Apple

6,138 'Apple News' stories November 2008 - July 2014

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

Upmarket German restaurant group testing iBeacons to recognize & reward frequent diners

Ben Lovejoy Jul 28 2014 - 7:06 am PT

2 Comments

iBeacons seems to be gaining momentum: the same day the Hudson’s Bay Company announced its rollout of the technology to its department stores, upmarket German restaurant group the Mook Group has told the WSJ of its own plans to use iBeacons to recognize and reward frequent diners.

The app clocks the time guests spend in the restaurant and uses a ranking system to reward them for their loyalty […]

Diners can use the app to climb their way from “Guest” ranking to “Addicted Connoisseur” level based on the amount of time spent at any one of group’s venues. Guests with higher-level app statuses are rewarded with a free welcome drink, automatic placement on the guest list for future events or even fast-track entrance.

Measuring how long someone spends in a restaurant might be a slightly odd basis on which to reward them, but owner Christian Mook says that they later hope to track items ordered and total spend.

“It will be even more interesting when we get to the next step and we know guest’s names, what people drink and eat, how often and when the client comes in – whether for private reasons or business reasons, all as a way to improve service,” Mr. Ladjimi said, adding that any access to information would be on a voluntary basis and with the client’s authorization.

Diners don’t need to interact with the app while they are in the restaurant – they simply need to install and authorize it beforehand. So long as it is installed on their phone when they visit, the app and the iBeacons do the rest.

If you’re not yet fully up to speed with iBeacon technology, you can check out our briefing here.

European Commission approves Apple’s acquisition of Beats

Benjamin Mayo Jul 28 2014 - 5:10 am PT

12 Comments

The European Commission has today approved Apple’s acquisition of Beats Electronics and Beats Music. The commission said that the buyout passes merger regulations. The commission concluded that Apple and Beats’ combined marketshare in both the streaming music and headphones markets is low, so an acquisition did not materially affect competition.

In headphones, the EU says that Apple/Beats exists in a global market with numerous other brands, including Bose, Sennheiser and Sony. For streaming music, companies like Spotify and Deezer offered a similar safety buffer. As the EU commission cares only for European operations, the fact that iTunes Radio and Beats Music do not currently operate in European countries also helped the deal go through smoothly.

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Modest Retina MacBook Pro refresh expected tomorrow, still with GeForce GT 750M but base RAM up to 16GB

Ben Lovejoy Jul 28 2014 - 4:24 am PT

36 Comments

The unverified photo from a Chinese Apple Store appearing to show a slight refresh to the Retina MacBook Pro launch is accurate, claims French site MacG, citing a reliable source. The site claims that the refreshed models will go on sale tomorrow.

The refresh is a minor one, with a modest speed boost of 200MHz and an increase in RAM across the range to 16GB. Apple is also, for the first time, offering a 1TB SSD in a standard model …
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Microsoft releases Siri-bashing ad first seen at its developer’s conference

Ben Lovejoy Jul 28 2014 - 3:54 am PT

24 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0pjD4qpIpg]

Microsoft ads seem to make a habit of bashing Apple, even using Siri’s voice to do so – and without the company concerning itself too much about accuracy. Microsoft has now released the 30-second commercial it first showed at its developer’s conference back in April …
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Apple Stores to soon open up iPhone sales via AT&T Next, T-Mobile JUMP, & Verizon Edge

Mark Gurman Jul 27 2014 - 2:25 pm PT

17 Comments

Apple is preparing a significant expansion of its iPhone sales capabilities in its official retail stores, according to sources. Late in August, many Apple Stores in the United States will kick off a pilot program for customers to be able to purchase a new iPhone via the latest carrier upgrade programs: AT&T Next, T-Mobile JUMP, and Verizon Edge. Currently, iPhones bought at Apple Stores must either be purchased on a two-year deal, or at full-price (unlocked) with no contract…

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Amazon apparently set to launch Square-competitor in August as it develops biometric payment solutions

Mark Gurman Jul 27 2014 - 1:34 pm PT

7 Comments

Amazon could be preparing to launch its own mobile credit card reading hardware in the coming weeks, according to internal Staples documents hinting at such a launch that we’ve obtained. According to the documents, Staples stores will prepare next month to stock a new product called the “Amazon Card Reader” alongside existing card readers from Square, PayPal, and Staples’ own in-house brand. The small hardware, which will likely connect to smartphones to process payments, will cost $9.99, according to the Staples internal sales systems…

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Faster Retina MacBook Pros w/ 16GB of RAM across the board teased by unverified Apple Store photo

Mark Gurman Jul 27 2014 - 1:02 pm PT

16 Comments

An image posted on a Chinese forum, claimed to have been taken inside of Apple’s new Paradise Walk store, indicates that Apple could be preparing to release an updated line of Retina MacBook Pros in the near-future. The image appears to be from one of Apple’s iPad Smart Signs within the store, and the sign advertises 15-inch MacBook Pros with technical specifications and features not found in the current lineup.

