Apple

6,154 'Apple News' stories November 2008 - September 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

Reminder: Apple confirms iPhone 5S orders start at 12.01am PT on September 20th

Ben Lovejoy Sep 13 2013 - 7:00 am PT

3 Comments

While it was known that the iPhone 5s would first go on sale on 20th September, and we assumed this meant midnight for online orders, this has now been confirmed by Apple. Pre-orders for the iPhone 5c are already live, and we did a round-up on the carriers and retailers.

We’re expecting iPhone 5s stocks to be tight, which is why our own Seth Weintraub has decided to opt for the gold (sorry, champagne) one.
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The smartphone gold rush is underway: gold HTC one coming soon

Ben Lovejoy Sep 13 2013 - 4:53 am PT

6 Comments

With the gold iPhone 5s a very poorly-kept secret, it’s no surprise to see other brands getting in on the action. Engadget has received photos from a previously-reliable source (Sina Weibo, who leaked the blue model) of a gold-colored HTC One.

It’s always next to impossible to judge the shade of a color from a photo, as angle and lighting can dramatically change the appearance, so we’ll have to wait to see whether this is something close to Apple’s champagne color or something more gaudy.

While many supposed parts leaks are fake, this one looks credible, and we suspect it won’t be the last gold smartphone we’ll see by the end of the year.

Burberry to capture its London fashion show with new iPhone 5s next week

Mark Gurman Sep 12 2013 - 4:10 pm PT

5 Comments

Apple and fashion retailer Burberry have announced that Burberry’s London-based fashion show next week will be captured entirely with the new iPhone 5s. Apple’s iPhone 5s, which was announced earlier this week, includes major camera enhancements with an improved aperture, dual-LED flash, and new camera software like slow-motion and burst modes.

“iPhone 5s makes it even easier to take great photos with the world’s most popular camera,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of iPhone & iOS Product Marketing. “We’re thrilled to see the amazing photos and HD video Burberry has captured with the incredible all-new iSight camera.”

While the iPhone 5s will officially hit stores on Friday, September 20th, Burberry’s show is on September 16th, so they will be getting early access to the device for this special partnership.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iL5ceRxp4A

Update: Burberry has posted a new video (below) on their Instgram feed which spotlights the slo-mo feature of the iPhone 5s.
http://instagram.com/p/eUvd7NxJCC/

The full press release is available below:

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Apple releases OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.5 with Mail, WiFi, screensaver fixes

Mark Gurman Sep 12 2013 - 1:07 pm PT

22 Comments

Following an extensive period of betas for developers, Apple has publicly released OS X 10.8.5. The update is available from the Mac App Store Software’s Update section and is recommended for all users on OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.4.

The OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.5 Update is recommended for all OS X Mountain Lion users. It improves the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac. This update:

Fixes an issue that may prevent Mail from displaying messages

Improves AFP file transfer performance over 802.11ac Wi-Fi

Resolves an issue that may prevent a screen saver from starting automatically

Improves Xsan reliability

Improves reliability when transferring large files over Ethernet

Improves performance when authenticating to an Open Directory server

Addresses an issue that prevented a smart card from unlocking preference panes in System Preferences

Contains the improvements included in MacBook Air (Mid 2013) Software Update 1.0

The build number for the public release is 12F37, which is a single build over the most recent beta. Apple has also issued RAW Camera Compatibility updates and a new version of Safari. Later next month, Apple will release OS X 10.9 Mavericks.

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Adobe Revel cloud service gets updated iOS app with support for video

Jordan Kahn Sep 12 2013 - 6:20 am PT

1 Comment

Adobe has updated its Adobe Revel app today, which allows users to store and access photos and videos in the cloud and sync across Mac, PC, and iOS devices. Previously only available for photos, Adobe has updated its iPhone and iPad apps today to include support for uploading, watching, and sharing videos with the service.

