Apple

6,148 'Apple News' stories November 2008 - December 2013

Apple News and Brief History

Before you can properly understand Apple News, it’s important to know its history. Apple was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak in 1976. In 1977, Apple’s sales were growing with the success of its early computers. Within a few years, Jobs and Wozniak hired designers and a production line crew. Apple went public in 1980 and was an instant success. Over the next few years, Apple shipped new computers featuring new graphical user interfaces, such as the original Macintosh in 1984. As the market for personal computers expanded through the 1990s, Apple lost market share to the cheaper Microsoft Windows on PC clones. Eventually, Wozniak and Jobs both left Apple. Jobs would go on to found NeXT and would return to Apple when NeXT was acquired in the late 90s. Apple then began a journey to the great second act in the history of the business world.

Since the release of the iPod in 2001, Apple has become a major player once again in the technology industry. After releasing the iPhone in 2007, the iPad in 2010, and the Apple Watch in 2015, Apple is now one of the largest companies in the world. Apple’s worldwide annual revenue totaled $274.5 billion for its 2020 fiscal year.

Today, Apple operates retail stores all across the world, has a growing services division, and an ever-expanding hardware lineup. The technology industry follows Apple news to see where the company is headed in the future.

Keep reading for the latest Apple news

iOS 7.1 likely to unlock Apple’s upcoming iOS in the Car feature

Michael Steeber Dec 13 2013 - 12:24 pm PT

16 Comments

In July, we reported that Apple was already at work on iOS 7.1 and that it would build in support for the upcoming iOS in the Car feature:

We also understand that Apple is already at work on a point update (perhaps iOS 7.1 or 7.2), and this new version will begin building in support for iOS in the Car. Apple says that iOS in the Car will formally launch in 2014 with several car makers.

iOS in the Car is a feature that allows customers to attach an iOS device to a compatible car center console via either wireless protocols or over a USB cable. An iOS interface for managing Maps, Messages, and Music appears on the car’s display…

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China Mobile aggressively showcasing iPhones & iPads during initial launch with Apple

Zac Hall Dec 13 2013 - 9:44 am PT

0 Comments

(via <a href="http://prcand.me/posts/2013/12/13/look-what-i-found-iphones-at-china-mobile" target="_blank">prcand.me</a>)

Apple and China Mobile appear to be taking their newly established partnership and marketing it proudly as the Chinese service provider has devoted a majority of one of its retail locations to the iPhone and iPad line.

PRC and Me shared several photos taken at the retail location showing several ads and marketing material dedicated to the Apple products in a store once dominated by Samsung and other Android handsets.
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Review: Postbox, a painless alternative to the increasingly flakey Apple Mail

Ben Lovejoy Dec 13 2013 - 8:27 am PT

97 Comments

You would think a high profile app written by Apple specifically for OS X and supplied with every Mac sold would be as close to flawless as you can get. Sadly, this has not been the experience many of us have had with Apple Mail for quite some time – especially Gmail users.

While Apple Mail seems to have continued to work well for those with simple needs – a single email account, no filtering into folders – power users have experienced a whole succession of problems that Apple seems unable to fix.

Unread mail counts that take an age to update, deleted emails that reappear next time you click into an account, moves to folders that undo themselves, undo actions that don’t work and – most annoyingly of all – a mail list pane that remains blank when you switch account, sometimes for seconds, sometimes even for minutes at a time.

I finally lost patience with it and decided to look around at alternatives. I’d used Thunderbird before, so that was high on my list, and some googling pointed me to Postbox, an email client which uses Thunderbird as its engine but layers a prettier user-interface on top …
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Adobe (ADBE) stock rockets after announcing on-target earnings and strong subscription growth

Ben Lovejoy Dec 13 2013 - 7:30 am PT

2 Comments

Adobe stock climbed 10 percent to just under $60 in opening trading after announcing Q4 earnings in line with expectations, and strong growth in subscriptions as the company transitions away from one-time purchase licences.

