Tim Cook gets 1,000,000 AAPL shares if he stays through 2021

As noted by MacRumors, Apple has filed a form 8-K with the SEC to announce this week’s changes to Apple’s executive board. Notably, Apple has awarded 1,000,000 stock shares to new CEO Tim Cook.

In connection with Mr. Cook’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer, the Board awarded Mr. Cook 1,000,000 restricted stock units. Fifty percent of the restricted stock units are scheduled to vest on each of August 24, 2016 and August 24, 2021, subject to Mr. Cook’s continued employment with Apple through each such date.

That comes out to around $383 at the current stock price.

Apple seeds OS X Lion 10.7.2 Beta 3 (11C43), iCloud beta 9 and iPhoto beta 3 to developers

Apple has just begun seeding OS X Lion 10.7.2 Beta 3 to developers this afternoon. Along with 10.7.2B3 (11C43), Apple has released iCloud Beta 9 and iPhone Beta 3, all of which are available on Apple’s Developer site.  Focus areas include: AirPort, AppKit, GraphicsDrivers, iCal, iChat, Mac App Store, Mail, Spotlight and Time Machine.  There are no known issues.

Two days after Steve Jobs resigns as CEO, AAPL passes XOM again to become most valuable company

Perhaps you can add “succession planning” to the list areas where  Steve Jobs has revolutionized the industry.

My theory is that Jobs’ resignation has been baked into the AAPL stock price all of this time (how couldn’t it be?) and the smooth transition and long term planning being revealed is being applauded by investors.

At the time of this writing, AAPL is at 352.63B while XOM is at 351.04B.

Samsung no longer exclusive chip supplier as Apple turns elsewhere for A6 processor?

Samsung, a producer of critical parts for Apple’s gadgets, may be on the verge of suffering another financial blow from Apple. A new report alleges that the Cupertino, California-headquartered personal electronics maker began lining up alternative suppliers for the A6 chip. The in-house designed processor should debut in iPad 3 next year and eventually make its way into iPhone 6 .

Trade publication DigiTimes has it on good authority that Apple recently visited an assembly line of packaging and testing firm Siliconware Precision Industries (SPIL). Based on what they saw, they concluded that officials from Apple are reportedly willing to discuss the possibility of working together on the upcoming A6 processor:

Apple recently conducted a visit to SPIL’s assembly line, and both parties discussed opportunities for cooperation, the sources revealed. SPIL stands a chance of becoming the first packaging and testing service provider designated by Apple, cutting into the supply chain of the vendor’s processor line, the sources said.

The report explains SPIL is likely to “snatch outsourcing orders” for the A6 chip. Needles to say, SPIL is denying the story, which is what companies caught up in juicy Apple rumors always do.

iPhone ‘N94′ prototype images leak

We just posted images that allegedly show the ‘iPhone 4S’ body, an entry-level iPhone that Apple is rumored to release alongside the iPhone 5. Now, MacPost (via MacRumors) has published images of what they describe as the “iPhone 5 EVT prototype (N64) back cover”.

The report notes that we found references to the “N94″ in the iOS 5.0 SDK earlier this year, which we suspect could be an A5-powered next-gen iPhone (whether it’s the iPhone 4S or iPhone 5 is still unclear). While it’s obvious  this is an “early development prototype” thanks to the “’07-June-2011″ markings, we can’t help but notice it bears a striking resemblance to the iPhone 4 variant that BGR reported was being tested for T-Mobile.

The leaked images today back up rumors of an A5 processor, antenna redesign, and more than likely support for T-mobile. There is still no way of telling whether we’re looking at an upgraded iPhone 4 that will act as an entry-level model, or perhaps an iPhone 4S variant that will become the iPhone 5. However, the prototype in the image, at least, doesn’t seem to support mocks ups based on evidence from leaked case designs pointing to a more streamlined design for the next-gen iPhone.

iPhone ’4S’ frame found, antennas differ

We initially detailled what developers were calling an iPhone 4S’ way back in April.  It was essentially an iPhone 4 with an upgraded processor.  Then an iPhone that was supposed to be running on T-Mobile USA’s 3G network turned up shortly thereafter with an interesting antenna design.

Today, iPatchiPods.com and MacRumors stumbled upon some of what they think might be ‘iPhone 4S’ bodies. Both sides of the frame are shown above and feature a slightly different antenna design than the iPhone 4 with the only breaks being at the bottom of the phone.

Interestingly, the frame also deviates from the iPhone 4 in where the home button lies (below), leaving them to speculate that there might not be a home button, there could be a capacitative home button or some sort of other redesign.

JailbreakMe founder Comex hired by Apple

Comex, the founder of JailbreakMe, has just announced on Twitter that he’ll be joining Apple as an intern next week. From the sound of his tweet, it looks like Comex will be taking a break from the jailbreak community. It’s sad to see him go, but we’re pretty sure he’ll hand over the reins of JailbreakMe to someone else. We wish him the best of luck at Apple!

Tweet 1: It’s been really, really fun, but it’s also been a while and I’ve been getting bored.
Tweet 2: So, the week after next I will be starting an internship with Apple.

Interestingly, we heard this just a few weeks ago:
  Forbes concludes, Apple should be offering up an internship to Allegra.

