Jordan Kahn

Apple has confirmed in a statement (via All Things D) that they stopped supporting Carrier IQ in iOS 5 and plan to “remove it completely in a future software update”. Earlier we reported that carrier IQ was indeed running on the iPhone. Full statement below:

We stopped supporting CarrierIQ with iOS 5 in most of our products and will remove it completely in a future software update. With any diagnostic data sent to Apple, customers must actively opt-in to share this information, and if they do, the data is sent in an anonymous and encrypted form and does not include any personal information. We never recorded keystrokes, messages or any other personal information for diagnostic data and have no plans to ever do so.

Well, then.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0dI-WZ5cvM0]

During his appearance on Ellen, comedian Robin Williams shared some quite entertaining thoughts on Siri, especially a great impression of Siri with a French accent about half way through. Although Siri has come under some scrutiny related to its inability to handle thick accents (and its inability to serve up abortion related results), we’re not sure we’ll be seeing Robin’s idea of localized accents for Siri’s voice anytime soon. That being said, some work on accommodating English-speakers with accents could be in order.

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Apple has been no stranger to patenting innovative methods and implementations of ID verification and recognition technologies, most recently highlighting a system for advanced 3D object recognition. Perhaps the most interesting patent to emerge is one for digital handshakes using advanced camera systems and invisible ink published by the US Patent & Trademark Office earlier today (via PatentlyApple). The patent essentially details a system in which advanced, next-generation cameras could read invisible inks and optical coatings, which contain unique identifiers, integrated into another device or object. In its most basic embodiment, this would allow one device (or person) to identify and establish a connection with another quickly and securely. PatentlyApple explains:

The devices could share the keys using any suitable approach, including for example providing the keys in a manner that an image captured by each device could include the other device’s key. For example, devices could be placed opposite each other (e.g., face-to-face, face-to-back, or back-to-back) such that a camera of the device includes the other device in its field of view… In one implementation, one or more cameras of the first device could capture images of the device environment. The first device could process the captured images to detect a second device in the field of view, and to identify one or more cameras of the second device.

When it comes to potential applications, Apple outlines sharing data– videos, photos, contacts, etc.– as well as determining network information, bandwidth, and security levels. The patent specifically mentions social networking aspects. For example, Twitter sharing could be integrated, while multiplayer gaming could benefit from connecting multiple devices available for a specific game and sharing data like in-game stats. However, the patent also details a number of other notable potential applications as well including logging into a secondary device and using the tech as identification at retailers…
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Following yesterday’s report from the New York Post detailing Apple’s lease with the MTA for their new Grand Central retail store, State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli plans on looking into the deal and ensuring “MTA hasn’t given away the store”. Other state officials are raising concerns as well. Yesterday DiNapoli issued a statement (via New York Post):

The article in the New York Post about the MTA’s contract with Apple in Grand Central Terminal is a cause for concern. This is a prime property, and I intend to make sure that the MTA hasn’t given away the store.

Yesterday we found out that the MTA has given Apple a bargain on its lease for the new retail store at just $60 per square foot– approximately $800,000 during the first year– in comparison to the $200+ per square foot most other tenants pay. However, the MTA doesn’t necessarily agree with DiNapoli’s concerns, who has also performed an audit of the MTA in the past finding mediocre real-estate practices, and issued a statement regarding the issue. While pointing out Apple paid $5 million up front to restaurant Metrazur to move into the northeast balcony space, MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan had this to say in a statement:

Consistent with the Comptroller’s recommendations, the MTA moved proactively to maximize revenue and quadrupled the rent we receive for this unique space… They are effectively paying $180 per square foot over the 10 years of the lease, almost 10 times the previous tenant.

State Senator Tony Avella told CBS 2’s Tony Aiello (via CBS) he thinks taxpayers are being ripped off in the deal:

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An Apple television mockup is for illustrative purposes only – don’t read too much into it.

More iTV rumors are starting to emerge today, this time once again originating from analyst Gene Munster who took the stage at this morning’s IGNITION: Future of Media event (via BusinessInsider). Munster has been saying ‘next year’ for an Apple HDTV for years, but with the revelation in the Walter Isaacson ‘Steve Jobs’ bio, his claims today might worth taking a look at.

