Apple

6,154 'Apple News' stories November 2008 - January 2013

See All Stories

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

Shipping times for 21.5-inch iMacs slip to 2-3 weeks from 7-10 business days

Jordan Kahn Jan 22 2013 - 5:15 am PT

Shipping times for the new 21.5-inch iMacs, at least in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, had sat at “7-10 business days” since the beginning of December. Following changes to shipping times for the device around the globe last night, Apple has today updated its U.S. site to reflect the new “2-3 week” shipping estimates being quoted. CEO Tim Cook warned in October that the company would experience significant iMac shortages for the full quarter. This pushes delivery for new orders of iMacs (27-inch included) well into February.

We expect Cook to provide updates on shortages later this week during the company’s earnings call.

Collectors: Rare transparent Apple Newton 110 developer edition hits eBay for $1,350

Jordan Kahn Jan 21 2013 - 2:20 pm PT

Originally thought to be a prototype by its seller, this rare, transparent Apple Newton 110 was apparently given to a limited number of developers during an Apple Conference. The seller estimated through his research that there was somewhere between 150 units and 1,200 units produced. These have popped up for sale online in the past, but it’s clearly a rare piece. The seller will let it go for the Buy Now price of $1,350. A gallery is below:

Ashton Kutcher and Josh Gad hit Macworld stage to talk jOBS on Jan. 31

Jordan Kahn Jan 21 2013 - 10:56 am PT

Lately we have been bringing you coverage on the upcoming “jOBS” biopic starring Ashton Kutcher set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival later this month. Most recently we posted two new shots of Kutcher and co-star Josh Gad (Steve Wozniak) from the set of the film. Today, we get word that Kutcher and Gad are confirmed to take the Macworld/iWorld main stage at the end of the month to talk about the process of playing Jobs and making the movie. There’s no word on exactly what to expect, but we’ll be on hand to cover anything interesting that might pop up.

We’ll attend Macworld to bring you the latest on the newest products and announcements that happen during the show. Kutcher and Gad will hit the stage and possibly take questions on Jan. 31 at 9 a.m.

iPhone 5 compared to upcoming BlackBerry Z10 smartphone on video

Jordan Kahn Jan 21 2013 - 9:25 am PT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UK0hWJEr874

German-language blog telekom-presse.at posted images and video of BlackBerry’s upcoming Z10 smartphone today said to be running a beta of BB 10. In the video (and images below), the site compared the new 4.2-inch BlackBerry to the slightly smaller and thinner iPhone 5. The Z10 is expected to officially launch at RIM’s upcoming BlackBerry event on Jan. 30 and is rumored to be priced under the iPhone 5’s $199 price tag.

LG takes 2nd place from Apple in US handset market for first time since 4S launch

Jordan Kahn Jan 21 2013 - 5:41 am PT

The iPhone may have recently captured a record 53 percent of the U.S. smartphone market. However, when it comes to its steady second place position in the U.S. handset market (smartphones and feature phones combined), a new report claimed LG bumped Apple to third position during December on strong sales of its Optimus G.

Yonhap News covered the report from Hong Kong-based Counterpoint Research, which said on Sunday that LG captured 13 percent of the U.S. market last month, bumping Apple to third place for the first time since the launch of the iPhone 4S. Apple recorded 12 percent of the market, which puts both Apple and LG well behind leader Samsung at 33 percent. LG recently announced sales of 1 million units for the Optimus G worldwide, but it’s unclear if the LG-made Nexus 4 from Google was a significant contributor to the company’s rise during December.

LG Electronics had maintained the runner-up position until the third-quarter of 2011 but fell to third place after Apple’s iPhone 4S hit the market… Market insiders attributed LG Electronics’ sales growth to the popularity of its latest Optimus G handset, with over 1 million units sold across North America.

Apple CEO Tim Cook ordered to give deposition in anti-poaching lawsuit

Jordan Kahn Jan 18 2013 - 6:15 am PT

Apple CEO Tim Cook has been ordered by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose to give a deposition related to an ongoing private lawsuit that claims Apple, Google, and others entered “no-poach” agreements, as reported by Bloomberg. Cook isn’t the only executive named in yesterday’s order. Google Chairman Eric Schmidt will also be deposed on Feb. 20, as well as Intel Chief Executive Officer Paul Otellini later this month.

Koh told lawyers yesterday that Apple founder Steve Jobs was copied on e-mails at issue in the case, and that she found it “hard to believe” that Cook, as Apple’s chief operating officer at the time in question, wouldn’t have been consulted about such agreements.