While year-on-year numbers were poor, revenue down almost 10 percent and earnings almost halved, Adobe has been at pains to point out this was expected as it shifted to subscription-based sales.

As Adobe customers migrate from a legacy Creative Suite perpetual licensing model to new Creative Cloud subscriptions, revenue is recognized over time as opposed to at the time of purchase.

See below for a cool infographic of Adobe by the numbers …
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Expect even better 3D gaming from A8 chip as ARM acquires Geomerics

Ben Lovejoy Dec 13 2013 - 5:22 am PT

2 Comments

http://vimeo.com/70540675

If you thought the gaming performance of Apple’s 64-bit A7 chip was good, there is likely even better to come in future following ARM’s acquisition of 3D gaming specialist Geomerics.

Geomerics specialises in photo-realistic graphics, and its technology is used in games like Battlefield 4, Inquisition and Primal Carnage. The company’s Enlighten system means that once a light-source like the sun has been positioned in a scene, Enlighten takes care of generating all the shadows, reports VentureBeat.

“Enlighten has helped EA provide new levels of realism and gameplay experience in titles such as our highly popular Battlefield franchise,” said Carl Almgren, Head of Development, Frostbite Game Engine. “We’re delighted that ARM is committed to on-going development on all the key game console platforms and graphics architectures, as well as the on-going development of Geomerics’ technologies.”

The company will be a subsidiary of ARM, but continue to operate independently.

iPhone 5s undisputed king at all four major U.S. carriers ever since launch

Ben Lovejoy Dec 13 2013 - 4:22 am PT

6 Comments

The iPhone 5s has retained its status as the best-selling smartphone at the four tier-1 U.S. carriers for the third month running, with the iPhone 5c taking third place after the Samsung Galaxy S4.

Data from Canaccord Genuity showed that the iPhone 5s has topped the sales charts at AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile every month since launch, reports AllThingsD.

“Our surveys indicated continued strong sales of the iPhone 5s, as it was by far the top selling smartphone at all four tier-1 U.S. carriers and at most channels where the smartphone launched globally,” analyst T. Michael Walkley explained in a note to clients. “Our surveys also indicated steady iPhone 5c sales with the smartphone’s color options and more affordable price point proving popular with its intended audience” …
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Pebble smart watch gets smarter with do-not-disturb mode plus improved notifications & alarms

Ben Lovejoy Dec 13 2013 - 3:53 am PT

0 Comments

Photo: @granddiamondwit

Pebble has announced that v1.14 of the smart watch firmware introduces a do-not-disturb feature, to block all notifications for a set period of time, together with improvements to both notifications and alarms.

Do Not Disturb. Block notifications for a set period of time (from Pebble: Settings » Notifications » Do Not Disturb).

Alarms app update. Create multiple Alarms, toggle Alarms on/off, and edit existing Alarms.

New “Snooze Alarm.” Customizable via the Pebble Alarms app.

Improved Notification Control. Specify what notifications are displayed (Notifications On, Phone Calls Only, or Notifications Off). Notification settings are now accessible more quickly through a dedicated menu (Settings » Notifications).

Improved iOS performance. Notifications are now sent more quickly from your iOS device to Pebble. After exiting Airplane Mode, Pebble will now search for connectable iOS devices immediately, instead of waiting one minute.

The new firmware also includes a number of bug-fixes. Pebble was last updated last month to allow it to reliably receive all notifications from iOS 7 devices. Apple updated its Bluetooth APIs back in June to provide full Notification Center access via Bluetooth.

To install it, simply open the iPhone app and you should be prompted to upgrade.

Apple spruces up online support portal with new, simpler design

Benjamin Mayo Dec 12 2013 - 10:20 am PT

2 Comments

Apple has recently updated its online support portal on Apple.com with a more modern look and feel. The new design puts easier access to support for each of Apple’s products, with large images and clean lines. The older design (screenshotted below) was much more boxy and cluttered.

In the old layout, customers would have to click through to ‘All Products’ to get help about more obscure products. With the new design, the infinitely scrolling carousel puts everything on the portal homepage. It is also much clearer where to find the Apple communities and access phone support as other aspects of support have been removed completely from the page.

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iPhone market share in China more than doubled following 5s and 5c launch

Ben Lovejoy Dec 12 2013 - 5:11 am PT

3 Comments

Data from smartphone market intelligence specialist Counterpoint shows that iPhone market share in China more than doubled between September and October even before launching on the country’s biggest carrier, China Mobile.

Apple’s market share rose from just under 5 percent to 12 percent, taking it from 6th place to 3rd place, behind Samsung and Lenovo …
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Google Maps iOS app gets some Google Now functionality, showing reservation info

Ben Lovejoy Dec 12 2013 - 4:30 am PT

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The latest version of the Google Maps iOS app has been given some Google Now functionality: when you click on an airport, hotel or restaurant, the app will display any reservation information it can find in your linked gmail account. This functionality was previously only available in the desktop app.

Although Google has added a succession of features to the app, data last month showed that most iPhone users were using the pre-installed Apple Maps. Adding Google Now functionality is an attractive feature for gmail users, but Google faces the same problem as ever since Apple replaced Google Maps with its own offering: most iPhone users will use what Apple gives them.

Google Maps is a free download from iTunes.

Court rejects Samsung’s attempt to ban Apple devices in South Korea over patent infringement

Benjamin Mayo Dec 12 2013 - 2:53 am PT

0 Comments

Reuters is reporting that Samsung’s lawsuit against Apple in South Korea, aiming to ban Apple phones and tablets, has been lost. The case dates back to the patent wars of 2011 where Apple and Samsung sued each for patent infringement other around the world.

Samsung’s claims revolved around messaging and content display. The judge said Apple’s devices do not violate the claims. The court threw out the possibility of a sales ban as well as rejecting damages totalling just under $100,000.

Samsung is currently deciding whether to appeal. Unsurprisingly, Apple was pleased with the decision.

“We are glad the Korean court joined others around the world in standing up for real innovation and rejecting Samsung’s ridiculous claims,” Apple Korea spokesman Steve Park said.

iPodfather and Nest CEO spotted showing off (RED) Mac Pro, Gold EarPods (Updated)

Zac Hall Dec 11 2013 - 11:42 am PT

1 Comment

Famed former head of Apple’s iPod devision and current founder and CEO of Nest Tony Fadell was recently spotted showing off the Jony Ive-designed and auctioned Product (RED) Mac Pro and Gold EarPods.

It’s unclear whether Mr. Fadell was the buyer at either auction, but both photos suggest he is the owner of both one-of-a-kind treasures from the company he helped build strong in the early 2000’s.

[tweet https://twitter.com/kevinabosch/status/410783676801118208]

[tweet https://twitter.com/kevinabosch/status/410767365366763520]

The Mac Pro sold at auction for $977,000 while the EarPods went for just under half a million dollars at $461,000.

Update 12/13/2013: A day and a half following the original tweets showing Tony Fadell photographed with the auctioned products, Mr. Fadell has clarified that he is not the owner of either.

[tweet https://twitter.com/tfadell/status/411508413428813824]

Apple only the 16th best tech company to work for, say employee reviews

Ben Lovejoy Dec 11 2013 - 5:41 am PT

8 Comments

Photo: valuewalk.com

Apple dropped to only the 16th best tech company to work for, and 35th overall, in Glassdoor’s annual ranking of the 50 Best Palaces to Work – down from 3rd in tech and 10th overall last year.

Based on over half a million reviews written by employees, Apple took 35th place, with fifteen tech companies ahead of it in the list, with Twitter taking the top tech slot, and LinkedIn and Facebook completing the top three.