The Adobe Revel service provides unlimited uploads for the first 30 days for free, and 50 photos every month after that. Adobe didn’t specify if the same limits will apply to videos, but upgrading to Revel Premium for $5.99/month will provide unlimited photo and video imports.

In other app news, Apple appears to have started accepting apps compiled with the iOS 7 SDK. We noticed one of the first– Local Cloud Pro— has been updated today with full iOS 7 support including iOS 7’s Dynamic Type and other new features.

Walmart iPhone pre-orders start tomorrow, 5c at $79, 5s at $189

Ben Lovejoy Sep 12 2013 - 5:58 am PT

17 Comments

Walmart has announced that it will be offering both of the new iPhone models in their 16Gb versions, the 5c at $79 (a $20 saving) and the 5s at $189 (a $10 savings). Walmart offers the phones on Verizon, AT&T and Sprint.

What’s interesting here is that Apple Stores usually do price matching so it might be worth a try after waiting on line on launch day. Best Buy will also price match often, so this could trigger markdowns all over …
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iPhone expected to become market leader in Japan, thanks to DoCoMo deal

Ben Lovejoy Sep 12 2013 - 5:09 am PT

0 Comments

Photo: mashable.com

Apple is expected to become the market leader in Japan, with the iPhone 5s and 5c forecast to make up 40 percent of all new contracts on Japan’s DoCoMo carrier, reports Nikkei (via CNET).

The 40 percent figure is believed to be the quota that Apple and DoCoMo agreed on, the report said […] This development marks a tectonic shift in DoCoMo’s strategy and the Japanese phone market in general. Domestic phone suppliers like Sharp and Fujitsu are expected to suffer as a result …
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Watch an Apple Store be created – but be quick (video)

Ben Lovejoy Sep 12 2013 - 4:30 am PT

1 Comment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEneMIQWzPs#t=112

This is an internal Apple video, so don’t expect it to stay online for long …

The video, which is 3m 43s long, starts with an empty shell and runs through to completion of the most successful retail space in the world.

Via Sonny Dickson tweet

Samsung responds to new iPhones: will focus on China, says 64-bit chips coming for Galaxy phones

Benjamin Mayo Sep 12 2013 - 4:21 am PT

13 Comments

In an interview with the Korea Times, Samsung executives respond to Apple’s recent announcements in typical Samsung fashion. In order to better compete with Apple in China, Samsung confirmed that it would focus more on the huge Mainland market.

For example, the company says it has received clearance from Chinese authorities to sell TDD-LTE devices, to enable Samsung to offer phones that work on the world’s largest carrier, China Mobile. As a result of “changing market situations” (i.e. Apple), Samsung is accelerating its schedule for releasing these Chinese-friendly devices. Apple is expected to announce a partnership with China Mobile to sell the iPhone before the end of the year.

In addition, Shin, Samsung’s co-CEO announced that Samsung’s next Galaxy phones will feature 64-bit architectures, to rival the A7 in the iPhone 5s.

“Not in the shortest time. But yes, our next smartphones will have 64-bit processing functionality,” Shin said, adding he followed the media coverage of Apple’s new iPhone.

Shin’s noncommittal reply indicates that although 64-bit chips are on the roadmap, they will not arrive this year. Meanwhile, the iPhone 5s ships on September 20th.
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iPhone 5s battery capacity 10 percent up on iPhone 5, 5c up 5 percent

Ben Lovejoy Sep 12 2013 - 4:06 am PT

7 Comments

AnandTech dug into the FCC filings for the new iPhones to reveal that the iPhone 5s battery offers approximately 10 percent more capacity than its predecessor, while the 5c battery offers a more modest 5 percent gain. That’s a different size battery (5.96Wh vs 5.92Wh) than we’d seen in supposed 5s prototypes …
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Apple details Fingerprint Sensor/Touch ID security, 48 hour wipe standard

Benjamin Mayo Sep 11 2013 - 1:16 pm PT

8 Comments

Via the Wall Street Journal, an Apple spokesperson fleshes out some of the finer details surrounding the fingerprint sensor and Touch ID. To use Touch ID, it is mandatory to also set up a passcode. This acts as a fallback in case the fingerprint sensor fails temporarily or experiences a permanent hardware fault. iOS may necessitate a passcode under some other conditions, as well.