The judge said she was disappointed that senior executives at the companies involved hadn’t been deposed before yesterday’s hearing over whether she should certify the case as a group lawsuit. The class would include different categories of employees whose incomes, their lawyers argue, were artificially reduced because of the collusion. Koh didn’t rule on class certification.
Expand
Expanding
Close

Two new shots of Ashton Kutcher’s jOBS character with guy who doesn’t look like Woz

Jordan Kahn Jan 17 2013 - 7:53 am PT

USAToday recently published a few stills from the upcoming “jOBS” movie set to premiere at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival later this month. Actor Ashton Kutcher certainly looks the part, but we’re not so sure about Josh Gad as Woz. An image of the real Steve Wozniak from the same time period (pictured next to David Lee Roth) is in the gallery below for comparison.

Is there a resemblance?

Apple TV launches in South Africa this Friday, Jan.18

Jordan Kahn Jan 17 2013 - 7:24 am PT

Core Group, Apple’s official distributor in South Africa, just announced details for the launch date and pricing of Apple TV in the country. According to a statement by the company (via mybroadband.co.za), Apple TV will finally launch through select retailers starting Jan. 18. The launch follows Apple’s official opening of iTunes Store and iPhone 5 in South Africa alongside 50+ other countries last month.

Core Group suggested Apple TV will retail for R1099 (roughly $125 USD) but also noted, “resellers are entirely free to determine the actual prices at which products will be sold.” Customers in South Africa will be able to get their hands on Apple TV through the following Apple Premium Resellers and authorized dealers:

Apple Premium Resellers:

iStore
Digicape

Selected Apple Authorised Retailers:

Incredible Connection
Dion Wired
Makro
Hi-Fi Corporation

Apple job description outlines goal to evolve Siri as a distinct, recognizable character

Jordan Kahn Jan 17 2013 - 6:51 am PT

Apple hinted in November at its plans to add more features to Siri in the near future with a job listing that sought individuals to translate Siri into a handful of new languages. Today, we came across another interesting job listing posted by Apple. This one looks for a creative writer skilled in character-driven dialog to “help the Siri team evolve Siri as a distinct, recognizable character.” Not only will the person help “refresh and refine” existing Siri content, Apple is also looking for someone to “develop and write original dialog to support new Siri capabilities.”

Apple clearly thinks Siri’s personality and lifelike AI is just as important as her functionality, noting in the job ad that “Siri’s known for ‘her’ wit, cultural knowledge, and zeal to explain things in engaging, funny, and practical ways.” It looks like Siri’s witty responses will be something that Apple continues to focus on to differentiate Siri from the competition.

We’re looking for a uniquely creative individual to help us evolve and enrich Siri, our virtual personal assistant. Siri’s known for ‘her’ wit, cultural knowledge, and zeal to explain things in engaging, funny, and practical ways. The ideal candidate is someone who combines a love for language, wordplay, and conversation with demonstrated experience in bringing creative content to life within an intense technical environment.

Expand
Expanding
Close

Sprint’s TEP coverage for iPhone available starting Jan. 25

Jordan Kahn Jan 17 2013 - 5:59 am PT

We’ve been hearing for quite some time that Sprint planned to offer its TEP insurance plans to iPhone users, and now Engadget confirmed the $11 monthly plan will officially become available on Jan. 25. Much like the $99 AppleCare+, you’ll have 30 days from the time you purchase your device to add the TEP coverage. You will also be subject to a non-refundable deductible per claim ranging from $150 to $200. The plan will give you access to all of Sprint’s regular TEP coverage, which is a combination of its Equipment Replacement Program and Equipment Service & Repair Program.

Apple seeds OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.3 build 12D54 to developers

Jordan Kahn Jan 16 2013 - 12:19 pm PT

Apple just made OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.3 build 12D54 available to testers after releasing build 12D50 earlier this month on Jan. 8 with no known issues. Apple said the new build includes significant changes to Wi-Fi and listed the following focus areas for developers: AirPlay • AirPort • Game Center • Graphics Drivers • Safari.

Aspyr Media talks porting games to OS X, Mac App Store & the future of Mac gaming (+ Borderlands 2 giveaway!)

Jordan Kahn Jan 16 2013 - 11:00 am PT

The introduction of the Mac App Store, at least for the Mac’s biggest game publisher Aspyr Media, hasn’t been entirely smooth. Aspyr recently outlined some issues with bringing multiplayer to Mac games due to Game Center and sandboxing restrictions of the Mac App Store, and developing separate versions of games for Steam and the Mac App Store continues to be a hurdle. An example is Borderlands 2. It took Aspyr just two months to ship the Mac version, but the Game Center multiplayer won’t arrive until sometime early this year. However, executives at the company promise Apple’s enthusiasm toward gaming on Mac is stronger than ever thanks to the Mac App Store. Aspyr also said it has much planned for 2013 in Apple’s store and remains platform agnostic, despite running its own competitive GameAgent store.

