Apple

6,141 'Apple News' stories November 2008 - August 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

Claimed next-gen iPad Air rear shell photos show redesigned speaker, recessed volume controls

Mark Gurman Aug 3 2014 - 5:35 pm PT

13 Comments

In June, photos of purported physical mockups for the next-generation iPad Air (the next full-sized iPad) appeared on the web showing a similar design to the current model, but with some tweaks. Closely mimicking the improved design, images posted to Weibo this weekend purport to show a next-generation iPad Air frame with a redesigned speaker, recessed volume controls, and a new microphone next to the camera lens (like on the latests iPhones and iPods).

The photos do not show us much else, but they do provide some additional confirmation that a new iPad Air is on its way, and that the new tablet will not look much different externally from the current generation. While the exterior will be mostly the same, customers can count on the next full-sized Apple tablet to rock the iPhone’s Touch ID fingerprint scanner and a faster A8 processor. The same Weibo poster of the above photos also recently shared an engineering diagram for the next iPhone:

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Apple & Beats use Siri and Pills to promote Dr. Dre’s celebratory party in new video ad

Mark Gurman Aug 1 2014 - 6:28 pm PT

17 Comments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cK4MYERlCS0&feature=youtu.be

Continuing today’s celebration of Beats officially becoming an Apple subsidiary, Beats’ official Twitter account has posted a fun video advertisement that uses Siri and the Beats Pill to promote the deal. The video pokes fun at a private Dr. Dre party, and perhaps this is some joke tied to Dre spilling the beans about the Apple deal in the weeks before the official announcement in May. The end of the video also appears to poke fun at Siri not always working properly.

https://twitter.com/beatsbydre/status/495363203740618752

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Angela Ahrendts continues debut tour with employee Q&A, New York City Apple Store visits

Mark Gurman Aug 1 2014 - 5:01 pm PT

30 Comments

New Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores Angela Ahrendts is continuing her Apple debut tour this week. The former Burberry Chief Executive Officer today toured through Apple’s many stores in the New York City area and she also held a question-and-answer session with select Apple Retail Store managers earlier this week week. Ahrendts today sent a memo with a transcript of some of the Q&A points to all retail employees, and a full copy of that transcript, sent in by a source, is below:

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Beats Music CEO Ian Rogers to also lead iTunes Radio at Apple, according to report

Benjamin Mayo Aug 1 2014 - 12:20 pm PT

6 Comments

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Ian Rogers, the head of Beats Music, will now also lead iTunes Radio following the Apple acquisition. Apple wants to increase collaboration between both Beats Music and iTunes Radio by having both streaming services led by Rogers. Up to now, iTunes Radio has been headed by Jeff Robin’s team, best known for creating the software that became iTunes.

The Journal says that Rogers’ leadership will increase ‘cohesion’ between the services, which currently offer a lot of app in their end-user experiences. It is still unclear whether Apple has plans to consolidate the brands.

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Apple formally takes ownership of 13 percent of Beats from Vivendi/Universal Music Group

Ben Lovejoy Aug 1 2014 - 6:29 am PT

2 Comments

Apple’s $3B acquisition of Beats was never going to be completed overnight, and it’s only today that Apple actually completed its purchase of the 13 percent of the company that was owned by Vivendi/Universal Music Group, the world’s largest record label.

In a one-sentence press release, Vivendi announced that the sale of its shares had been completed for a total of $404M. It was expected that Apple would have acquired all of the Beats shares by the end of September, but based on the formal welcome message, it appears this may complete the sale.

While Wall Street may have been unimpressed by the acquisition, Tim Cook described it as an exciting new chapter in Apple’s history, and Eddy Cue said that the deal would help music grow again.

Apple is in the process of determining which Beats staff will join Apple, and which positions will be eliminated.

The 12 reasons Apple employees love working for the company

Ben Lovejoy Aug 1 2014 - 5:31 am PT

12 Comments

Business Insider did some trawling through the employee reviews site Glassdoor to find out what Apple employees love about working for the company.

Perhaps unsurprisingly in a company co-founded by a man who saw his mission as changing the world, the feeling that you have a chance to do just that topped the list. It’s the philosophy reflected in the memo Apple gave to new employees on their first day, saying that people who join the company want their work “to add up to something … something big … something that couldn’t happen anywhere else.”
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The Typo iPhone keyboard is back again after lawsuit, but maybe not for long

Ben Lovejoy Aug 1 2014 - 4:32 am PT

9 Comments

Seacrest’s Typo, the BlackBerry-like physical keyboard for the iPhone, didn’t last long the first time around. BlackBerry sued, describing it as “a blatant infringement against BlackBerry’s iconic keyboard,” and succeeded in getting an injunction against the $99 accessory.

