Apple

Apple promoting stock apps in App Store search results at devs’ expense

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 31, 2013

Apple has cunningly devised a novel though controversial way of promoting its own iOS 7 stock apps, features and services right in the App Store search. The application store has seen a whopping 60 billion cumulative downloads thus far and with over a million apps carried it's serving a lot of customers on a daily basis.

If you now go to the App Store and run a search for popular generic terms such as 'browser,' 'movies' and 'SMS', the first entry popping up in your search results should be a banner advertising a related stock iOS 7 apps or feature like Safari, iTunes Store, Messages and more...

International Apple Stores going offline ahead of tomorrow’s iPad Air launch

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 31, 2013

As retailers have now begun receiving large shipments of iPad Air units, Apple's online stores in the Asia-Pacific region and elsewhere are now going down ahead of tomorrow's launch. The online Apple Stores in China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macao, Singapore and Australia are all offline, with more going down as we speak.

This was to be expected. As is their wont, Apple typically takes its online store offline ahead of major product launches and significant product updates. The iPad Air is slated to launch on Friday, November 1, in the United States and a few dozen international markets...

Apple bars gold/red/green/yellow device shots from devs’ marketing materials

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 31, 2013

Apple has updated its App Store Marketing Guidelines and is now advising developers against using images of the gold iPhone 5s in their marketing materials. According to the new rules, apps carried on the App Store can't feature screenshots on gold iPhone 5s devices nor can such shots be used in other materials used for marketing communications.

Developers should "feature only the most current Apple products", the updated guideline notes, specifically mentioning the following finishes or colors: iPhone 5s in silver or space gray, iPhone 5c in white or blue, iPad Air in silver or space gray and iPad mini in silver or space gray...

FAA greenlights use of gadgets during nearly all phases of flight

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 31, 2013

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finally relaxed its restrictions on the use of personal electronics devices (PED) such as iPhones and iPads on commercial flights. Going forward, the FAA will allow airlines to expand use of personal electronics during nearly all phases of flight, and is immediately providing the airlines with implementation guidance.

Although the FAA has finally determined that smartphones and tablets have a minimal impact on the airplane's electronic systems, pilots of course are barred from using gadgets for personal reasons at any time during aircraft operations.

Apple patents built-in solar charging solution for Macs and iOS devices

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 31, 2013

Apple has filed for a few patents in the past related to solar charging for mobile devices and has recently been discovered to be seeking experts in this field. The latest patent filed with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) indicates Apple may be on the verge of commercializing this technology on a mass scale.

The invention titled 'Power management systems for accepting adapter and solar power in electronic devices' outlines a solar power solution that could be easily integrated into MacBooks, iPhones and iPads without the need for unwieldy external converters...

Retailers begin receiving large iPad Air shipments ahead of Friday launch

Cody Lee ∙ October 31, 2013

While the new iPad mini with Retina display is expected to be in very short supply when it launches later next month, the redesigned iPad Air will reportedly be very easy to find when it goes on sale November 1.

And a new report is out supporting this theory. Citing knowledgeable sources, 9to5Mac claims that Apple Stores and other retailers have begun receiving large shipments of iPad Air units ahead of this week's launch...

iPad Air graphics rated up to 70% faster than iPad 4

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 30, 2013

Apple claims the A7 chip inside the iPad Air provides two times faster performance over its predecessor, the fourth-generation iPad driven by the A6X chip, in both CPU and GPU department. The claim exasperated disbelief among some watchers who questioned and dismissed Apple's 'two times faster' mantra as pure marketing talk with strings attached.

Per early GeekBench scores, the iPad Air is over 80 percent faster than the iPad 4, close enough to Apple's advertised 2x CPU gain. But what about graphics?

Inside Apple’s 2013 Annual Report: rising R&D costs, retail, ad expenses and more

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

Apple's annual 10-K report to the SEC always includes interesting tidbits. This year, the tech giant said it spent $4.5 billion on research and development, a move the iPhone maker describes as "critical" to remaining competitive.

The spending marks a 32 percent increase in research over fiscal 2012, when the company spent $3.4 billion.

The consumer electronics powerhouse said it employs 80,300 full-time workers, more than half in retailing. About 30 new retail locations are planned for 2014 with 20 more stores being remodeled, the company also told the government agency Wednesday. A couple more tidbits follow...

New report reaffirms iPad mini with Retina display will be in short supply at launch

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

When Apple announced the new iPad mini with Retina display at its media event last week, the only launch date given was 'November.' The move seemingly confirmed previous chatter that the company has been having a hard time making the tablet.

And today, a new report out of Taiwan adds to the narrative, claiming that the mini's initial supply constraint is directly related to its hi-res display. Apparently Sharp, who is responsible for 40% of the Retina mini panels, is seeing poor yield rates...

CloudMagic Mail with ‘fast magical search’ hits iOS

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 30, 2013

I'm a big fan of the ingenious CloudMagic Search, a free iPhone app that acts as a unified search box for my online services and social media accounts such as Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Hotmail, Dropbox, Box, Evernote, SkyDrive, Twitter and many more. Having seeing a couple hundred-thousand downloads, the Palo Alto-based CloudMagic Inc. felt encouraged to apply its cloud search expertise to a lightweight email client.

Meet CloudMagiC Mail, a new iOS email app featuring "fast magical search" that supports a bunch of popular email accounts like Gmail, Exchange, Yahoo, Outlook, Google Apps, Office 365, IMAP and even Apple's iCloud...

Apple’s profit eclipses Samsung, Motorola, Nokia and LG combined

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated June 14, 2016

What's more important, smartphones shipped or smartphone profits? That question is at the heart of a debate over competing figures used to bolster Samsung or Apple. A day after a Samsung-friendly market research firm claimed the South Korean firm shipped three times as many phones, new figures show Apple profit higher than most of its rivals combined.

Sales of 33.8 million iPhones during the last quarter earned more than the mobile units of Samsung, LG, Nokia, Huawei, Lenovo and Motorola all together, according to a Wednesday report. The report also ignited a new debate over how corporate figures can be twisted to fit any preconceived notion - such as Apple's losing battle against Android...

Poll: are you getting an iPad Air?

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

As we count the remaining days - or should I say hours? - until Friday's iPad Air launch, I reckon those of you who frequent iDB have made up your mind by now. I'm guessing you've read everything there's to know about the tablet, checked out big media reviews and just really thoroughly talked this through with your friends and family members - all in the service of making an informed purchasing decision.

Yes, some iDB team members have also made up their mind. You can imagine we're absolutely eager to learn about our readership's position on the iPad Air. From your vantage point, is it a buy or pass? Cast a quick vote right below...