Fortune did some sampling of Apple employee reviews to give a sense of why the company didn’t rank more highly, with retail staff particularly critical.

Creative (Apple Store): It’s busy. All. The. Time.

Packaging Engineer: High stress, long hours, too much security.

Genius: Difficult to move up. Interactions with customers can be trying. Understaffed and overworked. Hours can feel long and are inconvenient to a proper work life balance.

Mac Specialist (Apple Store): Hard to internally grow into management. Too touchy-feely at times. Managers pulled in too many directions.

Front End Engineer: Long hours during project launches and work/life balance takes a backseat at some points.

Apple Solutions Consultant: You have no authority to make any real decisions but you are still required to make them.

Senior Network Engineer: People always watching you. There are people that want to put you down. No respect for contractors. Tough work.

Manager: Expect to deal with a lot of ambiguity and shift gears in the dark. Some in-between senior management are a disappointment.

Apple was, however, rated for offering “great pay at a highly admired company,” offering a “diverse set of challenges and products to work on” and having “many opportunities for career growth, technically and managerially.”

Get your subsidized iPhones while you can – AT&T says the deals can’t last

Ben Lovejoy Dec 11 2013 - 4:57 am PT

31 Comments

AT&T’s CEO Randall Stephenson told investors yesterday that with smartphone penetration approaching 90 percent, the existing business model – where carriers sell highly-subsidized smartphones to drive demand – will have to change.

When you’re growing the business initially, you have to do aggressive device subsidies to get people on the network. But as you approach 90 percent penetration, you move into maintenance mode. That means more device upgrades. And the model has to change. You can’t afford to subsidize devices like that.

Many U.S. iPhone buyers don’t realise the true cost of their handsets, as carrier subsidies mean they typically pay no more than $200. The full retail cost of those handsets, however, ranges from $549 for a 16GB iPhone 5c to $849 for a 64GB iPhone 5s. The balance is paid by the carrier, then clawed back through the contract payments …
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Pegatron faces renewed labor scrutiny after death of under-age worker at iPhone 5c factory [Updated]

Ben Lovejoy Dec 11 2013 - 4:28 am PT

5 Comments

Update: Apple has issued a statement stating that it sent medical experts to investigate and found no link to the boy’s employment. It has not commented on the fact that the worker was under-age, but it has been revealed that he used his 21-year-old cousin’s ID to get the job.

Last month we sent independent medical experts from the U.S. and China to conduct an investigation of the (Pegatron) factory. While they have found no evidence of any link to working conditions there, we realize that is of little comfort to the families who have lost their loved ones.

Apple has a long-standing commitment to providing a safe and healthy workplace for every worker in our supply chain, and we have a team working with Pegatron at their facility to ensure that conditions meet our high standards.

Original story:

China Labor Watch says Pegatron has failed to properly explain the deaths of five young workers at a factory making the iPhone 5c, including one who was found to be just 15 years old, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

Pegatron, the Taiwanese manufacturer that employed him, said the workplace environment at the Shanghai plant was not the cause of his illness. But a spokeswoman acknowledged that several other young workers at the factory had also died in the past few months […]

“Considering the sudden deaths of five people and the similar reason of the deaths, we believe there should be some relations between the tragedy and the working conditions in the factory,” said Li Qiang, who runs China Labor Watch …
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Expansion of Apple Store Stonestown, San Francisco set for December 14th

Mike Beasley Dec 10 2013 - 4:25 pm PT

1 Comment

Apple has announced that the expansion of its Stonestown retail store in San Francisco will be open to the public on December 14th. The expanded store will open at 8 AM. This announcement comes less than a day after the announcement of a new Apple retail store in Dusseldorf, Germany, which is set to open on the same day.

