Apple today added a new "Free on iTunes" section in the iTunes Store, featuring free downloads of songs and full length TV episodes. The section replaces Apple's "iTunes Single of the Week", which previously offered free songs from popular and indie music artists.
Currently, Apple is offering full-length TV episodes from shows including Fox's Backstrom, Syfy's 12 Monkey's, Disney Channel's KC Undercover, and MTV's Eye Candy. On the music side, Apple is offering downloads from artists such as Purity Ring, Jauz, Asking Alexandria, and Guster.
Apple's "Free on iTunes" section is live now, and it is likely that the company will offer new content every week as it has done with the iTunes Single of the Week and its App of the Week section.
Update: The new section appears to be U.S.-only for the time being.
Samsung will be the main supplier of Apple's upcoming A9 chip that will power the next-generation iPhone, reports South Korean newspaper Maeil Business (via Reuters). The newspaper notes that Samsung will supply around 75% of chips for the next iPhone, and that the processors will be produced at the company's factory in Austin, Texas.
Apple's A8 chip
Last month, a report from Korea's ET News said that Samsung had begun work on the processor in Texas. Previous reports noted that Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) would be producing the A9 chip, although Samsung was chosen to be the primary supplier in a deal that was said to be worth billions. BusinessKorea reported last month that Apple would be relying more heavily on Samsung for iPhone 6 and Apple Watch components including RAM, NAND flash storage, and batteries.
Apple's A9 chip is expected to power the iPhone 6s and presumably the next-generation iPad Air and iPad mini. Apple is also expected to launch a larger-screened iPad Pro at some point this year, although that device has been rumored to utilize Apple's A8X processor.
Apple will begin shipping the Apple Watch in March and will also look to launch its new 12-inch MacBook Air during this quarter, according to a new report by KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo. The analyst also predicted that iPhone shipments would beat expectations for Q1 2015 with over 61 million units shipped, while iPad shipments are expected to total to 10 million units.
Kuo notes that Apple may reveal more details about the Apple Watch before its official launch, revealing specifics on battery life and the start of pre-orders. Most components of the Apple Watch will see high shipments during the quarter, but other key components are expected to see low production yields which may cause a constrained supply. Kuo predicts that Apple will ship 2.8 million Apple Watch units in Q1 2015, and his estimate for a March launch falls in line with previous reports.
Kuo's estimate for a Q1 2015 launch of the new 12-inch MacBook Air falls in line with a report earlier this month which stated that Apple supplier Quanta Computer was ramping up production of the notebook for a release this quarter. The 12-inch MacBook Air is expected to feature a new ultra-thin, fan-less design with a high resolution Retina display and a low-power Intel Core M processor. The notebook is also said to be one of the first to take advantage of the new reversible USB Type C connector, which may also be used for charging.
Deals have been scarce in recent weeks following all of the holiday discounts, but it appears things are beginning to pick up again. Best Buy is offering discounts on its stock of iPad Air 2 models, and there are also some deals to be had on iMacs, Retina MacBook Pros, and Macbook Airs.
We've also got a selection of Apple-related accessories that are on sale, including quite a few speakers. Finally, we've rounded up a few games and apps that can be had at a discount this week.
iPad Air 2
Best Buy has temporarily discounted its entire iPad Air 2 stock by $50 to $100, which is the best iPad Air 2 deal we've seen since the holidays. With the sale, the entry-level 16GB Wi-Fi only iPad Air 2 is available for $449.99, down from $499.99. The 64GB model is available for $549, and the higher-capacity 128GB model is available for $599, $100 off. All cellular models are discounted by $50 to $100 depending on capacity too.
Older iPads
Best Buy is also continuing to offer now-discontinued higher-capacity Cellular versions of the original iPad Air at up to $130 off.
As of last week, Apple is selling the new 27-inch Retina iMac in its online refurbished store, offering discounts of 15 percent off, which beats any Retina iMac price that can be found in store this week.
Selection varies, but there are quite a few configurations available for purchase at a discount, which gives consumers looking for a Retina iMac deal a lot to choose from beyond the standard configuration.
All of Apple's refurbished machines come with a 1 year warranty, but stock fluctuates often, so potential buyers may need to wait for a desired machine to show up in the store.