The first possibility is that this image is faked, but the other likely possibility is a system error on Apple’s part. There’s also room for this image to indicate an actual MacBook Pro lineup update coming in the near-future. The rumored specifications indicate that Apple will be bumping the standard 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro line from two models to three, and all will include 16GB of RAM as a standard option. Here are all the purported models:

2.2GHz Intel Core i7 (Turbo Boost to 3.4GHz), 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and Intel Iris Pro Graphics
2.5GHz Intel Core i7 (Turbo Boost to 3.7GHz), 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and Intel Iris Pro Graphics & NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M w/2GB Video Memory
2.8GHz Intel Core i7 (Turbo Boost to 4.0GHz), 16GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and Intel Iris Pro Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M w/2GB Video Memory

For comparison, here is the current MacBook Pro with Retina display lineup:

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Apple Stores unify employee shirts as major customer service enhancements planned

Mark Gurman Jul 26 2014 - 12:02 pm PT

61 Comments

Apple is taking a small-step to unifying the attire of its U.S.-based Apple Store employees this upcoming week: the black shirts worn by Apple Store Business Team members for several years will be going into retirement, and all Apple Store employees will begin wearing the same, classic blue t-shirts as normally seen on the store sales floors. Is this a move from the handbook of Angela Ahrendts’ fashion background? Probably not. Sources say that the move happened in Europe a few months ago and the change-up is simply to unify the Apple Store teams as one. The business team will continue to exist in its current form (for now), so this is mostly just a visual change.

In other news, multiple sources also say that Apple is planning some significant operational changes within its stores to improve customer experience…

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Bose files lawsuit against Beats Electronics over noise-cancelling technology patent

Zac Hall Jul 25 2014 - 10:53 am PT

26 Comments

Update: Statement from Bose regarding the complaint below the fold…

Bose has filed a legal complaint against Beats Electronics over the use of noise-cancelling technology used in their headphones, according to CNBC. Apple, of course, announced earlier this year plans to acquire the headphones maker in a $3 billion deal, which it expects to gain regulatory approval for by the end of September.

BREAKING: Bose sues Apple's Beats over noise-canceling headphone patents. (via @CNBCJosh) $AAPL

— CNBC (@CNBC) July 25, 2014

Re/code reports that Bose has filed a request with the International Trade Commission to ban the sale and import of certain Beats products. The following patents owned by Bose appear to be relevant in the complaint:
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Apple’s investment in product development indicates revenue explosion, new product categories this quarter, says analyst

Ben Lovejoy Jul 25 2014 - 6:10 am PT

14 Comments

Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty says that an analysis of Apple’s recent SEC filing strongly suggests that the company has not only made a big bet on the success of the iPhone 6, with large advance orders, but also that it is likely to launch the long-awaited iWatch this quarter.

The graph, obtained by Business Insider, shows the historical correlation between off-balance sheet commitments – the technical financial term for money invested in things like tooling, component purchases and manufacturing contracts – and quarterly revenue. Essentially, if you know how much Apple is investing in new products in one quarter, you can pretty accurately predict its revenue in the following quarter …
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Apple’s ebook settlement may not be quite so settled as judge expresses concern

Ben Lovejoy Jul 25 2014 - 4:02 am PT

0 Comments

Just as we thought Apple’s long-running ebooks suit might finally be settled, the out-of-court agreement has been thrown into doubt. The judge required to approve the settlement terms has expressed concern that they may be unfair to consumers, reports Business Insider.

U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan said she found “most troubling” a clause requiring Apple to pay only $70 million if an appeals court reversed her finding that the company is liable for antitrust violations and sent it back to her for further proceedings.

Apple was found guilty of price-fixing, an allegation it always denied and is currently appealing. To speed things up, lawyers on both sides agreed what would happen for each of the three possible outcomes of the appeal.

If Apple wins the appeal, it will pay nothing. If it loses the appeal, it will pay $50M in legal costs and $400M to a compensation fund for consumers. The contentious part is what happens if the appeals court overturns the original verdict but sends the case back for new proceedings. In this event, the proposal is that Apple would pay just $70M, of which the compensation fund would receive $50M.

Cote questioned if that would be fair and what might happen if the appeals court reversed her ruling on a minor issue.

This is not the first example of post-trial arguments, Apple having earlier called for the removal of the court-appointed antitrust monitor, a request rejected by the court.

Hands-on with a functional 4.7-inch iPhone 6 clone, attention to detail is ridiculous (Video)

Dom Esposito Jul 24 2014 - 11:08 am PT

32 Comments

A functional “Wico6” iPhone 6 clone has made its way into a detailed hands-on video published by YouTuber Danny Winget. This functional clone mimics Apple’s iPhone in almost every way possible, all the way down to the packaging and accessories. So what’s the big deal? Apple clones pop up all of the time. Well, the Wico6 is designed to look like all of the iPhone 6 dummies we’ve seen up to the point.