Ifo Apple Store notes that this expansion will put the store at 7,690 square feet—more than double the size of the existing space—allowing more room for customer training that the current store does not have. The expanded store will occupy two adjacent spaces previously held by other retailers. Part of a third space is also being added to the store, though the rest of that space will remain unused.

Apple has plans to open thirty new retail stores worldwide in the coming year, which will bring the total number of stores to around 448, with stores in fourteen countries and counting. The company also plans to expand twenty of its existing locations.

Update: Apple is also re-opening an expanded store at the Rosedale Center in Roseville, Minnesota.

Review: Castro for iPhone is a modern approach to an iOS 7 podcast client

Benjamin Mayo Dec 10 2013 - 8:00 am PT

10 Comments

Castro is a brand new podcasting app for the iPhone (available in the App Store for $2.99). It’s not an update to an existing podcast client. It’s a new app. It doesn’t have any legacy to anchor it down because it really is a fresh start.

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Apple hires real-world radio executive for iTunes Radio, working on ad sales

Benjamin Mayo Dec 10 2013 - 6:25 am PT

0 Comments

Via AdAge, Apple has hired Michael Pallad for its iTunes Radio team. Pallad’s LinkedIn confirms the report, citing Apple iTunes as his current occupation.

AdAge says that Pallad joined Apple about a week ago and is in charge of international iTunes Radio sales. Pallad comes from Cumulus Media, a real-world radio organisation, as their Executive Vice President of Sales. As Apple’s initial round of iAd campaigns for iTunes Radios run out at the end of the year, it seems Apple needed someone versed in radio advertising sales to help setup its deals for 2014.

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Apple’s new store in Dusseldorf, Germany, opens on 14th December

Ben Lovejoy Dec 10 2013 - 6:03 am PT

3 Comments

Photo: macerkopf.de

Apple’s site confirms that its new store in Dusseldorf – its 13th German store – will open at 10am on Saturday. The first 1000 visitors to the store will reportedly receive an Apple t-shirt.

German site Macerkopf first spotted job listings for the store back in February following rumors dating back to May 2011.

The store is located in Dusseldorf Köbogen, a brand-new upmarket shopping center with stores featuring a number of luxury brands, at Königsallee 2.

Apple’s retail stores must qualify as one of the world’s most successuful risky gambles, earning more per square foot than any other retail company in the world – beating even Tiffany and Harrods. Apple has over 400 stores worldwide, and plans to open a further 30 next year.

Thanks for the many tips on this

Qualcomm gets in on Bluetooth beacon action with iBeacon competitor

Ben Lovejoy Dec 10 2013 - 5:18 am PT

13 Comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3LX84jdfnE]

Apple’s iBeacons aren’t the only Bluetooth LE beacons available, but they have so far been the default option for retailers thanks to the backing of such a well-known company. Qualcomm, which makes wireless chips for Apple among many others, may be aiming to change that with its launch of its own beacons from just $5 each.

Gimbal proximity beacons, available in two models, are accurate down to one foot and work indoors and outdoors […]

Depending on volume, Series 10 beacons [for indoor use] are available for as little as $5 each and Series 20 beacons [weatherproof version] are available for as little as $10 each.

While the move represents competition for Apple, it’s good news for iOS users …
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Apple launches 2013 “12 Days of Gifts” app on iTunes, available in U.S. for the first time

Mike Beasley Dec 9 2013 - 7:26 pm PT

7 Comments

Apple has just launched its annual 12 Days of Gifts campaign for 2013. In previous years, this campaign was available only in a few select countries, but not in the United States. For the first time Apple will now allow U.S. customers to participate in the giveaway.

The 12 Days of Gifts app is available for free on the iTunes Store. Each day for twelve days the app will provide a special free item from the iTunes, iBooks, and App Stores. Each gift is only available for 24 hours, so users have to check in every day to make sure they get everything that’s offered. This year the giveaways start on December 26th and run through January 6th.