Munster is quite certain in an Apple HDTV being launched before the 2012 holiday season, approximately a year from now. He seemed confident on some of the intricacies of the device as well. So confident he apparently told audience members to hold off on purchasing a TV from another manufacturer. This is what he claims (most of which we’ve heard before)…

The Apple HDTV will be fully-capable, standalone television and not an accessory or Apple TV-like set-top box. The TV will come in a range of sizes to appeal to a wide variety of consumers at different price points, although will apparently come in at twice the average cost of HDTVs from other vendors. Cable tv and cable boxes will still be supported via a single coaxial cable, but navigation will be done using an iPad, iPhone, or Siri. There was also, not so surprisingly, mention of iTunes, App Store, and iCloud integration.  
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Spotify execs took the stage today in New York for the company’s “New Direction” event where they unveiled new features allowing third-party developers to integrate HTML5 apps into their desktop music streaming service. Starting with a handful of partners including Billboard, RollingStone, The Guardian, last.fm, and Pitchfork, the platform will allow HTML5 apps to provide services and features with music provided by Spotify. Jan Wenner of Rolling Stone explained how they would integrate Spotify content into their app. The Verge explains:

Much of what we’re seeing takes what is traditionally editorial content (i.e. playlists, reviews, concert listings), and wedding it to the Spotify music platform. For example, Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone explained that the magazine and artists will be creating and curating playlists in the company’s new app, and the music backend will be provided by Spotify… The Rolling Stone app provides an editorial mix of reviews and playlists, with full songs and albums attached to the content.

Once you install an app, it will appear in a sidebar on the left, while a new “App Finder” for the service will also make finding new and free apps comparable to browsing iTunes. The apps will only be available to desktop users at launch, but the company apparently has plans to bring them to their mobile experience in the future.

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We reported last week that the opening of Apple’s Grand Central retail store was rumored to be delayed to Friday, December 9. Today a report from New York Post is confirming a grand opening for next weekend while giving us an inside look into the one-of-a-kind lease that the publication has obtained a copy of. Unfortunately, as we learned from our video walkthrough of the space (video below), much of the retail space doesn’t take advantage of the terminal’s architecture and will actually be located underground, in the basement.

In comparison to the other tenants and retailers in the space who pay approximately $200 per square foot, Apple is reportedly paying just $60 per square foot. The lease will also include a no-percentage deal with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority who justified the rare decision based on the new Apple Store’s ability to “generate significant new traffic” for other retailers in the space. In contrast, all of the other retailers and restaurants pay the MTA a percentage of sales beyond a certain threshold. With real estate experts estimating the store will take in around $100 million per year in sales, the MTA is being criticized for this no-percentage deal with Apple.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=fpBEcpw3wqA#!]

Executive vice president at real estate firm Lansco, Robin Abrams, told the New York Post the no-percentage deal is surprising:

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The CTIA has introduced a new five-point mobile app rating system and voluntary program operated by the ESRB who have been slapping similar “everyone” and “adults only” ratings on video games since the early 90s. Not so surprisingly, the biggest and second biggest players in the mobile app space, Apple and Google, aren’t supporting the program. Bloomberg reports:

The app program is aimed at helping parents monitor children’s increasing use of wireless technology, an issue drawing lawmakers’ attention this year… Apple, maker of the iPhone and iPad, and Google, whose Android software is the most widely used mobile operating software in the U.S., aren’t taking part in the program and have their own ratings systems.

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After former Microsoft Business Unit head Stephen Elop (now CEO of Nokia) strongly hinted at it (above on the iPhone) and told T3 they were considering it, a report from The Daily claims sources have confirmed Microsoft has an iPad version of its Office app in the works alongside a new Lion compatible version of the desktop suite. Up until now the iWork suite of apps– Keynote, Numbers, and Pages– have arguably been the go to productivity apps on iOS and the counterpart to Microsoft Office’s dominance on OS X and Windows PCs. If implemented well, we could theoretically see Office for iOS eating into some of Apple’s and the iWork suite’s user base. Microsoft is expected to introduce the app(s) at a similar price point as well. The Daily reports:

It’s assumed that both of these would work with Office 365 as well as mobile versions, such as Windows Phone’s Office Hub. Because it would be compatible with these full suites rather than as stand-alone apps, the pricing will most likely be significantly lower than existing Office products. In fact, it’s likely the cost will be around the $10 price point that Apple has established for its Pages, Numbers and Keynote products.

There has, however, been some conflicting reports regarding whether or not Microsoft is actively developing the app. In April 2010,Elop  said they would take the “wait and see” approach when it comes to supporting iPad telling Bloomberg, “We never say never, but we have no current plans”.

An iPad edition of Office would likely be built by a unit within Microsoft’s consumer business that creates versions of Office that work with Apple’s Macintosh personal computers. Kristen Woody, a spokesman for that unit, says it “doesn’t have anything to share at this time.”