This “fully functional” device does work as a smartphone (SIM card slot and all), but it’s not running iOS. Much like Goophone’s i6 copycat device, the Wico6 runs a skinned version of Android that’s designed to look like iOS. There’s nothing fancy here as far as specifications go, but it’s surprising how far this company went in terms of design and user interface to make a functional clone…

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As iPhone 6 enters production, even more internal components leak

Benjamin Mayo Jul 24 2014 - 9:34 am PT

21 Comments

Both NowhereElse.fr and Apple.club.tw have published images of a myriad of alleged iPhone 6 components. This includes pictures of home buttons, ribbon cables and other elements of the device. Yet another photo of the iPhone 6 design is also included, this time shown off in the gold styling. The hole for the Apple logo is also visible, as discussed a few days ago.

The two home buttons, pictured above, differ slightly different in their construction, clearly meant for two different form factors of device — if any more evidence for both 4.7 inch and 5.5 inch phones was needed.

These disparate photos don’t reveal anything particularly outstanding about the upcoming phones, but it’s just the last bit of a very long timeline of leaks. With the phones entering production, these leaks will only continue.

Apple releases OS X Yosemite Public Beta

Benjamin Mayo Jul 24 2014 - 9:19 am PT

140 Comments

Apple has started sending out OS X Yosemite builds for Beta Program, as announced yesterday. The build is being sent out to a million Beta Program members. Participants can get a redemption code from the site, to redeem in the Mac App Store.

Apple has said that Apple will not update the Beta Program Yosemite builds as often as the developer seeds (which come out every two weeks, usually), but participants will be able to upgrade to the final public version of Yosemite seamlessly through the App Store, when it is released. The seed released in the beta program is one build newer than the one released to developers on Monday.

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Modern Combat 5: Blackout released after earlier embarrassing leak by competition winners

Ben Lovejoy Jul 24 2014 - 5:22 am PT

0 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjz614QVyfQ]

‘Modern Combat 5: Blackout,’ the game embarrassingly leaked by competition winners given early access to it, is now available on iTunes.

First seen in a trailer in early June, Gameloft claims that the latest installment is the best yet.

Step into the action as the latest installment in the best FPS series raises the bar for shooters once more! Create a squad, add your friends and test your individual and team skills against other squads!

Is single player your thing? Then step into a world on the brink of anarchy and shoot your way out of one dire situation after another to expose a lunatic who’s trying to tear the world to shreds.

Designed for both iPhone and iPad, it will run on anything from the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 up, as well as the 5th generation iPod Touch. The game costs $6.99.

‘The iPhone 6 Effect’ helping boost Asian economies by as much as 8.6 percent, say analysts

Ben Lovejoy Jul 24 2014 - 5:02 am PT

4 Comments

Component orders by Apple for the iPhone 6 are a significant factor in the current thriving state of a number of Asian economies, say analysts and government officials cited by the WSJ.

Analysts expect companies from Taiwan, Japan and South Korea that supplied earlier versions of the iPhone to produce key components like displays, camera lenses and microprocessors. Already, some of those companies are announcing increased earnings or forecasts, and economists and analysts are talking about an Apple effect on whole sectors and economies …

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Spurious claim Apple will release 4.7- and 5.5-inch iPhones separately ‘to avoid competition’

Ben Lovejoy Jul 24 2014 - 4:38 am PT

56 Comments

Supply-chain rumors are can be unreliable sources at the best of times, but never more so than when they claim to offer insight into Apple’s strategic plans. DigiTimes is claiming that Apple will be launching the 4.7- and 5.5-inch models of the iPhone 6 separately “to avoid competition between the two models.”

The different timetables have been set as Apple does not want to repeat the mistake it made in 2013 when it launched the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c simultaneously, said the sources.

Let’s take this one step at a time. First, what companies in the supply-chain know are how many orders have been placed with them for specific components. They don’t know what orders Apple may have placed with other suppliers for the same components, and they don’t even necessarily know in which product the parts will be used …
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Bēhance concept shows gorgeous (if impractical) Apple 4K display renders

Ben Lovejoy Jul 24 2014 - 4:04 am PT

13 Comments

When Apple made a big fuss over the ability of the Mac Pro to support three 4K displays, it signalled that it could only be a matter of time before the company created its own. As I predicted back in October of last year, the company made no attempt to rush this, but we’re now hearing that Apple is close to finishing work on either a 4K Apple Thunderbolt Display, a 4K iMac or both.