From 26 December – 6 January, you can download a gift each day—songs, apps, books, movies, and more—with the 12 Days of Gifts app. Each day’s gift will only be available for 24 hours, so download the free app to make sure you don’t miss out. Please note: Not all content is available in all countries.

Thanks, Rahul!

Report: Forstall advising startups, traveling overseas, investing in charitable causes post-Apple

Zac Hall Dec 9 2013 - 1:51 pm PT

7 Comments

Offering somewhat of an answer to a very popular question among followers of Apple, new publication The Information is out with a report today offering a few interesting tidbits regarding Scott Forstall’s post-Apple activity.

Scott Forstall, the former SVP of iOS Software who was replaced by Craig Federighi under Tim Cook’s executive reorganization in late 2012, has reportedly been using his free time to advise startups, spend money philanthropically, and visit other countries.

Business Insider relays this message from the report:

Amir Efrati at new technology site The Information is reporting that Forstall spent the year traveling to Italy and South Africa. He also advised a few startups, and became more philanthropically involved, focusing on education, poverty, and human rights.

As for what’s next, Efrati doesn’t have any news, but he says VC firms like Kleiner Perkins and Andreessen Horowitz have stayed in touch, but Apple employees think Forstall’s next move will be starting his own company.

Forstall visited the UK in June, was in Zambia in early October http://t.co/3pPXUsurer

— Michael Steeber (@MichaelSteeber) December 9, 2013

While The Information’s report is somewhat vague, it reveals more details than the very private former Apple exec has let on in the past. Check out The Information to read the full report.

Apple offers free 1-hour computer science workshops for kids & teens

Ben Lovejoy Dec 9 2013 - 7:24 am PT

6 Comments

As part of a code.org initiative to get people started with programming, U.S. Apple Stores are offering a free one-hour computer science workshop aimed at children and teens. The workshops take place in Apple retail stores on Wednesday 11th December.

It’s a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anyone can learn the basics of programming. “The ability to code and understand the power of computing is crucial to success in today’s hyper-connected world,” says former Vice President Al Gore. Apple Retail Stores will host one-hour workshops for children and teens throughout the United States on Dec. 11 …
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Contract-free carriers Straight Talk, NET10 picking up iPhone 5s, 5c on December 13th

Zac Hall Dec 9 2013 - 7:07 am PT

1 Comment

(via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/98231059@N00/10472083195/in/photolist-gXoaux-gXoZhV-gXokQd-gXosmZ-gDRRKg-gDSxqi-gF6uuC-gViowA-fyddQK-g7Lm6U-iavu2i-g7MbE4-g7M1Kh-g1hWt1-fYKqhZ-fYKh5A-fYKgN3-fYKq2P-fYKPeD-g7LDza-fYKueh-h7xuAC-h7yFhH-h7xdyX-gjxSrA-go9fsq-fYXykj-fYXVg4-fYXtAi-fYXy6G-fYXw44-fYXt6F-fYXvqv-fYXmJG-fYXyWE-fYXzBs-fYXzjU-fYXURB-fYXWTc-fYXncA-fYXzwN-fYXk2o-fYXTRk-fYXVKv-fYXWFP-fYXmwC-fYXvGH-fYXxcs-fYXnsq-fYXTTV-fYXzQJ" target="_blank">Flickr</a>)

Just as stock is starting to really level out and the holidays are quickly approaching, contract-free carriers Straight Talk and NET10 Wireless announced plans to begin selling both the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c starting December 13th.

Both Straight Talk and NET10 offer monthly plans which include unlimited talk, text, and data, but that of course comes at the cost of paying for the iPhone at full price. The iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c will retail for $649 and $549, respectively, for 16GB and will be sold exclusively at Walmart where each carrier is supported.

While the initial iPhone purchase may cost you a good bit more than a subsidized expense through a traditional carrier, the monthly bill may not as both carriers offer monthly plans at $50 or less.

Check the full press release below for more details and read our iPhone on Staight Talk review…
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