Seacrest – the company co-founded by American Idol host Ryan Seacrest – responded by redesigning the keyboard and is now taking pre-orders for the Typo 2. The new model features a backlight, battery indicator and lock key, but otherwise looks strikingly similar to the original.

Shipping is scheduled for mid-September – assuming BlackBerry doesn’t have another injunction in place by then …

Wikipedia app re-launches on App Store ahead of iOS 8 integration

Mark Gurman Jul 31 2014 - 12:44 pm PT

2 Comments

The popular online service Wikipedia has re-launched its iOS app with a new native version that features editing and an offline mode. The free app has some unique features other than browsing through Wikipedia entires, as Wikipedia tells us:

Fastest way to get into the content. Other highly-rated unofficial free iOS apps have hurdles to access the content. Either downloading some content, or just simply not being able to dive right in to it. That doesn’t happen with the official app.
You can edit with this app, unlike other unofficial apps. And you can do it logged out, if you choose.
Wikipedia Zero for developing and emerging countries. If you’re on one of the participating operators, you can use Wikipedia free of data charges.

Wikipedia also shared some other important features:

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Apple seeds first beta of OS X Mavericks 10.9.5 & Safari 7.0.6/6.0.6 to developers

Mark Gurman Jul 30 2014 - 1:05 pm PT

0 Comments

Apple today provided a few new seeds to developers. First on the list is the first beta build of the upcoming OS X 10.9.5. The build is labeled as 13F7, and it will likely come as the final update to OS X Mavericks, which will be succeeded by OS X Yosemite in October. The update is available for Mavericks users signed up for pre-release updates in the Software Update section in the Mac App Store.

It also now available on the official Developer Center. Apple asks developers to focus on Safari, USB, USB Smart Cards, and Graphics for this update…

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Apple re-releases MacBook Air EFI 2.9 update after bugs discovered

Mark Gurman Jul 30 2014 - 12:56 pm PT

0 Comments

Earlier this month, Apple released a MacBook Air EFI update (version 2.9) with fixes for issues with the laptop waking from sleep. Approximately a week ago, the firmware update was removed by Apple because of bugs causing MacBook Airs to crash.

Today, Apple has re-released the update with fixes as version 2.9.1:

This update replaces EFI Firmware Update 2.9 and is recommended for MacBook Air (Mid 2011) models.

The update can be found for mid-2011 MacBook Air owners in the Software Update section of the Mac App Store.

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1Password debuts extension for third party apps on iOS 8

Zac Hall Jul 30 2014 - 12:27 pm PT

11 Comments

http://vimeo.com/102142106

The popular password and security management app 1Password has already previewed its iOS 8 extension and Touch ID support for unlocking and accessing its content outside of its iOS app, and today AgileBits has announced its 1Password app extension for third party apps as you can see in the video above.
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Apple TV overhaul not expected to debut until 2015

Zac Hall Jul 30 2014 - 11:49 am PT

11 Comments

A new report from The Information published today discussing the next generation of Apple TV says the new set-top box won’t be ready for prime time until at least 2015. This expectancy timeline aligns with previous 9to5Mac reporting on the Apple TV development progress.

According to the report, Apple employees managing the project have informed Apple TV engineers working on the next generation set-top box that it is currently not expected to reach completion in time to debut in 2014.
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Heads rolling at Beats as Apple eliminating redundant positions, Ian Rogers & Trent Reznor to stay on

Mark Gurman Jul 30 2014 - 11:28 am PT

10 Comments

As Apple’s acquisition of Beats Electronics and Beats Music nears completion this financial quarter, the Cupertino and Culver City, California-based companies have begun work on transitioning select employees and technology resources from Beats to Apple, according to sources briefed on the transition. Apple executives have visited Beats’ Southern California headquarters this week and last week to offer groups of employees positions at Apple and to notify some members of the Beats staff that they will not be included in the transition.

Many Beats employees in development and creative roles have been offered positions at Apple. Many of these employees will be offered space in Apple’s Cupertino offices, but Apple is said to plan to retain the Los Angeles-area offices, and select engineers on the Beats Music streaming service will continue working out of Southern California. An email from Apple CEO Tim Cook detailed earlier this year that Beats hardware employees would transition to Phil Schiller’s team in Cupertino, so it seems likely that the headphone and speaker makers will make up the majority of the new Cupertino staff…

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Apple lets customers in nine states know how to buy Macs and/or accessories tax-free

Ben Lovejoy Jul 30 2014 - 7:35 am PT

5 Comments

Apple is emailing customers in nine states that offer sales tax holidays to let them know they have an upcoming opportunity to buy Macs and/or accessories tax-free.

Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Mexico, South Carolina and Tennessee all offer dates on which you can buy at least some Apple gear free from sales tax. The email provides a link to a webpage where you can click on your state to find out the dates, qualifying products and the maximum spend.

Missouri appears to offer the best deal, with a wide range of products qualifying and a maximum spend of $3500. Several states require a computer to be one of the items purchased.

If you’re not fortunate enough to live in one of the qualifying states, hit up 9to5mac.com/products to find the lowest prices on Apple gear (many only charge tax in states where they operate).

We also noted yesterday that Retina MacBook Pros had dropped to their lowest-ever prices in the refurb store, and you can find more Apple deals over on 9to5Toys.

Apple profiled for renewable energy in sapphire factory, says supply-chain is now the focus

Ben Lovejoy Jul 30 2014 - 6:16 am PT

3 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHsXH6CO8Tg]

After showing more journalists around its solar-powered North Carolina data center (where it is building a third solar farm), Apple says that its new focus for renewable energy is its supply chain. The Guardian reports that the sapphire factory in Arizona forms part of this initiative.

The company is also moving to install solar and geothermal power at a plant in Mesa, Arizona that has been manufacturing sapphire glass. Apple would not directly comment on the Arizona factory but the state’s governor, Jan Brewer, has publicly praised the company’s decision to relocate there and to use solar and geothermal in manufacturing.

Apple’s VP of environmental initiatives Lisa Jackson said that the company is conscious that its supply chain cannot claim the same green credentials as Apple itself …
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AeroPress Timer app completely revamped to help you make the perfect cup of coffee

Ben Lovejoy Jul 30 2014 - 5:15 am PT

2 Comments

The freemium companion app to the amazing and popular $25 Aeropress Coffee and Espresso Maker has been completely redesigned, with new gesture-based navigation, brewing tips, a timer that tells you exactly when to add water, two-cup recipes and the ability to share recipes and photos on Twitter and Facebook.

AeroPress Timer is the perfect companion for the AeroPress. AeroPress Timer allows you to explore the versatility of the AeroPress with a catalog of carefully curated recipes.

[Version 2.0.1 introduces a] completely redesigned interface. We started from scratch with every screen and made AeroPress Timer more functional and beautiful.

We moved to a completely gesture-based navigation. We feel this is best way to navigate through AeroPress Timer. Who needs back buttons?

The app itself is free, with a choice of two in-app purchases, each priced at $1.99. The Championship Pack includes nine selected recipes from the 2014 AeroPress World Championship, and the Roaster Pack a further seven recipes “from some of the world’s best roasters.”

The revamped app is available on iTunes.

Apple support page also listed as yet unseen ‘mid-2014 iMac 27’

Ben Lovejoy Jul 30 2014 - 4:12 am PT

4 Comments

The same Bootcamp support page that either reveals an upcoming Mac mini refresh or a misprint also listed an iMac 27-inch mid-2014′ model before the page was updated – spotted by French site Consomac.

The model was listed above the 21.5-inch mid-2014 iMac released last month. That model was a low-end one, with a 1.4GHz dual-core i5 processor and 500GB hard drive. That might suggest a new entry-level 27-inch iMac is on the way – though Apple doesn’t generally offer a low-spec version of the larger iMac …
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Mid-2014 Mac mini listed on Apple Support page, but no 2014 Mac mini in sight

Benjamin Mayo Jul 29 2014 - 12:21 pm PT

39 Comments

Apple seems to have inadvertently referenced a new model of Mac mini on an Apple Support page. The page was last modified yesterday, presumably to include information on the new MacBook Pro’s but instead lists “Mac mini (Mid 2014)” as a supported machine. There is a possibility that this is simply a human error on Apple’s part, of course, confusing the MacBook Pro and the Mac mini updates. There haven’t really been rumors of a new Mac mini being in the works, but due to the relative unimportance of the product in the Mac lineup, it is not of the question for it to have slid under the radar.

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Ford will distribute 6,000 iPhones to employees over the next 2 years

Zac Hall Jul 29 2014 - 10:33 am PT

3 Comments

Ford’s recently departed CEO and President Alan Mulally may have just joined Google’s Board of Directors, but the automobile company is handing its smartphone allegiance over to Apple. A Ford spokesperson tells Bloomberg the automobile manufacturer is positioned to replace its employee BlackBerry smartphones with company-issued iPhones to be used by its global workforce.

“We are going to get everyone on iPhones,” Tatchio said. “It meets the overall needs of the employees because it is able to serve both our business needs in a secure way and the needs we have in our personal lives with a single device.”

Having all employees on the same smartphone will improve security and simplify information technology management, Tatchio said. Ford is making “no extra investment” to convert to iPhones, other than the cost of replacing the devices, she said.

According to Bloomberg’s report, Ford will distribute Apple’s iPhone to 3,300 company employees by the end of this year while the goal is to replace 6,000 phones within the next two years. The report also notes Ford is hiring for a position to monitor global corporate iPhone deployment. Globally, Ford employs about 181,000 employees ~~although it’s unclear from the report how many receive company-issued cell phones~~.
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Apple & Samsung lose share to smaller Chinese OEMs in Q2 smartphone shipment numbers

Jordan Kahn Jul 29 2014 - 9:54 am PT

4 Comments

Following releasing its second quarter data for tablet shipments worldwide, IDC today released its Q2 2014 report for smartphone shipments during the three month period that ended in June. The numbers line up with Apple’s fiscal Q3 earnings call that took place earlier this month where the company reported iPhone sales of 35.1 million units for the quarter. With 295.3 million units shipped total during Q2, and consumers anticipating a new iPhone this fall, IDC notes that both Samsung and Apple lost share to the smaller Chinese manufacturers:
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Apple confirms acquisition of Swell as website and app shut down

Mark Gurman Jul 29 2014 - 9:53 am PT

0 Comments

Apple’s acquisition of talk-radio service Swell appears to now be a done deal: the start-up’s App Store app and website shut down this morning. The website now provides the following message:

Thank you for using Swell over the past year. We wanted to let you know that the Swell service is no longer available. We’ve been inspired by the opportunity to create quality products that positively impact users’ lives, and we are grateful to all our listeners. Thank you everyone for your support!

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The ridiculously simple con that allowed a fraudster to take Apple for $309k

Ben Lovejoy Jul 29 2014 - 6:44 am PT

21 Comments

You wouldn’t think it would be easy to use a debit card on a closed account to scam an Apple Store out of around $7200’s worth of kit, but that’s what a 24-year-old fraudster is alleged to have done not just once but a total of 42 times – netting a total haul worth $309,768.

The Tampa Bay Times reports that the East Tampa resident Sharron Parrish used an absurdly simple method to persuade Apple Store staff to override payment terminals after his transactions were declined …
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Much of Tesla’s UI design team comes from Apple (Video)

Seth Weintraub Jul 29 2014 - 6:32 am PT

4 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErA3QEZ41ME&start=1754]

Javier Verdura, Director of Product Design and Project Management for Tesla Motors pulls back the curtain on Tesla design during a recent RKS Sessions design talk. While the talk and Q&A is mostly focused on the physical design of the vehicles,Verdura answers a question about the GUI design briefly at 29:14, queued above, in which he notes that Tesla’s UI design team is largely made up of Apple alumni.

Verdura next talks about the design process and how everything goes through CEO Elon Musk at the end – something that should remind people of how Steve Jobs’ Apple worked.

Whole talk here.

Javier Verdura, Director of Product Design and Project Management for Tesla Motors pulls back the curtain (electrek.co)

Apple Store refurbished Retina MacBook Pros dip to lowest prices ever, now start below $1,000

Jul 29 2014 - 6:09 am PT

0 Comments

From 9to5Toys.com:

Apple quietly released an updated lineup of Retina MacBook Pros earlier this morning and as a result, previous generation (which, let’s be honest, aren’t a big step down) refurbished models have received notable price drops.

At the low end, the October 2012 (first generation) 13-inch model has dropped $59, which has made it the first refurbished Retina MacBook Pro with a 1 year Apple warranty to dip below $1,000. This pricing isn’t completely unprecedented as we have tracked new models at $999.

A best bet: Prices for the 2013 Haswell model now start at $1,019. That’s down from $1,099 (that $20 extra will go a long way on battery life alone).

You can browse Apple’s entire refurbished offerings, but keep in mind quantities are extremely limited and popular models tend to sell out quickly. Be sure to check back frequently because inventories are constantly being replenished. Apple refurbished products have a reputation for being nearly as good as new and are still eligible for AppleCare.

Best Buy continues to be the best place to buy a new MacBook for anyone with access to an .edu email address. The big box retailer offers students an additional $100 off already discounted MacBook prices. All other buyers should follow our buying guides and 9to5Toys to keep up with the best Mac deals.

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Apple News and Brief History

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