Apple

An Inside Look at the Insane Measures Apple Takes to Protect Its Unreleased Products

Alex Heath ∙ September 10, 2011

It's no secret that Apple takes ridiculous security measures for its unreleased products that probably put the White House to shame. You can see Apple's intense determination to recover its lost iPhone prototype unfold in how an internal security team allegedly posed as police and searched a man's home after threatening his family.

There have been countless stories of the strict protocols that Apple takes to keep its secrets hidden from the preying public, and a new report has surfaced that offers some new insight into how Apple keeps its pre-release hardware on lockdown...

Lowe’s Adding 42,000 iPhones as Portable Payment Systems for the Store Floor

Alex Heath ∙ Updated October 25, 2016

Lowe's home improvement is in the process of deploying 42,000 iPhones to employees to serve as portable payment systems in its retail locations throughout the US, according to Bloomberg. The iPhones will be used by Lowe's employees to help answer customer questions and handle transactions on the store floor.

If this sounds familiar, it's because Apple does the exact same thing with iPod touches in its retail stores. Has a retail trend begun?

Conan Mocks the Lost iPhone 5 Prototype

Alex Heath ∙ Updated February 6, 2016

Apple's lost iPhone 5 prototype has been making the headlines as of late. The San Francisco police just launched an internal investigation into the scandal, and the prototype is still out there in the wild somewhere.

Funnyman Conan O'Brien has put together a parody Apple video about the lost iPhone prototype. Check it out...

Apple Tops J.D. Power Satisfaction Survey for Smartphone Users, Again

Alex Heath ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

J.D. Power has ranked Apple as the top smartphone vendor in customer satisfaction, again. In the latest report for its semi-annual survey, Apple has placed above HTC in customer satisfaction, and also scored better than any other mobile company across the board.

This survey would be Apple's sixth consecutive win with J.D. Power. Count 'em: six.

Radio Shack to Get Verizon iPhone 4 on September 15, Better Late Than Never?

Alex Heath ∙ September 8, 2011

9to5Mac is reporting that Radio Shack will start carrying the Verizon iPhone 4 in its retail stores on September 15, only a few weeks before Apple's expected iPhone 5 announcement.

Radio Shack has promised to sell Verizon handsets in September, but it's odd that they would choose to kick it all off with the iPhone 4. Why not just wait until the next iPhone comes out? Do they know something we don't?

Should the iPhone Get a Smart Cover?

Alex Heath ∙ Updated November 12, 2019

When Apple introduced the Smart Cover for the iPad 2, everyone went nuts! "It's magical!" "What a genius design!" — Apple had made the coolest thing since sliced bread.

We recently showed you a concept for a 'Smart Keyboard' on the iPhone, and it got us thinking: Should the iPhone have its own Smart Cover, too?

Apple Attempts to Block the Sales of Samsung Galaxy Products in Japan

Alex Heath ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

The war of the copycats rages on, with Apple now looking to block sales of Samsung's Galaxy series in Japan. After already filing a lawsuit against Samsung in the US, Australia, Europe, and even the company's home turf in South Korea, Apple has demanded that a ban be put in place on the sales of Samsung's Galaxy tablets and smartphones in Japan as well.

When will it ever end!

Facebook’s Latest iPhone App Update a Twitter Rip-Off?

Oliver Haslam ∙ September 8, 2011

Facebook's iPhone app has been called out by the guy behind Twitter's iPhone app, after he spotted more than a little similarity between the two apps after a recent update. Facebook version 3.5 has received a bit of a makeover, with the new status compose screen seeing the biggest change – a change that makes it look very familiar with the Twitter compose screen.

As the picture above shows all too well, it would appear that someone at Facebook is a fan of the competition's iPhone app, with the two sporting very similar designs...

Apple’s Point-of-Sale System for the iPhone Detailed in New Patent

Oliver Haslam ∙ September 8, 2011

Apple may be widely known for its consumer and prosumer products, with Macs, iPhones and iPads providing its core business, but a new patent details what could be a move into the world of business and retail, with a new Point-of-Sale system in the pipeline.

While we doubt it will feature the tell-tale glowing Apple logo, the glorified barcode scanner does feature one Apple trait – it fixes a problem than many store workers don't know they have...

San Francisco Police Launches an Investigation into Missing iPhone 5 Search

Oliver Haslam ∙ September 8, 2011

There have been more developments in the case of San Francisco police helping Apple search a man's home in the hunt for a missing prototype iPhone, according to CNET, with the news that the police department is conducting an official, internet investigation into the role its officers played in the search.

San Francisco resident Sergio Calderon opened the door one day in July, to be confronted with what he thought was a group of plain clothed police officers. What he wasn't aware of was the fact that the individuals who entered his home were actually Apple's own security team, with the people who remained outside being the only ones who were actual police officers.

iPhone 4 Shipping Times Extended to 1-3 Days, Product Refresh Imminent [Updated]

Alex Heath ∙ September 8, 2011

Apple has extended shipping estimates for nearly all of its products on its online store, including the iPhone 4. Many of Apple's products would usually ship within 24 hours, but estimates have been moved to a longer timeframe across the board.

The changes are visible in the US and European Apple stores, though shipping estimate changes were initially discovered in the European channel last night...

Apple Bullies “iCloud Communications” Out of Its Name and Web Site

Oliver Haslam ∙ September 8, 2011

It seems that Apple's iCloud has won another battle – a battle over its own name. Ars Technica reports that iCloud Communications has dropped its legal battle over trademark infringement, with the company changing its name to PhoenixSoft/Clear Digital Communications.

The move comes after Apple's crack team of rabid lawyers flexed their collective muscles, leaving the Phoenix-based company no option but to change its trading name. The company's website, geticloud.com, also appears to have disappeared as part of the deal...