Tim Cook addresses Apple troops as newly appointed CEO, says “Apple is not going to change”

If you don’t know by now, former Apple COO Tim Cook will officially be taking over the reins as Apple CEO following Steve Jobs emotional resignation yesterday. While this left some to wonder whether or not the Apple culture Jobs help create would remain, Cook has now addressed the Apple team as CEO (posted below) ensuring the company and devoted Apple followers that the core principles of Apple will indeed stay the same. (via ArsTechnica):

Cook has considerable experience at Apple and in the technology industry as a whole. Having joined Apple in 1998 (after working at IBM for 12+ years) as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations, Cook’s work ethic and dedication eventually leaked over to the Macintosh division in 2004, and ultimately landed him in a role as COO where he has been since 2007. Cook is also said to have filled in for many of the key, day-to-day tasks that Jobs (who was recently on medical leave) would have otherwise performed, giving him not only experience at Apple, but also over a years combined experience as CEO.

Tim Cook’s full address to Apple employees as CEO:

Team:

I am looking forward to the amazing opportunity of serving as CEO of the most innovative company in the world. Joining Apple was the best decision I’ve ever made and it’s been the privilege of a lifetime to work for Apple and Steve for over 13 years. I share Steve’s optimism for Apple’s bright future.

Steve has been an incredible leader and mentor to me, as well as to the entire executive team and our amazing employees. We are really looking forward to Steve’s ongoing guidance and inspiration as our Chairman.

I want you to be confident that Apple is not going to change. I cherish and celebrate Apple’s unique principles and values. Steve built a company and culture that is unlike any other in the world and we are going to stay true to that—it is in our DNA. We are going to continue to make the best products in the world that delight our customers and make our employees incredibly proud of what they do.

I love Apple and I am looking forward to diving into my new role. All of the incredible support from the Board, the executive team and many of you has been inspiring. I am confident our best years lie ahead of us and that together we will continue to make Apple the magical place that it is.

Tim

AAPL shares down only slightly in morning trading

AAPL shares are trading at a relatively small loss of anywhere from 1.5-2.5% from yesterday’s close against a slightly up broader market.  Overnight, shares had been down 5-6% in after hours trading on the news that Steve Jobs would be leaving his CEO role and taking the Chairman role.  This morning Apple opened at 365 and at the time of this writing, Apple is heading towards yesterday’s close, at 370.

I think the truth is that Jobs resignation from the CEO role, while shocking in the short term, had been baked into the share price for a long time now.

Competitors react to Steve Jobs’ resignation

Yesterday’s news that Steve Jobs decided to stand down as the CEO of Apple wasn’t entirely shocking to seasoned Apple watchers who knew this day would come. The writing has been on the wall for quite some time, if you were willing to read early signs, such as an open-ended sick leave nearly stretching into its ninth month. Wall Street understandably sent AAPL down 4.6 percent to $358.75 in early New York trading in what one investor described as “an emotional trade in the short term” that also affected Nasdaq-100 Index and Standard & Poor’s 500 Index which both declined a fraction of a percent on the news. Meanwhile, companies Apple counts as competitors gained. Both shares of Samsung and LG Electronics, which compete fiercely with Apple on smartphones, gained 2.4 percent and 1.3 percent, respectively, in Seoul trading.

NH Investment & Securities Co. analyst Seo Won Seok says Cook, Apple’s newly appointed CEO, “may try to improve the relationship with Samsung” or even work out a settlement of sorts. The notion has its merits as Steve Jobs was a strong advocate of intellectual property protection as Apple banned the copyist Samsung from selling smartphones and tablets in Australia, the European Union and elsewhere. Jobs exit could also turn into “lease of life” for Sony, Nokia, Hewlett-Packard, HTC and ZTE Corp – all companies under tremendous competitive pressure stemming from Apple’s successes in multiple markets. While Samsung and HTC spokespersons wouldn’t come on the news, top dogs from Sony, Nokia and ZTE would. Here’s how they complimented Jobs’ achievements…

Sony CEO Howard Stringer

I think his brilliance has been well documented, but what gets forgotten is the bravery with which he’s confronted his illness. For him to achieve this much success under these circumstances doubles his legacy.

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop

Steve Jobs is a visionary in the computing industry. We look forward to both Steve and his team having a positive impact on our industry for many years to come.

ZTE Corp executive vice president

We are very thankful to Steve Jobs’s contribution to the smartphone and mobile broadband industry. With innovation spirit, ZTE will play a more active role in communication, smart terminal and mobile broadband industry, and build more value for consumers around the world.

Mossberg: Jobs intends to be involved in developing major future products and strategy, will stay active

In case you thought otherwise, the Wall St. Journal‘s Walt Mossberg says that Steve Jobs’ role at Apple will remain unchanged:

Extremely well-informed sources at Apple say he intends to remain involved in developing major future products and strategy and intends to be an active chairman of the board, even while new CEO Tim Cook runs the company day to day.

Jobs has essentially been doing this since he went on medical leave in January.

Reactions from around the web on Jobs’ resignation

We’re picking some some of the more meaningful reactions to today’s news.  It’s important to remember that Jobs isn’t gone from Apple, he’s Chairman Jobs now.
Bloomberg reports that Steve Jobs will stay on the board of Disney.

