Corporate

Samsung now more assertive in price negotiations over Apple’s hostile tactics

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 16, 2012

Apple appears to be resolving its legal woes with other Android backers such as HTC, reportedly seeking arbitration and even mulling a global settlement with Google's subsidiary Motorola Mobility. On the other hand, the company is to this date entangled in a complicated web of patent disputes with Samsung, from whom it sources components for iOS devices.

And as the frenemies seek to add new gadgets to their respective list of infringing products, one analyst believes Apple's hostile tactics has forced the Galaxy maker to divert from its original business strategy. As a result, the component arm of the South Korean conglomerate has become "more assertive" in price negotiations with Apple, refusing to invest billions of dollars in plants and manufacturing technology without long-term commitment from Apple...

Firing Forstall was a mistake, says former engineer

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 22, 2018

Apple CEO Tim Cook's decision to fire the architect of Apple's mobile and desktop operating systems was a mistake, according to former senior Apple manager Michael Lopp. He is calling for a downturn for the company and predicting that "Apple’s doom will start quietly".

You may have noticed trending Apple doomsday scenarios as haters are having a field day painting the company's recent moves in negative light. Forstall, Lopp says, "was old school", the closest thing the company had to Steve Jobs. Lopp goes as far to claim Forstall was the only legit successor to Jobs "because he displayed a variety of Jobsian characteristics"...

Apple donates $2.5 million to the American Red Cross in Hurricane Sandy relief

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Hurricane Sandy that battered parts of United States has left destruction behind it and cost the country lives of people who were unfortunate to be in its path, causing Apple to temporarily close more than 50 stores and prompting some unusual carrier partnerships.

In Sandy aftermath, Apple set up a donations page in iTunes to let people help survivors by making a monetary donation to the American Red Cross. And today, Apple's chief executive Tim Cook announced that the company itself donated $2.5 million in Hurricane Sandy relief...

Apple’s Eddy Cue joins Ferrari’s board

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Apple's SVP of Internet Software & Services, Eddy "The Fixer" Cue, has joined Ferrari's Board of Directors. In one design leader complimenting another, Cue said he has long admired the Italian luxury auto manufacturer. However, does Wednesday's action have any relevance to Apple fans likely owning something a bit less drenched in high-octane? Possibly.

While Ferrari was not among the list of automakers which plan to participate in Apple's 'Eyes Free' initiative launched earlier this summer, integration of the Siri voice-recognition feature is expected to show up in GM's Chevrolet Spark, as well as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar at a later date...

Sprint wants to buy U.S. Cellular’s spectrum and users for $480 million

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Carrier Sprint today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with U.S. Cellular about purchasing its PCS spectrum and customers in Midwest U.S. for $480 million in cash. This effort to boost network capacity is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to close in mid-2013. Sprint will use the additional spectrum to broaden its own coverage in these areas...

Why Google retires some products

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 6, 2012

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8ss6NVp8wo

You've probably witnessed one of Google's spring cleanings when it retires a dozen or so popular services. Ever since co-founder Sergey Brin took the CEO role from Eric Schmidt, who is now Google's chairman, the company has been dropping less popular services at a rapid clip. iGoogle? Gone. The ill-fated Wave? Killed off. Wonder Wheel? That too.

Newsflash: even Google has a finite amount of resources so some features inevitably get thrown under the bus along the way. Google's Matt Cutts in the above clip lays out his company's approach to managing products and explains the decision making process which leads Google to retire some service whilst continuing to invest in others...

Ive and Forstall were ‘rarely in the same room’

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated May 16, 2016

That SVP and iOS chief Scott Forstall fell out of favor with Apple CEO Tim Cook and other vice presidents because of his abrasive and divisive style is no secret. Forstall, 44, was Apple's youngest vice president. He was also the brains behind OS X since 2006 and the architect of your iPhone's software. The executive was especially at odds with Apple's famed industrial design guru Jony Ive over software design. According to a new report by Bloomberg, bad blood ran so deep that Forstall wouldn't even participate in Ive's meetings where crucial software and hardware design aspects had been discussed...

Mansfield return as SVP influenced by Forstall’s ousting

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 1, 2012

The many layers of why Scott Forstall was ousted as Apple's iOS chief just keep peeling away. The latest wrinkle: Bob Mansfield, the company's former hardware engineering senior vice president, agreed to come out of retirement to become senior vice president of Technologies, a new group encompassing wireless and hardware tech, only after Apple CEO Tim Cook offered a boatload of cash and the promise he didn't have to talk to Forstall...

Apple shake-up cost investors $12+ billion

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 31, 2012

Markets finally opened this morning after a two-day period of suspended trading over Hurricane Sandy. Apple on its part has cunningly slipped in news late Monday that it fired iOS chief Scott Forstall and retail boss John Browett over a series of missteps that cost the Cupertino, California-headquartered company both reputation and market position.

Apple's bet was that investors, fans and the general public would have some time to process the news before jumping to conclusions. Many watchers and analysts deemed the move a strategic re-aligning, one that gave Apple's design guru Jony Ive more power, turning him into the steward of the user experience across Apple products. Still, some investors were spooked and sent shares of Apple down to their lowest level since late July...

Analysts assure investors that Apple is in good hands without Scott Forstall

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated June 13, 2016

The departure of Scott Forstall, long-time aide to the late Steve Jobs, leaves Apple "in good hands," analysts are assuring investors. Additionally, Jonathan Ive, the design guru, will likely gain even more power, overseeing both hardware and software. Forstall, head of iOS until Monday, was in charge of the company's move toward Apple Maps. He reportedly was forced out after refusing to sign a public apology letter following the mapping debacle. But friction was building between Forstall and a cadre of executives now surrounding Apple CEO Tim Cook...