Texas State University student Edgar Rios has put together these gorgeous-looking concept images. The nearly-invisible size bezels shown here are clearly stretching beyond breaking point the boundaries of what would be possible from an engineering perspective, but I’m sure we can expect the bezels of the real thing to have been slimmed down. Not quite this much, though:

As well as the traditional bare anodized aluminium stand, Rios also shows what it would look like in black. Check out the gallery and let us know your thoughts.

Apple reportedly discussing mobile wallet plans with credit card companies, may launch with iPhone 6

Benjamin Mayo Jul 23 2014 - 2:12 pm PT

2 Comments

The Information has a new report out discussing Apple’s progress on a mobile wallet payments service. The post echoes reporting by 9to5Mac earlier in the year.

The report says the service may launch this fall, enabling iPhone users to pay for goods with their devices in retail outlets. Apple has apparently discussed the plans with credit card institutions, according to the report, as a user’s banking information “would essentially be uploaded to the wallet”. Apparently, Visa is already onboard with the project.

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OS X Yosemite planned for late Oct. as Apple preps 4K desktop & 12-inch Retina MacBook

Mark Gurman Jul 23 2014 - 10:16 am PT

27 Comments

While iOS 8 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch is set for a September launch, Apple is planning to bring its next-generation Mac software, OS X Yosemite, into the wild a month later, in October, according to several sources. Apple plans to continue releasing OS X Yosemite Developer Previews every two to three weeks until a final Developer Preview is seeded on September 29th, according to the people. Apple is then expected to finish up work on Yosemite in early October and release a golden master build around October 10th, the sources said. Apple is also finishing up preparations to release a version of OS X Yosemite beta tomorrow to the first one million people who signed up for the public beta.

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Apple ‘tentatively’ plans mid-September iPhone event as iOS 8 nears completion

Mark Gurman Jul 23 2014 - 7:38 am PT

18 Comments

Apple is gearing up for its first major hardware and software launches of 2014. The Cupertino-based company is “tentatively” planning a keynote address in mid-September to announce the iPhone 6 and provide final details on iOS 8, according to sources briefed on the plans.

These people say that the second and third weeks of September are the mostly likely weeks for the event to be held, but they add that manufacturing uncertainties could alter the event’s timeframe. A decision has not been finalized, and sources made it clear that the plans are in flux.

The event will showcase at least the new iPhone 6 with a 4.7-inch screen, the sources say, but a final decision on debuting the larger, 5.5-inch “phablet” model at the event has not been made. The 4.7-inch variant of the new phone is farther along in both internal testing and manufacturing preparation, the sources added.

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Samsung actually makes a solid ad, too bad new spokesperson Kelly Slater is an iPhone user

Zac Hall Jul 23 2014 - 7:35 am PT

15 Comments

Samsung’s latest ad entitled “Every Day is Day One” is really, really nice. The cinematography is top notch and the soundtrack makes it even richer (a cover of David Bowie’s “Absolute Beginners”). It features Samsung’s Galaxy phone and Samsung’s Galaxy Gear smart watch without being embarrassingly tacky, and it was done in partnership with the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) as Samsung Mobile is a global partner.

The only issue is competitive professional surfer Kelly Slater cameos in the ad with his Samsung sponsorship clear in the shot seen above, and Kelly Slater is a proud iPhone owner just like you and me. 😎🌊📱

Despite the mixed affiliation, the ad really is a great one. More of this and less focusing on Apple might go a long way… you never know. Anyway, be sure to check out the full ad over at 9to5Google.

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Opinion: Will the iPad be left behind in the shift to larger iPhones?

Ben Lovejoy Jul 23 2014 - 7:30 am PT

63 Comments

With Apple reporting lower-than-expected iPad sales for the second quarter in a row, it’s likely that Tim Cook will be once again be called on to reassure investors that the decline in year-on-year sales won’t continue indefinitely.

Cook has been very bullish on the iPad, despite the numbers, pointing especially to growing sales in the education sector and the opportunity for tablet growth in enterprise.

The penetration in business is low, it’s only 20 percent. If you looked at the penetration of notebooks in business it would be over 60 percent. We think there is a substantial upside in business.”

I think he’s right, especially with the IBM partnership. I mentioned in my opinion piece then that increasing penetration in enterprise could also help drive consumer migration from Android, as it gives people exposure to iOS devices. But the impact this has could well be offset by the iPhone 6 …
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First look at Fleksy’s upcoming keyboard launching alongside iOS 8

Mark Gurman Jul 23 2014 - 5:59 am PT

5 Comments

In addition to launching a redesigned version on Android, Fleksy today has given us a first look at its upcoming keyboard offering for Apple’s iOS 8. iOS 8 launches this fall with several new iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch features, including the ability for developers to launch custom system-wide keyboards. Fleksy previously announced that it is working on a keyboard for iOS 8 and has opened up signups for a beta, but today the company provided us with the first images and some new details…

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