Apple’s Steve Jobs is said to be remaining on Disney’s board

The WSJ reports (they have a nice Jobs quotes as well):

People familiar with the situation have said that Mr. Jobs continues to be active at Apple and is closely involved in the company’s product strategy. Apple watchers don’t expect that to change even after Mr. Cook takes over.

Bloomberg, however, just reported that Jobs had been weak and housebound for several weeks but worked and attended today’s board meeting…

The iPhone Dev Team says “they loved the chase” referring to the ‘Cat and Mouse’ Statement Jobs made on jailbreakers a few years ago.  IT is signed from jailbreakers and tinkerers everywhere.  Obviously Woz and Jobs got their start this way.
Daring Fireball puts Apple, Inc into perspective as Steve Jobs’ greatest creation.

..the same things that define Apple’s products apply to Apple as a whole. The company itself is Apple-like. The same thought, care, and painstaking attention to detail that Steve Jobs brought to questions like “How should a computer work?”, “How should a phone work?”, “How should we buy music and apps in the digital age?” he also brought to the most important question: “How should a company that creates such things function?”
Jobs’s greatest creation isn’t any Apple product. It is Apple itself.

Woz (talking to Bloomberg): “Jobs once told him that it was his life’s plan to bring to technology to the world.”  He also said the iPhone was Apple and Jobs’ greatest creation.
Harry McCracken:

Still unimaginable: that Jobs was the most important person in personal technology both in 1978 and in 2011.

Om Malik:

And then there is Steve and Apple — a leader and a company not afraid to take the long view, patiently building its way to the future it envisions for itself. Not afraid to invent the future and being wrong. And almost always willing to do one small thing — cannibalize itself. Under Steve, Apple was happy to see iPhone kill the iPod and iPad kill the Macbook. He understands, you don’t walk into the future by looking back — if you do, you trip over yourself and break your nose. Just look at Hewlett-Packard, and you know what I am talking about.

For a great background story on Tim Cook, not much is better than his Auburn commencement speech
Gizmodo: Why Steve Jobs picked the perfect time to resign
If you have or have seen something interesting to add, please do, below.

Steve Jobs submits resignation as CEO of Apple, elected Chairman of the Board. Tim Cook in as CEO

This is of course a sad day and one that we’ve had in the back of our minds for years now.  After founding Apple 35 years ago in his garage in Silicon Valley, and subsequently getting pushed out less than a decade later, Jobs was brought back in in 1997 when Apple was on the brink of collapse.  In the 14 years since his return, Apple has turned into the most valuable company in the world by market cap.
To say he’s leaving the CEO position on top would be an understatement.
Since his third medical leave was taken in January it has seemed Jobs has been moving into a Chairman-type roll, still leading the Keynotes but giving everyone else a bigger role.  As Chairman, Jobs will “continue to serve Apple with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration,” said Apple Board member Art Levinson.  Tim Cook will take over as CEO as per the Apple succession plan.  Jeff Williams will likely take over as COO.

In the past months, Jobs has revealed a revolutionary new headquarters for the Apple of the future.  The authorized biography Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (pictured above) is due out in November.

The Resignation letter:

To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

I believe Apple”s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.

I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.

Steve

From the newswires….
CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Apple’s Board of Directors today announced that Steve Jobs has resigned as Chief Executive Officer, and the Board has named Tim Cook, previously Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, as the company’s new CEO. Jobs has been elected Chairman of the Board and Cook will join the Board, effective immediately.

“Steve’s extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world’s most innovative and valuable technology company,” said Art Levinson, Chairman of Genentech, on behalf of Apple’s Board. “Steve has made countless contributions to Apple’s success, and he has attracted and inspired Apple’s immensely creative employees and world class executive team. In his new role as Chairman of the Board, Steve will continue to serve Apple with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration.”

“The Board has complete confidence that Tim is the right person to be our next CEO,” added Levinson. “Tim’s 13 years of service to Apple have been marked by outstanding performance, and he has demonstrated remarkable talent and sound judgment in everything he does.”

Jobs submitted his resignation to the Board today and strongly recommended that the Board implement its succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO.

As COO, Cook was previously responsible for all of the company’s worldwide sales and operations, including end-to-end management of Apple’s supply chain, sales activities, and service and support in all markets and countries. He also headed Apple’s Macintosh division and played a key role in the continued development of strategic reseller and supplier relationships, ensuring flexibility in response to an increasingly demanding marketplace.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Apple fixes Lion video lock-ups on iMacs, improves hardware support in Boot Camp for Windows

Apple has released a pair of new updates meant to fix video-locking issues on iMacs that run Lion and improve hardware compatibility when running Windows in dual boot mode on your Mac. The iMac Graphic FW Update 3.0 is now available for download, weighing in at a paltry 482KB. Apple says the firmware update “fixes a graphics issue that may cause an iMac to hang under certain conditions”.

You can also download this update by choosing Software Update from the Apple menu, in which case the update mechanism will determine whether your iMac’s graphics card needs updating and offer the refreshed software appropriately. Also, Boot Camp got a small update for Windows 7 (version 3.3).

