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

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Apple’s bug reporting tool redesign goes live (again), includes improved searching & attachments

Avatar for Mark Gurman Aug 31 2013 - 12:30 pm PT
8 Comments

Some iOS and OS X app developers may remember that a shiny new bug reporter tool (known by some as Radar) briefly went live before this year’s WWDC. The bug reporter allows users to submit bugs to Apple that are found in Apple’s operating systems, applications, and services.

The new design was faster and a much needed new coat of paint. However, it was bound with several bugs and pulled after a couple of days. Now, the new bug reporter tool is live once again, and developers have noted that it seems to now exist without the omissions and bugs found in the early June version.

Developers tell us that the new design opens up the door for Apple to add new functionality. Additionally, the updated reporter more intuitively informs developers if their bug report has already been submitted. Other new features include improved searching of filed bug reports, more intuitive attaching of files, and the auto-saving (every five minutes) of bug report write-ups.


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Apple aims for convenience over value as competing iPhone trade-in firms continue to offer better deals

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Aug 30 2013 - 11:19 am PT
13 Comments
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Cook at Palo Alto Apple Store (Getty Images)

Following our reports detailing the new service, Apple today officially kicked off its new Apple Store iPhone trade-in program that will see customers trading in old iPhones in exchange for credit towards an upgrade to a newer model. The initiative is part of Apple CEO Tim Cook’s new iPhone sales strategy and meant to be “competitive” with other trade-in services, but is it really the best option for getting the most out of your old iPhone before new devices get announced?

The new in-store program will fall under the same Reuse and Recycling marketing Apple uses for its online trade-in system, but for in-store trade-ins it has switched from partner PowerOn to Brightstar to determine the value of iPhones and handle the trade-ins. Apple employees are even encouraging customers to take advantage of the new trade-in offer when bringing in a damaged device to their local Apple Store, but we’ve found other services are currently offering much more for your used iPhone in good condition. 
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Apple updates iTunes Festival app w/ video streaming ahead of event kickoff this weekend

Avatar for Mark Gurman Aug 30 2013 - 9:03 am PT
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Ahead of this Sunday’s kickoff of Apple’s iTunes Festival concerts, Apple has updated its iTunes Festival iOS app with the ability to conduct video streaming. It is plausible that this video streaming feature will allow customers who are not attending the concerts to watch the events live. The Festival is also available to watch via Apple TV and iTunes. Yesterday, Apple started offering free songs from the Festival via its Apple Store iOS app. 


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Apple drops outside French PR firm Rumeur Publique, moves public relations in-house

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Aug 30 2013 - 8:38 am PT
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According to a report from French Apple blog Mac4Ever, Apple has just dropped the outside public relations company, Rumeur Publique, that it has used in recent years to handle communications with journalists in France. Instead Apple will now be moving its public relations in the country in-house as it does in the US and most other countries. A separate report from Macg.co notes that Rumeur Publique tells them Apple’s decision to move its press relations to an internal team was “not a surprise”, hinting that the transition has been in place while Apple beefs up its internal PR teams in the country. Apple already has its public relations teams located within the company for most countries, but the report notes that PRFection still handles Apple’s PR in Germany.

Parts leaker puts iPad 5 front panel on iPad 5 back, 1% of the way to DIY iPad

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 30 2013 - 5:27 am PT
7 Comments
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After Sonny Dickson posted credible photos of an iPad 5 front panel yesterday, he’s now got hold of the claimed rear casing (which we first showed you back in January) and put the two together. Now all he needs is a screen, a touch-panel, a few buttons, a battery, some circuit boards …

More photos below … 
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Mophie joins colorful iPhone trend with Spectrum Collection battery-cases

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 30 2013 - 4:03 am PT
5 Comments
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With a gold iPhone 5S and multi-colored iPhone 5C expected on September 10th, Mophie has responded by offering a choice of five different colors for the Juice Pack Helium external battery-case for the iPhone 5/5S which we reviewed back in March.

[We] today announced five distinctive new colors for the juice pack helium: blue, purple, pink, green and red. The new matte-finish, jewel-tone cases wrap serious protection and power in a burst of color, delivering 80 percent more battery life and edge-to-edge protection against the drops, bumps and scratches of everyday mobile device use.

The units are otherwise identical to the standard Juice Pack Helium, with a 1500mAh battery that we found delivered on Mophie’s claim of between 6-7 hours additional usage.

You can pick up Mophie Helium Juicepacks at Amazon starting at $68 or on Mophie.com for $79.99 retail price.
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Your local mall kiosk might be carrying fake Apple products

Avatar for 9to5 Staff Aug 29 2013 - 11:45 pm PT
8 Comments
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8s8CmmCzb4]

A news report out of Baltimore demonstrates the level of counterfeit Apple products that are being sold right under our noses in malls, some of which undoubtedly share space with an Apple Store.