Microsoft has an important decision to make: Do they “bless” the iPad with the critical business software that businesses need but at the same time risk hurting  their Windows PC business by making them replacable?

We’ll keep you updated when we learn more.

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A couple more recently granted Apple patents are emerging today (via PatentlyApple), one of which details an interesting new docking station with intelligent accessory power management, while once again providing hints at a secondary 30-pin connector for landscape orientation. The idea is to be able to provide various devices–  portable media players(iPod), cell phones (iPhone), monitors (iTV?)– with the ideal power source through a single accessory. It would also allow Apple to safely power larger devices such as a monitor through the same accessory. For example, as noted in the graphic above, the accessory could do things like “SetMaxCurrent”, allowing a device to charge at maximum available current level while still allowing proper current for operation of the device. The “GetPrefPower” command would allow the accessory to determine which power line it should utilize, while “SetBatteryCharging” would force a device’s internal battery to begin or stop charging.

PatentlyApple walks us through a few other aspects of the invention:

Another aspect of the invention may help prevent a portable computing device from drawing a high level of current that could be detrimental to an accessory, such as a cable. Another aspect of the invention may allow a battery pack or other accessory to instruct a portable computing device to not charge its internal battery…Another aspect of the invention may allow a portable computing device to determine which power supply among multiple power supplies should be used to power an accessory. Yet another aspect of the invention may allow an accessory to get charging current parameters from a portable computing device.

In the graphic below we see that Apple is once again hinting at a possible secondary 30-pin dock connector on a next-gen iPad to facilitate landscape docking. The patent also suspiciously describes docking a monitor, which of course will lead to endless speculation regarding some type of dockable, portable iTV or Apple Display. If you can’t wait to get your hands on whatever comes of the tech detailed in today’s patent, you may want to take a look at the AT&T Zero USB wall charger. Available for $20 right now, that device will allow you to use “almost any power cable” to charge your devices and is compatible with just about every quality smartphone on the market.

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Following our report that Apple blew away Black Friday sales forecasts by 7PM, accounting for their biggest sales day of all time, research firm comScore (via All Things D) is backing up the report by placing Apple at #5 among the most visited online retailers on Black Friday. While noting that Apple is “nipping at Target’s heels,” ComScore’s Andrew Lipsman had this to say:

 “Apple has not historically been in the top five — in fact, this is the first time I can remember… Even though Apple does not provide the selection of products that you might find at a big box retailer, it is obviously top of mind when it comes to the most in-demand products, like the iPhone and iPad. Two of the biggest growth sectors right now are tablets and digital content downloads, and obviously Apple is extremely well positioned on both fronts.”

In case you’re wondering, comScore’s research includes iTunes sales as well, including apps, videos, and any other digital content. Beating out Apple, starting at #1, is Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and Target. ComScore’s research of course doesn’t include Apple’s 200+ brick-and-mortar stores that also offered some of the company’s lowest ever Black Friday discounts. Apple today announced free shipping on all U.S. orders through December 22 (restrictions for international orders), which provides yet more encouragement for online shoppers leading up to the holidays. Perhaps we will continue to see more aggressive seasonal sales from the company going forward.

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When author of the official ‘Steve Jobs’ bio, Walter Isaacson, sat down for an interview with Fortune earlier this month, we learned that Steve Jobs had three key industries he wanted to reinvent: the television, textbooks, and photography. We’ve certainly heard a lot of rumors about an iTV in the works, and Apple has arguably already done a lot for the textbook business, despite Jobs having loftier goals for the industry as a whole. While the iPhone 4S’s redesigned camera might be good enough to get an endorsement from photographer Annie Leibovitz, the guys at ADR Studios have created this new ‘iCam’ concept imagining a separate accessory that would turn the iPhone 5 into a full-fledged point-and-shoot.

Keeping rumored iPhone 5 specs in mind, ADR’s concept would include a 10.1 megapixel sensor and provide an “ISO range from 100 to 3200 (extendable up to 6400 equivalent)” for full HD at 60fps. Imagined specs for the accessory include an aluminum unibody, interchangeable lenses, a small touch-screen on the front, LED flash, pico-projector, SD UHS-i slot, motion sensor, and bluetooth. We’re guessing a few companies are already at work on a similar accessory after seeing these gorgeous mock ups.

