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1,026 'Google' stories August 2010 - November 2012

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Google/Motorola says Apple’s patent claims thrown out ‘with prejudice’

Jordan Kahn Nov 5 2012 - 11:52 am PT

According to a report from Reuters, Google issued a statement that a Wisconsin federal court has decided to dismiss Apple’s “patent lawsuit with prejudice.” The report explained this particular case was brought on by Apple in part to determine what the courts considered fair and reasonable licensing terms for the patent portfolio Google acquired when purchasing Motorola.

Google said in a statement that it is still interested in making a deal with Apple “at a reasonable and non-discriminatory rate in line with industry standards”:

“We’re pleased that the court has dismissed Apple’s lawsuit with prejudice,” a Google spokeswoman said in an emailed statement on Monday…”Motorola has long offered licensing to our extensive patent portfolio at a reasonable and non-discriminatory rate in line with industry standards,” Google said in its statement. “We remain interested in reaching an agreement with Apple.”

Reuters explained the case being dismissed with prejudice means it is officially over at the trial court level. However, Apple can still appeal:
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Report profiles Google’s internal feelings over whether Apple will approve Google Maps app

Élyse Betters Nov 5 2012 - 9:01 am PT

iOS 5 Maps with Google’s backend

The Guardian published a new report today that cited unnamed sources and throws around phrases like “not optimistic” and “unlikely event” in regards to Apple ever allowing a Google Maps iOS app.

The story claimed Google’s app is ready to ship by the end of 2012, but Google is torn about the likelihood of Apple ever giving an official go-ahead:

While one source indicated increased hopes that the dedicated Google Maps iOS app will eventually be approved now that Apple’s maps leader, Scott Forstall, has departed the company, another was less than enthusiastic about any increased prospects, citing industry politics and Apple’s need to save face as much as possible and “keep moving forward in an effort to make its obviously inferior product better”. Apple unveiled the section, which on Monday listed ten free and paid-for apps, to spotlight alternative mapping apps for iOS in an effort to placate users over response to criticisms of its own Maps app.

The Guardian specifically noted Apple’s reluctance to give Google Maps any attention in iOS. The company apparently went as far as to neglect apps in the “Find maps for your iPhone” section of the App Store that use Google Maps APIs:

Further, a source at Google told me the feeling is that those apps were purposely left out of the new section because they promote Google and its “superior product” – at a time when there is so much bad blood between the companies over the continuing smartphone patent litigation (following allegations from the late Steve Jobs that Google’s Android OS ripped off iOS). In other words, no matter how bad Apple’s Maps are, the company still wants its users to move on from Google – and forget about them. This doesn’t bode well for the approval of an official Google Maps app, the source says.

Despite the pessimistic outlook of the anonymous Google sources, the Guardian said Apple and the folks in Mountain View are in constant talks. So, the tide could potentially change without any notice. With that said, they firmly believe Apple will never again make Google Maps a default mapping solution in iOS.

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Belkin unveils first third-party Lightning accessories

Élyse Betters Nov 5 2012 - 8:31 am PT

: Dock

: Car charger

Belkin just unveiled the market’s first third-party Lightning accessories.

The manufacturer said it will launch several new products designed for Apple’s Lightning connector this year, but today it specifically revealed a hardwired car charger for $29.99 and a Charge + Sync dock for $29.99.

The Lightning accessories are available for pre-order now and will become available in mid-November. Full specs for each product are available in the press release below.

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Poll: Is it socially acceptable to take photos/video with your iPad Mini?

9to5 Staff Nov 3 2012 - 5:16 am PT

With the release of Apple’s new iPad Mini, you now have a device that lives somewhere between an iPhone and a full-sized iPad. We know that while iPhone photo taking is fully acceptable, taking pictures in public with your iPad certainly is not (see middle image).

But the question, first posed on Reddit, is: with the high quality 5MP camera in the 7.9-inch display iPad Mini, is it socially acceptable to grab a snapshot with your Mini or should you keep the photos for the iPod touch and iPhone sized devices?

Oh, then there are these guys:

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First Nexus 10 reviews show off a laggy Android 4.2 (Video)

Jordan Kahn Nov 2 2012 - 10:25 am PT

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dt1ZKiZaem8&feature=youtu.be&start=72]

Reviews are starting to hit the web for Google’s new Nexus 10 tablet, its first true 10-inch iPad competitor. Most reviewers are praising the device’s display—some even calling it equal to or better than the full-sized iPad’s Retina display. Hardware aside, it appears even the latest version of Android might be the biggest source of frustration as perfectly highlighted at 1:17 in The Verge’s hands-on review above.

Stay tuned for the 9to5Google review of the Nexus 10 this weekend.

S. Korea demanding changes to naming of island in Apple’s Maps app

Jordan Kahn Nov 2 2012 - 7:13 am PT

This is not the first time Apple has been asked by government to alter imagery in its new Maps app. Google and others already work with authorities around the globe to obscure imagery of sensitive locations such as military bases. Taiwan wants images of an early-warning radar facility blurred in the app, and the Korea Times (via SearchEngineLand) reported the South Korean government is now requesting changes too:

Korea has protested to Apple Inc. over its new English-language mapping service for the iPhone, which shows both Korean and Japanese names for Dokdo, the South’s easternmost islets, an official said Wednesday… iOS 6 mobile operating software simultaneously uses Korean, Japanese and a Franco-English name, the Liancourt Rocks, to describe Dokdo, which is also claimed by Japan.

“We protested to Apple’s Korean unit that, because Dokdo is clearly an integral part of our territory, the new reference is unacceptable and it should be marked as the Korean name of Dokdo wherever it is searched for,” the official said.

“Although Apple is a private organization, this is an issue that our government cannot concede on. So, we will continue reiterating our stance and requesting Apple to accept our demand,” the official said.

Google also takes the approach of using both the Korean and English names in its Maps, as does Apple for other locations where naming varies by language. That approach isn’t acceptable to South Korean officials.

Apple has pushed back Maps turn-by-turn navigation launch to November for Australia

Jake Smith Oct 29 2012 - 6:10 pm PT

Apple was initially set to release turn-by-turn navigation for Australia sometime this month, however an update to Apple’s Maps availability webpage this evening has clued us in that the launch has been delayed. Apple is now saying the feature will be available in November, just a month after ex-iOS chief Scott Forstall announced that the turn-by-turn feature was in “qualifying stages” for Australia. The Maps feature did launch in Brunei, Egypt, Macau, Malaysia, Morocco, South Africa, Taiwan and Thailand during October — one commenter pointed out below.

We assume the delay comes after the flurry of problems that have plagued Apple’s iOS Maps. In September, CEO Tim Cook issued a public apology for Maps, saying “we strive to make world-class products that deliver the best experience possible to our customers. With the launch of our new Maps last week, we fell short on this commitment. We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better.” He went on to recommend alternatives.

It looks like Apple may also miss another October deadline. During its September press event, the company promised the redesigned iTunes 11 by the end of October. Apple has two days to hit its promise. As for Australia users, you may as well rejoice for the delay, as turn-by-turn has lead users to some pretty strange places. It happened to me last week when I was thrown nine miles off course, causing a pesky back-track.

Thanks, Ivan Pavlov!
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Google’s launches Android holiday lineup: LG Nexus 4, Samsung Nexus 10, $299 4G 32GB Nexus 7

Jordan Kahn Oct 29 2012 - 10:16 am PT

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=pHuoDqcIyqk]

Google is making some big product announcements today, despite having to cancel its event due to Hurricane Sandy. Among the announcements: a new Nexus smartphone from LG, a Samsung-built Nexus 10 tablet, and updates to Google’s 7-inch Nexus 7 lineup.

LG Nexus 4: Google is launching the much-rumored LG Nexus 4 on Nov. 13 starting at $299. Much of the specs were confirmed previously, but Google has interestingly decided to not offer an LTE-capable model of the device. It is, however, including a wireless charging dock. T-Mobile is Google’s premier launch partner for the Nexus 4. Full specs on 9to5Google.

Samsung Nexus 10: Clearly, Google’s iPad competitor, its new 10-inch offering, is a Samsung-built tablet that packs in iPad-like specs starting at $399. The Verge said its 10-inch 2,560-by-1,600-pixel resolution (same as 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro) display is “on par with the iPad’s Retina display, with sharp text, excellent color fidelity, and great viewing angles.” Full specs and more here.

Nexus 7: Google has also confirmed today that its 7-inch Nexus 7 lineup is being refreshed. Google’s iPad mini competitor will now start at $199 for 16GB, and it will offer a 32GB model for $249. Those are both Wi-Fi-only, but Google will also offer an HSPA+ 32GB model for $300, $30 less than Apple’s entry-level iPad mini. The 8GB model is gone. That 32GB HSPA+ Nexus 7 is going up the bigger iPad mini that starts at $329.

Head over to 9to5Google.com for more coverage of Google’s leaked product announcements. Oh, and Microsoft is launching Windows Phone 8 as well.

Spoof ‘banned’ iPad mini promo [Video]

Jordan Kahn Oct 29 2012 - 5:43 am PT

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Os87PLlyU4k]

You might have seen past “banned” Apple promo videos from John Elerick and crew on YouTube. The guys are out with their latest spoof Apple commercial today, but this time it is for the iPad mini. On a serious note, Amazon is taking note of some of the iPad mini’s shortcomings, as pointed out in the video, by posting a comparison of the Kindle Fire HD and the iPad mini on its website. Amazon already included the comparison in its recent earnings release, but today it posted a large graphic on its homepage that reads “Much more for much less” while comparing specs of the two devices:

Elerick’s recent banned iPhone 5 promo, also worth a watch, is below:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFUz6vHEQCM&feature=share&list=SPEFE01BA954950D82]

Tim Cook clarifies Apple’s position on 7-inch tablets

Élyse Betters Oct 25 2012 - 3:01 pm PT

Image via <a href="http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02377/cook_2377342b.jpg" target="_blank">Telegraph</a>

Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook just clarified, during Apple’s fiscal Q4 earnings call, that the iPad mini is not a 7-inch tablet because Apple does not “think they’re good products.”

Cook specifically stressed the 7.9-inch screen size of the iPad mini provides 35 percent more screen area than the 7-inch competition:

“(…) referencing all comments Steve made before about 7-inch tablets: Let me be clear, we would not make one of the 7-inch tablets. We don’t think they are good products, and we would never make one. Not just because it’s 7 inches, but for many reasons. One of the reasons…is size. I’m not sure if you saw our keynote. The difference in just the size between 7.9—almost 8—versus 7 is 35 percent. And when you look at the usable area, it is much greater than that. You know, it is from 50 percent to 67 percent. The iPad mini has the same number of pixels as iPad 2 does. You have access to all 275,000 apps in our App Store. So, iPad mini is a fantastic product. It is not a compromise product like the 7-inch tablets. It is a whole different league.”

Follow 9to5Mac’s live blog for more minute-by-minute details from the call.

[tweet https://twitter.com/llsethj/status/261588725874696192]

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Google teases ‘next version’ of Google Wallet, gauges interest among iOS users

Jordan Kahn Oct 22 2012 - 1:30 pm PT

Google is teasing the next version of its Google Wallet service today as carriers team up to launch their own ISIS mobile wallet competitor. What happens when requesting an invite to the new Google Wallet is interesting… Google asks users to select what device they use: Android, iOS, and Other. 9to5Google has the full story.

More 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro pictures surface: 2 Thunderbolt ports, HDMI, 2560×1600 resolution

9to5 Staff Oct 19 2012 - 4:08 pm PT

15″ Retina MacBook Pro above, 13″ Retina MacBook Pro below (note no speaker and port/keyboard alignment):

.

Another visit to WeiPhone.com forum thread [Google translation] (via MacRumors) from last week yields some additional new pictures of the upcoming 13-inch MacBook Pro. You can see different placement of the side jacks as they relate to the keyboard and lack of speaker.

There’s nothing unexpected but it does seem to confirm a few things:

2 Thunderbolt ports like 15-inch Retina and unlike 13-inch Pros
The Windows screens seem to confirm the 2560×1600 pixel display
HDMI port like Retina 15, unlike Pro 13.

We expect to see the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro at the October 23rd event with a base price in the $1599-1699 area. More pictures below:

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Samsung/Google’s new ARM-powered Chromebook looks like a MacBook Air, costs just $249

9to5 Staff Oct 18 2012 - 10:41 am PT

.

The price is right, and the processor is an interesting choice (ARM), but unfortunately, the look is unmistakably Apple.
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Apple has reportedly acquired HTML 5 design firm Particle for the talent

Jake Smith Oct 16 2012 - 7:42 pm PT

According to CNET, Apple has acquired HTML 5/web-app design firm Particle for an undisclosed amount. Particle has had big-name clients, such as Google, Sony, Motorola, and even Apple, over the years. The acquisition is said to be for the sole purpose of acquiring talent —or an “acqui-hire,” as one might call it—to boost Apple’s current services. CNET provided the specifics:

The deal went through late last month, though not all its less than a dozen employees stayed on to work at Apple. Those who did are listed as “creative technologists” as well as one “user interface engineer,” according to their public LinkedIn profiles.

Here is the firm’s website talking about past work for Apple:

Particle brings positive and energetic relationships with Google and the Chrome team specifically, as well as great Apple relationships and execution experience around iAds, iTunes Extras, and Apple.com. We have participated in and piloted much of the technology which will display the next generation of advertising and deliver media content for the next decade.

The iCloud web-interface is one area where the Particle team might focus in particular.

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Developer allegedly gets his hands on photos of Google’s Maps for iOS?

Jake Smith Oct 14 2012 - 2:12 pm PT

Developer Ben Guild posted alleged screenshots of Google’s upcoming Maps for iOS app. He claimed the photos show the alpha version of the app that is “speedy” and supports the iPhone 5. Further details in the report assert that Maps for iOS is vector-based and supports two-finger rotation.

The photos do not show anything too mind-boggling. However, if real, they show Google is actively working on the app which many hope is coming. Last month, we reported that Google has a Maps for iOS coming—and others agree.

The hope for Google to release a standalone app came after the flop of Maps that Apple introduced in iOS 6. Users have complained, while Apple CEO Tim Cook promised Maps would get better over time. Google chairperson Eric Schmidt voiced last week in Tokyo that Apple should have kept Google Maps: “We think it would have been better if they had kept ours. But what do I know?” He would neither confirm nor deny working on a Maps app for iOS, but he mentioned Apple would “have to approve it. It’s their choice.”

If it is released, I think it is safe to say that a Google Maps for iOS would quickly reach top of the charts in the App Store.

Update: A Twitterer shows how easy these are to fake:

[tweet https://twitter.com/r_gonzalezagui/status/257603183675850753]

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iPhone 5 beats Galaxy S III in Web traffic already despite negative Maps app press

Élyse Betters Oct 12 2012 - 10:42 am PT

Not the best looking pie chart—especially for Samsung.

Apple’s iPhone 5, at just three weeks old, is apparently experiencing more Web traffic than its three-month-old arch nemesis Samsung Galaxy S III.

The latest report from research firm Chitika depicts the iPhone 5 as gobbling up 56 percent of Web traffic volume, compared to the S III’s 44 percent, in just 18 days since it officially released. Chitika attributed the sudden growth to record-breaking sales numbers and 4G speeds:

Record-breaking sales numbers, along with new 4G browsing speeds which encourage data usage, are the most likely explanation for this tremendous growth. This latest shift in the mobile ecosystem is not welcome news for Samsung, which has positioned its device as a direct competitor to the iPhone 5.

Chitika has notably come under fire recently for publishing incorrect information on Google’s local search queries. The firm realized its errors after reading an article by SearchEngineLand. While today’s Web traffic report is significant—yet sudden— for Apple, lets hope Chitika has straightened out its metrics for analyzing Web data.

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Apple lands No. 2 spot for ‘most inDemand employer’ globally, considered desirable among students and recent grads

Élyse Betters Oct 11 2012 - 11:19 am PT

Apple just landed the No. 2 spot on LinkedIn’s fresh list of most “inDemand” employers from around the world.

The occupation-aimed social network pinpointed the most attractive companies for job seekers, and it subsequently broadcasted the list, along with its new Most InDemand Employers website, at the Talent Connect event in Las Vegas this afternoon. LinkedIn further detailed a few insights regarding the results, including: tech/software as the most represented on the list, consumer brands ranked highly, and 50-percent of the top 100 companies had under 7,000 employees.

Apple also earned third-place in the United States, just behind Walt Disney, and students and recent graduates perceive it as the second-best possible employer after Google.

Check out more details in the infographic below, or read LinkedIn’s blog post to learn more about the list’s ranking metrics.

This article is cross-posted on 9to5Google.

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US court reverses Apple’s injunction on Samsung Galaxy Nexus

Jordan Kahn Oct 11 2012 - 9:42 am PT

U.S. Judge Lucy Koh granted Apple’s request for a preliminary injunction against Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus smartphone in June, and the decision resulted in the temporary removal of the device from Google Play pending a software fix with Android 4.1. Today, Reuters reported that Apple’s U.S. injunction on the Galaxy Nexus has been reversed. TheNextWeb got its hands on the official order:

Samsung argued, somewhat humiliatingly, that the sales of the Galaxy Nexus were so poor that they didn’t pose a threat to Apple’s iPhone and that the unified search feature was not essential to the success of its device. The appeals court apparently agrees, as it states in its official order:

…it may very well be that the accused product would sell almost as well without incorporating the patented feature. And in that case, even if the competitive injury that results from selling the accused device is substantial, the harm that flows from the alleged infringement (the only harm that should count) is not.

According to Reuters, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled the court “abused its discretion in entering an injunction” and will send the case back to the California court for consideration.
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Google+, Crazy Taxi, Bad Piggies Best Egg Recipes, more

Jordan Kahn Oct 11 2012 - 8:51 am PT

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcJGdlJlbHA]
Google+ version 3.2: Google has updated its iOS app for Google+ today with a number of welcomed new features. On top of iPhone and iOS 6 support, the app now allows Google+ page owners to view, post and make comments. Other features include the ability to edit posts and “search for people and posts on iPad.”

✓ Support for iPhone 5 and iOS 6
✓ Google+ page owners can view, post and comment from mobile
✓ Ability to edit posts
✓ Ability to search for people and posts on iPad

Bad Piggies Best Egg Recipes: Rovio is today releasing its first book app in the form of a Bad Piggies themed cookbook on the App Store. Currently available for $1, the app will soon go back to its regular price of $4.99. PaidContent got a chance to check out the app at the Frankfurt Book Fair and has all the details of the launch.

Crazy Taxi: SEGA’s arcade classic Crazy Taxi makes a return on iOS today based on a port of the 2000 Dreamcast version. The app is available now on the App Store for $4.99 and features the original music from Bad Religion and The Offspring, touch and tilt controls, and Game Center support.

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Google Chairman talks Maps and Apple

Jordan Kahn Oct 11 2012 - 5:32 am PT

Google’s executive chairman Eric Schmidt sat down for an AllThingsD talk last night with Walt Mossberg. Among other topics, they not-surprisingly discussed Android and his thoughts on Apple. Much of the talk centered around Schmidt’s thoughts on the Android-Apple platform fight, which he called “the defining fight in the industry today.” He also noted there is a “huge race specifically between Apple and the Android platform for additional features,” and he commented on Apple’s Maps situation:

The Android-Apple platform fight is the defining contest. Here’s why: Apple has thousands of developers building for it. Google’s platform, Android, is even larger. Four times more Android phones than Apple phones. 500 million phones already in use. Doing 1.3 million activations a day. We’ll be at 1 billion mobile devices in a year.

At the 17:30 mark, Schmidt began to talk about Apple’s new Maps app controversy: “Apple should have kept with our maps”…
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Apple, Google, Microsoft, Nokia, Samsung and others meet with UN’s ITU for patent peace talks

Jordan Kahn Oct 10 2012 - 6:45 am PT

Update: While the meeting apparently didn’t result in any resolution, ZDnet reports the ITU’s Malcolm Johnson said the ‘heated debate’ “has gone a long way to help clarify the positions” of the companies involved:

“Today’s event has gone a long way to help clarify the positions of various stakeholders in determining the effectiveness of FRAND commitments and the impact of litigations surround standards-essential patents,”

ZDnet also reported Motorola argued “Apple was misunderstanding the way FRAND works in the telecoms industry”:

“For 20 years the [FRAND] licensing commitments made by innovators in the communications industry have been sufficient,” Warren said. “Past experience would indicate that [FRAND] has been effective… but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement to improve the present situation.”

The world’s biggest tech companies are meeting today for a Patent Roundtable with the United Nation’s International Telecommunications Union to “assess the effectiveness of RAND (reasonable and non-discriminatory) – based patent policies.” The meeting will take place at the ITU headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland; and according to several reports, it will include Apple, Samsung, Nokia, Google, Microsoft, and many of the industry’s other biggest players. The discussions follow high-profile, patent-related cases and failed settlement talks between Samsung and Apple, while the European Union continues to probe Motorola, Samsung, and others over potential abuse of the patent system. It also comes as Google’s legal chief David Drummond issued statements to the press calling for a reform on software patents.

A report from BBC noted others attending the roundtable include: Qualcomm, Cisco, Research in Motion, Intel, Philips, Huawei, Sony, and Hewlett-Packard. BBC also provided statements from the companies that submitted pre-event arguments (below).

According to the ITU, the meeting will have the following objective:
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New report suggests iPad Mini to be available with Wi-Fi only; 10-inch iPad to be updated for UK 4G network

Jake Smith Oct 9 2012 - 2:08 pm PT

Apple’s new iPad mini is expected to be announced Oct. 17; and with that launch date swiftly approaching, we have seen our fair share of rumors and leaks. A report from The Guardian today refuted a prior claim, claiming the 7.85-inch iPad mini will not include 3G or 4G and will stick with Wi-Fi instead.

Industry sources indicated to the Guardian that they do not expect to see 3G-capable versions of the iPad mini. That would allow Apple to produce it comparatively cheaply and to limit the top price of the product, while retaining mobile broadband connectivity for its pricier iPad line.

Being Wi-Fi only, it would put the iPad mini in-line to be a direct competitor with the Google’s Nexus 7 that also lacks 3G or 4G. The Amazon Kindle Fire was also without wireless capabilities until it received a refresh last month. Being without cellular connection would keep the iPad mini down on price. However, it seems like something Apple would at least make an option in fear of losing potential customers look to access data on-the-go.
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Taiwan asks Apple to blur imagery of early-warning radar facility in Maps app

Jordan Kahn Oct 9 2012 - 6:27 am PT

Turkish website Sosyalmedya reported last month that Apple was putting the country’s national security at risk by releasing high-resolution imagery of sensitive locations in its new Maps app. In that case, the issue was a clear view of a maximum-security prison. A quick comparison to Google’s Maps showed the location was obscured, something Google has been known to do upon request. There were other controversial locations discovered in the Maps app (locations that Google currently blurs), and today a report from The Associated Press noted Apple is being asked by Taiwan to obscure imagery of an early-warning radar station in the country.

Taiwan is asking Apple Inc. to blur a map image of its new $1.4 billion early warning radar station… The 10-storey high radar installation built with U.S. technology is expected to go online later this year. It’s near the Hsinchu Airbase in northern Taiwan.

According to the report, Taiwan Defense Ministry spokesperson David Lo said, “Apple should follow its rival Google in using only low-resolution satellite pictures.” The Associated Press said the facility is located near Hsinchu Airbase in northern Taiwan and will be used for monitoring aircrafts, missiles, and determining speed for targets “coming from as far as western China.”

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Analyst predicts iPad mini to outshine iPad 3, declines to give specifics

Élyse Betters Oct 8 2012 - 9:00 am PT

AllThingsD is out with a fresh report this morning about the iPad mini supposedly “outshining” the new iPad.

AllThingsD’s John Paczkowski summarized Tokepa analyst Brian White’s thoughts, citing “chatter from Apple’s overseas supply chain,” and he said the Cupertino, Calif.-based company is not “cutting corners” despite trying to keep the iPad mini’s price on-par with Google’s Nexus 7 and Amazon’s Kindle Fire. White mentioned the iPad mini possibly being even “slicker than the new iPad.”

According to the report:

Not much to go on, I realize. But White’s supply chain sources have been solid in the past, and here at AllThingsD we too have been hearing promising things about the iPad mini’s design, which sources say demands a lot of the companies manufacturing it. This is something White has been hearing, as well, and he thinks it could make the device hard to come by initially. “The new ‘iPad Mini’ is more challenging to produce than prior iPad iterations,” he says. “We believe supply will initially be constrained.”

It is interesting that White has travelled around talking to Asian suppliers and can claim the iPad mini will upstage the original iPad, but he cannot offer one specific detail on how this will happen. Perhaps he is held to secrecy on these topics.

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