Officers said they raided the Cyberion store and the ST Tech Pros kiosk last Friday and recovered hundreds of fake Apple products that were being sold as authentic factory replacements.”These organizations that make these products are using substandard materials. They are doing everything they can to make them look like the real thing,” said Greg Shipley with the Maryland State Police.

While this particular bust may have been an isolated incident, if you’ve been to a US mall in the past few years, you’ve likely seen kiosks with fake Apple products. They are everywhere.

The items recovered from the Baltimore Mall included:
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Apple employees get small gift: colorful bag & flashlight

Avatar for Mark Gurman Aug 29 2013 - 12:09 pm PT
21 Comments

Apple has given employees in some divisions (including AppleCare) a small gift: a bag (which comes in several different colors) and a small metal flashlight. The reasoning behind the gift is unclear, but it is a nice, small perk nonetheless. A couple of years ago, Apple began giving employees sweaters during the holiday season to keep warm. Other recent Apple employee perks include paid Thanksgiving vacations, free apps, free books, and significant product discounts.


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Apple offering free iTunes Festival songs in Apple Store app as part of sales push

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Aug 29 2013 - 8:21 am PT
1 Comment

Continuing with its new push to offer free content to users through its Apple Store app, Apple today started offering users a selection of free songs under a new banner promoting the upcoming iTunes Festival. The new section promoting the iTunes Festival is currently offering six free songs with the offer set to expire on October 31. You can access the free content by navigating to a specific store location within the app, but the free content is currently only available to those in the US.

The song downloads follow Apple offering free apps such as Color Zen and free iBook titles through the Apple Store iOS app as part of a new sales push that we reported first back in July. The new initiative offers free content downloads through the Apple Store app as a way to boost content sales and awareness about the company’s App Stores, iTunes content, and iBooks. Apple Store employees are also being encouraged to install the Apple Store app on iOS devices sold in the store.

Apple iTunes Festival is scheduled to take place during the month of September in London, and the events will be streamed to iOS devices, iTunes, and even an app on the Apple TV.

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Macs in surprising places: Slumdog Millionaire was filmed with a camera containing a Mac Mini

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 29 2013 - 6:33 am PT
4 Comments

It looks rather like a steampunk version of a traditional 16mm cinema camera, and that was indeed the inspiration behind the SI-2K Black Betty, a camera aimed at independent film-makers and used as a secondary camera in the movie Slumdog Millionaire.

It combines a Silicon Imaging 2K camera head, with its film-like 2/3″ CMOS Imager, with an SSD-equipped Mac Mini inside running Silicon Imaging SiliconDVR software. A 7-inch touchscreen monitor completes the package. The result is a self-contained camera that allows the film-maker to shoot, edit and upload.

As the name suggests, it’s capable of shooting 2K video at 30fps. If you know your videography, it shoots CineForm compressed RAW files with up to 11-stops of dynamic range at up to 500ISO. If you don’t, well, let’s just say it’s a very capable camera.

The Mac Mini was likely chosen because it offers the capability of a desktop machine in something with very low energy requirements: the complete system uses only 40 watts.

The Black Betty has only two physical buttons: on/off and start/stop: everything else is controlled via the touchscreen.

Sadly for Mac fans, the Mini isn’t running OSX: the SiliconDVR software is Windows-based, so that’s what the machine runs – but that’s one of the beauties of a Mac, you can run OSX, Windows or both.

The camera isn’t available to purchase, but you can rent one via Rule Boston Camera.

Via Engadget

Flickr eyes Instagram with updated iOS app offering live filters and powerful editing

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 29 2013 - 4:43 am PT
0 Comments
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Flickr appears to be making a play for the Instagram market with the latest update to its free iOS app adding new filters with live previews and instant editing tools which include the ability to crop photos, adjust colors and add vignettes.

It’s a little late to the party, with Instagram having already expanded into video in a big way after witnessing the popularity of Vine, and of course filters and square crops are built into the revamped Camera app in iOS 7 … 
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Apple looking to hire experienced plastics material engineer for iPhones/iPads; indicates work beyond internal parts?

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Aug 28 2013 - 9:52 am PT
5 Comments
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Leading up to the unveiling of a new lower-cost plastic ‘iPhone 5C’ expected at Apple’s September 10 event next month, Apple is looking to hire an “experienced plastics material engineer” to work on iPhones and iPads. The engineer would join Apple’s iPhone/iPad Materials team and must have “extensive experience in plastic material properties, part design and fabrication.” While we know the current iPhone and iPads do use some internal plastic parts, the job listing also makes mentions of aesthetic requirements as well as experience in “plastic materials and design for manufacturing in terms of geometry and cosmetic quality.” That could be a hint the position will involve more than just the design of internal plastic parts.