[slideshow]

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We already know about all of the excellent Black Friday deals popping up in our live price guide— like an 11” MacBook Air for $849.99, and this 13″ 2.4GHz MacBook Pro for $1050. In addition to all of the great hardware on sale, almost all of the biggest iOS app publishers are running Thanksgiving and Black Friday promotions too. There’s also some great Mac App Store apps on sale. We’ve compiled the best of the best…
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As of last week Gartner was reporting Android doubled its market share to 52.5 percent in Q3, while Apple recorded a decline from the year previous at 15 percent in the face of a delayed iPhone 4S. Despite that, a report from research firm GfK (via Reuters) claims iPhone owners are much more likely to display OS loyalty by picking up another iPhone when upgrading their handset.

Specifically, 84 percent of iPhone users included in the research said they would be upgrading to another iPhone, in contrast to just 60 percent of Android users who plan on purchasing another Android device. RIM was of course behind both with 48% of users planning on sticking with a Blackberry.

“The scope for brands to lure customers from rivals has diminished and the richest rewards will go to those providers that can create the most harmonious user experience and develop this brand loyalty” -GfK

So why don’t they want to switch? 33% of consumers included in the research cite not wanting to change the apps and features associated with their device. 29% of respondents didn’t want to learn how to use another device, while 28% didn’t want to transition their content from one device to another…

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The US Patent & Trademark Office has published an Apple patent application today (via PatentlyApple) revealing a brand new method of interacting with content on your iOS devices. Referred to as a “Persistent Overlay”, the concept essentially aims to provide users with single tap access to photos, songs, files,etc. from an always accessible, persistent UI. The patent also introduces us to a new social networking app, and Trackpad and Magic Mouse support for iPad.

The “Persistent Overlay” feature would act as a customizable dashboard, allowing you to add snippets or links to web content, individual songs or albums from iTunes, photos, etc. It’s unclear exactly how this “Persistent Overlay” would be incorporated into the current iOS UI. However, from the information in the patent, it appears to be completely separate from the iOS homepage. PatentlyApple says in some embodiments Apple’s description sounds like the UI could actually be part of the current multitasking feature, potentially allowing you to place items such as a photo or song next to recent apps or the iPod controls in a portion of the multitasking tray. We can also imagine the UI fitting in nicely in the empty space right above the multitasking tray.

Read about Apple’s new IDME social networking feature after the break.

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Despite Apple vowing to audit fifteen of their suppliers following accusations of pollution from Chinese NGOs, a report from China Labor Watch says 1,000 employees of a Jingmo Electronics Corporation factory in Shenzhen staged a strike earlier this week. The factory is owned by one of the world’s largest keyboard manufacturers, Jingyuan Computer Group, and happens to be an OEM for Apple, among others including LG and IBM. The Chinese Labor Watch organization is particularly urging Apple to take responsibility:

“China Labor Watch calls upon Apple, IBM and the other clients of this factory to assume responsibility for these workers’ dissatisfaction and work with the factory to improve the working conditions in the factory. We particularly urge Apple to take responsibility, as there are more than 300 workers working on the Apple keyboard assembly line.” 

The workers decided to strike over management’s decision to enforce nightly overtime, adding a 6 p.m.- 12 p.m nightly shift to their regular hours of 7-11:30 a.m. and 1-5 p.m. That accounts for approximately 120 hours of overtime per month. They were also refused the right to work this overtime on the weekends, which would have required the company to pay workers double time under Chinese Labor Law. Chinese Labor Watch explains there were other concerns raised by employees as well:

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Update: There has been some doubt regarding Bloomberg’s initial report and whether or not this is a new App Store policy introduced by Apple. One 9to5Mac reader writes:

This App is not doing any thing special that other subscription services don’t already do on iOS. This is nothing more than a remote desktop app (like iswiffer or many others) that let you play flash games. This is just locked down to their own server and their own flash games optimized for touch. You must have internet access for this to work (like all other remote desktop apps). This is not some new business model for the app store.

Apple will now begin letting video game publishers offer their titles to iPad users via a subscription model, a revenue stream for publishers and purchasing option for users that was previously only available for digital publications. Bloomberg reports:

Big Fish Games, a Seattle-based game publisher, won approval from Apple to become the first to offer users access to dozens of titles for $6.99 a month. Until now, games have only been available one at a time, requiring users to download individual applications.

So essentially, a user who buys into a Big Fish Games subscription will be able to play unlimited games that the publisher makes available through a dedicated app. Games will be streamed to a users iPad from Big Fish’s data centers, and will initially require the user have Wi-Fi access to play. As always, Apple will still collect a 30% cut of revenues.