Only that passcode (not a finger) can unlock the phone if the phone is rebooted or hasn’t been unlocked for 48 hours. This feature is meant to block hackers from stalling for time as they try to find a way to circumvent the fingerprint scanner.

By having the sensitive data expire fairly quickly, Apple is hoping that hackers will not have enough time to decrypt the data and have it still be useful. However, the time is long enough that it should not inconvenience users very often.

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A look at how Apple transports new products from China to sales channels

Mark Gurman Sep 11 2013 - 9:18 am PT

6 Comments

In light of Apple’s launch of two new iPhones, Bloomberg has taken an extensive look at the behind-the-scenes process of Apple’s shipments of new products from the Asia-based supply chain to sales channels such as Apple Stores.

The process starts in China, where pallets of iPhones are moved from factories in unmarked containers accompanied by a security detail. The containers are then loaded onto trucks and shipped via pre-bought airfreight space, including on old Russian military transports. The journey ends in stores where the world’s biggest technology company makes constant adjustments based on demand, said people who have worked on Apple’s logistics and asked not to be identified because the process is secret.

The process, designed by Apple CEO Tim Cook, is led by Senior VP of Operations Jeff Williams and Michael Seifert, another operations executive at Apple.

Some interesting tidbits include the process of security guards consistently following the new devices from shipment to delivery. When a product actually launches, the supply management process is said to continue as Apple studies the progress of the launch.

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Opinion: Why I love the iPhone 5s, and why I’ll be sticking with my 4S

Ben Lovejoy Sep 11 2013 - 7:19 am PT

281 Comments

I like my gadgets, and generally consider myself an early adopter. When my friends are looking at buying a new piece of technology, I’m the one they ask as they know I’ll either own it or have tried it.

So you might be surprised to learn that my phone is an iPhone 4S and that after yesterday’s unveiling of the 5s (no, I don’t know why it suddenly became lower-case either), I’m planning to wait for the iPhone 6 before upgrading.

It’s not that the 5s isn’t impressive from a purely technological viewpoint. It is. A 64-bit phone? That’s a pretty incredible achievement. Delegating sensor functions to a separate chip to enable constant use without the usual battery-drain? Brilliant. A truly state-of-the-art fingerprint sensor? Fantastic. A larger phone sensor with lower pixel-density? Exactly the right approach, and I was delighted to see Apple refusing to join in the stupid megapixel race.

But I’m still not going to buy one, and the reason for that is two-fold. Before I get to that, one piece of context. In the U.S., upgrading can be a no-brainer as you end up on the same tariff either way. In the UK, it’s better value long-term to buy the phone outright at full retail (around $1120 for the 64Gb 5s), so you have to balance incremental benefit over other gadgets you could buy with the same money – like a new iPad. So, back to those two reasons …
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All systems go for iPhone in China as regulator signs off final license

Ben Lovejoy Sep 11 2013 - 4:32 am PT

0 Comments

Photo: mshcdn.com

Apple now has all three of the licenses needed to allow the new iPhones to be used on China’s three major carriers: China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom. The WSJ reports that the final license was issued today.

According to the website of China’s Telecom Equipment Certification Center Wednesday, Apple was given a “network access license” for a handset resembling the iPhone that runs on the mobile standards used by China Mobile for third and fourth generation cellular services.

Apple announced yesterday that both iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s would go on sale in China on September 20th, in parallel with the US launch.

Analysts have estimated that Chinese and Japanese sales combined could add up to an extra 38M handsets a year.

