Apple

Apple reportedly purchases PrimeSense, the 3D sensor tech company behind the original Microsoft Kinect technology

Cody Lee ∙ November 17, 2013

Apple has reportedly purchased PrimeSense, an Israeli-based 3D sensor technology company, for $345 million. Rumors of the acquisition surfaced earlier this year, but Israeli news outlet Calcalist says the deal is now done, and Apple plans to announce it within the next few weeks.

PrimeSense is best known to most folks for its work with Microsoft, who used its technology, chips, and designs inside the first Kinect sensor for the Xbox 360. But the company sells its own 3D sensors and software for use in other markets such as as TV, mobile, retail, and robotics...

Apple implementing iBeacon tech in retail stores to assist with sales and services

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 18, 2016

Apple is working to implement its new iBeacon technology into its retail stores, according to a new report from 9to5Mac. The tech, which is new to iOS 7, can pinpoint a device's location within a few feet using low energy Bluetooth.

The iBeacon system will initially help Apple with sales, offering up pricing and information on products simply by a user walking up to them. And later it will be used to assist with services such as workshops and Genius appointments...

Apple informs developers of iTunes Connect shutdown December 21-27

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

It's that time of year again. The holidays are just a few weeks away, which means that cold weather, major Black Friday sales, and of course the annual iTunes Connect shutdown are all rapidly approaching.

In fact, Apple sent out an email to developers today, notifying them of the upcoming iTunes Connect closing. The tool, which devs use to submit and manage their apps, will be offline from December 21-27...

DCMA’d iDevice stock-tracking tool gets mirrored at another website

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

With the iPhone 5s in high demand, still-constrained supply of the iPad Air and tight availability of the iPad mini with Retina display, getting your hands on one of Apple's latest iDevices isn't yet a simple matter of waltzing inside your nearest Apple Store and pulling a credit card out of your pocket.

A handful of web apps in existence provide iDevice availability information by repurposing Apple's online store data. But having taken a tough stance on scrapping its web store, Apple has recently dispatched its lawyers.

One of the first ones to bite the dust was the popular Apple-Tracker.com, which got shuttered shortly after receiving a takedown notice from Apple's legal team. Not content with going down without a fight, administrator Mordy Tikotzky has released the website code into the wild, allowing others to make web-based inventory-checker tools...

Electronic Arts launches Battlefield 4 Tablet Commander companion app

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 23, 2018

If Electronic Arts' first-person shooter Battlefield 4 has been keeping you glued to your Windows PC or PlayStation/Xbox console, you won't want miss out on this one. Released today as a free download for the iPad on Apple's App Store, the Battlefield 4 Tablet Commander app provides a no-compromise second-screen experience letting you command the battlefield and compete with the opposing teams commander directly from your iPad, using easy touch gestures and drag-and-drop interface...

iPhone 5c supply cuts, iPad losing revenue game, overpriced iPhones… It must be a Friday.

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 4, 2016

What better way to manipulate AAPL than trash-talk the company on a Friday and let bloggers disseminate FUD? First, UBS analyst Steve Milunovich articulated his disappointment with iPad sales because the tablet in general "simply isn’t a must-have device" (I swear I'm not making this up).

Next, Henry Blodget (who runs Business Insider) is back with his 'iPhone dead in the water' meme: Apple's refusal to go for low-value customers has been ticking Blodget off for some time, even if the move carries the real risk of damaging the brand beyond repair.

Then, a Chinese blog asserts Apple is further trimming the iPhone 5c production as early adopters continue to prefer the flagship iPhone 5s. Finally we have Morgan Stanley creatively putting all of the Android tablets together - including those sold on the Moon plus sub-$50 no-names sitting in the drawer collecting dust - to proclaim Google's platform a revenue winner.

Grab your popcorn and chillax...

Some early adopters complaining about screen burn-in on their Retina iPad mini

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 15, 2013

An unknown portion of the first batch of Retina iPad minis coming out of assembly line is apparently plagued with the screen retention problem, reports from disgruntled users claim. Every Apple product launch is marred with teething issues, though this one is more than skin-deep. As we reported, Korea’s ETNews blamed the issues last week on production woes with Sharp-made IGZO Retina panels.

Manufacturing issues have apparently prompted Apple to negotiate with Samsung Display for the supply of 7.9-inch Retina screens starting next year, as Samsung’s display-making unit “was the first to solve the technological problem”. At the heart of the issue is malfunctioning of Sharp’s thin-film transistor screen technology...

Nest app overhauled top to bottom, now with full support for Protector smoke detector

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 15, 2013

Nest, a startup run by the iPod Godfather and brilliant engineer Tony Fadell, made a name for itself with a sleek, intelligent thermostat (check out Jeff's hands-on) and the beautiful smoke and carbon monoxide detector dubbed Nest Protect. Today, the company has announced a big update coming soon to its companion application for the iPhone and iPad to allow for easier and, well, eye-candy management and robust remote control of your app-enabled Nest devices.

For starters, the app's been redesigned from the ground up and now supports both landscape and portrait orientation and includes gorgeous animated weather and more detailed Where location settings for Nest devices.

The headline new feature is support for both the Nest Thermostat and the upcoming Nest Protect smoke-detector, making it a one-stop solution for Nest device management, from the palm of your hand...

Following nationwide POS outage, Apple Stores switch to old-school pen and paper

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 25, 2017

As of yesterday, Apple's internal retail system which runs Apple Stores in the United States has been experiencing nationwide outage which is threatening to hurt the company's retail revenue as the downtime continues to slow down the sales process and affect both walk-in purchases and in-store pickups of online orders.

In fact, Apple has now switched to a pen and paper system, in some instances replacing its custom-made EasyPay self-checkout software/hardware combo with old-fashioned credit card machines.

The full details are right past the fold..

Phil Schiller says iPhone was a ‘bet the company’ product

Cody Lee ∙ November 15, 2013

As the Apple v. Samsung trial to recalculate the damages Samsung owes continues, Phil Schiller took the stand yesterday. Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing was called up to speak with just 11 minutes left in the session.

But that still proved enough time for Schiller to dish out some interesting details about his role at Apple, and its early days of iPhone development. He said around 100 people worked on what was referred to as the 'bet the company' product...

Good deal: 55% off Jony Ive bio and Inside Steve’s Brain book combo

Cody Lee ∙ November 15, 2013

It's been a big week for Apple-related book releases, with two major titles hitting the shelves: Dogfight: How Apple And Google Went To War And Started a Revolution and Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple’s Greatest Products.

The latter is a full-length biography on Ive, Apple's senior vice president of design. And if you've been thinking about picking it up, you'll be interested to know that you can snag it at a nice discount in this two-book combo deal...

New Jony Ive bio book hits iBooks Store, here are juicy bits

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

I've been following Leander Kahney for quite some time now, going all the way back to his Wired and The Guardian years. Kahney now runs the Cult of Mac Apple blog and he's already published three books about technology and Apple's culture: Inside Steve’s Brain, the New York Times bestseller about Steve Jobs, Cult of Mac about the creation of the Mac and Cult of iPod which chronicles how Apple's music player came to be.

Building on the experiences in writing these books, Kahney has now taken a crack at demystifying Apple's arguably most powerful executive after Tim Cook, the guy who put sexiness in Apple's gadgets and flattened all your icons - 46-year-old British industrial designer Sir Jonathan Ive.

I've skimmed through the book and cherry-picked a few interesting anecdotes...