When it comes to the process of Big Fish convincing Apple of the model, the company’s founder Paul Thelen had this to say:
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PatentlyApple point us to a few recently obtained Apple patents published by the US Patent and Trademark Office. Perhaps the most interesting of all is a patent covering 3D object recognition technology that could potentially be implemented in future iPads. While unsophisticated facial recognition tech is already present in consumer mobile devices, Apple’s patent details a method of automated biometric identification to identify or verify an object or face based on a 3D representation compiled by analyzing the curves, points, contours, etc., of a 2D projection. In other words, a three-dimensional “statistical shape model” could be pulled from a 2D image, allowing more accurate detection and verification of 3D objects, such as a face or objects from “airport security X-ray images”, for example. The report explains:

The recovered 3D shape is the most probable shape consistent with the 2D projections, i.e. the images. The statistical model needs a bank of data, denoted training data, where the 3D positions of the image features are known, in order to learn the parameters of the model. Such data sampling could be done using e.g. binocular or multi-view stereo or range scanners. Once the model parameters are learned, the 3D shape can be computed using one or several images. The 3D shape is then used, by means of the presented invention together with the 2D image data, to identify or verify the object as a particular instance of the object class, e.g. the face belonging to a certain individual. A positive (or negative) identification initiate proper action by means of the presented innovation.

It’s unclear when exactly Apple obtained the patent, which lists Professor Kahl Fredrik as the main inventor and dates back to 2005. However, PatentlyApple points out Jan Eric Solem, who owned Polar Rose before they were acquired by Apple in 2010, is also listed as an inventor. Polar Rose technology is currently being used in facial recognition and detection features in the iOS 5 Camera app. The report speculates the next-gen PowerVR GPU from Imagination Technologies will play a role in providing Apple with the juice necessary for advanced 3D rendering, despite the company not yet being confirmed as a licensee:

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The title says it all: “Letters to Steve: Inside the E-mail Inbox of Apple’s Steve Jobs“. A new book penned by CNN technology writer Mark Milian takes a look at the hundreds of emails between Jobs and the people that discovered his publicly available email address. It also includes never-before-published e-mails exclusive to the book, which is available starting today for $2.99 on Amazon.

This book is based on interviews with many of the customers and fans Jobs communicated with. These tales reveal the intricacies of how Jobs portrayed himself as likable and accessible through direct interaction with fans. He handled customer-service inquiries himself and carefully revealed hints about upcoming Apple products, guaranteeing headlines on blogs. However, some of these letters, when analyzed, provide a glimpse into his “reality distortion field,” in which he lobs insults, bends the truth and uses misdirection in order to manipulate anyone on the receiving end.

To accompany the release of the book, CNN is running a three-part series on their website. The first part in that series was published today and details Jobs’ emails related to customer service. Here’s an excerpt where customer  Scott Steckley recalls receiving a phone call from Jobs after emailing him regarding a long wait for his Mac repair:

“Hi Scott, this is Steve,” Steckley recalled hearing from the other end of the phone.

“Steve Jobs?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Jobs said. “I just wanted to apologize for your incredibly long wait. It’s really nobody’s fault. It’s just one of those things.”

“Yeah, I understand.”

Then Jobs explained that he expedited the repair. “I also wanted to thank you for your support of Apple,” Jobs said. “I see how much equipment you own. It really makes my day to see someone who enjoys our products so much and who supports us in the good times and bad.”

This next one has been posted before but is still entertaining:

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Apple has now begun advertising their upcoming Black Friday holiday sale for Friday, November 25th. While the banners as of yet are only appearing in the Australian, Italian, and UK online stores, it should be rolling out to the US store shortly. Unfortunately we don’t learn much about exactly what will be on sale and how much we’ll save, but it looks like it will indeed be just a “one-day event”.  We’ll update you when we get more info.

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=djw6AJqHFOU]

Google has just released an update to their Google Search iOS app bringing with it a brand new design for iPad and full-screen mode for search results and pages on iPhone.

The new iPad interface is noticeably inspired by the design recently rolled out across the majority of Google’s web services. The main search page now has four grey icons as shortcuts to History, Applications, Voice Search, and Goggles, while a new side-by-side view allows you to browse webpages and search results simultaneously. Also included in the update in a full-screen browsing mode for images and a new visual UI for history allowing you to  thumb through results as pages. Instant Previews and Google Instant are now also baked into the iPad version.

As for the iPhone, the update only lists the usual minor bug fixes along with the full-screen mode mentioned above. As always, you can grab the updated Google Search app as a universal download now (iTunes link).  More screenshots below:

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