in Apple's numbers. Still, other top vendors saw their shipments drop sequentially, with IDC attributing those drops to a lack of a general boost in tablet interest that accompanies iPad launches.
Worldwide Tablet Shipments in 2Q13...
| Read more »Last week we revealed a scathing report from China Labor Watch (CLW) who published an investigative report detailing the labor violations of three factories of Pegatron Group, a major supplier to Apple for their new mid-level report. Pegatron was accused of labor violations in order to increase their competitive edge with Apple. Today another report has surfaced detailing Chinese regulators who are now actively scrutinizing two of Apple's suppliers Foxconn and Unimicron for pumping large amounts of toxic heavy metals into nearby rivers. The allegations of such activity were reported on by five non-profit environmental groups.
| Read more »After the Obama administration vetoed a partial ban on the import and sale of some Apple products, Samsung announced that it has been granted a hearing in a US appeals court next year against the original ruling, as reported by the Financial Times. Concurrently, The Wall Street Journal reports that Samsung has lost $1 billion in market value after the weekend veto. The South Korean government has also criticized the decision, saying it had "concern over the possible negative impacts that this kind of decision could have on Samsung Electronics' patent rights".
Samsung revealed on Monday that it had filed a court appeal on July 18 against the original ITC finding, because the...
| Read more »A sales ban was looming after the ITC ruled against Apple in a patent infringement suit. The ban was to take effect tomorrow. The ruling was on hold pending a 60 day presidential review that technically was to expire today. Verizon's general counsel, Randal S. Milch, had an editorial published in the Wall Street Journal earlier in late July asking for the president to intervene in this case. Late yesterday the news from multiple sources came to light that President Barack Obama’s administration stepped in to veto the ban of Apple's iPad and several iPhone models.
| Read more »The Obama administration has vetoed a partial ban on the import and sale of some Apple products which was granted back in June in response to a ruling made by the USITC (United States International Trade Commission). The ban, which applied only to AT&T models of the iPhone 4 and 3GS, the 3G models of the iPad and the iPad 2, was granted after the USITC found that the aforementioned products infringed on a Samsung patent, specifically Patent No. 7,706,348, titled "Apparatus and method for encoding/decoding transport format combination indicator in CDMA mobile communication system."
In a letter to Irving A. Williamson, the Chairman of the USITC, the United States Trade Representative Michael B...
| Read more »Apple has been on a roll lately winning a series of new design patents in Hong Kong China. The Hong Kong IP Office awarded Apple with 22 design patents in July alone covering such things as new iMacs, iPhones and the battery for the MacBook Pro. Late yesterday Apple was awarded a new series of 15 design patents to kick off August just right. The design patents cover a number of Apple products and possibly a new Apple Store pedestal styled stand for the next iPhone.
| Read more »Following a report from earlier this week that appeared to show photos of the iPad 5's silver rear shell, Mac Otakara (via Sonny Dickson) has released a brief video that allegedly shows the front panel and back shell of the iPad 5 assembled together for the first time.
Unlike the rear shell shown in photos earlier this week, which was reported to have a silver Apple logo, this part appears to have a transparent or translucent logo. Apple's fifth-generation iPad is expected to launch as soon as next month, with a new iPad mini with Retina display perhaps...
| Read more »Apple on Thursday altered its iTunes Terms and Conditions to permit children that are under the age of 13 to operate individual iTunes accounts that have been created at the request of an "approved educational institution," reports Macworld.
Previously, Apple restricted iTunes accounts to children aged 13 or older, but the company announced that it would be changing its policy with the release of iOS 7.These App and Book Services are only available for individuals aged 13 years or older, unless you are under 13 years old and your Apple ID was provided to you as a result of a request by an approved educational institution. If you are 13 or older but under the age of 18, you should review this Agreement with your parent or guardian to make sure that you and your parent or guardian understand it.With...
| Read more »Two weeks ago 9to5Mac reported that Apple had recently hired several scientists and executives from multiple sensor developers such as AccuVein, C8 MediSensors and Senseonics. The report speculates that Apple has interest in sensors that could measure glucose and other body information that could be a part of a fitness application. An Application that could very possibly be associated with a future wearable computer device like the one Apple recently filed a patent for. New technology has recently come to light in Japan that could be of benefit to Apple's project and we'll show you how.
| Read more »Earlier this week, Apple executive Bob Mansfield stepped down from his management duties at Apple in order to focus on 'special projects' -- reportedly working on the development of entirely new products for the company.
