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Tim Cook says Apple plans to release corporate diversity data

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

As we reported earlier, Tim Cook is in attendance at Allen & Co.'s annual Sun Valley conference in Idaho this week. The conference is a major gathering for executives in technology and media industries, and has in the past facilitated high profile negotiations.

During a Q&A session this afternoon, Cook was asked if Apple planned to release data on its corporate diversity—something the company has been criticized over many times— at any point. Cook said it will eventually, but right now it's "more focused on actions."

Apple Design Award-winning games Blek, Monument Valley and Threes on sale

Cody Lee ∙ July 9, 2014

Good news gamers! It appears that there are multiple sales going on right now for iOS games that won an Apple Design Award this summer. Blek, Monument Valley and Threes! have all been discounted for a limited time.

For those unfamiliar with the titles, Blek is an addictive title that sees players draw paths to hit objects without crashing. Monument Valley is an Escher-inspired puzzle game, and I believe most folks have heard of Threes!.

Disney iTunes sales briefly halted in Japan over licensing dispute

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

Folks in Japan may have noticed that newer Disney movies like Frozen and Thor: The Dark World have been unavailable for purchase in iTunes over the past few days. You could rent the titles, but the option to buy them had been removed.

Good news this morning though, as it looks like Disney has resumed iTunes sales in the country. Variety is reporting that the temporary halt was due to difficulties in negotiations over the renewal of the old contract between the two firms...

New photos and video show alleged rear shell of 4.7-inch iPhone 6

Cody Lee ∙ July 9, 2014

Several new hi-res photos, and a video, surfaced this morning of what is said to be an actual rear shell of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. The part looks similar to previous leaks, with a cutout Apple logo and thick antenna breaks at the top and bottom.

The photos come from Feld & Volk, a Moscow-based company that sells modified versions of the iPhone. The firm says it came across the shell thanks to its relationship with Apple suppliers, which enables it to get a head start on modifying...

Apple’s Cook and Cue spotted at Sun Valley media conference, check out the photos

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

Allen & Company's annual Sun Valley retreat is kicking off today and a host of media, entertainment and technology executives are now arriving at the Idaho resort.

Among the guests: Apple CEO Tim Cook and Eddy Cue, a Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services who also happens to handle Apple's relations with Hollywood studios and record labels.

The two men were photographed wondering around the resort. An attempt by one journalist to find out whether the executives are in attendance to cut media deals could not yield a satisfactory response...

OS X Yosemite Developer Preview usage 4x greater than Mavericks

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 9, 2014

Adoption rates of the OS X Yosemite Developer Preview are smashing records with four times greater usage than its predecessor, OS X Mavericks. Developers' striking interest in the software is evidenced by usage stats web analytics firm Chitika provided Wednesday.

According to data, adoption figures of the Yosemite betas in North America have significantly outpaced those of OS X Mavericks, by as much as a factor of four.

Early adopters have helped OS X Yosemite Developer Preview hit 0.20 percent of total U.S. and Canadian web traffic originating from Mac OS X. By comparison, the OS X Mavericks Developer Preview was only able to hit a meager 0.05 percent mark after 30 days...

Vimeo’s Apple TV app revamps UI, adds on-demand trailers, staff favorites and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 9, 2014

Video-sharing service Vimeo has had its stock channel on Apple's $99 Apple TV media-streaming box for quite some time now. For those unfamiliar with it, Vimeo on the Apple TV provides basic functionality in terms of streaming your own videos, watching trending clips and other nice-to-haves.

Today, the company has announced a major rethinking of its Apple TV presence with a much-improved app focused on simplifying navigation while adding new features...

Gap between Roku and Apple TV is widening

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 9, 2014

A lot has changed since a Frost & Sullivan Consumer Video Devices Market report last August determined that Apple’s $99 Apple TV was the most-used set-top box in terms of content streaming, owning a whopping 56 percent share of streaming device sales, more than twice the share of the #2 Roku, which took 26 percent share of sales.

A month later, Roku said its set-top box was more popular for streaming than Apple TV and now a report from researcher Parks Associates reveals that a gap between Roku's and Apple's device is widening...

Retina MacBook Air hits roadblocks as Intel’s Broadwell chips face new delays

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 18, 2016

It's hardly a secret that Apple is looking to phase out non-Retina models from its MacBook Pro lineup.

Furthermore, the expected switch to all-Retina notebooks should over time affect Apple's ultra-portable MacBook Air model, too.

I mean, even Apple's Taiwan-based suppliers have been adamant that a long-expected version of the MacBook Air with Apple's Retina display is due in the second half of 2014.

Unfortunately, it's now almost certain that a Retina MacBook Air won't see the light of day this year because the crucial components - Intel's next-generation, extremely low-power Broadwell chips - reportedly won't be available in volume until mid-2015...

Beijing ruling spells trouble for Apple’s Siri in China

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 9, 2014

Apple's ability to use Siri as a competitive weapon in the 1.33 billion people market of China - its second-largest market by revenue - could be compromised. A Beijing court has now ruled against Apple by upholding the validity of a patent related to the personal assistant feature held by a Chinese company called Zhizhen Network Technology.

The ruling clears the way for Zhizhen to continue its own case patent infringement case against Apple. Specifically, the Shanghai-based firm is now asking the court to block Apple from selling devices with Siri installed. The iPhone maker is of course expected to appeal the verdict...

Pixelbite announces ‘Reckless Racing 3’ coming this fall

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

Good news this morning for all of you mobile gaming fans. Pixelbite has announced that Reckless Racing 3, a sequel to its popular top-down racer, is in the works and will be landing on iOS and Android devices this fall.

For those unfamiliar with Reckless Racing, it first debuted in the App Store in 2010. Known for beautiful visuals and A+ soundtracks, the franchise has already churned out 2 hit games. And now it's looking for a third...

New report says Foxconn’s robots will play more of a supporting role in factories

Cody Lee ∙ Updated August 29, 2016

Earlier this week, word got out that Foxconn is preparing to deploy sophisticated robots to help assemble devices in its factories. The so-called 'Foxbots' have been in testing for years now, and CEO Terry Gou says the first units will help manufacture Apple’s iPhones.

Today, a new report is out from Taiwan's United Daily News that offers up new details on the program. According to the outlet, the robots will play more of a supporting role initially. Foxconn employees will still be responsible for general assembly and quality control...