Apple

Case maker Incipio buys portable speaker startup Braven

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Incipio Technologies, the well-known maker of cases and other accessories for mobile products, today announced it is acquiring Braven for an undisclosed sum. If you're a sucker for mobile accessories, chances are you've heard of Braven by now. The company specializes in portable wireless Bluetooth speakers and was the first to produce a portable HD speaker / speakerphone that doubles as a cellphone charger.

The Irvine, California based Incipio hopes to broaden its portfolio by adding Braven's popular wireless speakers to its lineup...

WSJ: two new iPhones due in early-September

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 29, 2016

According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple has apparently asked Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. - better known in the Western world under its Foxconn moniker - to start shipping new iPhones early next month. It's going to be a crowded September: next month is IFA 2013 so expect gadget makers to flock to Berlin, Germany to talk new products.

And earlier in the morning, Bloomberg reminded us that Sony will be releasing a new Erisccon handset in September. Plus, we know from before that Samsung is gearing up to unveil a third-generation Note phablet and a rumored Galaxy Gear smarwatch at its own media event on September 4...

Wall Street to Apple: boost buy back to fuel stock prices

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 19, 2013

Although Apple is set to buy back $60 billion of company stock through 2015, experts are advising CEO Tim Cook and others to boost that figure. An additional $50 billion stock repurchase could add $4.25 to share value at little cost to the cash-rich technology giant, according to one Wall Street analyst and activist investor Carl Icahn.

Icahn, who recently bought $1.5 billion of Apple stock, helped Apple tock surpass $500 per share...

AllThingsD confirms gold iPhone coming

Cody Lee ∙ August 19, 2013

Folks still holding out hope that the gold iPhone rumors aren't true may want to brace themselves, the speculation has just been confirmed by the Wall Street Journal-owned blog AllThingsD. And given the site's near perfect (perfect?) track record with predicting future Apple plans, and corroborating evidence, we'd say Apple is indeed going for the gold...

Apple’s digital content stores affiliate program now available in more countries

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 19, 2013

Apple's long-running affiliate program enables website owners to earn a commission by using affiliate links to digital items sold on Apple's many content stores. For example, we're using iTunes affiliate linking here on iDB as a revenue generating mechanism and many other bloggers and website owners do so.

If you're a member of Apple's Affiliate Program, pay attention as the company has announced today a new partner to help expand participation to new countries...

Seventh and final iOS 7 Beta could land today

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

The seventh and final beta of Apple's forthcoming iOS 7 mobile operating system could be seeded to developers later today, BGR reported Monday morning. Though the tech blog has a fairly accurate track record in terms of iOS 7 beta dates, it's worth pointing out BGR last week said Apple would release iOS 7 Beta 6 this week.

Just a few hours following that prediction Apple spoiled BGR's party be seeding iOS 7 Beta 6 to developers. Here's to hoping the final iOS 7 beta lands today. Otherwise, this could be the last time I write about BGR's predictions...

Ashton Kutcher’s ‘Jobs’ biopic is a box office flop

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated September 23, 2017

The Jobs movie starring Ashton Kutcher as Apple's legendary co-founder Steve Jobs has opened with disappointing revenues and bombed at the box office this weekend. Specifically, the flick pulled in just shy of seven million dollars domestically, earning it the seventh place at the box office. This is one of Kutcher's lowest openings ever and hardly a success knowing the figure fell short of the $8-9 million distributor Open Road Films was hoping to rake in.

And as if mixed reviews weren't enough, the movie has failed to impress the trusted review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes which gave it a rating of just 25 percent...

Survey: Apple’s iPhone grabs 3 times as many Samsung owners

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

A new survey of iPhone and Samsung buyers includes both confirmation of what we suspected, as well as a few surprises. Topping the list: 20 percent of new iPhone owners previously used an Android smartphone, or one out of each five iPhone owners.

The South Korean Android handset wasn't capable of doing much damage to Apple, however - just seven percent of new Samsung owners switched from the iPhone. Overall, Apple does well at retaining iPhone owners, its largest group of buyers having owned a previous version of the smartphone.

For Samsung, its strength is in attracting other Android handset owners and first-time smartphone buyers, according to the survey released Monday...

Poll: are you going to buy your iPhone 5S in gold/champagne?

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 19, 2013

Everyone is complaining about Apple's rumored iPhone 5S allegedly being offered in gold / champagne color, but something tells me it's going to be hugely popular with guys who like to show off and the types who were offended by Samsung's ads and now want to let the world know they have a new iPhone.

But what about the others? Can you stomach the very though of the gold/champagne iPhone 5S?

Undecided people are probably keeping their fingers crossed that leaked images don't look nearly as good as the real thing. Can you picture a gold iPhone variant at all in your mind? More importantly, if the iPhone 5S will be indeed offered in several color choices, will you be buying the gold/champagne model?

Analyst: iPhone 5C to phase out iPhone 5, due on China Mobile in Q3

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 25, 2013

KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo has built a reputation of the most reliable Apple analyst out there who has accurately predicted a number of Apple product updates (sans the timetable).

He's out with a new report for clients Monday morning, sharing interesting observations regarding Apple's upcoming iPhone 5C, also known as the budget iPhone.

The biggest takeaway: the iPhone 5C will be priced between $400 and $500, which makes it a mid-tier handset rather than cheap, and is expected to be released to China Mobile's 700+ million subscribers in Fall, potentially accounting for penetration of TDD-LTE to 25 percent in iPhone 5S and 35 percent in iPhone 5C shipments...

It looks like there’s really a golden iPhone on the way

Cody Lee ∙ August 18, 2013

The next iPhone is definitely going to come in gold, according to a new report from TechCrunch this evening. The news follows several weeks of reports and purported part leaks suggesting that the iPhone 5S will be offered in the new color.

It's believed that Apple is adding the third color option, in addition to black and white, to its flagship handset line in an effort to differentiate the device from its predecessors. And don't worry, it's said to be more of a 'champagne,' than a gold...

Key Nike FuelBand developer believed to be working on Apple’s iWatch

Cody Lee ∙ August 17, 2013

Jay Blahnik, a widely recognized fitness expert and key developer of the Nike FuelBand has taken a new job at Apple, according to a new report. He's believed to be working on the company's long-rumored iWatch project.

Blahnik's resume is a mile long, as he has spent his last several years speaking at conferences around the globe, and consulting for everyone from Gatorade to General Electric. And now he's taking his talents to Cupertino...