Apple TV will get more Chromecast-y in an iOS 7 update next week

Ben Lovejoy Sep 11 2013 - 4:07 am PT

9 Comments

Photo: cnet.com

We mentioned last week that an Apple TV software update would allow owners to stream content from a friend’s Apple TV box elsewhere, and AllThingsD now has a little more info on how this will work.

The new software will allow people who have purchased content from Apple’s iTunes store to play that stuff on other people’s TVs, via its Airplay system.

The key part is that they will be able to tell an Apple TV box they don’t own to stream the media they do own, directly from the cloud. That’s a change from the current system, which requires users to download stuff to their iPhones and iPads and fling it to the TV from there. It also echoes the way Google’s new Chromecast device works …
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Apple quietly adds $59 AppleCare+ for iPod touch and iPod Classic

Seth Weintraub Sep 10 2013 - 9:13 pm PT

4 Comments

Not only did the iPod (~~Rasputin~~) Classic not die as predicted (again) today, Apple is wrapping the ‘old man of the iPods’ up with its Apple Care Plus plans along with the more popular iPod touch. According to the updated iPod support page, Apple customers can now purchase an additional year of coverage for the iPods as well as phone support beyond 90 days and most importantly, two incidents of accidental damage coverage (+$29 service fee) for $59 here.

Previously, only regular AppleCare as available to iPods and was grouped in with Apple TVs.

Apple also raised AppleCare+ fees today on iPhones from $49 to $79 and also launched in Europe.

Update: We have also learned that out of warranty replacements for the iPhone 5 (and presumably 5s) will be priced at $269, an increase of $40 over the past year. This inflated cost may make it easier for iPhone owners to justify the up-front cost of AppleCare+.

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Apple VP Greg Joswiak talks innovation at Apple, thinking behind iPhone 5c with employees

Sep 10 2013 - 5:18 pm PT

9 Comments

In addition to the email from Apple CEO Tim Cook to employees regarding the new iPhones, Apple VP of iOS and iPhone Marketing Greg Joswiak conducted a short Q/A session with employees about the development of the new products. Joswiak discusses innovation at Apple, his career, and the thinking behind the iPhone 5c. You can see more of the Q/A below:

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Microsoft/Nokia already attacking Apple’s new iPhone 5s & 5c

Jordan Kahn Sep 10 2013 - 2:11 pm PT

27 Comments

5 things Apple didn’t announce today http://t.co/1X8WYrGm2H It’s #timetoswitch to the #WindowsPhone Lumia 1020 w/ 41 MP & reinvented zoom.

— Lumia (@Lumia) September 10, 2013

Following today’s iPhone event where Apple unveiled its new colourful “lower-cost” iPhone 5c and the gold iPhone 5s with built-in fingerprint sensor, the competition is already weighing in on what it thinks about Apple’s upgraded smartphone lineup. Microsoft’s Windows Phone Twitter account sent out the tweet above with the headline “5 things Apple didn’t announce today” while promoting Nokia’s Lumia 1020’s 41MP camera.

So what are the five things Apple didn’t announce according to Microsoft? The company’s link takes us to an image of the Lumia 1020 highlighting some of the device’s features including the 4.5-inch AMOLED display, the ability to personalize the device’s start screen, a 41 megapixel sensor with a “reinvented zoom,” and the Nokia Pro Cam to “control shutter speed, focus, and white balance.” While Apple’s new iPhone 5s includes the same 8 megapixel camera as the iPhone 5, Apple has made some major improvements with the addition of a a dual LED true tone flash, a new five-element lens designed by Apple, a F2.2 aperture, a sensor with a 15 percent larger active area, auto stabilization, and bigger 1.5 micron pixels. It’s also added a burst mode that will continuously take photos a rate of 10fps, and the 120fps slow mo mode. The new flash specifically is meant to improve photos taken in low lightning conditions, something Nokia has focused on in past parody ads attacking the iPhone.

Microsoft isn’t the only one commenting on today’s announcement, as Nokia’s own account also sent out the tweet below noting that it did smartphones in various colors before the new iPhone 5c and joking that “Real gangsters don’t use gold phones.”

https://twitter.com/nokia_uk/status/377483408043036672/

While Apple did pack some big shiny new hardware features into the iPhone 5s with a fingerprint scanner, much faster A7 processor, and the new “M7” motion co-processor chip, it’s yet to be seen if Apple’s upgrade will be viewed as a minor refresh by the average consumer. One thing is for sure, Apple’s competition will definitely be focusing on the fact that today’s iPhone upgrades did not include a higher megapixel camera or larger display.

Screen sizes, speed, and stunning snapshots. Those are our 5 S’s. See why it’s #timetoswitch to #WindowsPhone http://t.co/bMMiS3mv7S

— Lumia (@Lumia) September 10, 2013

https://twitter.com/nokia_uk/status/377488875075035136

Apple brings iPhone 5s & 5c to Japan’s NTT DOCOMO, consolidates models with more LTE bands

Jordan Kahn Sep 10 2013 - 1:30 pm PT

0 Comments

As rumored leading up to today’s event, Apple announced today that it has struck a deal with NTT DOCOMO to bring its new iPhone lineup to Japan’s largest carrier when the device launches in multiple countries later this month. On September 20th the iPhone will launch on the carrier for the first time and Apple will also launch a single model of the iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s in Japan for KDDI and Softbank. Thanks to an increase to 13 LTE bands with the new iPhone 5s and 5c— which Apple says is more than any other smartphone– it will also be able to consolidate various models of iPhones for multiple carriers in other countries.

More LTE bands means that Apple will now be offering a single iPhone 5s and 5c model for AT&T and Verizon in the US (Sprint will still get its own model), while customers in the UK will be able to use a single iPhone model for EE, Vodafone, and Three’s upcoming LTE network. Apple will also have an TD-LTE compatible version of the new iPhones, but rumors of a deal with the world’s largest telecom, China Mobile, have not yet been confirmed.

Apple does plan to launch the new iPhones in China on September 20th alongside launches in the US, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Singapore, UK, and Japan.

NTT DOCOMO & Apple Team Up to Offer iPhone in Japan on Friday, September 20

TOKYO and CUPERTINO, California—September 10, 2013—NTT DOCOMO and Apple® today announced that iPhone® 5s, the most forward-thinking smartphone in the world, and iPhone 5c, the most colorful iPhone yet, will be available on the DOCOMO network beginning on Friday, September 20. iPhone 5s features an all-new A7 chip, making iPhone 5s the world’s first smartphone with 64-bit desktop-class architecture for blazing fast performance, an all-new 8 megapixel iSight® camera and introduces Touch ID™, an innovative way to simply and securely unlock your iPhone. iPhone 5c features an all-new design, packed with incredible features that people know and love, in five gorgeous colors—blue, green, pink, yellow and white.

“We’re thrilled to offer the incredible new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c to our customers,” said Kaoru Kato, President and CEO of NTT DOCOMO, Inc. “We know our customers will enjoy the amazing experience of iPhone on DOCOMO’s high-quality network.”

“NTT DOCOMO has built an impressive network, the largest in the nation with over 60 million customers,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We’ve enjoyed tremendous success with iPhone in Japan, in fact it’s the top selling smartphone in the country, and we look forward to delivering iPhone into even more customers’ hands through NTT DOCOMO.”