There have been a ton of unconfirmed leaks claiming to show the plastic lower cost iPhone’s colourful back casings, but we posted the first photos of the next gen full-sized iPad back in January showing the device will borrow its design aesthetic from the iPad mini. It would be a stretch to imagine Apple might be working on a lower-cost, plastic iPad, but it is something it prototyped early on. Apple is expected to unveil the new lower-cost plastic iPhone alongside the new iPhone 5S at its event next month. There have been some conflicting reports this morning regarding the iPads, but we’re still expecting new iPads to be announced a later event.

Flurry of new Apple Stores on the way in Japan, France, China, Brazil & Italy

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 28 2013 - 7:14 am PT
6 Comments
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Tokyo skyline: vacationadvice101.com

Bloomberg is reporting that Apple is planning its first new store in Tokyo since 2005.

Apple plans to open a store in Tokyo’s upscale Omotesando shopping district as early as March, according to a person familiar with the plans.

Construction is scheduled to be completed by February, the person said, asking not to be identified because they aren’t authorized to speak for Apple.

Tokyo is noted for its high land values. Bloomberg estimating the cost of the land at around $164M with the finished store expected to be worth a staggering $256M … 
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High-res photos claim to show iPad 5 front panel

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 28 2013 - 4:51 am PT
6 Comments
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Sonny Dickson has posted decent-sized photos of what is claimed to be the front panel of the iPad 5.

The photos are consistent with what we’re all expecting: essentially a scaled-up iPad Mini, with thinner bezels on the sides. The refresh is also expected to use the same film-based touch panel as the Mini, replacing the glass layer in previous full-size iPads, reducing both thickness and weight. We posted photos of what is believed to be the rear casing back in January and the display panel earlier this month.
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Apple buys data compression, mobile imaging and video firm AlgoTrim

Avatar for Seth Weintraub Aug 28 2013 - 3:43 am PT
2 Comments
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According to Rapidus.se (via TechCrunch), Apple has purchased a Swedish firm called AlgoTrim for an undisclosed price. The small company specializes in image and video, specifically JPEG, compression techniques on mobile devices which allow faster processing of images on power-constrained mobile devices.

AlgoTrim™ develops advanced solutions for mobile devices within the fields of data compression, mobile imaging and video, and computer graphics.

These solutions are designed to excel in terms of high performance and small memory requirements, making them ideal for mobile devices. Many solutions offered by AlgoTrim are codecs that are the fastest on the market, for example, the lossless codec for general data compression and the imaging codecs.

Apple could use these codecs in its camera and image viewing and manipulation apps on iOS. It is probable that the cost of picking up the company and owning the technology outweighed the cost of licensing the technology over its hundreds of millions of devices. This also could be an “aquihire”.

Apple is no stranger to the Swedish technology market. It picked up Polar Rose in 2010, a face recognition company and C3 a Swedish 3D mapping company in the run up to its Maps product launch. Cupertino has been on a bit of a startup binge lately buying such companies as Embark and Matcha.tv.

Last year, AlgoTrim reported a revenue of 3.0 million USD, with an net income before taxes of EUR -1.1 million.  Until now, AloTrim has been focused mostly on Android development.

Update: The acquisition has been confirmed to TechCrunch:

Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.


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Apple broke PlexConnect Apple TV hack with this morning’s update

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Aug 27 2013 - 2:26 pm PT
7 Comments

UPDATE: Workaround now available to restore access

Thanks to an easy DNS hack called PlexConnect, non-jailbroken Apple TV users have been able to unofficially run the popular media server Plex on the second and third gen Apple TV since we first told you about it back in June. The hack, which required users to run an app on their Mac or PC that masquerades as the Trailers app, appears to be blocked in the latest Apple TV update pushed out this morning.

Earlier today Apple rolled out an update to the Apple TV that introduced new apps for Vevo, The Weather Channel, Smithsonian, Disney Channel, and Disney XD. The update didn’t require users to initiate a firmware update, so many users are reporting waking up to the PlexConnect app no longer working through the Trailers hack. A growing number of users on the Plex forums confirmed that PlexConnect is unable to connect following this morning’s update.

It’s unclear if Apple is intentionally blocking the popular Plex hack or whether its possibly a result of tweaks to the Trailers app delivered with the update. Plex isn’t the only app that takes advantage of the hack. We reported earlier this year that a Russian subscription TV service was using a similar method.

Apple’s iPhone ‘Reuse and Recycle’ trade-in program detailed, begins rolling out August 30th

Avatar for Mark Gurman Aug 27 2013 - 9:58 am PT
21 Comments
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Yesterday, we reported that Apple is gearing up to launch its iPhone trade-in program in September. The program will allow an iPhone user to exchange an older iPhone model for a new iPhone at a discounted price. Today, we’ve learned several new details about the program, including how it works, the official name, and information about the launch.