- 11-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/256GB (B&H Photo) - $999, $100 off - 13-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/128GB (B&H Photo - $919, $80 off - 13-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/256GB (B&H Photo) - $1,099, $100 off
Retina MacBook Pro
- 13-inch 2.6GHz/8GB/128GB (B&H Photo) (MacMall)- $1,199, $100 off - 13-inch 2.6GHz/8GB/256GB (MacMall) (B&H Photo) - $1,399, $100 off - 13.inch 2.8GHz/8GB/512GB (Amazon) (B&H Photo) - $1,599, $200 off
Apps
Apple's free app of the week is puzzle game Shades, and it can be downloaded for free for the next week. Other games temporarily on sell include Lost Yeti, a puzzle adventure game, and Ghost Blitz, a skill-based game. Cycloramic for the iPhone 5/5s is also available for free this week.
For more app deals, make sure to check out our sister site AppShopper, which has a section dedicated to price drops.
Apple Accessories
The Jawbone Big Jambox Bluetooth speaker is available for $184.99from Woot, down from its original price of $299. Groupon is selling refurbished Jawbone UP24 fitness trackers for $69.99, $30 off the regular $99 price tag. The regular Jawbone Jambox (refubished) can also be purchased from Groupon for $69.99, down from $150.
Beats by Dre Studio Headphones are available from Groupon for $199, $100 off the regular price. Groupon is also selling Apple EarPods for $14.99, a discount of $14. The Beats Beatbox portable Bluetooth speaker can be purchased from Best Buy for $199, $200 off the regular price.
Best Buy is selling iTunes gift cards for 10% off, dropping the price of a $15 card to $13.50. A refurbished Mophie Powerstation portable USB battery charger can be purchased from Groupon for $29.99, down from $79.99.
MacMall is offering the Otterbox Defender Series Case for the iPad Air 2 for $58.99, down from its normal price of $89.95, and it's also selling the Speck CandyShell Card case for the iPhone 6 Plus for $39.99. The Lenmar ChugPlug External Battery pack for Apple MacBooks is available from Best Buy for $79.99, down from its regular price of $159.99.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors.
Keyboards have become an increasingly important way for iPad users to boost the productivity of their tablets, and there are dozens of keyboards and keyboard cases on the market designed for the iPad. Apple itself has begun highlighting keyboard cases in recent weeks, showcasing a range of products in its brick and mortar stores, and with Apple beginning to put an emphasis on iPad accessories, interest in keyboards will undoubtedly pick up in the coming months.
ClamCase, a well-known iPad accessory maker, has been producing keyboard cases for several years and its most recent case, the ClamCase Pro iPad Keyboard Case for iPad Air 2, is a culmination of everything the company has learned people look for in a keyboard case.
Priced at $169, the ClamCase Pro is a premium entrant in a market where $50 to $100 options are common, but it offers features that power users and frequent writers will find worth the money, including a unique 360 degree hinge for multiple screen positions, full iPad protection, and most importantly, a keyboard that has generous spacing and an above average key feel.
What's in the Box
The ClamCase Pro ships in a high-quality iPad-style box that includes the keyboard case itself, a micro-USB cord for charging, a quick start guide, and a headphone adapter.
As described in the quick start guide, setup is easy, and we were able to pair the ClamCase Pro with an iPad after switching the case's power on and pairing it in the iPad's Bluetooth settings menu. After pairing, it worked immediately, with no apparent lag.
Design
The ClamCase Pro for iPad Air 2 is, as you might imagine, a clamshell-style case that fully encompasses the iPad. The iPad Air 2 snaps snugly into the top of the case (so snugly, in fact, that it can be difficult to remove) and the bottom of the case houses black MacBook-style keys. Both the outside of the case and the top portion are constructed from a white plastic, but inside, the keyboard portion of the case is made from brushed aluminum and heavily resembles a MacBook.
The two halves of the case are connected by a 360 degree hinge, and overall, with the iPad snapped in, it looks and feels very much like a MacBook Air -- so much so that in MacRumors' testing, we repeatedly attempted to use a non-existent trackpad instead of touching the screen.
The top of the ClamCase Pro has a cutout for the iPad's Lightning port and the camera, as well as buttons that allow the iPad's power and volume controls to be used. The keyboard portion of the case has a port for headphones and a micro-USB port that's used to charge the case itself.
While the plastic of the case feels somewhat flimsy and low-quality, the aluminum keyboard portion is solid and feels well made. When closed, the ClamCase Pro is able to completely encase the iPad, protecting it from drops and scratches. Unfortunately, this solid feel and the high level of protection come at a cost --- bulk. The ClamCase Pro is 0.74 inches thick (at its thinnest point) and the iPad Air 2 is 0.24 inches thick, which means this case triples the thickness of the iPad Air 2 and more than doubles the weight (ClamCase Pro weighs 1.2 pounds, iPad Air 2 weighs 0.96)
It's been more than six months since Apple first introduced HomeKit at its June 2014 Worldwide Developers Conference, but HomeKit-compatible products have yet to hit store shelves and may not do so until this spring, almost a year after Apple first detailed its home automation system.
HomeKit's launch has gone slower than expected, and according to sources that spoke to Re/code, the two major reasons were a "slower-than-expected" launch of the HomeKit MFi program, which began in November, and the late launch of chip specifications, which weren't sent out to chip makers until October. Apple's high performance standards for hardware manufacturers and chip makers are also said to be a factor.
Elgato's upcoming line of HomeKit-compatible products
January's Consumer Electronics Show saw the debut of several HomeKit-compatible products, including the iDevices smart plug, Elgato's range of connected home devices, and the Schlage Sense smart lock, all of which may begin hitting store shelves in a few months. Apple gave a statement to Re/code on the upcoming HomeKit products, expressing the company's excitement.
"We are excited to have a growing number of partners committed to bringing HomeKit products to market, including several announced at CES," said Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller. "HomeKit offers a set of common protocols making it easier for customers to control HomeKit-enabled accessories using Siri or iOS apps. HomeKit is built on a secure foundation with end-to-end encryption which provides customers a secure connection between their iPhone or iPad and HomeKit accessory. "
HomeKit was announced more than six months ago, but many details about the home automation platform remain murky on the consumer end. It is not quite clear if and how it will interface with existing products or if consumers will be expected to purchase all new connected home items to take advantage of HomeKit. Details about the HomeKit MFi specification that leaked out earlier this week, however, suggest few existing products will be able to be used with HomeKit.
Google's security team, Project Zero, this week disclosed to the public several security vulnerabilities in OS X, some three months after the issue were shared with Apple (via Ars Technica). While Apple has not commented officially on the issues, it appears one has already been patched and iMore reports the remaining two are fixed in OS X 10.10.2, which is currently in developer testing.
Project Zero works to discover security vulnerabilities of various operating systems and software, giving their owners 90 days notice to patch the issues before publishing their findings to the public. In their markup of Apple's OS X, problems involving memory corruption, kernel code execution, and a sandbox escape were all discovered by the team. Ars Technica notes:
At first glance, none of them appear to be highly critical, since all three appear to require the attacker to already have some access to a targeted machine. [...]
Still, the exploits could be combined with a separate attack to elevate lower-level privileges and gain control over vulnerable Macs. And since the disclosures contain proof-of-concept exploit code, they provide enough technical detail for experienced hackers to write malicious attacks that target the previously unknown vulnerabilities.
As the 90-day deadline hit during the week, the group beganposting its findings online. Google's notes suggest one of the vulnerabilities was fixed with the release of OS X Yosemite, while the other two remained unaddressed.
But as pointed out by iMore, Apple's incoming OS X 10.10.2 update does indeed include fixes for the remaining two vulnerabilities exposed by Project Zero.
[B]ased on the latest build of OS X 10.10.2, seeded [Wednesday] to developers, Apple has already fixed all of the vulnerabilities listed above. That means the fixes will be available to everyone running Yosemite as soon as 10.10.2 goes into general availability.
Google's Project Zero has been disclosing significant security vulnerabilities for a number of months now, previously discovering a few significant Windows issues and sharing them online. The project shines light on much-needed fixes to various operating systems, but sometimes undercuts the point of security, as in that Windows case that's left users' systems more vulnerable with the publicized knowledge before Microsoft could properly fix it. Still, the 90-day window before public disclosure is intended to give companies time to fix the issues while also giving them incentive to do so in a timely fashion.
A growing number of users on Apple's support forums are reporting an issue with iOS 8 and the time zones of synced calendar events, reports Forbes. Known by users as the "GMT bug," the issue is causing confusion as calendar events sometimes see a secondary time zone (frequently GMT) added on.
The issue is documented in a lengthy thread on Apple's support forums that was started shortly after iOS 8 was released, and it has continued to gain significant attention since that time. According to user reports, calendar events created in one time zone are converted to another timezone possibly when they sync across a server.
Most of the affected appointments originate from either Google or Microsoft Exchange calendars that are linked to the default iOS calendar app. While the appointment remains at the correct time for the user, the actual time setting becomes defined in GMT rather than the user's local time zone, which can cause issues if the user edits the entry without realizing the different time zone.
There are conflicting reports, however, over whether this behavior is indeed a bug or not. Apple support representatives reportedly have confirmed to at least one user that the company is aware of the issue and working on a fix, while others have been told this is expected behavior.
The issue may in fact be related to a "Time Zone Override" setting in iOS 8 that allows users to maintain a consistent time zone for their calendars even while traveling to different time zones, but even if the GMT addition is intended behavior the implementation is clearly causing confusion for many users.