Now, 9to5Mac has additional details about how the shake-up affects other executives.
Dan Riccio, who was promoted to lead Apple's hardware engineering teams when Bob Mansfield first retired last year, will gain oversight of the company's antenna design teams in addition to his current...
| Read more »While Macites aren't generally the biggest fans of Microsoft the computer company, they're a little more forgiving when it comes to the Xbox. Until Apple enters the gaming console business, many Macites have been big supporters of any relevant Xbox news in the form of patent filings. So for those fans ...
| Read more »Following the Department of Justice's release of a proposed remedy to address Apple's e-book price fixing, Apple has filed its own brief (via The Next Web) that calls the plan a "draconian and punitive intrusion into Apple's business, wildly out of proportion to any adjudicated wrongdoing or potential harm."Plaintiffs propose a sweeping and unprecedented injunction as a tool to empower the Government to regulate Apple’s businesses and potentially affect Apple’s business relationships with thousands of partners across several markets.
Plaintiffs’ overreaching proposal would establish a vague new compliance regime—applicable only to Apple—with intrusive oversight...
| Read more »The U.S. Department of Justice today announced its proposed remedy in the e-book price fixing case that saw Apple found guilty last month. The proposed remedy includes nullification of Apple's existing "agency model" deals with a number of major publishers, as well as a requirement that competitors such as Amazon allow direct links to their own e-book stores from within their iOS apps.The department’s proposal, if approved by the court, will require Apple to terminate its existing agreements with the five major publishers with which it conspired – Hachette Book Group (USA), HarperCollins Publishers L.L.C., Holtzbrinck Publishers LLC, which does business as Macmillan, Penguin Group (USA) Inc. and Simon & Schuster Inc. – and to refrain for five years from entering new e-book distribution contracts...
| Read more »Apple has a reputation of including the latest standards in their products and so it's highly likely that Apple will be adopting the new USB 3.1 standard in future products.
| Read more »Following an update to its Apple Store iOS app late last month, Apple has now begun offering the reported free iTunes Store, App Store, and iBookstore content through the app (via Flo's Weblog [Google translation]).
As in the leaked sample screenshot, the initial offering is...
| Read more »The Commercial Times is currently the largest financial paper in Taiwan and it has a reputation for breaking news in the tech sector. Today they've created a buzz about Apple buying equipment from Foxconn and transferring it to Compal Electronics.
| Read more »Following a report from yesterday that appeared to show photos of the iPad 5's silver rear shell, FanaticFone has posted new photos of the alleged silver casing of the next generation iPad mini. While the photos highlight typical features such as a rear facing camera, speakers and the Lightning port, it does feature an embedded black Apple logo, which is a change from the current iPad mini that uses a printed mirrored logo.
Aside from the change to the Apple logo, the shell appears essentially identical to the current iPad mini.
Apple is expected to launch the next-generation iPad mini with a potential Retina display sometime in the fall, while...
| Read more »Motorola today announced its new 4.7-inch Moto X smartphone, which comes equipped with a number of impressive features like a 720p AMOLED Display, Touchless Control via Google Now integration, multiple customization options, and unique camera controls. The phone has been described as Google and Motorola's flagship iPhone competitor.
The Moto X is the first phone where Google is in control of both the hardware and the software, giving the company greater control over the end user experience.
The phone includes the Motorola X8 Computing System, with a Snapdragon S4 Pro processor, 1.7Ghz dual-core Krait CPU and quad-core Adreno 320 GPU. It offers 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, a 10-megapixel rear camera, and a 2,200mAh battery that offers up to 24 hours of battery life.
...
| Read more »Apple is only looking at outside candidates for the head of its retail division, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The position has been empty since last fall when John Browett was let go after less than a year on the job, with the retail division reporting directly to CEO Tim Cook.
Breaking: Apple only considering outside candidates for its SVP of Retail, source says. Story soon, along with deets about changes at retail
Prior to Browett, Ron Johnson was the head of Apple Retail for more than ten years, making Apple's stores into one of the most profitable retail chains in the world. Johnson left the company to...
Apple has purchased Silicon Valley-based wireless chip developer Passif Semiconductor, reports technology writer Jessica Lessin. The company, which Apple has reportedly been after for several years, specializes in low-power communication chips that could be used to improve battery life in wearable devices such as Apple’s rumored iWatch.
Passif develops communication chips that use very little power. Its technology, which includes a radio that works with a low-energy version of Bluetooth called Bluetooth LE, is promising for health-monitoring and fitness devices that need extra-long battery life. (Apple, of course, is working on one of those.)Apple has confirmed the acquisition, with Apple spokeswoman Amy Besette giving AllThingsD the following statement: "...
| Read more »Apple's upcoming low-cost iPhone, perhaps called the iPhone "5C", may come equipped with the same 8-megapixel sapphire crystal-covered camera found in the iPhone 5, reports Chinese site IT168 [Google Translation]. The site has shared an image of what is claimed to be the iPhone 5C camera module, which appears similar to the existing iPhone 5 camera module.
While the low-cost iPhone will potentially incorporate the 8-megapixel camera of the iPhone 5, Apple's iPhone 5S is expected to get an upgraded...
| Read more »In 2011, when iCloud replaced MobileMe, Apple gave paying MobileMe customers an additional 20GB of iCloud storage as a thank you for their purchase. That storage was to be discontinued in September of 2012, but Apple ended up giving MobileMe users another year of storage for free.
Now, however, the complimentary iCloud storage plan will be expiring at the end of next month, on September 30th.
For customers using more than 5GB of storage, they will be required to purchase a 20GB storage upgrade for $40 per year, or a number of iCloud features...
| Read more »Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest registered trademark for their "Passport" icon. The icon was officially approved late yesterday under number 4,375,163. Not that it really matters though ...
| Read more »According to BlackBerryOS.com, the beta version of BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) has started rolling out in the Beta Zone for Android and iOS devices. The Beta Zone, which is similar to Apple's Developer Center, started sending out the invites to select registered users today, with more expected to follow in the coming days and weeks. BlackBerryOS.com has also leaked several screenshots of the Android version of the app, but screenshots of the iOS version do not yet appear to be available.
The beta will require iOS 6.0 or later, according to Vivek Bhardwaj, the head of the BlackBerry Software Portfolio who spoke to Trusted Reviews a couple of weeks ago....
| Read more »On August 01, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a series of 20 original patent applications from Apple Inc. In this report we touch on Apple's newly designed Ultrasonic Bonding machine to improve future printed circuit board manufacturing as well as an OLED patent that's about improving the quality of this type of display that Tim Cook and company currently sneer at. Our report also provides you a list of twelve links to other patent applications that were published today covering a wide array of technologies including "context-based reverse geocoding" and technology related to LTE-Advanced which is the next wireless standard that Apple will be adopting for the iPhone either this fall or sometime next year.
| Read more »Back in January, a handful of photos of what was alleged to be the fifth-generation black iPad's rear shell surfaced, showing how the device would take design cues from the iPad mini to offer a smaller form factor with narrower side bezels and more rounded rear edges. An additional photo appeared in late April, but otherwise leaks of the device's rear shell have been scarce. A variety of cases designed to fit the expected iPad 5 form factor have also been appearing in recent months.
FanaticFone now shares some new photos of an alleged fifth-generation iPad rear shell, this time in the silver...
| Read more »On August 1, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals new advances that could be coming to Apple's new "iOS in the Car" software in the future. In June we presented an in-depth report titled "Apple Takes the Lead in the Next Battlefront: Advanced Eyes-Free Services for the Car. Today we learn that Apple has deeper integration plans to take "iOS for the Car" to another level. Apple's latest invention generally relates to in-vehicle self-configurable environments and more specifically ....
| Read more »On August 1, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a real-time enterprise centric app-sharing feature for future FaceTime video conferences. Microsoft recently ran an ad mocking the iPad's inability to share apps during a video conference seamlessly. Apple's latest invention effortlessly answers that void and goes far beyond by including a privacy information mode and more.
| Read more »Apple's suppliers are preparing the next generation iPad mini for mass production and it will "likely feature a high-resolution screen from Samsung" according to The Wall Street Journal, contradicting a report from earlier today that claimed the next iPad mini would not have a Retina display.
The piece also claims that Apple is considering offering multiple colors of back covers for the device, possibly complimenting the rumored lower-cost iPhone which is expected to have plastic back covers in a number of colors.
Apple is working with suppliers in Asia on its next iPad mini with a high-resolution "retina" display, unlike the...
Earlier this year, a trio of computer scientists discovered a flaw in iOS 6 that would theoretically allow an iPhone or an iPad to be hacked in a minute using a “malicious USB charger.”
The researchers demonstrated the hack at the Black Hat Convention in Las Vegas today, showing off a custom built charger that was plugged into an iPhone. The charger, which took a week to design and cost just $45 in components, contained a small Linux computer programmed to launch an attack on iOS devices.
According to a report from Reuters, the security flaw that could allow a fake charging station to potentially hack an iOS device has already...
| Read more »According to developer Nick Frey (via 9to5Mac) code within iOS 7 hints at a new upgraded processor, likely the A7 processor expected to be included with the iPhone 5S. The code includes a reference to an s5L8960x application processor, which is a higher iteration than the s518950x and the s518955x numeration found on the A6 and A6X processors used in the iPhone 5 and the fourth generation iPad.
As noted by 9to5Mac, it appears that the upcoming system-on-a-chip will include Samsung components.Interestingly, it appears that Apple will again work with Samsung for...
| Read more »An official website promoting the upcoming Steve Jobs movie starring Ashton Kutcher launched earlier this week, featuring a number of short video clips and reviews. Open Road Films has also released a new featurette today, which offers commentary on the filming of “JOBS” along with new clips from the movie.
As part of a social media blitz, Ashton Kutcher has explained why he took the role, shared his thoughts on Jobs, and outlined the work that he put into becoming Steve Jobs multiple times, sharing information in an answer on Quora, a lengthy interview with The Verge, and at a ...
| Read more »In November 2012 we posted an in-depth report introducing ISIS, an e-wallet service project developed by AT&T, Mobility, T-Mobile USA and Verizon Wireless. For the last nine months ISIS the venture has been testing their system at more than 4,000 locations in Austin Texas and are now preparing to take the system live this fall. According to a new report, the mobile payment system that works primarily with NFC technology will also work with Apple's iPhone.
| Read more »According to the iOS 7 beta, Apple is testing a new iPad mini model that includes an A6 chip -- the same as the current iPhone 5 -- and a non-retina display, reports 9to5Mac.
The information was sent to the site by an unnamed developer, who found the details inside a file that lists all the iOS devices that support iOS 7. The A6 processor would be a logical upgrade for the iPad mini, advancing its main processing chip to the next generation.
According to the provided information, Apple is considering three new iPad mini models: iPad “2,8,” iPad “2,9,” and iPad “2,10.” The respective code names for the devices are J75, J76, and J77. This points to one WiFi-only model and two cellular-compatible models (just like the current iPad minis).
[…]
As for what these new iPad minis will feature, the references state that the devices include...
| Read more »In a new report, App Annie today revealed that downloads from Google Play finally surpassed iOS App Store downloads by 10% during the second quarter of 2013. The uptick in Google Play downloads can be attributed to higher activity in emerging markets, such as Russia, India, and Brazil.
Of course, despite the fact that Google Play garnered more downloads during the quarter, the App Store still earns far more revenue, reinforcing the idea that iOS users are more willing to pay for content than their Android counterparts. The App Store scored 2.3 times the revenue of Google Play.
Games continue to be the number one source of income for both...
| Read more »Following the launch of Google's low-priced Chromecast AirPlay competitor, Apple has lowered the price of its refurbished Apple TVs to $75, offering a $24 discount off of the original $99 price.
Google's Chromecast, which functions similarly to AirPlay and allows users to mirror content from a tablet, smartphone, or laptop to a television, retails for just $35. The dongle plugs in to any HDTV and offers apps like YouTube and Netflix, with additional offerings in the works.
Though the Apple TV can't compete with the Chromecast on price, Apple has been working on building new features into the device. Released alongside betas for iOS 7 and Mavericks, the Apple TV beta software has...
| Read more »The App Store opened on July 10, 2008 via an update to iTunes. On July 11, the iPhone 3G was launched and came pre-loaded with iOS 2.0.1 with App Store support and zipping through to the present, Apple recently celebrated their new 50 billionth app download record. To capture the buzz ...
| Read more »As revealed in dozens of new job postings on its website, Apple is once again looking to improve its much-criticized Maps application by increasing the size of its team dedicated to verifying mapping data. The postings are for "ground truth" local experts and regional managers in a number of different locations around the world, including several in the United States, Brazil, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and Europe.
The job descriptions for the "Local Expert" roles are as follows:The Maps team is looking for people with a passion for mapping, great testing skills, and deep regional knowledge to help us build better and better maps. In this position, you will be responsible for the quality assessment of Apple Maps for your region, including both data and map services. You will monitor changes to our maps, provide feedback on unique local map requirements, collect ground...
| Read more »On Sunday we posted a special report titled "The Perfect Storm: All Eyes are on Apple's Strategy for China covering current trends and possible moves to unfold later this year. Apple has been in secret talks with China Mobile for the past four years and in January China Mobile admitted ...
| Read more »Following up a report from earlier this week that Apple CEO Tim Cook had traveled to China, representatives for China Mobile have confirmed to Reuters that its Chairman, Xi Guohua, and Cook had met recently to discuss “matters of cooperation”. China Mobile, the world's largest carrier, is the only major Chinese carrier to not have a deal with Apple to distribute the iPhone.
The meeting with China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua in Beijing was to discuss matters of cooperation, the Chinese firm told Reuters in an emailed statement. It gave no further details. Prior to this news, it was speculated that Cook may have visited China to discuss the potential for market growth in the region after Apple...
| Read more »Microsoft filed its annual Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) today, revealing that the Microsoft Surface lineup has garnered only $853 million in revenue for the company, which is less than the recent $900 million writedown the company took for the Surface RT.
And as GeekWire notes, it's also less than the "$898 million increase in advertising costs associated primarily with Windows 8 and Surface.” The numbers account for all Surfaces sold from the device's original fall launch until the end of Microsoft's fiscal year on June 30.
While Microsoft did not reveal how many Surface units it sold, GeekWire does estimate that it sold approximately 1.7 million units by the end of June, which roughly corroborates a Bloomberg...
| Read more »A new support document has emerged on Apple's website today, revealing a way for iMessage users to report unwanted messages, or spam, directly to Apple.
To report unwanted iMessage messages to Apple, please send an email with the following details to: imessage.spam@icloud.com
Include a screenshot of the message you have received.
Include the full email address or phone number you received the unwanted message from.
Include the date and time that you received the message.In late March it was reported that a group of iOS developers had been hit with denial-of-service attacks via iMessage that saw them receiving a series of rapid-fire messages. Previously, it was not possible for users to take action against...
Larry Gadea, a user on the Tech Inferno forums, has shown off a unique setup whereby he connects a graphics card to the 11" MacBook Air via a series of adapters.
He uses a Thunderbolt to Express Card adapter, then connects an ExpressCard to PCI-Express adapter, and finally to a Windows-compatible video card. The final result is somewhat bulky but seems to provide an excellent gaming experience.
It has become very clear that gaming is not only high-performance, but super practical on an 11" Macbook Air. There's so much going against it: this hodgepodge of adapters, it has a low voltage CPU, disaster of wiring and exposed sensitive parts, crazy boot-time chainloading software, Intel killing companies producing adapters and products left right and center via legal threats,...
| Read more »As Apple continues to bring its Developer Center back online after a week-long outage, the company is sending out emails to developers noting a potential delay for app reviews. ReadWrite has posted one of the letters being received by developers:"We are currently reviewing an app that you submitted for inclusion on the App Store, and want to let you know that the review process will require additional time. We apologize for the delay and will provide you with an update on the status of your app as soon as possible."Such letters are not uncommon, of course, but given the amount of time that the Developer Center was offline, it makes sense that Apple would have a backlog of reviews to work through.
According to one developer, he...
| Read more »The rumors about the new "plastic" iPhone (may be called the iPhone 5C, according to a recent leak) have been ramping up over the past couple of days, and now an enterprising case manufacturer has released a set of "iPhone 5C" cases on Amazon.com (via Nowhereelse.fr).
The three cases, which are available in black, navy, and white, appear to be in line with low-cost iPhone dimensions that were leaked by another case maker in June.
The low-cost iPhone is expected to be similar in size to the current iPhone 5, though with a rounded polycarbonate...
| Read more »Google owned Motorola Mobility and Apple have agreed to drop a combined total of 14 patents from litigation that were part of a Florida lawsuit scheduled to go to trial in 2014. Apple dropped 6 patents in the pending case, while Motorola dropped 8, leaving 8 total patents to be tried in court, reports FOSS Patents. Yesterday (Monday, July 29 2013) Apple and Motorola filed a stipulation to dismiss a total of 14 patents from the Miami case. Apple had previously dropped two patents (though it reserved some rights subject to what happens on appeal), so the case was down from 24 to 22 patents. Under yesterday's stipulation, Motorola drops eight patents and Apple withdraws six, restoring parity. Subject to the court's (very likely) approval of this stipulation, either party will be asserting four patents going forward. The lawsuit history between the two companies started in October 2010...
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