The trade-in program will be marketed as the “iPhone Reuse and Recycle Program.” It will begin rolling out in select Apple Stores this upcoming Friday, August 30th. Like we previously reported, a larger-scale rollout will occur during the month of September.

The program is applicable to both standard customers and business customers that want to purchase a new iPhone.

Here’s how it will work:


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Nine Inch Nails’ new album, ‘Hesitation Marks’, now streaming free on iTunes

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Aug 27 2013 - 6:18 am PT
6 Comments

After releasing its first single in nearly 5 years with “Came Back Haunted” and returning to play its first North American gig in nearly four years for Lollapalooza, the wait is almost over for the release of Nine Inch Nails’ much anticipated full length album entitled “Hesitation Marks.” For those that can’t wait five days for the album’s official release, Apple today started streaming the album in its entirety for free on iTunes.

The stream is currently working only for users in the US, but we’ve seen that exclusivity window lift after a day or two with free iTunes streams in the past. If you remember, the last big album to stream on iTunes was Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories.” It too started as a US only stream an eventually became available elsewhere. Here’s to hoping that Apple doesn’t make it as easy to download a full, high-quality version of the album like it did with Daft Punk and other iTunes streams before it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRrQrow-PK0

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Apple revamps flagship SF store designs to address city concerns

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 27 2013 - 5:27 am PT
2 Comments

Apple has revamped its plans for a new flagship San Francisco store in Union Square after concerns that a popular bronze fountain and sculpture would be removed, and that the building design wouldn’t offer sufficient visual interest from the exterior, reports SFGate.

Apple has presented city officials with a revised design for the flagship store it wants to build across from Union Square at Post and Stockton streets. And where the initial proposal in May consigned the fountain to an unknown fate, it now will stand amid steps leading up to a plaza between the back of the Apple Store and the side of the Grand Hyatt San Francisco.

The building design, designed to provide 45 percent more space than its existing Stockton store, also faced accusations that the steel and glass cube would be too boring for passers-by. Apple now plans a full-height window and skylight in what was to have been a featureless wall, and to set the glass frontage back to create a more interesting shape.

Apple’s US stores are the most profitable retail spaces in the country, beating even Tiffany and Harrods in earnings per square foot.

Via MacRumors

The iPhone as an intelligent remote control, and a DIY silent disco device – Apple patents

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Aug 27 2013 - 4:46 am PT
2 Comments
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Moving beyond today’s remotes (image: bttremote.com)

An iPhone may fall under the generic heading of a mobile phone, but a combination of the convenience of apps and the ability to use the iPhone as a remote for everything from playing a movie to changing the color of our lighting means that many of us use them at home almost as much as we do when out & about.

In a patent published today, Apple explores the potential of the iPhone to act as an intelligent remote with the kind of functionality typically associated with high-end home automation setups. The idea is based around the concept of ‘scenes’. Having a romantic night in with your partner? You probably want the lights dimmed, the music on softly, the TV off. Movie night? The big-screen on, Apple TV selected as the source, surround-sound speakers selected, volume up higher – and so on … 
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Virgin is selling iPhones at next month’s prices (20% off), iPhone 5 starts at $440 unsubsidized

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Aug 27 2013 - 12:01 am PT
3 Comments

From 9to5Toys.com:

Today only, Virgin Mobile is offering prepaid iPhones at up to 20% off. These are some of the best price we’ve seen and the lowest price from this carrier by as much as $110. You can pick up the 16GB iPhone 5 starting at just $440. The 8GB iPhone 4 is available for $280 and the 16GB 4S is $360 right now as well. This discounted prices will appear once the item is added to your cart. Also you must be transferring from another carrier.

Apple iPhone 5 16GB: $439.99 (Reg. $550)
Apple iPhone 5 32GB: $519.99 (Reg. $650)
Apple iPhone 5 64GB: $599.99 (Reg. $750)

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Poll: Which iPhone 5S/5C color would you choose?

Avatar for Jordan Kahn Aug 26 2013 - 8:22 am PT
10 Comments

Rumor has it Apple is about to introduce an iPhone 5S alongside a new lower-cost iPhone 5C at an event early next month. On top of a fingerprint sensor and iOS 7, it’s also expected to introduce new color options for the device for the first time. We’ve already reported that Apple has plans to introduce a new gold color option for its next generation iPhone and, if leaks are to be believed, the lineup will also include a selection of iPod-like colors for the lower-cost iPhone 5C. A report this morning claimed that Apple could even introduce a fourth grey or ‘graphite’ color iPhone 5S pictured above, but we’re skeptical to say the least.

Will Apple’s new iPhone colors be a hit with consumers? Or will you be sticking with the classic white or black iPhone when it comes time to upgrade? Let us know in the polls below:

iPhone 5S:

iPhone 5C: