Apple

The iPhone 5 debuted last October and along with it so did the Lightning port. Since its launch there have been few third party accessories created due to Apple’s tight control over the the new technology. Today, the popular consumer electronics and car audio company, Scosche, officially launched their line of Apple approved Lightning accessories. While other companies are already offering official Lightning cables, this launch by Scosche is of particular interest because they are the first to offer both car chargers and wall chargers (5W and 10W) as well as a retractable cable.

Some Apple users have been quick to jump on generic Lightning cables to save a couple bucks, but given what we learned today it seems that the best route is to buy an Apple approved Lightning cable. Supported devices include the iPhone 5, iPad mini, iPad 4, and 5th Gen. iPod Touch. Schosche’s Lightning accessories are available online from Schosche (10% coupon here) and from major retailers such as AT&T, Wal-Mart, Staples, and Fry’s. Skip below if you’d prefer to just win some cables…

Giveaway

If you haven’t stepped out and bought any Lightning accessories you’re in luck because we are giving away 3 of Scosche’s brand new products. First up is the strikeDRIVE 12W car charger ($30 value) which features “… a 3 foot coiled cable that provides the freedom to use a device as it charges without tangles and clutter.” The second giveaway is a strikeBASE ($30-$35 value), “wall charger [that] features a 3 foot long cable and flush folding wall prongs for added portability.” Lastly, we will be giving away the retractable strikeLINE PRO ($25 value), which extends up to 3 ft. To be entered to win any of these items all you need to do is comment (helps if you follow 9to5Mac on Facebook and Twitter – 9to5Toys too ;) on this post and we will select 3 random winners this Sunday evening. All winners will be contacted via a private message and Scosche will handle the deliveries..

Could Apple unleash an update that breaks third-party unauthorized Lightning cables?

Jordan Kahn Feb 14 2013 - 2:13 pm PT

When Apple first announced that it would replace its old 30-pin connectors with the new, smaller Lightning standard, it took quite sometime for accessory makers to get on board. Accessory manufacturers had trouble producing Lightning-compatible products until cracking a unique authentication chip Apple is using in the new standard. Apple wouldn’t authorize official Lightning products until months later, when Apple briefed accessory makers at its MFi summit in November. Today, in a story from The New York Times, major Apple accessory maker Mophie outlined how Apple is keeping tighter control over companies making products for iOS devices with Lightning. It also warned Apple could potentially disable unauthorized Lightning products with a software update:

When a hardware maker signs up with Apple’s MFi Program, for companies that make accessories for Apple products, it orders a Lightning connector component from Apple to use in designing the accessory. The connectors have serial numbers for each accessory maker, and they contain authentication chips that communicate with the phones. When the company submits its accessory to Apple for testing, Apple can recognize the serial number.

The chip inside the Lightning connector can be reverse engineered — copied by another company — but it probably would not work as well as one that came from Apple, Mr. Howe said. Apple could also theoretically issue software updates that would disable Lightning products that did not use its chips, he said.“That’s one thing Apple is good at: controlling the user experience from end to end,” Mr. Howe said. “If you’re buying something in an Apple store, it’s gone through all this rigorous testing.”

Review: ZAGGkeys Mini 7 & Mini 9 keyboard cases for iPad mini (+50 percent off!)

Jordan Kahn Feb 14 2013 - 1:52 pm PT

ZAGG, an accessory maker that first received a lot of attention for its super-tough invisibleShield screen protector, these days also happens to be making some of the best iPad keyboards around. While ZAGG has big competition from the likes of Logitech and Belkin, its earlier folio and keyboard cover designs have been among our most recommended keyboards for iPad. ZAGG’s latest creations are not only its first dedicated to Apple’s smaller iPad mini, it’s also a new design for the company that helps set it aside from much of the competition.

The first thing that makes ZAGG’s iPad mini keyboards stand out is the company’s decision to sell two models: the ZAGGkeys Mini 7, and a slightly larger keyboard dubbed the Mini 9. ZAGG’s giving you the ability to get a keyboard only 10 percent smaller than a traditional Apple keyboard and built into a solid, good-looking iPad mini case, which something most of the other guys aren’t providing.

Unlike Logitech, Belkin, and others that have gone with the Microsoft Surface-style, magnetic, clip-on keyboard covers, the new Mini 7 and 9 go with a more traditional, folio case design.

First, a few things that are the same about the Mini 7 and Mini 9:
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Apple seeds OS X 10.8.3 Mountain Lion build 12D68 to developers

Jordan Kahn Feb 14 2013 - 1:20 pm PT

Apple has seeded a new release of OS X 10.8.3 to developers today with build number 12D68. Apple, once again, told developers to focus on AirPlay, AirPort, Game Center, Graphics Drivers, and Safari. The build comes one week after Apple released build 12D65 to developers on Feb. 6 with a fix for the “File:///” bug.

We’ll let you know if developers report any changes in today’s build. The full release notes are below. Thanks, Anonymous.

Apple acknowledges iPhone Passcode security vulnerability and plans fix in future software update

Jordan Kahn Feb 14 2013 - 12:49 pm PT

We told you about an iOS 6.1 lock screen bug earlier today that—although not extremely easy to accomplish—allows users to bypass the device’s passcode and view at least the phone application. Apple has confirmed now that it is working on a fix, and the company noted in a comment to AllThingsD that it “takes user security very seriously.”

Reached for comment, Apple said it is hard at work on a fix. “Apple takes user security very seriously” spokeswoman Trudy Muller told AllThingsD. “We are aware of this issue, and will deliver a fix in a future software update.”

Apple confirmed in a support document this morning that it is working to deliver a fix to the “continuous loop” Exchange server bug on iOS 6.1 devices, as well.

Opera joins Apple and Google in its move to WebKit browser rendering engine

Seth Weintraub Feb 13 2013 - 12:22 pm PT

Big news from Oslo:

To provide a leading browser on Android and iOS, this year Opera will make a gradual transition to the WebKit engine, as well as Chromium, for most of its upcoming versions of browsers for smartphones and computers.

“The WebKit engine is already very good, and we aim to take part in making it even better. It supports the standards we care about, and it has the performance we need,” says CTO of Opera Software, Håkon Wium Lie. “It makes more sense to have our experts working with the open source communities to further improve WebKit and Chromium, rather than developing our own rendering engine further. Opera will contribute to the WebKit and Chromium projects, and we have already submitted our first set of patches: to improve multi-column layout.”

That means there are now three major browser engines: Mozilla’s, Microsoft’s, and now the WebKit engine that Apple adopted from KHTML/Konqueror. With Apple and Google (with its WebKit adaptation Chrome) dominating mobile and now tablets, it is no secret which engine is poised to dominate in the coming years. Good call, Opera.

Opera is already contributing code to WebKit and expects to start rolling out products at MWC this month.
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Apple TV 5.2 jailbroken, FireCore releases updates to Seas0nPass & aTV Flash (black)

Jordan Kahn Feb 13 2013 - 11:06 am PT

Apple rolled out Apple TV update 5.2 in January, bringing Bluetooth keyboard support, Up Next, and an enhanced iTunes in the Cloud service alongside iOS 6.1 for iOS devices. Today, FireCore announced it has released updates to aTV Flash (black) and Seas0nPass that support the new 5.2 update. FireCore’s aTV Flash software enables jailbroken second-generation Apple TVs to support additional file formats, access a web browser, and much more.

To the delight of many loyal users, Apple officially added support for Bluetooth keyboards in Apple TV 5.2, and we’ve been working non-stop to provide a seamless experience in aTV Flash (black) 2.2. Now features such as web browsing, media playback, library browsing and more can all be controlled using a wireless keyboard. Don’t worry, the normal remote will still work as well.

The team provided instructions for updating:

What’s the best way to update?
aTV Flash (black) 2.2 is compatible with any ATV2 running 4.4 and later, so updating to 5.2 is not required. However, should you so desire, the best way to update can be found below.

Backup your settings through the Maintenance > Manage Backups menu.
Run the latest version of Seas0nPass to update the Apple TV to 5.2.
Download and install the new 2.2 version of aTV Flash (black).
Install any desired items through the Maintenance > Manage Extras menu.
Restore the previously saved settings through the Maintenance > Manage Backups menu.
That’s it!

(via Engadget)

Review: Tempo for iPhone – How smart does a calendar need to be?

Mike Beasley Feb 13 2013 - 7:59 am PT

Calendars. Contacts. Maps. Emails. Text messages. Facebook. LinkedIn.

There are a lot of things you can do with the iPhone. Each of those things is scattered across the phone in it’s own separate app, however. Sure, there’s some integration of those services, but most of the time you’re going to have to switch apps to get from one function to the other. It’s easy to get annoyed or overwhelmed trying to manage your time while everyone up-to-date on the things that matter.

Tempo is a new app from SRI (the company that originally developed Siri) that aims to bring all of those functions together—at least as far as the concern your schedule—into a cohesive system for managing your life. But how well do all of these different services coexist in the same application?

Apple Store also drops prices of refurbished Retina MacBook Pros (now start at $1269) and MacBook Airs

Jordan Kahn Feb 13 2013 - 7:41 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com:

Following price drops and minor processor upgrades for Apple Retina MacBook Pros this morning, Apple also further discounted its refurbished MacBook Pros. Apple took 15 percent off the MacBook Pros in January, and it dropped the 256GB 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro even more to $1,359 today. Other refurbished Retina MacBooks have been discounted as well. The 512GB 2.9GHz Retina MacBook Pro now sells for $1,779 refurbished. Apple also discounted its 256GB 13-inch MacBook Air to $1,099, and it received a price drop this morning to $1,399 new.

Apple releases MacBook Pro firmware update 1.7 to address rare battery issue

Jordan Kahn Feb 12 2013 - 1:24 pm PT

After releasing an SMC firmware update for most MacBook models last month to address the same battery issue, Apple today released MacBook Pro SMC Firmware Update 1.7 for mid-2010 and early 2011 15- and 17-inch MacBook Pros. The update, available through Apple’s website, addresses a rare battery issue:

About MacBook Pro SMC Firmware Update 1.7

This update addresses a rare issue on some Apple notebooks where a battery that has accumulated more than 1000 charge cycles may unexpectedly shut down or stop functioning.

Microsoft officially offers workarounds for iOS 6.1 Exchange errors including blocking & throttling iOS users

Jordan Kahn Feb 12 2013 - 1:03 pm PT

We reported on Friday that AOL had informed its corporate employees via email that it would be temporarily disabling the ability to manage meetings with Exchange on iOS devices running iOS 6.1. AOL confirmed that it was working with Microsoft and Apple to fix the “continuous loop” bug, and many had highlighted the problem on Microsoft’s forums. It doesn’t appear Apple addressed the issue with its recent release of iOS 6.1.1, and Microsoft has now published an official support document to detail workarounds for the bug.

When a user syncs a mailbox by using an iOS 6.1-based device, Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Client Access server (CAS) and Mailbox (MBX) server resources are consumed, log growth becomes excessive, memory and CPU use may increase significantly, and server performance is affected. Additionally, Office 365 Exchange Online users receive an error message that resembles the following on an iOS 6.1-based device: Cannot Get Mail, The connection to the server failed.

Microsoft suggested a few workarounds for the issue while it waits for Apple to fix the bug. First, it informed customers to “not process Calendar items such as meeting requests on iOS 6.1 devices. Also, immediately restart the iOS 6.1 device.” If problems with Exchange continue, Microsoft recommended and provided instructions for removing and recreating the device partnership, creating a custom throttling policy for iOS 6.1 users, or blocking iOS 6.1 users entirely.

Microsoft said it is working with Apple to resolve the issue and recommended customers “open an Enterprise Support case with Apple”:
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Here’s all of the public information on Apple’s watchmaking activity

Jordan Kahn Feb 12 2013 - 11:47 am PT

Since the old iWatch rumor reared its head again in December, there have been a few more reliable sources adding weight to the idea that we could see a smart watch from Apple this year. Over the weekend, The New York Times, which said essentially the same thing in 2011, followed up the rumors with a report that Apple is working on a curved glass watch prototype running iOS. The Wall Street Journal quickly followed with more information, claiming Apple and partner Foxconn are now testing wearable, watch-like devices.

While many have speculated what Apple might include in an iWatch, such as Apple employee #66 and founder of Apple’s Human Interface Group Bruce Tognazzini, all we get from reports is “curved glass” and “iOS”. Apple has clearly been testing wearable prototypes with several patents dating as far back as 2009, describing potential integration with wristwatches and iOS devices. By taking a look at the technology for watches that Apple is already experimenting with through the many publicly available patents, we put together a list of some of the features the company could very well include in an Apple-branded smart watch.
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Apple CEO Tim Cook on iPhone displays: OLED color saturation and brightness don’t measure up

Jordan Kahn Feb 12 2013 - 7:57 am PT

More from Apple CEO Tim Cook’s talk at the Goldman and Sachs conference this morning: When asked about the iPhone’s screen size, Cook noted size isn’t always everything and the company is more focused on delivering the best experience.

