Apple

Foxconn profit surges 41% on the back of strong iPhone sales

Cody Lee ∙ August 13, 2013

Although Apple didn't really wow investors with its overall Q3 numbers, there was one particular metric it blew out of the water: iPhone sales. Wall Street was predicting the company to sell between 25 and 27 million handsets during the period, and it sold 30 million.

And the strong iPhone sales not only helped Apple post a $6.9 billion profit for the quarter, but it also gave Foxconn a boost as well. According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, the manufacturer's profits surged 41% last during its Q2 thanks to Apple...

Vevo finally gets full AirPlay support as rumored Apple TV app looms

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

Vevo - a joint venture music video service operated by Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, Google and Abu Dhabi Media - has had a nifty iPhone and iPad app available on the App Store for quite some time now.

Thanks to a March update, it's gotten a whole lot more useful by bringing out a disruptive feature called Vevo TV, always-on broadcast music channels that turn your iOS device into the MTV jukebox for the 21st century.

Now, we heard whispers of a forthcoming Vevo Apple TV "app" said to enable 24/7 entertainment later this month. In the meantime, Vevo just pushed a nice little iOS app update which has finally enabled full AirPlay support on your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad devices...

Joint iPhone 5S, 5C launch could be the most successful in Apple’s history

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

If you're still scratching your head trying to figure out why high profile investor Carl Icahn just made a [rumored] $1 billion investment in Apple, consider this: the stock is down more than $200 from where it was a year ago, despite any major missteps, and the company is about to have another big fall.

How big? Well rumor has it that Apple is going to unveil two new handsets during its big media event next month. There's the iPhone 5S, the successor to the current iPhone, and the 'iPhone 5C,' an all-new low-cost model. And analysts believe that the two will make for Apple's biggest product launch ever...

NBC’s Sports Live Extra iOS app to stream all English Premier League matches in US

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

If you live in the United States and are a fan of the English Premier League, good news as 148Apps reports that NBC's Sports Live Extra app for the iPhone and iPad will be streaming all of the matches, right as they happen in real-time. The English Premier League is the single largest sports league in the entire world so you don't need me to tell you why this is newsworthy. Streaming matches will be free to subscribers of one of the eligible cable providers. Full details are right after the break...

Investor Carl Icahn announces making a large investment in Apple, run for the hills!

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 13, 2013

Controversial billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn has announced on Twitter making a large investment in Apple. Touting a "large position" on the stock, he said he believed the stock to be "extremely undervalued" and revealed having a "a nice conversation" with Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier today, which Apple has officially confirmed now.

Needles to say, Apple doomsayers came out of the woodwork screaming "There goes Apple!" Another conversation would follow soon, Icahn tweeted out. He did however let slip he may press Apple to use its cash pile to repurchase more of its shares from the public, perhaps in an effort to reduce the company's exposure to fickle Wall Street investors and crazypants analyst...

Emboldened Samsung says anti-Apple ads ‘really mess with the order of things’

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 13, 2013

Do you remember Samsung before the Apple crusade? Far from being an also-ran, Samsung back in 2010 started doubling-down on the Galaxy brand message, signaling intention to establish itself as the smartphone maker to watch. But it wasn't until the South Korean conglomerate began airing its first television commercial which ridiculed iPhone owners that it started positioning itself as the anti-Apple.

And the message resonated with the demographics outside the Apple fold. In doing so, Samsung has earned itself lots of free press and attracted a following comprised of bloggers, media outlets and customers who for whatever reason couldn't stand Apple, its culture and products.

We already know the anti-iPhone ads are working and now a Samsung executives acknowledges that the anti-Apple campaign has been a "tipping point" for the Samsung brand. Which probably means those ad attacks will only intensify going forward...

Smartphone theft fight gains UK support

Ed Sutherland ∙ August 13, 2013

The issue over smartphone thefts has taken on a British flavor. London's mayor now says he supports calls by American law enforcement officials asking Apple and others to beef up ways to prevent stolen phones.

In a statement, London Mayor Boris Johnson said smartphone makers should "take this issue seriously." Already, a half-dozen American officials have joined the 'Secure Our Smartphones' campaign, stretching from Hawaii to Delaware...

Google Play revenue up 67 percent in last 6 months, but App Store still leads

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated December 4, 2013

Android's growing popularity in Asia, particularly in Japan and South Korea, has helped Google's Play store for Android record a revenue jump of 67 percent over the past six months. By comparison, Apple's App store revenue has climbed just fifteen percent during the same timeframe, according to analytics firm Distimo.

The impressive numbers for Android apps belie the fact that Apple's App Store continues to be the largest with more than two times the revenue as Google Play. In April, we commented on a report from competing analytics company App Annie showing relative parity with downloads but Apple having 2.6 times the revenue...

Analyst: iPhone 5C may exclude Siri, but will boost margins and attract new sales

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 28, 2019

For some time, Wall Street investors and Apple watchers have stressed the iPhone maker must adjust to more modest profit margins, as well as a worldwide reality where cheap Android smartphones enable competitors to attract price-conscious consumers. Now comes a voice saying Apple could have it all: a cheap handset, fatter margins and a larger international audience.

By attracting the prepaid market, Apple's much-expected iPhone 5C will do all that by going after a huge pool of prepaid wireless customers that's four times larger than the current U.S. subscribers. Meanwhile, another analysts believes he knows the cheaper iPhone will exclude some features, such as Siri...

Analyst: iPhone 5S fingerprint sensor limited to user authentication, secure payments due in 2014

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 13, 2013

The upcoming iPhone 5S revision, likely slated for an announcement at Apple's upcoming September 10 media event, is widely expected to include the fingerprint scanning feature based on Apple's 2012 acquisition of smart sensor experts AuthenTec.

Now, there's been a lot of uncertainty as to what software features the smart sensor might support.

According to a research note issued late yesterday to clients, an analyst predicted the feature would be initially used to authenticate users in place of the iOS slide-to-unlock feature because rumored secure payments which are dependent on the smart sensor won't be ready in time for the iPhone 5S introduction...

Judge says Apple could renegotiate iBook contracts with publishers

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

The judge in the government's antitrust lawsuit has weighed in on settlement negotiations between the Department of Justice and Apple.

The iPhone maker could reopen staggered renegotiations with e-book publishers, U.S. District Court Judge Denise Cote reportedly said Monday.

Government lawyers had recommend that Apple agree to drop its current e-book contracts and abstain from a new agreements for five years. Judge Cote, who ruled Apple conspired with publishers to raise prices of e-books ahead of the iPad's launch, also wants to hold another hearing, possibly to review guidelines she is suggesting...

Apple hosting massive iTunes movie bundle sale

Cody Lee ∙ Updated November 29, 2016

Ok movie buffs, listen up. Apple just launched a major iTunes movie bundle sale that would put the $4.99 Blu-Ray tub at Walmart to shame. There's dozens of different bundles available, of various genres, starting at just $9.99.

I myself have already grabbed the Matrix Trilogy for $9.99, as well as Taken 1 and 2 for the same price. There's also the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and the Jurassic Park trilogy, and several other movie sets/bundles to choose from...