With the launch of the new iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c and iOS 7, Apple is ushering in the next generation of mobile computing, delivering an incredible new hardware and software experience that only Apple could create. iPhone 5s redefines the best smartphone experience in the world with amazing new features all packed into a remarkable thin and light design, including the Apple-designed A7 64-bit chip, all-new 8 megapixel iSight camera with True Tone flash and introducing Touch ID, an innovative way to simply and securely unlock your phone with just the touch of a finger. iPhone 5c features an all new-design, packed with features people know and love like the beautiful 4-inch Retina® display, blazing fast performance of the A6 chip, and the 8 megapixel iSight camera—all while delivering great battery life.¹ iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c both offer more LTE bands² than any other smartphone in the world and include all-new FaceTime® HD cameras.

iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c feature iOS 7, the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone, featuring a stunning new user interface, completely redesigned with an elegant color palette, distinct, functional layers and subtle motion that make it feel more alive. iOS 7 has hundreds of great new features, including Control Center, Notification Center, improved Multitasking, AirDrop®, enhanced Photos, Safari®, Siri® and introduces iTunes Radio℠, a free Internet radio service based on the music you listen to on iTunes.³

Beginning on Friday, September 13, customers can pre-order iPhone 5c at DOCOMO dealers⁴ and the first 30,000 docomo Premier Club Premier Stage⁵ customers can pre-order from DOCOMO’s website.⁶

Tim Cook: Apple will sell its 700 millionth iOS device by next month

Jordan Kahn Sep 10 2013 - 10:12 am PT

0 Comments

Today at Apple’s iPhone event today in Cupertino, CEO Tim Cook kicked things off with the usual company updates since last checking in. After talking briefly about its iTunes festival and its latest expansion to the Stanford, CA retail store, Cook mentioned that Apple will hit 700 million iOS devices sold by next month. That’s up 100 million devices in just a few months since Apple announced back in June that it hit the 600 million device mark.

Cook also provided some numbers on the iTunes festival noting that the event is now in its seventh year and reaches 100+ countries with live streams. He also said that around 20M people applied for tickets.

Apple iPhone 2013 Event Liveblog, iPhone 5S and 5C on tap

Sep 10 2013 - 8:59 am PT

11 Comments

We’ll be live-blogging Apple’s media event today below, and we’ll be providing text and photo updates from before, during, and after the show. Simultaneously, we’ll be holding a Google Hangout. You can read our expectations for the event, and check back for the start at 1 PM Eastern/ 10 AM Pacific. Live blog starts below:

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Join us for a live Hangout during today’s keynote

Scott Buscemi Sep 10 2013 - 8:52 am PT

19 Comments

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T14HAvdtX8A]

Despite our best hopes and wishes, it appears Apple won’t be providing a livestream for today’s event. While you’re keeping tabs right here for our liveblog and tweets, we’ll also be hosting a live Google Hangout starting about 15 minutes before the 10 am PST event and extending through the duration of the keynote.

Check it out here.
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Apple changes featured stations in iTunes Radio – likely for a demo today

Ben Lovejoy Sep 10 2013 - 6:45 am PT

1 Comment

Apple has updated the Featured Stations in iTunes Radio, likely in preparation for a demo of the service during today’s iPhone launch.

The featured stations include Spin the Globe, Trending on Twitter, iTunes Top 100: Pop and the Pepsi-sponsored Pulse #Now.

iTunes Radio will be available on all iOS devices, including Apple TV, as well as in iTunes on both Macs and PCs, as a free ad-supported service. There will be one audio ad every 15 minutes, and one video ad per hour. However, iTunes Match subscribers will be able to listen to the service free from ads.

Thanks, Nick!

Ahead of iPhone event, the Apple Store goes down

Benjamin Mayo Sep 10 2013 - 6:01 am PT

5 Comments

Ahead of the iPhone media event taking place at 10AM PST, the Apple Store is down for updates. The expectation is that Apple will announce two new phones at the event, a first for the company, dubbed the iPhone 5S and the iPhone 5C, with both models being available in new colour variations. As always, the Store will return after the event is over, with new pages featuring the newly announced hardware.

In preparation for the event, you can read our roundup of what we expect to be announced from yesterday, as well as a roundtable of our staff’s opinions — on a much more speculative basis — from August.

Naturally, 9to5Mac will have full coverage of all the announcements from the event.