9to5Mac recently had the chance to speak with Aspyr Vice President of Publishing Elizabeth Howard, with input from CEO Michael Rogers and other execs, about the process of porting games to the Mac App Store, the company’s relationship with Apple and publishers, and the possibility of bringing iOS titles to OS X.

In case you’re unfamiliar, Aspyr is one of the biggest Mac game publishers bringing PC and console titles to OS X. It regularly leads many of the top paid and grossing charts on the Mac App Store thanks to high-profile releases such as Borderlands 2, RAGE, Call of Duty: Black Ops, and much more. Go below for the full interview and a chance to win Borderlands 2 for Mac.
Expand
Expanding
Close

The HTC M7 looks very iPhone-like in latest leaked renders

Jordan Kahn Jan 16 2013 - 8:17 am PT

From 9to5Google:

We have heard a lot about HTC’s upcoming M7 smartphone expected to replace the company’s One X line in recent weeks. The rumored 4.7-inch device has some pretty impressive specs, including “several industry firsts,” according to recent reports. However, it certainly doesn’t have an industry-first design, if this new leaked image from UnwiredView is legit, and I think Apple might agree.

The report quoted a “trusted source” and claimed the image above is clipped from “a short animation clip instructing new owners on first-time SIM card installation” for the M7. It’s likely we’ll get our first real look at M7 next month during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Apple and Amazon ordered to enter settlement talks in ‘App Store’ trademark case

Jordan Kahn Jan 16 2013 - 6:36 am PT

Following a court dismissal of Apple’s false advertising claims against Amazon earlier this month as part of the ongoing “App Store” trademark lawsuit, Bloomberg reported last night that a court has now ordered the two companies to hold settlement talks ahead of trial. A trial in the lawsuit is slated for August 2013, while U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Laporte yesterday requested the two sides attempt to settle the case on March 21, 2013:

U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Laporte in San Francisco directed the companies to confer on March 21 and to bring their lead attorneys and people who have full authority to negotiate and settle the case, according to a court filing today. … Apple is seeking a court order to block Amazon from using the term Appstore in its service to sell software for devices running Google Inc. (GOOG)’s Android operating system. Apple alleges the online retailer infringes its trademark and violates unfair competition laws.

What happens when iPad mini’s thin bezel design is applied to the 10-inch iPad (mockups)

Jordan Kahn Jan 16 2013 - 6:05 am PT

We’re no strangers to the work of Martin uit Utrecht. His Rhinoceros 3D renderings based on leaked iPhone 5 parts were good enough to fool many, and we’re almost equally impressed with his latest mock ups of a thinner bezel iPad 5. Design inspiration in this case is of course taken from the iPad mini, which already sports a similar thin bezel, and is what many expect Apple will go for in the next iteration of the full-sized iPad. Martin also noted that the design allowed him to shave 4mm in height, 17mm in width, and 2mm in thickness compared to the current iPad 4 dimensions:

According to sources the design of the new iPad will follow the design language of the iPad mini. This 3D model was based on the accurate model which I made of the iPad mini but keeping the same display size as the large iPad.

iPad 5 vs iPad 3/4 dimensions:
height: 4mm less
width: 17mm less
thickness: 2mm less

Report: Apple plans to open R&D center in Beijing

Jordan Kahn Jan 15 2013 - 12:00 pm PT

According to a report from Chinese news portal Tencent Tech (via MacRumors), Apple CEO Tim Cook’s recent trip to China included talks regarding a new R&D center in Beijing. The report also claimed Cook said Apple will “move a certain amount of its servers for App Store and iTunes to China in order to improve the downloading speed for users in China.”

The servers could point to Apple’s new Hong Kong data center, but the report also noted Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province, or Inner Mongolia as potential locations for a new data center.

At a meeting with Beijing’s acting mayor Wang Anshun on January 8, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company plans to set up an R&D center in Beijing, an unnamed insider source told Tencent Tech today. Cook also noted that Apple will move a certain amount of its servers for App Store and iTunes to China in order to improve the downloading speed for users in China.