Apple last updated iOS to version 8.1.2 in December with a fix for disappearing ringtones. A minor iOS 8.1.3 update is in testing with Apple engineers and retail staff, with a public launch expected soon. Developers are now also using iOS 8.2 betas, the fourth of which was released in last week. None of the public or beta versions of iOS are yet confirmed to contain a provision to address this issue.
Following a lengthy lawsuit that pitted Sirius XM Radio against members of classic rock band The Turtles in a fight over royalties for music recordings made before 1972, new class action lawsuits have been filed against Apple, Sony, Google, and Rdio over their streaming music services (via The Recorder). As noted by Law360, Beats Music has also been hit with a suit.
According to the suits, filed yesterday by Zenbu Magazines Inc., streaming services like iTunes Radio, Beats, and Google Play Music have been making money off of pre-1972 music recordings without paying any royalties to the owners of the original recordings.
Zenbu owns the copyrights to many songs in question and is represented by The Law Office of Jack Fitzgerald in San Diego. The lawsuit seeks to create a certified "class of all owners of recordings made before February 15, 1972, whose recordings appear on streaming services."
While musical compositions have been protected under U.S. copyright law since 1831, sound recordings were only added to the federal copyright act in 1972. That's meant that the holders of copyrights to pre-1972 compositions—largely music publishers—have been paid royalties for public performances while those holding the copyrights to recordings—largely record labels—have not.
As noted by The Recorder, last year a judge in Los Angeles decided to extend ownership rights for pre-1972 recordings to include public performances. Similarly, in that case of Sirius XM versus owners of the sound recordings made by The Turtles in the 1960s, U.S. District Judge Philip Gutierrez ruled against Sirius.
The lawsuits come at a time when Apple is working behind the scenes for an upcoming relaunch of the Beats Music streaming service, rumored to include integration into iTunes and iOS in general. "The streaming services don't have a good idea of what their total liability is going to be," noted Santa Clara law professor Tyler Ochoa, with the lawsuits against the numerous streaming music services "inevitable", following the Sirius XM case.
Due to the growing popularity of streaming services worldwide, Ochoa sees some of the companies perhaps pulling those pre-1972 songs to avoid further liability, with record labels falling in line with their own lawsuits against the services for better royalty deals.
Both analysts and metrics are suggesting Apple will report record-breaking iPhone sales for the just-ended December 2014 calendar quarter, and new data released today by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners reveals the Cupertino company may have set a high bar against its competitors, grabbing half of all phone activations in the United States.
While CIRP's survey included only 500 users and thus may include a significant margin of uncertainty, the data shows Apple's U.S. activation market share increasing from 28 percent in the July-September 2014 quarter to 50 percent in the October-December quarter. The significant jump was clearly fueled by strong consumer interest in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
"The strength of the September 2014 launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus fueled Apple’s dominance in US mobile phone sales this quarter," said Josh Lowitz, Partner and CoFounder of CIRP. "Apple had virtually double the sales of Samsung, and five times that of LG. No other brand accounted for as much as 5% of US sales."
CIRP's survey also found that most of the quarter's iPhone purchases (86 percent) came from loyal Apple customers who upgraded from older iPhones. While Apple retained its customer base, Samsung and LG lost customers, with 25% of Samsung owners and 18% of LG owners who activated a new phone switching to an iPhone.
Sales of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus may continue to be strong in early 2015, with a high numbers of consumers intending to buy an iPhone in the next three months. According to 451 Research’s ChangeWave December survey, more than half of early adopters plan to buy an iPhone when they purchase a new phone in the next 90 days. While the number is down significantly from the previous quarter, it remains high considering the new iPhones have been available for several months already.
"This is the highest level of Apple demand ever recorded in our smartphone survey three months after a major new release," said Andy Golub of 451 Research.
The ongoing demand for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus reflects growing consumer interest in larger phones with 60 percent of future buyers looking to purchase a 5-inch or larger smartphone. This 2014 figure is a significant jump from the 40 percent ChangeWave recorded in the same quarter of 2013.
Apple released the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in September 2014 with long lines for the phone and delayed ship times shortly after the phones went on sale, and Apple announced record-breaking sales of 10 million units in the first weekend of availability. Apple will announce the results for its first fiscal quarter of 2015 (fourth calendar quarter of 2014) on Tuesday, January 27. The quarterly earnings statement will be released around 1:30 PM Pacific/4:30 PM Eastern, with a conference call to discuss the report following at 2:00 PM Pacific/5:00 PM Eastern.
