Apple

IDC: Apple, Android own 92% smartphone volume, Windows Phone beats BlackBerry

Ed Sutherland ∙ May 16, 2013

Just days after rival research firm Gartner released quarterly sales for iOS and Android, rival IDC today announced similar numbers for shipments of smartphones. Combined, iOS and Android maintained their stranglehold on the smartphone market, accounting for more than an astounding 92 percent of shipments during the first quarter of 2013.

In a surprising move, shipments of the Windows Phone smartphone operating system surpassed the BlackBerry OS, putting Microsoft in third place behind Android and iOS. I bet you didn't see that one coming...

Tim Cook defends Apple’s offshore tax practices ahead of senate hearing

Cody Lee ∙ May 16, 2013

Yesterday, word got out that Tim Cook would be testifying at a senate hearing next week over Apple's tax practices. The hearing was called after the iPad-maker took on billions in debt to fund its shareholder return plan, rather than paying taxes on its offshore cash.

The move reportedly saved the Cupertino company around $9 billion in various tax charges, bringing it to the forefront of an ongoing debate about the legality of offshore tax evasion. But in a recent interview, Tim Cook says that Apple isn't doing anything wrong...

How Apple and Google tabulate app downloads

Sébastien Page ∙ May 16, 2013

Two big numbers were coincidentally dropped yesterday. First, Google announced 48 billion applications had been downloaded from the Google Play Store. Shortly after, Apple announced that its App Store had seen 50 billion downloads so far. Big numbers indeed, but how exactly do Apple and Google count app downloads? The Next Web Managing Editor Matthew Panzarino asked both companies and this is what he found:

Both Apple and Google tabulate unique downloads of apps per user account. This means that they count only one download of an app no matter how many devices that you install that app on after you purchase it. Neither company counts updates in its app download numbers. These are purely single downloads from their stores.

Read the full article at The Next Web.

Another concept imagines iOS 7 running on next-gen iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 16, 2013

Following recent budget iPhone concept by Martin Hajek (itself based on nice iOS 7 mockups by 3D artist Dámaso Benítez), German blog Apfellike.de yesterday shared a similar rendition by Jürgen Ulbrich. Like many 3D artists before him, Dámaso is striving to envision what iOS 7 running on the next iPhone might look like. I'm liking his work a lot and have included a few images and a nice video mockup right after the break...

DoJ says Steve Jobs email proves Apple’s guilt in e-book scandal

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Things are really starting to heat up between Apple and the US Department of Justice over this e-book price fixing scandal. The DoJ filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple last year for allegedly conspiring with major book publishers to raise e-book prices.

And with the trial set to kick off in a few weeks, there's beginning to be a lot of activity between the two. Yesterday, a DoJ filing popped up that called Apple out for facilitating the price fixing. And today, a potentially damning email from Steve Jobs has surfaced...

Try Google’s new Hangouts app now

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 26, 2017

Previously code-named Babel, Google yesterday announced its new cross-platform unified messaging product called Hangouts. Shortly after, the software surfaced on Apple's App Store and Google's Play store for Android.

In replacing Google Talk, Hangouts supports one-on-one and group chatting across desktop, Android and Apple devices and includes photos, emoji, and video calls.

In a nutshell, the app integrates messaging from Google’s GTalk, Google+ Messenger, Hangouts and Voice products. But that's just scratching the surface as Google obviously has big plans with the product...

More alleged iPhone 5S components surface, suggesting internal overhaul

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 16, 2013

BGR, the tech blog with a mixed track record, is known for occasionally leaking credible information about Apple's upcoming products. And with the next iPhone looming on the horizon, BGR has exclusively obtained high-quality parts photos believed to depict a number of internal components for the iPhone 5S.

From what we could glean from these shots, Apple's handset could undergo a more substantial internal overhaul than previously thought. Go past the fold for full details...

Apple patent links iDevice cameras for ‘social flash’

Ed Sutherland ∙ May 16, 2013

The iPhone is quickly becoming (or already has) the hottest digital camera on the planet. Not only does it have terrific imaging power, but with its screen is able to easily compose attractive shots. Knowing the power of the iPhone and other iDevices, Apple continually tweaks its photo-imaging capabilities.

The latest evidence being a new patent application describing a way to combine the resources of multiple devices to provide what's being called a 'social camera flash.' The idea isn't new. So-called slave flashes that act on the command of a main camera have been in professional photo studios for years. However, Apple's patent application envisions iPhones, iPads and iPods linked wirelessly to illuminate a scene...

Apple reveals 50 billionth app download winner

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 5, 2018

Apple crossed a major milestone yesterday afternoon, with the official App Store Twitter channel confirming the company hit 50 billion app downloads. As part of its countdown promotion, the iPhone maker today issued a press release revealing the lucky winner who won a $10,000 iTunes Gift card, good for apps, videos, books and music. Additionally, per Apple's rules fifty additional lucky winners will take home $500 iTunes gift cards each...

Tim Cook expected to testify in Senate hearing on offshore tax practices next week

Cody Lee ∙ May 15, 2013

In a recent bond offering, Apple took on billions of dollars in debt in order to finance an initiative to return some of its cash to shareholders. Its plan is to give $100 billion back to investors, by way of dividends and stock buybacks, by 2015.

Since most of its cash is offshore, Apple's decision to take on debt instead of tapping its own $150 billion cash pile helped it sidestep an estimated $9 billion in taxes. Unfortunately, it's also caught the attention of the US government...

App Store hits 50 billion downloads

Cody Lee ∙ May 15, 2013

Apple's App Store just crossed a major milestone this afternoon. Just a few moments ago, the digital storefront passed the 50 billion download mark, bringing the company's "50 Billion App Countdown" to an end.

The winner of the countdown promotion, who has yet to be revealed, will be given a $10,000 iTunes gift card, good for apps, videos, books and music. And fifty additional lucky winners will receive $500 gift cards...

Google takes on Spotify and iTunes with $9.99 music streaming service

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 6, 2020

The Internet giant kicked off its annual Google I/O developer conference with a three-hour long (!) keynote at San Francisco's Moscone West, the same venue Apple reserved for its own five-day event next month. During the keynote, Google executives announced a much-rumored streaming music service that's bound to give headache to the likes of Spotify, Rdio and Pandora.

Dubbed somewhat confusingly Google Play Music All Access, Google's Android executive Chris Yerga noted on stage that "music unites us" and is "universal". And with computing and mobile devices intertwined into our lives "there's potential to bring that joy together." Go past the fold for full details...