Analyst: Initial iPhone 5S production to begin in March for June/July launch

Jordan Kahn Jan 15 2013 - 10:22 am PT

Following reports from WSJ that Apple is cutting component orders for iPhone 5 due to “weaker-than-expected-demand,” Jeffries analyst Peter Misek is out today with a note to clients claiming initial production of the iPhone 5S will begin in March for a June/July launch (via StreetInsider):

“As word of the earlier production schedule starts to spread, we believe we could see a slight slowing of demand CQ1 in anticipation of the new product launch and Apple will likely start curtailing channel inventory. Therefore we tweak down our CQ1 iPhone shipment estimate from 48M to 44M, which is still well above widespread fears of shipments in the mid-30Ms.”

Back in December Misek also claimed the 5S is coming in June and at the time said he expects Apple to ship the device with multiple colors, improved battery life, and possibly a 4.8″ Retina/IGZO display. However, in today’s note Misek said there has been no additional evidence for the 4.8″ prototype signaling the design could be for the iPhone 6. Today he also added his thoughts on rumors of a low-cost iPhone, claiming Apple could release a low-cost device made of polycarbonate with no LTE and a 4″ non-retina display.

As for the rumors of less than expected iPhone 5 demand contributing to cuts on component orders, which is also impacting the company’s stock price this week, Misek provided his thoughts:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Belgian consumer group files complaint against Apple over AppleCare warranty practices

Jordan Kahn Jan 15 2013 - 5:31 am PT

Apple agreed to comply with Italian regulators’ requests last year to alter AppleCare warranties in the country after being fined $1.2 million (and an additional $264,000) for “misleading consumers” regarding two-year warranties mandatory by European Union law. We expected to hear much more about AppleCare in other EU countries that also employ the mandatory, free, two-year warranty, and now Belgian consumer watchdog Test-Aankoop/Test-Achats has filed a complaint to escalate its case (via TechCrunch):

For many years warranty issues are at the top of the charts of complaints dealt with Test-Aankoop/Test-Achats. One of the recurring problems are the complaints about Apple. Test-Aankoop/Test-Achats found major problems fixed on the information provided by Apple and its authorized distributors regarding the legal guarantee, the commercial one year warranty, and the warranty extension through the “AppleCare Protection Plan” of 2 or 3 years.

In March 2012, consumer groups from 10 countries requested Apple make changes to its warranty policies after the case in Italy. The Belgian consumer group was one of them but filed a complaint today with local courts because “Apple remained deaf to the demands.”

During negotiations with Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato, Apple ultimately changed its warranty policies on its website, terms and conditions, and even removed AppleCare from brick-and-mortar store shelves.

Review: Bluetooth 4.0 ‘Passport’ smart watch from Martian Watches

Jordan Kahn Jan 14 2013 - 1:59 pm PT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BtEfpR-vGw&feature=youtu.be
There were more than a few Bluetooth-enabled smart watches on display at CES this year. We were on-hand for the official press unveiling of the Pebble e-paper watch, which is expected to start shipping to over 80,000 backers later this month. We also spotted Martian Watches, CooKoo, I’mWatch, and a small handful of other watches designed to pair and work with your iPhone or other mobile devices. Many have seen the Pebble, up until now, as the frontrunner mainly due to the 10 million in funding it raised through Kickstarter. While rumor has it Apple is interested in creating a smart watch of its own, we will hear a lot more about smart watches in 2013 if CES is any indication. Over the past week and a half, I had the chance to put one of these smart watches to the test: the Bluetooth 4.0 “Passport” from Martian Watches.

A few things to note right off the bat: First, unlike the Pebble and I’m Watch, which integrate a larger display, the focus of Martian Watches is voice command. There is some debate whether a smart watch, one that the average iPhone user might use on a daily basis, should resemble an iPod nano-like touchscreen or a more traditional timepiece design. Martian Watches is going with the latter, but it integrates a small 96-by-16 pixel OLED display capable of displaying notifications and scrolling text for incoming messages and calls.

While Pebble and others hope to create an ecosystem of third-party apps that can run on small, touch-enabled displays, the name of the game is voice command for Martian Watches. That means, in the case of iPhone users, you’ll be able to activate and control Siri right from your wrist. It also means as Siri improves and adds more functionality, your Martian Watch does too. However, Martian packs some other non-Siri features that make it a true competitor to the other Bluetooth smart watches hitting the market…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Sweet gig: Bruce Sewell, General Counsel of Apple, named to Vail Resorts’ board of directors

Jordan Kahn Jan 14 2013 - 7:20 am PT

Here’s a nice gig for Apple’s senior vice president, general counsel, and lifelong skier Bruce Sewell: Announced today, he will join Vail Resorts’—”the leading mountain resort operator in the United States”—board of directors:

Vail Resorts (NYSE:MTN) today announced the appointment of Bruce Sewell, senior vice president and general counsel of Apple, to the Company’s Board of Directors effective immediately… Mr. Sewell is a lifelong skier. Between college and law school, he toured the country skiing in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming, and worked as a professional ski patroller at Windham and Hunter Mountains in New York… The Company’s subsidiaries operate the mountain resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado; Heavenly, Northstar and Kirkwood in the Lake Tahoe area of California and Nevada; Afton Alps in Minnesota and Mt. Brighton in Michigan; and the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Company’s subsidiary, RockResorts, a luxury resort hotel company, manages casually elegant properties

Patent troll Personal Audio LLC sues iTunes’ top podcaster Adam Carolla’s Ace Broadcasting

Jordan Kahn Jan 10 2013 - 8:43 am PT

In July 2011, a federal jury in Texas awarded “patent licensing company” Personal Audio LLC $8 million in its patent infringement lawsuit against Apple. The jury found Apple infringed two valid patents related to downloadable playlists with its iOS devices as far back as the original iPod. One covered an “audio program player including a dynamic program selection controller,” while the other covered an “audio program distribution and playback system.” 9to5Mac has now learned Personal Audio LLC is attempting to target content creators directly, starting with a new patent infringement case in Texas against one of iTunes biggest podcasters, Adam Carolla’s Ace Broadcasting.

If the outcome of the case is anything like Personal Audio’s previous cases, it could have a major impact on podcasters and other content creators on iTunes and elsewhere. Personal Audio also sued and entered licensing agreements with Sirius XM Radio, Archos, Coby, RIM, Samsung, Amazon, and Motorola related to its downloadable playlist patents and others.

The new patent, issued just last year on Feb. 7, 2012, is quite broad and describes a “System for Disseminating Media Content Representing Episodes in a Serialized Sequence.” Personal Audio is also suing the popular Howstuffworks.com series, which like Ace Broadcasting, is a large podcasting presence on iTunes and across the web…

Expand
Expanding
Close

Incipio and AT&T team up to launch NFC-enabled ISIS iPhone wallet

Jordan Kahn Jan 8 2013 - 1:28 pm PT

Live from the CES show floor at the Las Vegas convention center, accessory maker Incipio just finished showing us their new product for iPhone. Known as a Cashwrap, and landing in March 2013, it is an NFC-enabled iPhone case that allows iOS users to take advantage of the ISIS Mobile Wallet service that officially launched in October on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon for NFC-enabled Android devices in select regions. Incipio also informed us that it has teamed up with AT&T on the project—making Cashwrap AT&T’s ISIS solution for iPhone coming.

The product will launch for iPhone 4 and 4S initially and will be available for sale through AT&T brick-and-mortar locations for $60 to $70. Incipio’s full press release and a short video of the Cashwrap up close and personal from the CES show floor below:
Expand
Expanding
Close

Trade-in value on broken iPhone 4S as much as mint condition Galaxy S2

Jordan Kahn Jan 8 2013 - 11:26 am PT

Here are some interesting charts from Gazelle at CES that compare trade-in values of the iPhone versus the competition. As you can see from the images above and below, the iPhone, like many Apple products, have tendency of retaining a higher trade-in value longer than other devices. In many situations, months after the release of a device, a broken iPhone 4S with a completely shattered display is worth more or about the same as a seemingly mint condition Galaxy S2 or Galaxy Nexus. A gallery of all the stats Gazelle had on display at CES is below:

ThinShield, the world’s lightest and thinnest iPhone 5 case

Jordan Kahn Jan 8 2013 - 10:50 am PT

Sanho, the company behind the HyperJuice external battery products for Mac that we’ve reviewed in the past, just unveiled its latest lineup of products at CES 2013. While introducing some minor updates to its HyperJuice 2 unit (it’s now 12W instead of 10W), as well as the second generation of its iUSBport product (now with two USB ports), I was surprisingly most impressed by its new eco-friendly polypropylene iPhone 5 case…

At just 0.3mm thin, ThinShield is the world’s lightest and thinnest case, according to Sanho, and will land in Q1 for just $20. Normally, I do not use a case on my iPhone 5 (I opt for a leather sleeve instead), mainly because of the extra bulk it adds to the device. Good news for those that come from the same line of thinking: the ThinShield is barely noticeable, especially when throwing black on black or white on white (depending on your iPhone color). Thanks to ThinShield, you’ll soon be able to get scratch and dirt protection while still being able to enjoy the design Apple intended. I’ll be first in line.