The 200MB download includes critical bug fixes and hardware support. It is recommended for all Boot Camp 3.2 users and requires Windows 7 plus an existing installation of Boot Camp 3.2 on your system.

LiquidKeyboard prototype could revolutionize iPad typing with fully adaptive layout (Video)

It’s no secret typing on an iPad isn’t nearly as efficient as the traditional hardware keyboards we’re used to. However, over time frustrations with Apple’s onscreen keyboard have settled as users acclimate to a new method of typing. The problem? If you were to use the iPad’s keyboard like a hardware keyboard, you would inevitably experience accidental key presses. This greatly slows down typing speed as users are forced to not rest their fingers on the keyboard. LiquidKeyboard aims to fix that.

A report from The Economist  profiles Christian Sax and Hannes Lau of the University of Technology in Sydney and their LiquidKeyboard prototype which hopes to provide a truly adaptive typing experience on tablets in the near future.

The video above starts off by showing the limitations of the iPad’s system wide keyboard in comparison to the LiquidKeyboard’s ability to adapt to a user’s natural finger position. It does this by allowing you to place all fingers on the screen at once, opposed to one or two fingers, and appears and aligns ergonomically in relation to your fingers and wrist position.

The goal is to essentially bridge the gap between the efficiency of conventional hardware keyboards and the limitations posed by current touch screen implementations. In other words avoiding accidental key presses and increasing typing speed by allowing the user to place all fingers on a display. That’s of course in addition to the benefits of the adaptive layout options. It also supports a unique one-handed keyboard layout.

This tech may not be replacing the iOS system wide keyboard anytime soon, but certainly shows a world of possibility in terms of where innovation in tablet keyboards may be headed. Until then, you might have to opt for one of those new Logitech fold-up keyboards coming in September.

San Francisco design shop envisions iPhone 5 with laser keyboard and holographic display [CONCEPT CG - VIDEO]

There is no shortage of iPhone 5 renderings, leaks and case designs and we posted those on a few..different..occasions. As opposed to artists’ renditions predominantly based on leaked cases and late rumors, let’s step back for a moment and think big. Courtesy of Aatma Studio, a San Francisco-based 3D animation and digital content shop, here comes a cool iPhone 5 concept they fashioned, shown above.

We absolutely love the virtual laser keyboard that can be “swapped out” of the device and perched on the desk. It is also pinch-zoomable and illumination controlled. As for the holographic display, the idea actually stems from Apple’s patent filings related to pico projection systems letting you (theoretically, of course) flick whatever’s shown on your device’s display onto the wall. Enjoying a movie projection while camping at night suddenly takes on a whole new dimensions. Wondering about that thriller-like soundtrack? It’s “Movement Proposition” by Kevin MacLeod.

Aatma CEO Pramod Modi Shantharam thinks it “would be cool to see such features in a smartphone someday”, adding:

We at Aatma are massive fans of the iPhone and are eagerly awaiting the release of iPhone 5. Meanwhile, going by the buzz the iPhone 5 is generating, we felt it’s a good time to launch a concept such as this, and showcase our vision of key features of an iPhone 5 or subsequent models could have in the future.

Chinese maker pulls the glowing Apple logo trick with the iSD Card Reader

Remember the iHub, a four-port USB port that set itself apart with the cool-looking, glowing Apple logo – until Cupertino outlawed them? Apparently someone in China was inspired enough with the iHub and walked away concluding this must be the way to roll with everything. Check out a Chinese SD card reader in the below clip. We actually love its miniaturized all-white design with round corners and the advert certainly looks business, if we disregard the too obvious focus on the many close-ups of the glowing Apple logo. The iSD Card Reader is interesting because it lets the 11-inch MacBook Air owners accept SD and SDHC memory cards via USB as the notebook lacks an SD card slot. It can be yours for $9.90 over at the K.O. Gadget store. And while you’re there, make sure to check out their obnoxious white iPhone 4 air cooler. And what’s with the “Apple and 7 Pioneers” article (mark 00:13)

WSJ: Sprint to carry iPhone 5 at same time as AT&T and Verizon

We’d originally heard that Sprint was getting iPhone engineers ready in their Kansas City headquarters in May and heard directly that they were ramping for the iPhone in June.  Today the Wall St. Journal is reporting that Sprint will carry the iPhone 5 along with AT&T and Verizon in the US.  The nation’s third largest carrier has been struggling of late and the addition of the iconic device on TRULY unlimited plans would certainly be a differentiator.

Sprint Nextel Corp. will begin selling the iPhone 5 in mid-October, people familiar with the matter said, closing a huge hole in the No. 3 U.S. carrier’s lineup and giving Apple Inc. another channel for selling its popular phone.
The timing, however, indicates Apple’s new iPhone will hit the market later than expected and too late to contribute to sales in the company’s fiscal fourth quarter, which ends in September. Most observers had expected the device to arrive next month.
Top U.S. carrier Verizon Wireless and No. 2 AT&T Inc. will begin selling the phone in mid-October as well, two of the people said. Sprint had more than 52 million subscribers at the end of the second quarter, compared with 106 million for Verizon and nearly 99 million for AT&T.

Sprint will also carry the iPhone 4, starting at the same time, one person familiar with the situation said.  There has been some question previously whether the Sprint iPhone will be launched simultaneous to AT&T and Verizon.  A Sprint forum member last month was able to get the same information as the Wall St. Journal but questioned the release timing.
Additionally, Sprint subsidiary Virgin Mobile has been refiguring its plans for throttling in early October, perhaps signalling that the iPhone may make its first US pre-paid appearance.

Mac OS Lion updated to 10.7.1 on Mac App Store

When we reported the release of the Mac OS 10.7.1 update last week we were unsure whether or not new updaters would have to always grab additional updates through Software Update. However, it now looks like that won’t be the case as Apple has today updated Lion and the roughly 4GB installer to 10.7.1 on the Mac App Store. Apple will most likely carry on this new trend of releasing the delta update via SU first, followed by updating Lion in the Mac App Store for new downloaders.
The changelog from 10.7.1, which included the usual bug fixes and apparently improved issues users have had with Wi-Fi, is below if you’re interested.

The 10.7.1 update is recommended for all users running OS X Lion and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability and compatibility of your Mac, including fixes that:
- Address an issue that may cause the system to become unresponsive when playing a video in Safari
– Resolve an issue that may cause system audio to stop working when using HDMI or optical audio out
– Improve the reliability of Wi-Fi connections
– Resolve an issue that prevents transfer of your data, settings, and compatible applications to a new Mac running OS X Lion
For detailed information on this update, please visit this website:http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4764.

Apple granted patents related to solar, multi-touch, and iOS devices

Apple has won 16 new patents published by the the US Patent and Trademark Office today (via PatentlyApple) that cover everything from possible methods of charging future Apple products via solar power, to key multi-touch technology and iOS camera related patents. Certainly more fuel for the ongoing patent wars between Apple and the rest of the smartphone industry.
We already know Apple is experimenting with solar power from past patents, even going as far as considering which company would produce panels for future products. We also heard reports in March of a superthin solar panel layer from French company Wysips that could be rolling out to handset manufactures within a year. Today one of the 16 newly granted patents gets us a step closer by detailing “methods and apparatuses for operating devices with solar power”.
PatentlyApple explains:

“a solar power tracking apparatus includes, but is not limited to, a voltage converter and a controller coupled to the voltage converter. The voltage converter includes an input capable of being coupled to a solar power source and an output capable of being coupled to an electronic load, such as, for example, a portable electronic device. The voltage converter is configured to monitor or detect an amount of power drawn by the electronic load at the output of the voltage converter. In response to the monitored power drawn, the controller is configured to control the voltage converter to reduce amount of power to be drawn subsequently if the monitored amount of power exceeds a predetermined threshold. As a result, the output voltage from the solar power source is maintained within a predetermined range.”

Intel not dismissing rumors of Apple’s notebook transition to ARM chips

Earlier today my colleague Jordan Kahn told you about a story ran by the Japanese hit-and-miss blog, Macotakara, which in a nutshell calls for a brand new Mac product family. It is being described as radically “different from current products”, so much different in fact that Apple might market the mysterious products under a new product name. Well, Intel’s hearing those rumors as well! Their Ultrabook director Greg Welch specifically told CNET they’re very well aware of the reports  involving MacBook prototypes rocking Apple’s own silicon based on ARM’s processor blueprints:

We hear the same rumors and it would be remiss of us to be dismissive. We endeavor to innovate so they’ll continue to look to us as a supplier.

We wouldn’t bet on the “continue to look to us as a supplier” part. So thought IBM until Apple ditched the PowerPC architecture and made a bold switch to Intel processors in 2005. So, is 2012 going to be like 2005? Only time will tell, but it’s intriguing that an Intel executive would actually comment on the rumors, don’t you think?
That, in and of itself, is significant enough to warrant a post for the sake of the discussion. If you do believe your rumors, Apple’s testing ultra-thin MacBook prototypes that sport ARM chips and might not contain Intel’s Ivy Bridge platform at all. The benefits?

Apple issues iTunes 10.4.1 update with responsiveness fixes

Apple has posted the iTunes 10.4.1 incremental update on its servers. The update, which is available via Software Update from the Apple menu, contains several improvements that make the program more nimble in certain situations, in addition to fixes for known issues such as adding artwork to songs and videos. Standalone iTunes 10.4.1 installers for Mac and Windows are available from the iTunes download page. Full changelog right after the break…

Analyst: Apple to sell 22 Million iPads in 4th Quarter

Another day, another analyst making bold predictions about Apple. Though this time it’s the usually accurate Jason Schwarz. In a post on SeekingAlpha.com (via Forbes) Schwarz writes:

“With the era of the laptop coming to an end how should we extrapolate Apple’s recent quarter of 9.25 million iPads into the holiday quarter? It’s logical to assume that the iPad will mirror the growth that the iPhone experienced in 2010 as it grew from 8.4 million units sold in Q2 to 16.2 million in Q4, 92% growth. We also take into consideration the 183% year over year growth that the iPad experienced in its most recent quarter to come up with a forecast of 21.9 million iPads to be sold in this year’s holiday quarter.”

2011 has been a difficult year for Apple’s tablet competitors. HP recently halted production of their WebOS powered TouchPad device after only three months on the market (though it has been selling well at $99). Blackberry’s new PlayBook has been panned by many reviews. Android manufacturers have been sued by Apple for violating many of their software patents. Even laptop manufacturers are starting to feel the pain of the increasingly popular and powerful tablet. Traditionally the holiday quarter has always been the strongest for Apple. Furthermore, we would be remiss to leave out the very unlikely possibility of a rumored iPad holiday refresh. Such an event, though unlikely, could help push these numbers into the stratosphere.
It’s pretty amazing to see how far the iPad has come in such a short period of time. Starting out for many as “just a big iPod touch”, the device has matured and found a place in millions of homes throughout the world. The iPad has played a major role in defining and boosting the stagnant tablet market. Could it help boost that market beyond laptops in 2012? 22 million sales for the holiday quarter would certainly be a good start.

Really, Sony?

So I imagine there is a marketing meeting at the Sony Bravia offices a few months ago where they are brainstorming new ways to market this 46″ TV.

Someone steps up and says Apple is about to release a new OS and all of their boxes are going to have this ‘Galaxy Swirl’ thing on the cover.  Perhaps we can confuse a few people into thinking this is Apple/type/quality products.
Sure, its a different angle and view, but it is pretty clear what the intention was.  While this is probably legal and will certainly fool a certain part of the population, those who follow tech have to feel a little sorry for the once-great Sony, which is rapidly turning into an also-ran knock-off artist.

Reuters: Inexpensive iPhone is the 8GB iPhone 4

Reuters this morning ran a story sourced from “two people with knowledge of the matter” who confirmed that Apple in fact is gearing up to launch an inexpensive iPhone model alongside a new fifth-generation iPhone in “late September”, which 9to5Mac was first to report on with the September 29 pre-order date. The cheapo one? An 8GB version of iPhone 4, expected to launch “within weeks”:

Asian suppliers to Apple Inc have begun manufacturing a lower-priced version of its hot-selling iPhone 4 with a smaller 8 gigabyte flash drive, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. The flash drive for the 8GB iPhone 4 is being manufactured by a Korean company, one of the people said Tuesday, declining to name the company. Apple currently sources its flash drives from Japan’s Toshiba and South Korea’s Samsung Electronics.

There has been some talk as of late that Apple has begun sourcing Samsung parts from other suppliers amid a nasty patent spat with the Korean consumer electronics maker. It is therefore entirely possible that Apple bought the 8GB NAND flash model from Toshiba, but with the price being paramount for this cheap iPhone 4 we wouldn’t be surprise if the chips came from Samsung, if the price was right. The Reuters report also describes iPhone 5 as sporting an improved antenna, a bigger screen and an eight-megapixel camera on the back. Surprisingly, the sources insist iPhone 5′s form factor is similar to its predecessor, which contradicts the rumor-mill and recent case leaks that point to a slimmer, redesigned appearance.
Apple currently offers iPhone 4 in 16GB and 32GB flavors for $199 and $299, respectively, after a two-year service contract. It is unclear whether Apple will remove the two-year old iPhone 3GS from market this Fall and replace it with the 8GB iPhone 4 at a similar asking price or perhaps free? The story corroborates our own speculation that September will see Apple launch two iPhones, a major upgrade that is the iPhone 5 and an inexpensive model for emerging markets that could either be this 8GB iPhone 4 or even a re-worked iPod touch with 3G connectivity added.

Apple makes up its mind: iPad 3 displays to be supplied by LG Display, Samsung and Sharp

Following an enduring period of quality-testing and trial runs, Apple has finally chosen not one, not two, but three suppliers of LCD panels for iPad 3. The winners are LG Display, Samsung Electronics and Sharp who all apparently cut deals to supply LCD panels for the third-generation iPad, per DigiTimes story from this morning. LG Display will act as the leading supplier, while “Sharp stands a chance of overtaking the Korea competitor if it is able to run stable supplies of quality panels”. Surprised that Samsung, a major supplier in the past, fell out of favor a bit? Don’t be.
Apple has apparently been quality-testing iPad 3 displays from Samsung and LG for some time. The company will entrust backlight modules to Taiwan-based Radiant Opto-Electronics, which also provided those units for previous-generation iPads. Radiant will ship their backlight modules to LG Display, Samsung Electronics and Sharp:

Radiant accounts for over half of the backlight units LG Display needs for its iPad 3 panels, while Samsung sources backlight units from the Taiwan maker for all its iPad 3 panels, the sources said. Sharp also uses backlight modules from Radiant for iPad 3 panels, as well as from a Japan-based BLU supplier, the sources added.

The report makes no mention of iPad 3′s resolution. The blogosphere has been calling for four times more pixels compared to the iPad’s 1024-by-768 pixel display. This means an ultra high-resolution 9.7-inch display with a 2048-by-1536 pixel resolution that Apple would want to market as being Retina-capable.

Refurb Apple MacBook Air Laptops: From $749 + free shipping

The Apple Store offers discounts on previous-generation, factory-refurbished 3-lb. MacBook Air notebooks, as listed below. Plus, each system qualifies for free shipping. At up to $250 off, each model is at the lowest total price we’ve seen. Sales tax is added where applicable. Each item carries a 1-year Apple warranty, the same as new units. Items are removed from The Apple Store when sold out. The laptops (each model listed below features 2GB RAM):

• Refurb MacBook Air MC505LL/A Core 2 Duo 1.4GHz 11.6″ 64GB SSD for $749
• refurb MacBook Air MC506LL/A Core 2 Duo 1.4GHz 11.6″ 128GB SSD for $949
• refurb MacBook Air MC503LL/A Core 2 Duo 1.86GHz 13.3″ 128GB SSD for $999
• refurb MacBook Air MC504LL/A Core 2 Duo 1.86GHz 13.3″ 256GB SSD for $1,249
• see all refurbished MacBook Air laptops

Apple drops refurbished iPads to $299

The Apple Store dropped its price on the factory-refurbished, 1st-generation Apple iPad 16GB Wi-Fi (pictured), model no. MB292LL/A, to $299 with free shipping. That’s $30 under our June mention and is $184 under the lowest total price we could find for a new one. (It’s also the lowest we’ve ever seen for any iPad.) This 0.5″-thick tablet weighs 1.5 lbs. and features an Apple A4 1GHz processor, 9.7″ 1024×768 LCD touchscreen display, 802.11a/n wireless, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, accelerometer, compass, up to 10 hours of battery life, and more.
Also available is the factory-refurbished, 1st-generation Apple iPad 32GB Wi-Fi, model no. MB293LL/A, for $399. That’s another price-low, this time by $121. Both units carry a 1-year Apple warranty, the same as new units.
We also briefly saw a 32GB iPad for $299 at Cowboom this morning.  Does all of this have anything to do with the Touchpad $99 nuttieness from the weekend?  Unlikely.
 
Update: 16GB just went out of stock.  Cowboom has 32GB for $299 on and off.

Chinese maker pulls the glowing Apple logo trick with the iSD Card Reader

Remember the iHub, a four-port USB port that set itself apart with the cool-looking, glowing Apple logo – until Cupertino outlawed them? Apparently someone in China was inspired enough with the iHub and walked away concluding this must be the way to roll with everything. Check out a Chinese SD card reader in the below clip. We actually love its miniaturized all-white design with round corners and the advert certainly looks business, if we disregard the too obvious focus on the many close-ups of the glowing Apple logo. The iSD Card Reader is interesting because it lets the 11-inch MacBook Air owners accept SD and SDHC memory cards via USB as the notebook lacks an SD card slot. It can be yours for $9.90 over at the K.O. Gadget store. And while you’re there, make sure to check out their obnoxious white iPhone 4 air cooler. And what’s with the “Apple and 7 Pioneers” article.

Apple plans to launch entirely new Mac this year?

Apple may be planning on unveiling an all new Mac that is “absolutely different from current products”, according to a rough translation from the sometimes reliable macotakara.jp. The site’s track record is less than perfect, however they did accurately predict the iPad 2′s march release.
The report seems to claim the product will be so different from current product lines that it will indeed be given a new name. Other than that, there aren’t many details offered up in terms of specs on the potential next-gen Mac (iOS/OS X hybrid?), but it may be one of the new products Apple is already rumoured to be working on.
It’s a possibility these are the ultra-thin air-like MacBooks we’ve been hearing are in the final stages of testing, or perhaps Apple is designing an all new product that will see a platform switch from Intel to ARM processors. And don’t forget the rackable, stackable Mac Pro and that iMac touch patent,below.

iPhone 5 might lack dual LED flash, leaked parts would have you believe

Multiple leaks of various parts purported to belong to a fifth-generation iPhone, which we’ve been hearing is up for launch October 7, are a norm that late in the game. Today, MacRumors points (here and here) to several components allegedly sourced from suppliers. These parts might have been used in the design of iPhone 5. The back camera module, picture above next to its iPhone 4 counterpart, reveals the familiar compact design calling for the LED flash embedded closely to the CMOS sensor.
Surprisingly, the iPhone 5′s back camera appears to lack dual LED flash. Of course, you never know with those leaks. For all we know, this part could just as easily have been used in one of early iPhone 5 design prototypes. It could also be the case of a repair shop looking for some free coverage. As 9to5mac reported back in April, Apple is likely to keep iPhone 5 ahead of other smartphones in the camera department by using Sony’s eight-megapixel camera.
The company also might keep its current supplier, OmniVision. That company unveiled in May a 1080p camera sensor that could lend itself well to a thinner designs, said to be one of the iPhone 5′s treats. Asian trade publication DigiTimes followed-up with a report that both Sony and OmniVision cut a deal to supply Apple with eight-megapixel cameras for iPhone 5s. The other leaked parts reveal little new information, but are nevertheless interesting…

iOS 5 includes early earthquake warning notifications for Japanese iPhone users

Following the devestating earthquake in Japan earlier this year, Apple has added a new early earthquake warning notification option to iOS 5. iOS 5 users in Japan can turn on early earthquake notifications at the very bottom of the iOS 5 Notification Center settings pane. As you can see above, all the user has to do is flick a switch to start receiving these notifications. According to Time, who profiled Japan’s earthquake warning system earlier this year, the system gives warnings from seconds to one or two minutes before the earthquake hits. Time also explains the history of the system:

Japan has the most advanced earthquake early-warning system in the world. A nationwide online system launched in 2007, it detects tremors, calculates an earthquake’s epicenter and sends out brief warnings from its 1,000-plus seismographs scattered throughout the country, one of the most earthquake-prone nations on the planet.

Apple’s built-in earthquake notification system will be a nice replacement for those in Japan who rely on earthquake warning applications from the App Store such as Yurekuru Call. For those who cannot read the text above, it also warns that the feature may reduce your battery life because it is always connected to Japan’s earthquake warning system. This new notification options truly showcases Apple’s commitment to safety for those in Japan. Thanks, l9!

What if Google closes Android and goes the Apple model with Motorola?

Assuming Android goes proprietary to Motorola, it falls behind Apple in market share by 2012 and Windows Phone (the Other category) gulps up nearly half the mobile phone market.

There’s a good reason why Apple’s products “just work”. But it’s been a bumpy road for the Cupertino, California company because right from the onset competitors were ridiculing its vertically integrated approach to business. Apple’s supposedly ‘closed’ ecosystem is a major weakness, critics cry. The past decade, however, saw the marketplace validate the strategy through booming sales of Apple gear. But what if GOOG actually tried the AAPL model with Motorola, which today makes about one in ten Android smartphones?

That’s the dilemma Piper Jaffray resident Apple analyst Gene Munster set out to explore in his Friday note to clients. In short, making Android proprietary and exclusive to Motorola would add about 35 percent to operating income for Google, the accidental hardware company. By 2015, the phone biz would add $10.5 billion in operating profit and $56 billion in revenue, resulting in a per-share earnings of $25.16 by 2015. There’s just one problem with this hypothetical strategy:

Google loses $4.5 billion in Android ad revenue at $10 per user in 2015 compared to Android’s current trajectory. 

Worse, Android would lose “significant share” being exclusive to Motorola phones, dropping to 15 percent market share in 2013, down from 43 percent. And in the calendar year 2015, Google would sell one in five phones, or 172.5 million units. Primary beneficiary? Microsoft, as betrayed Android backers turn to the Windows Phone software.

That’s a lot of assumptions, granted, and Google’s unlikely to risk dropping the ball in online advertising, which led Munster to warn they would most likely “keep the patents and sell Motorola’s device and set-top box businesses”. If the lucrative incentives tempt Google to close Android, Motorola, now the 8th biggest smartphone maker and 5th biggest Android, could benefit as well. Consider this…

 Should Android remain open, which it likely will, Google and Apple combined grab two-thirds of the market in 2015.

Apple seeds iOS 5 beta 6, iTunes 10.5 beta 6, Xcode 4.2 preview 6 to developers (full change log)

Apple has released iOS 5 beta 6 to developers today as the fall launch of the major iOS software upgrade nears. In addition, Apple released beta 6 of iTunes 10.5 to developers, which is required for syncing with devices that carry iOS 5 beta 6. Also, Apple seeded Xcode 4.2 developer preview 6 today, which is required for compatibility with developer devices running iOS 5 beta 6. iOS 5 will launch publicly this fall alongside the fifth-generation iPhone. The iPhone 5 is likely launching in early October, so we will most likely see the public launch of iOS 5 during that timeframe as well.
iOS 5 includes over 200 new features including an all new notification system called Notification Center, Newsstand for easy magazine and newspaper reading from the home screen, Twitter integration, iCloud support, an improved camera and photos application with photo editing, a location-aware Reminders application, over-the-air software updates, setup without a computer, iMessages, an improved Safari with Reading List and improved tabbed browsing on the iPad, an improved Game Center, iPad navigation gesture support, WiFi syncing, iPad 2 AirPlay mirroring, and more.
In addition, Apple has seeded a second beta of iWork for iOS with iCloud support and Apple TV software beta 5.
If you find anything new in today’s releases, please let us know at tips@9to5mac.com. Apple’s full change log for iOS 5 beta 6 is after the break for your perusal.

BGR: AT&T vice president tells managers to get “really, really busy” for iPhone 5 launch in early October

Relaying information provided by “high-level sources” from American carrier AT&T, BGR is getting on the early October  iPhone 5 launch bandwagon. They’ve heard that AT&T higher-ups told their managers to prepare employees for a “really, really busy” iPhone 5 launch. The internal communication allegedly includes the specific mention of an early October release:

One of our high-level AT&T sources just informed us that an AT&T Vice President has confirmed to several employees that the iPhone 5 is slated to launch in early October. Additionally, the VP communicated the following to a group of managers: ‘Expect things to get really, really busy in the next 35-50 days, so prepare your teams accordingly’.

Per information 9to5Mac obtained from trusted sources, corroborating the dates TiPb heard as well, Apple is aiming to launch the fifth-generation iPhone on October 7 and planning on starting pre-orders September 30. Additionally, the first week of October date for the new iPhone’s availability, fits nicely with our report about AT&T’s major early October changes: data throttling and a new insurance plan for $199 devices.
Several leaks do, however, point to a thinner, sleaker form factor that represents a distinctive departure from iPhone 4’s glass design (although some obviously disagree).
BGR previously reported that AT&T had blocked out September for the iPhone 5 launch and that a radically new iPhone 5 was expected in August. They also forecasted a $350 iPhone was due by “end of summer”.
Also, Jim Darlymple at the Loop seems to finally agree with this date.