Cook also said that consumers should think twice before shopping online with a device using an OLED display due to poor color saturation and lack of brightness. However, he didn’t rule out the possibility of a larger screen iPhone.

Cook’s full comment is below:

I don’t want to say whatwhe will do or won’t do. The way companies compete is with two things, specs and price. In the camera business people say, “I have the most megapixels”. Do you know the speed of an AX processor? Does it really matter at the end of the day? You want a fabulous experience when you use the product. If you look at displays, some people are focused on size. There are a few other things about the display that are important. Some people use OLED displays, but the colour saturation is awful. If you buy things online, you should think twice before you depend on the colour of the OLED dislay. The Retina display is twice as bright as an OLED display. I only bring these points up to say there are many attributes of a display. Apple sweats every detail. We want the best display. I think we’ve got it. I’m not going to comment on what we’re going to do in the future.

…That’s the only religion that we have, is that we must do something great. We want to enrich people’s lives. We sweat the details on those.

Deal Alert: MacConnection drops Retina MacBook Pro 13″ to $1499 ($200 off)

9to5 Staff Feb 11 2013 - 11:37 am PT

From 9to5Toys.com and 9to5Mac Product Pages:

MacConnection is having a flash sale on the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display knocking $200 off the price. $1499 is the lowest price we’ve ever seen on what many consider to be Apple’s best portable computer. Apple charges $60 less for Refurbished models.

For other configurations, see our MacBook Pro , MacBook Air and other product pages.

13-inch Retina MacBook Pro for $1515, 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro $1999 at Amazon (9to5mac.com)

Apple to live webcast Tim Cook’s Goldman Sachs technology conference presentation Feb. 12

Jordan Kahn Feb 11 2013 - 9:48 am PT

Apple announced today on its Investor News page that CEO Tim Cook, like in previous years, is scheduled once again to speak at the upcoming Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference. Apple will make a live webcast available for anyone who wants to listen to live-streaming audio from the conference call. Cook’s talk is scheduled for 7:15 a.m. PST on Feb. 12 and will be available to stream from Apple’s website.

If you miss the live broadcast, Apple will most likely post audio of Cook’s full talk after the event as it did last year. You can listen to Cook’s presentation from the 2012 Goldman Sachs conference here.

iOS 6.1.1 build 10B145 being rushed to address 3G performance and enterprise concerns, some carrier testing completed

Jordan Kahn Feb 11 2013 - 8:58 am PT

Following reports about some carriers in Europe issuing warnings not to upgrade to iOS 6.1 due to issues with 3G performance, it seems a fix is already in the works. The issue was not just with 3G through carriers such as Vodafone and three in Austria, many users in Apple’s own forums complained of similar problems, degraded battery life, and more. Users have also had problems with Exchange support, causing AOL corporate to temporarily disable the ability to manage mobile meetings from iOS devices running iOS 6.1.

Today, a report from German language blog iFun claimed that carriers have already completed testing a 6.1.1 update to address the bugs and a 23MB update carrying build number 10B145 should be available over-the-air soon:

After ifun.de this information is already in version 6.1.1 of the night on Monday as “Testing Complete” and should be offered the iPhone community with little flow as a wireless update. Sources which are applicable in the past on the issue dates of iOS 6.0.2 and iOS 6.1 as well as the eradication of the “SMS spoofing problem” have informed, indicate the large 23MB update with UMTS-compatible.

Apple’s first beta release for 6.1.1 was released last week with build number 10B311.

Apple Airport/Time Capsule 7.6.3 update breaks IPv6 tunneling, fix is downgrading

Jordan Kahn Feb 11 2013 - 8:07 am PT

A number of users on Apple’s support forums noticed that the latest Airport/Time Capsule 7.6.3 firmware released last week seems to disable IPv6 tunneling on various devices. It isn’t a big surprise to many users that have experienced the functionality being disabled with past versions of the firmware, and it will likely be fixed in a future release. You can revert to a previous version of the firmware until Apple fixes the issue by using the instructions below:

AirPort Utility 5

Open AirPort Utility.

Select your base station and choose Manual Setup, or double-click on the Wi-Fi base station icon.

Choose Base Station > Upload Firmware…

From the window that appears, select a firmware version and click OK. If you select Other from the Upload Version menu, you will be prompted to manually locate the firmware update.

AirPort Utility 6

Open AirPort Utility.

Select the base station you want to downgrade.

Place the mouse cursor over the version number and hold down the Option key to turn it into a pop-up menu. Press and hold the mouse button to open the menu.

From the menu that appears, select a firmware version and click OK. If you select Other, you will be prompted to manually locate the firmware update.

Analyst says $300 price point is sweet spot for unsubsidized iPhone mini

Jordan Kahn Feb 11 2013 - 7:44 am PT

Topeka Capital analyst Brian White issued a report to clients today (via Forbes) to provide what he thinks Apple has in store for the much-rumored low-cost iPhone. According to White, Apple will introduce the lower-priced iPhone as early as June. This is of course something we heard before from previous reports, but White also predicted pricing and a possible name for the device…

Some new information that White added: He said the device will be called the “iPhone mini” or “iPhone Air” and sell for an unsubsidized price of $250 to $300.

“A $250-$300 price range would also be competitive with China-based Xiaomi that offers a high-end phone experience at a mid-range price of ~$320 in China,” he writes. “We believe a $250-to-$300 price point will allow Apple to significantly expand its reach in the smartphone market and better address developing markets such as China, while opening up more opportunities in Brazil, Russia, India and elsewhere.”

Alleged iPhone 5S assembly line shots show new internal layout, linear motor (Update: clone)

Jordan Kahn Feb 11 2013 - 6:31 am PT

Update: These are likely an iPhone 5 clone (with better vibrating motor). Note the smaller 1150 mAh battery and the (d’oh) SD card slot.

The images above allegedly show a Foxconn assembly line in addition to some up close spy shots of what could be Apple’s next generation iPhone 5S. The images were originally posted by Chinese CNET/CBSi-owned tech site sjbbs.zol.com and later reposted by GizChina. We see a front panel largely resembling the currently shipping iPhone 5 in the images and some rather nice shots of the devices’ components, providing clues that this is indeed the next-gen iPhone and not the iPhone 5.

As noted by German language website PCgameshardware.de, the iPhone shown in the images above appears to have a vibrating motor that differs from the iPhone 5. Apple used a linear oscillating vibrator with the iPhone 4S, as pictured in this teardown image. iFixit noted the change was a “head-scratcher”:

Unlike the iPhone 4S, which used a linear-oscillating vibrator, Apple has gone back to a rotational motor with a counterweight.We praised Apple in the past for going with the quieter and less annoying linear oscillating vibrator, but now we’re scratching our heads as to why they went back.

While it wasn’t exactly clear as to why, Apple switched back to the sometimes louder, rotational motor that utilizes a counterweight for the iPhone 5. The alleged images of the iPhone 5S show that Apple appears to be going to a linear vibrating motor design (which also makes these spy shots a bit more believable than otherwise).

: iPhone 5 (iFixit)

: These images

: iPhone 4S

The post also provides a rare shot of workers relaxing on Foxconn’s assembly line:
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CACI neutering thousands of iPads for use in government

Jordan Kahn Feb 8 2013 - 1:30 pm PT

According to a report from Bloomberg, Arlington, Va.-based CACI International Inc., is working with Apple to secure thousands of iPads for use in U.S. government agencies. CACI Chief Executive Officer Dan Allen referred to the modified devices as “neutered iPads” and hinted the company is working to implement security features related to wireless connectivity and the camera. CACI specializes in providing IT solutions to government, although it didn’t state how exactly the iPads are being secured, but it did note that it’s a hardware solution and not software:

“It’s a neutered iPad,” Allen said today during a meeting with Bloomberg Government reporters and editors. “We’re working on how do we effectively brand it.”

The move comes as iPad and other iOS devices continue to be adopted by government agencies. In October, documents revealed the U.S. Department of Defense planned to deploy at least 162,500 devices partially made up of iOS devices, while a number of other U.S. agencies also switched from BlackBerry to iPhones over the last year.
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Apple hires AMOLED TV Application Expert James (Jueng-Gil) Lee from LG

Jordan Kahn Feb 8 2013 - 9:00 am PT

According to reports originating from OLED-A.org (via OLED-Info), Apple has hired OLED expert Dr. James (Jueng-Gil) Lee. He was previously a senior researcher on LG Display’s R&D team and worked on printed AMOLED TVs. Lee was also a researcher with Cambridge Display Technology before joining LG, and he was the R&D head for LCD technology development at Samsung.

According to his LinkedIn, Lee was working on “OLED Technology Development for TV Application” at LG. At Samsung, he “successfully started the first three generations LCD production lines.” He also “showed track of records in yield improvement, productivity improvement, manufacturing cost reduction and new technology transfer into production line.”

Too bad Apple doesn’t make a television.

Founder of Apple’s Human Interface Group talks potential for an iWatch

Jordan Kahn Feb 8 2013 - 8:28 am PT

Bruce Tognazzini, Apple employee #66 and founder of Apple’s Human Interface Group, published his thoughts on a potential smart watch product from the company (via MG Siegler) yesterday. While we have seen the launch of several Bluetooth smart watch products from startups this year, Tognazzini thought a watch from Apple could “have a profound impact on our lives and Apple’s fortunes.” One of the many interesting ideas Tognazzini has about how Apple might take advantage of a wearable device is the ability to build better maps:

Using pressure data from millions of watches, Apple could build a precision altitude map of the world. This map would indicate true altitudes everywhere that iWatch wearers travel. The granularity would be several orders of magnitude greater than ever before attempted for a wide-area map at a cost several orders of magnitude less than Flyover.

In the article, Tognazzini explained what he thought will be the standout features of an iWatch from Apple. While outlining the some of the apps you might expect like fitness and remote control applications, he said Passcodes and enhanced Find My iPhone features would be the two killer apps:

Add a portable Blu-ray player to your Mac (including playback software) for less than a SuperDrive

Seth Weintraub Feb 6 2013 - 7:59 pm PT

tl;dr: Buy a $40 Portable USB Blu-ray/DVD-R drive and $30 Blu-ray player MacGo for $10 less than an Apple SuperDrive and you get to watch/rip Blu-ray movies as a bonus.

With Apple having eliminated optical media from just about every product it makes, including the redesigned iMacs, Mac Minis, and Retina MacBook Pros, many readers will be considering whether they need to procure a separate external DVD reader for emergencies. Some folks store archives, have software installers, backups, or have vast movie collection on DVD – and then there is Blu-ray…

Apple’s remedy is the DVD SuperDrive that costs $79 (well, $70/$50 used if you know where to shop). The SuperDrive is an Apple-quality product and can be used as a boot drive for many Macs that need to be upgraded or repaired via DVD.

But perhaps we can get a little more for our $80?

Steve Jobs viewed Blu-ray as a “bag of hurt” from the “mafia,” and Apple would frankly rather you stick to the iTunes ecosystem for video watching. But there are many nice Blu-ray titles out there, and iTunes’ compressed 1080p content still doesn’t come close the video and sound quality of Blu-ray. So, for those thinking of dropping $80 on a SuperDrive, we think we have a better option:

Apple maintains lead as top smartphone vendor in US, hits 20 percent of worldwide PC market

Jordan Kahn Feb 6 2013 - 2:15 pm PT

Following a report from Strategy Analytics earlier this month that had Apple as the No.1 mobile phone vendor in the United States for the first time, research firm comScore is out today with its stats for the three-month period ending in December 2012. ComScore looked at the top smartphone subscribers by OEM and the top smartphone platforms, which doesn’t include mobile phones other than smartphones like Strategy Analytics’ report.

According to the report, Apple was able to increase its share from 34.4-percent in the September quarter to 36.3-percent last quarter. Samsung also increased its share—although was significantly behind Apple but still up from 18.7-percent in the quarter before—to 21 percent of the market. HTC, Motorola, and LG rounded out the last three spots in the category with 10.2-percent, 9.1-percent, and 7.1-percent of the U.S. market in December. While Apple was able to grab the top smartphone vendor position, Android maintained its lead over iOS as the top smartphone platform during the quarter.

Google captured 53.4-percent of smartphone subscribers with Android in Q4, up from 52.5-percent in September. In comparison, Apple came in at 36.3-percent and posted a slightly larger increase than Android with two points from 34.3-percent the quarter before. Growth for iOS and Android, like in previous months, comes at the expense of declines for BlackBerry and Microsoft.

Canalys also released a report today that tracked worldwide PC shipments in the fourth quarter—a category that also includes iPads. According to the report, Apple continued its lead in the PC market by hitting over 20 percent for the first time with over 27 million units shipped. Macs accounted for 4 million of those units, while the report estimated iPad mini made up about half of the remaining 23 million iPads: