Tag: apple

Apple’s Next Step to Web-Based TV Service Could Revolutionize Ongoing Programmes

Previously, it was rumoured that Apple is likely to work together with cable providers, but we heard nothing other than a Steve Jobs movie and an Apple TV set-top box. However, the Cupertino-based giant plans to penetrate more into the Television segment. Earlier today, some reports surfaced that Apple is in talks with content producers to start its own web-based TV service.

Additional rumours state that the forthcoming service would not be a full offering like the current television programming, but would rather be subscription-based that would telecast select shows. As the content would be web-based, it would be distributed on the internet only.

Apple never commented directly to enter into the Television market, however Eddy Cue, Senior Vice President of Apple, expressed his views on the ongoing TV broadcasts saying that the current TV-watching experience “sucks and needs to be reformed”.

Meanwhile, it is further learnt that the company has already started testing the prototype service at its base in Cupertino.

There is still no confirmation as to when or how this will launch or even how much will it cost; for this, viewers have to wait for an official announcement. However looking back at the success of the Apple TV ;this could be quite a revolutionary step by Apple.

February 5, 2015
Apple to Spend $2 Billion to Turn the Sapphire Glass Plant Into a Data Center

One of the most anticipated features of the new iPhones was the sapphire glass screen that would have made it practically scratch proof. But after facing multiple issues, the plan was scrapped. Apple was setting up a sapphire glass plant in the US state of Arizona, but its partner filed for bankruptcy in October last year. Now Apple plans to pump in heavy investments to convert the facility into a data center.

Apple had partnered with GT Advanced Technologies Inc in 2013 to manufacture the scratch resistant sapphire glass screens. The plans were dropped later, and the new iPhones came with hardened glass instead.

Now the failed plant will be renovated into a data center that will assist Apple with its various services. The multibillion-dollar project is one of the largest investments made by Apple; the Cupertino-based giant is known for being conservative with its spending.

The data center will act as a command center for Apple’s other data centers and networks and will handle services like iTunes, iCloud, Siri, etc. Apple plans to stretch its $2 billion investment up to ten years with a further commitment of 30 years. The center is expected to be powered by solar energy which is appreciable as data centers are extremely power intensive buildings.

February 3, 2015
Fresh Round of Rumours Emerge About Apple’s 12.9-inch iPad Plus

Seeing users’ inclination towards large screen sizes, Apple is adopting the new trend and will soon launch a 12.9-inch iPad. The MacBook Air-sized iPad is named as iPad Plus. The iPad Plus was expected to debut last year alongside the iPad Air 2, but the company called off its release in view of production issues.

The online Chinese website Weibo has revealed the features of the forthcoming Apple tablet saying that the 12.9-inch iPad Plus will feature a 2K display. The device is expected to be extremely light, less than 700 grams, and as thin as 7mm.

The iPad Plus is said to have a mammoth battery of 11,000mAh, which would be 50% more capable than the iPad Air 2.

The source also remarked that that the Cupertino-based firm may halt the sales of iPad Mini 3 for people to focus on iPad Mini 4, whereas the iPad Mini 2 will continue to sell in the market.

February 2, 2015
Apple Grabs Top Spot from Samsung in the Largest Smartphone Vendor Race

Gone are those days when Apple used to console itself seeing Samsung receiving for world’s largest manufacturer achievement. Samsung has long enjoyed the reputation of being the biggest smartphone vendor in the world. But this time, Apple has snatched the accolade from its lap and is happily showing off the award as the world’s largest smartphone vendor.

According to an analysis by a trusted company, Creative Strategies, Apple has set a benchmark by selling 74.5 million iPhones. It is the biggest quarterly profit by any company in the history of smartphone trade. However, Samsung says that it has sold as much as 95 million handsets in total, out of which 71 million – 75 million are smartphones. Well, the South Korean producer is just putting ahead big numbers to cover its defeat.

The picture above clearly speaks of Apple’s win over the other vendors. The analyst for Creative Strategies, Ben Bajarin crowns Apple as the winner this time. However, another analysis firm Strategy Analytics claims that both Apple and Samsung shipped the same number of phones in the fourth quarter last year – 74.5 million smartphones.

Few days back, Apple saw record-breaking fiscal Q1 2015 earnings of $74.6 billion, out of which $18 billion was the net profit. This net gain figure put Apple in the topmost spot in terms of revenue. The soaring sales of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus is the reason behind this success.

Though Apple has acquired the top position, Samsung will not sit back and let the Cupertino-based giant enjoy the prestige. It will surely work on a unique product to entice more customers. It would be exciting to see what Samsung comes up with next.

January 29, 2015
Apple Ties With Samsung For the Top Spot in the Global Smartphone Market

Apple is celebrating one of its biggest victory in its history. The Cupertino, California based iPhone maker has noted a $18 billion of net profit in last quarter, making it the most profitable quarter ever, not just for Apple, but for any company.

Now, new statistics have drawn in, putting both Apple and its arch-rival Samsung on the top slot in the last quarter of 2014. According to research firm Strategy Analytics, the iPhone maker’s global market share has grown to 20 percent, from 18 percent last year, while Samsung’s fortune headed the opposite direction dropping the firm to that same 20 percent figure from 30 percent in the year-ago period.

With Apple’s big screen iPhone, a bigger display is no longer a reason to buy Samsung’s devices

While Samsung still remains number one when it comes total shipments of the year 2014, Apple has matched Samsung’s fourth-quarter shipments of 74.5 million smartphones. The major reason of these interesting figures in Apple’s sixth generation iPhones which embraced larger screens and LTE trends to excite Asian consumers.

Samsung has been struggling to keep up with Apple in the high-end smartphone market and likes of Xiaomi and Micromax in the low-end market. With Apple’s big screen iPhone, a bigger display is no longer a reason to buy Samsung’s devices, and its smartphones can’t reach the low prices of those from Chinese and Indian vendors.

Apple took three year to comeback as a top dog in the tech industry, after Samsung replaced it in 2012. There has been a drastic shift in the global smartphone shipments which grew by 31 percent, to a record of 380.1 million units, in the fourth quarter of 2014. And it seems Apple is not having trouble holding a large chunk of the global market. Good Luck, Samsung.

January 29, 2015
Apple Records The Most Profitable Quarter in Corporate History

Apple has released its fiscal Q1 2015 earnings and the result is pretty staggering. Well, the Cupertino, California-based iPhone maker has broken all the records with most profitable quarter ever not just in Apple history but in corporate history.

The company reported $74.6 billion in revenue, $18 billion in net profit representing $3.06 per share. The $18 billion net profit put it in the top spot. Russia’s Gazprom (the largest natural gas extractor in the world) previously held the record at $16.2 billion in a quarter.

Apple’s own guidance from its last earnings release predicted between $63.5 billion and $66.5 billion in revenue, with gross margin between 37.5 percent and 38.5 percent. Apple’s guidance has been accurate for the past year and a half, with the upper end of the forecast very close to what it actually reported. But this time, Apple was conservative and easily surpassed its own guidance.

Apple’s Q1 2015 International Revenue

Tim Cook talking to the press said that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Pus’s soaring sales are the main reason of this outstanding success. According to recent market analysis, this quarter saw largest number of consumers using iPhones and well as the largest number switches from Android to iOS.

This quarter also saw Apple becoming the biggest smartphone manufacturer in China in term of shipments with staggering $16.1 billion in revenue. The company didn’t reveal the detailed region specific numbers, however, the total international sales represented 65 percent of Apple’s revenue.

Apple’s soaring international revenue points towards very bright future of the company not just in terms of hardware but also it’s iOS ecosystem. Sixth generation iPhones have played a major role in this staggering success which embraced large screen and LTE to swell its sales exponentially in the global market.

January 28, 2015
Tim Cook Confirms Apple Watch to Debut in April

The smartwatch by Apple is the next big awaited announcement from the Cupertino-based giant. The Apple Watch will make a debut in April this year, confirmed the CEO of Apple, Tim Cook.

Tim stated that the Apple Watch is under development, and that he has high expectations from its upcoming debut-

My expectations are very high on it. I use it every day. I love it and can’t live without it.

This statement condemns the earlier rumours which assured that the Apple Watch would launch in the first quarter of 2015.

The revelation has come at the time when Apple is riding high on success. Recently, Apple witnessed a record-breaking sale of over 74 million iPhones.

Users will see three variants of the Apple Watch: first is the regular Apple Watch that would have a case of stainless steel, second variant is the Apple Watch Sport that will hold a fluoroelastomer band and anodised aluminium case, and the last one is the Apple Watch Edition with an 18-karat gold case. The device will be compatible with the latest iPhone models – iPhone 5, 5S, 5C, 6 and 6 Plus.

Apple Watch has a personalised interface and a Digital Crown that sits at the right side of the watch to help navigate better. The Apple Watch will be available in six designs with interchangeable straps. The built-in speaker phone and microphone can be used to receive calls.

January 28, 2015
Apple Takes The Top Spot in China, Dethrones Xiaomi and Samsung

We are all familiar with Apple’s soaring sales of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Apple recently revealed its record Q1 sales, surpassing even the highest analyst iPhone sales expectations as it set new iPhone sale records and new company record, too.

Now, a Chinese data firm Canalys has released its latest report that the Cupertino based manufacturer has risen to the top spot in the highly competitive Chinese market for the first time. The report also mentioned that it is highly surprising considering the price of its devices is ‘nearly double those of its nearest competitors’.

While the home grown smartphone giants of China are aiming for global expansion, the iPhone maker has turned the table towards the domestic market. The report highlights that the major reason of the success is the that Apple is finally embracing the LTE and large screen trends which are the most vital parameters in Chinese market.

Apple captured a record 33 percent market share in South Korea in November 2014, according to Hong Kong-based market research company Counterpoint. Samsung, arch-rival of Apple has been shunned to the third place, tailing behind Apple is China’s Xiaomi.

Apple will be reporting it last quarter earning next Tuesday in detail.

January 28, 2015
Apple Faces Flak for Apple Watch’s Terrible Battery Life

Apple may have announced the Apple Watch but there are still very limited details about the smartwatch available. We’re still uncertain about when it might be available. And obviously, one of the biggest concerns is its battery life. Smartwatches are judged on the bases of their battery life; no one needs another device that needs constant recharge. It seems Apple Watch is no different.

9to5Mac reported, the iPhone maker is having trouble achieving the target battery life for the Apple Watch. Apple has aimed for its upcoming smartwatch to last a full day on a single battery charge, but the reality may fall short of the goal.

According to the report, Watch’s beefy processor and high quality screen hogs in the battery juice really fast, severely impacting the battery life of the smart watch. It might only last 2.5 to 5 hours of battery life on active use.

The company hoping to achieve its goal of three days on standby mode and four days in sleep mode. But the wearable device may last only two to three days in either standby or low-power mode, according to 9to5Mac. The Apple Watch was expected to change the scenario of poor battery life of smartwatches. However, the Apple Watch’s battery life doesn’t sound much better than already-available smartwatches.

The battery life has remained a source of concern for Apple over the past year, and was a contributing factor for Apple pushing back the retail launch from an originally planned late 2014 to early 2015.

The company has now set a March shipping date for the smartwatch. The Apple Watch will be priced at $349 and will be available by early 2015. It will come in three variations – Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and the Apple Watch Edition. The wearable will be compatible with iPhone 5, 5S, 5C, 6 and 6 Plus.

January 24, 2015
Dropbox to Soon Drop Support for Macs Running OS X 10.5 or Older Versions

Upgrade your iMac’s to OS X 10.6 or above, or Dropbox will not work on your system. This statement has come from Dropbox itself who has notified users of older versions through an email that their services will be discontinued on the systems running OS X 10.5 and below. The support for the older version will be taken back starting 18th May.

The service provider says that if users, after the decided date, still run their Macs on Leopard or earlier OS X versions, user will be signed out of the Mac app automatically. Although, the Dropbox service will continue to work. The person would not be able to sign in again till he/she gets a newer version of the OS X.

The company assured the users that even if they don’t update, their photos, videos and other files are safe with them. The same can be accessed through the official Dropbox website.

One of the users using older OS X version stated the issue on the Dropbox Forum page –

We noticed that you’re running the Dropbox desktop application (client) on an older operating system (OS X Tiger 10.4 or OS X Leopard 10.5). We’re writing to let you know that as of May 18th, Dropbox will no longer support these older versions of OS X.

Meanwhile, the app developers have given enough time to get the systems upgraded as the changes will come into effect on 18^thMay.

January 21, 2015
Apple’s 12-inch iPad Pro Might Include a Stylus as an Optional Accessory

Steve Jobs had a firm belief in simplicity of design, which was one of the reasons why he never liked the idea of a stylus. It was pretty evident, in his 2007 Macworld conference speech, when Jobs kept repeating “Who wants a stylus?”. He dismissed it stating that humans are born with one of the best pointing devices available, referring to our fingers, so why not use it?

However, under Tim Cook’s guidance, Apple has made some drastic changes in the design philosophy of its products. Now, according to KGI Securities, Apple might bring out a stylus accessory for its iPad products, expected to be first introduced with the rumoured 12-inch iPad Pro.

According to KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the stylus will be an optional accessory, as the expensive stylus would drive the base cost of the iPad higher.

Apple’s proposed haptic stylus from a 2010 patent application

Looking at technical details of the stylus, Kuo predicts it will charge via a Lightning connector, believing a more convenient wireless charging solution would also add to the expense. Kuo also believes the initial stylus model will not include a gyroscope accelerometer, but future models could include the component to support ‘3D handwriting’ to allow the user to write on other surfaces or even in air.

There is a big difference between supporting hardware stylus and requiring them to use the product (like Samsung’s Note series.) As an optional accessory, it is pretty clear that Apple’s offering will be more of a niche purchase.

Anyhow, the inclusion of stylus in Apple’s much talked about 12-inch iPad makes sense. Many third-party companies offer rudimentary stylus accessories today, although none seem to have had widespread uptake. An Apple-branded stylus would definitely help adoption, of course.

Watch the full 2007 Macworld Keynote below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7EfxMOElBE

January 19, 2015
Now, Purchase an Apple Iphone6 by Vodafone with Zero Down-Payment

Apple launched the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in India in the October of 2014. The devices received acclaim for their features such as continuity and Apple Pay, but also drew flak for issues such as “bendability” in the iPhone 6 Plus. The devices are priced for the premium segment so they are out of reach of many. If you really wanted to own Apple’s latest flagship, Vodafone is giving you an option to own the device that is light on your pocket.

In the open market, the 16GB variant of the iPhone 6 comes for Rs 53,500 and the iPhone 6 Plus is priced at Rs 62,500. But Vodafone is offering the handsets for a monthly EMI of Rs 3,599 for both the iPhone variants. The period of EMI is 24 months. The monthly EMI includes handset cost, local/STD calls, local/national SMS and 3G data and applicable taxes.

The best part about this deal is that there is zero down payment for the 16 GB variant of the iPhone 6.The iPhone 6 Plus though is available for a down payment of Rs 8,490.

Vodafone India has launched tariff plans today where the customer can make calls, send SMS and access 3G data bundled with an iPhone starting at Rs. 2,099.

The company has also offered deals with a 12 month EMI option or upfront cash payment. Vodafone has also offered an additional cash-back offer of Rs 3,000 for all models of the iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 5s.

January 16, 2015
Ericsson Starts a New Patent War, This Time With Apple

Apple and Ericsson are suing each other in the US court after failing to reach an agreement regarding the pricing of wireless-tech patents used by various smartphone manufacturers.

According to Apple, Ericsson is seeking excessive royalties for its LTE patents, even though, they are not essential to the industry cellular standards anymore. The iPhone maker has asked the Federal Court of California to rule that Ericsson’s patents are not essential for long term evolution.

Apple’s spokesperson said that the royalties should be based on the value of the processor chip that includes the technology, and not by hierarchy. However, if the court decides to deem the patents essential and charge Apple for its infringement, Apple wants the court to assign a reasonable royalty rate.

Both the companies currently have a license agreement that covers many of Ericsson’s allegedly standard-essential patents. The agreement was signed in 2008, soon after Apple launched the iPhone.

Ericsson has a long history of patent war, in 2012, it sued Samsung Electronics Co. for infringement, saying the South Korean phone maker failed to extend a licensing deal after years of negotiations. The two sides reached a settlement a year ago with a new licensing deal over wireless technology in smartphones, TVs, tablets and Blu-ray disk players.

You might recall, one of the recent patent wars Ericsson was involved in, was the Xiaomi patent infringement in India which led to the Chinese company’s temporary ban in the country. Ericsson sued Xiaomi saying the Chinese phone maker hadn’t licensed its inventions. Ericsson spokesman says that the company holds several essential patents for 2G, 3G and 4G wireless technology, which means any seller of products compliant with those standards must secure licenses.

January 14, 2015
New Screenshots Reveal How an iPhone App will Control the Apple Watch

Everyone is waiting to get their hands on Apple’s new smart watch. Although it is one of the late entrants in the smartwatch segment, it is one of the most awaited devices around. Months ago, at the mega-event held in Cupertino, the company claimed that the Apple Watch will be highly customizable. However, the details about how that would be achieved were few, until now.

Yesterday, it was reported that the latest iOS 8.2 beta will come with an Apple Watch application for the iPhone through which the smartwatch can be customized. The app, which is referred to as the ‘Companion app’ , manages settings for Apple Watch applications, as well as settings for iPhone-Apple Watch interactivity.

The publication also revealed some screenshots of the ‘Companion app’ which gives us little insight of the new functions expected. According to screenshots, users will be able to manage and organize applications on the Apple Watch Home Screen via a virtual view on the iPhone Companion application.

Most of the functionality of the Apple Watch will be decided via the companion app, including alert and notification preferences, as well as some of the visuals you see on the wearable. The layout for the cluster of application icons on the Apple Watch’s home screen can be managed from the companion app, using a virtual preview.

According to the images, Apple Watch will rely heavily on voice commands for texting, browsing and other functions.

There’s also the option to have the Apple Watch unlock any time a user unlocks his or her iPhone, so long as the watch is attached to their body.

Apple Watch was announced back in September 2014 along with Apple iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Pay. The company has said that it will ship in “early 2015,” however, it is widely expected that the Watch might ship in by March.

Want to know more about the Apple Watch? Click here.

January 14, 2015
Adobe, Intel, Google, and Apple Reach Settlement in Employee Poaching Lawsuit

Silicon Valley’s biggest names got together to a reach a settlement in an employee poaching lawsuit. The case was filed against Apple, Google, Intel and Adobe in 2011 by tech sector workers. It stated that these tech giants limited job mobility for workers and thus limited salary growth too. Now these companies have come together for an agreement to settle the case.

Last year, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, rejected the settlement amount of $324.5 million, calling it too low. The settlement was rejected after one of the complainant objected to the amount. That complainant has agreed to the new undisclosed settlement amount which was offered by the tech giants. Judge Lucy Koh has said that to match the earlier settlement, the amount must be at least $380 million to address the loss of potential wages to the employees.

The case is mostly based on the emails between Apple Co-founder Steve Jobs and ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt along with heads of other rival companies. The emails detailed their plans to resist from poaching each others’ top engineers. This would lead to limited opportunity for the engineers to grow in the market.

The complainants (plaintiffs) will be filing a detailed explanation of the new deal “imminently”. The Judge will then have the option of accepting or rejecting the settlement. Guess the lesson from this case is to be good at your job, but not that good that your employer will try to keep you in forever.

January 14, 2015