Apple

China is now the world’s largest Android smartphone market

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

Just how important is China to the top two smartphone platforms: Google's Android and Apple's iOS? The Asian nation is now the largest single market for Android, with the United States a distant second. What's more, half of the smartphones sold in America next year could be Android-powered unless Apple "makes radical changes to its aging iOS", one research firm warns Tuesday.

China is rushing to turn in their feature phones for more powerful smartphones, according to Informa Telecoms & Media. Smartphones grew at an 85 percent clip compared to 2011. That's nearly double the 45 percent year-over-year growth worldwide. Just in 2012 alone, an astounding 786 million smartphones were sold in the 1.33 billion people market...

Apple fixes iPad mini, iPhone 5 Wi-Fi bug with iOS 6.0.2 software update

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 18, 2012

Apple has just released an incremental iOS 6.0.2 update fixing issues with wireless network connections on the iPad mini and iPhone 5. According to Apple, the software “fixes a bug that could impact Wi-Fi”. Previous reports have suggested that these devices suffer from a carrier-agnostic Wi-Fi issue that could result in unwarranted cellular data usage while on a Wi-Fi network. Unfortunately, Apple does not name the exact Wi-Fi bug that has been fixed with this update...

8 out of 10 iPad owners plan to stick with Apple

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

In the latest round of 'is the iPad mini a cannibal?' we go to Morgan Stanley's Katy Huberty, who told investors the concern is "overblown." Huberty says nearly half of the 7.9-inch tablets are bought by new customers. While the Morgan Stanley AlphaWise survey also found slightly fewer purchases of the iPad mini are by new tablet owners - suggesting the small tablet is taking a bite out of larger iPad sales - the risk is "manageable", the analyst said...

Samsung drops its bid to ban Apple products in Europe

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Is Samsung feeling magnanimous after a U.S. judge refused to ban its smartphones? That could be one reason why the South Korean firm Tuesday dropped its bid to ban Apple products in Europe. Although the company described its decision to withdraw requests to ban Apple devices in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands as "protect[ing] consumer choice", the Galaxy maker will continue to see Apple for licensing fees of patents it contends were violated by the company...

Apple now offering free next-day shipping on everything in its US web store

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 18, 2012

Apple has thrown in another nice perk that should appeal to last minute shoppers: the company's web store is now offering free next-day shipping on every item available in the store. Previously, only a select few products were eligible for free shipping, including the items listed on Apple's 2012 Holiday Gift Guide. Unfortunately, only US orders include free next-day shipping. Be that as it may, those that have not ordered their holiday gifts yet needn't despair as with this promotion your last minute purchases should be received in time for the holidays...

Judge denies Apple’s injunction request, throws out Samsung’s misconduct claims

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

While the high profile Samsung-Apple trial technically ended back in August, with Apple winning a staggering $1 billion judgement, the fallout is far from over. The two companies must still endure countless post-trial hearings and their subsequent appeals.

In fact, both sides met this month to discuss some of their post-trial demands. In addition to its large settlement, Apple wanted Samsung's infringing products to be banned, and Samsung wanted the whole trial thrown out on the back of jury misconduct.

Tonight, US District Judge Lucy Koh published her decisions on both requests in a pair of court filings...

Apple reportedly in talks with Foursquare over data-sharing deal

Cody Lee ∙ December 17, 2012

Google and its recently-released Maps application might have the spotlight for now, but Apple is hatching out a plan to win it back. A new report is out this afternoon claiming that the Cupertino company is in preliminary talks with Foursquare, the popular location-based social network, to integrate its local data into iOS Maps...

Here’s Samsung’s Christmas ad that will ruin your childhood

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIKv1AXUmOk

Not sure whether or not you saw Samsung's TV ad starring Santa and Mrs. Claus where the characters share their sex tape using "the magic of S Beam on the Galaxy S III and the Galaxy Note II".

I know it's a rehash of Samsung's earlier (and pretty funny) take on a sex tape exchange between a guy and his wife. Let's be clear - I have absolutely no problem with sex in advertising, but that's a preposterous thing to air as we head into Christmas.

Just what exactly are kids supposed to think after being exposed to such a dramatized sexual innuendo involving their childhood hero? Seriously, what's next? A sexting Santa commercial? Thanks for ruining my childhood, Samsung!

2012: a year in App Store

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 17, 2012

With 750,000+ apps in the App Store and iTunes approaching half a billion accounts with credit cards enabled for one-click shopping, little wonder iOS, by and large, has remained the platform of choice for mobile developers, in spite of Android's lead in sales volume. While only a small number devs earn millions writing apps, the race to the bottom is taking its toll as most bedtime devs opt to keep their day jobs.

Appsfire, a website devoted to App Store discovery, has analyzed key app trends in 2012, creating an illustrative infographic that highlights today's App Store app ecosystem...

Even with strong iPhone 5 debut in China, analysts downgrade AAPL, sending shares below $500

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Is the glass half-full, or half-empty? Apparently, when it comes to Apple's stock, financial analysts in Europe and Asia are born pessimists. After Citigroup Sunday downgraded the iPhone maker's stock from Buy to Neutral, shares fell below $497 in pre-market trading Monday. This after closing Friday at nearly $510. Analysts appear to have discounted the equally-positive news this morning that Apple's two million iPhone 5 in three days in China broke a record...

Fry’s undercuts everyone with a $126 iPhone 5

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 28, 2016

Fry's, an American big-box store and electronics retailer, has beaten Walmart with a nice holiday discount on the iPhone 5. The entry-level iPhone 5 with sixteen gigabytes of storage and a two-year contract will set you back $126. That's a buck less than Walmart and the lowest price we could find for Apple's latest handset. If you're in the market for a new iPhone, this could be the best deal yet to get your hands on the super fast, thin and light iPhone 5, arguably the best phone in the world...