The "super simple, surprisingly challenging" puzzle game Shades, by developer UOVO, has been named by Apple as this week's App of the Week. Launched last year, and also featured in the App Store's "Best New Games" section, the game usually costs $1.99 to download.
The game takes inspiration from Tetris, with falling blocks of varying color hues - instead of shapes - needing to be slotted into the correct position by the player. Matching hues make darker colors, resulting in chain moves that can knock out entire rows of blocks.
A mesmerizing, calming, zen-like experience that quickly evolves into a devilishly challenging puzzler. Meditation + Panic. It's a fantastic combo.
A very simple game that will challenge you to think very fast.
"Surprisingly difficult!" ~ The guys who made it.
Features: - Simple rules - Intuitive gameplay - Difficult to master - 3 modes of play. Easy. Medium. Hard. - Beautiful, colorful, minimalist design. - Sound design by ONBC
The longer players spend in the game and the better they become, the quicker the game evolves into a frantic rush to slot blocks into the correct position as they fall faster and faster.
The game currently sits at a solid 4.5 star rating in the App Store, with one review calling it "Tetris meets 2048" and many others praising its addictiveness alongside the challenging nature the game slowly builds up to. Shades: A Simple Puzzle Game can be downloaded for free for the next week from the App Store. [Direct Link]
Any.DO today announced the launch of a Mac version of Any.Do, the company's popular task management app for iOS, allowing users to manage their tasks and to-dos on multiple platforms throughout the day. While the app quietly went live last week, today marks the official launch with a major Editor's Choice feature by Apple in the Mac App Store.
With Any.do for Mac, life is as productive as you want it to be. No need to pick up your phone or start your web browser. With one click from your desktop you get clear visibility into your daily tasks and all the same powerful planning features you’ve come to expect from the Any.do app. We’ve learned that it’s the little differences that can make a big impact on your productivity, and that’s why Any.do for Mac matters. Now, when you have an immediate access to your Any.do, being the best version of yourself is that much simpler.
Like its iOS counterpart, the Any.do Mac app includes basic to-do list features in addition to real-time user collaboration on tasks, voice entry, the ability to attach video, audio, photos and Dropbox files, and Any.do Moment, a daily planner feature.
While the app and service is free, Any.do also includes a premium subscription tier that gives users access to more color schemes, fully customizable reminders, location support and priority support from Any.DO's in-house support team. The subscription is regularly $4.99 a month, but is currently discounted to $2.99 a month to celebrate the launch of the Mac app.
Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly consented to security inspections of the company's products by Chinese government officials, reports The Beijing News [Via ITworld]. The inspections will look for backdoors that provide third-party access to sensitive and private data stored on Apple devices.
These spot inspections were part of an agreement forged between Apple CEO Tim Cook and Lu Wei, director of China's State Internet Information Office. The pair met last year to talk about the security of Apple's products, including the upcoming Apple Watch. Wei expressed concerned that Apple's devices may compromise the security of the Chinese government and the privacy of Apple device owners in China.
During their conversation, Cook reportedly told Lu that Apple's devices do not contain a backdoor to share data with government entities or other third-party services. Despite these assurances, Wu supposedly insisted on these security assessments so the Chinese government can examine Apple's products firsthand.
China increasingly is an important market for Apple with sales in the Asian nation projected to continue to rise in the coming years. Apple recently confirmed plans to open five new retail locations in China over the next five weeks. The company has been heavily promoting these grand openings, making retail head Angela Ahrendts available for interview by Chinese media sources and hiring renowned calligrapher Wang Dongling to design a mural for the upcoming West Lake store in Hangzhou.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Just days after a report claiming Apple supplier Quanta Computer has begun ramping up production of the upcoming 12-inch MacBook Air, Chinese site iFanrshares some photos [Google Translate] of what it says is the display assembly for the machine (via SlashGear).
The photos depict the claimed display and metal shell from the upcoming 12-inch machine alongside both a 13-inch MacBook Pro and a 9.7-inch iPad, with its sizing appearing to measure up to previously reported dimensions. The display does, however, have two noticeable differences from current MacBook Air. First, instead of a backlit Apple logo on the back of the display assembly as is typically seen on Apple's notebooks, there is a polished metal logo more like those seen on iPads, with iFanr speculating the change could be tied to the device's thinness.
Additionally, the display lacks the grey bezels current MacBook Air models have, instead opting for an apparently all-glass edge-to-edge cover for the display as seen on Retina MacBook Pro models. Paired with black bezels underneath, it is difficult to see where the display ends and the bezels begin unless the screen is turned on. Earlier renderings of the 12-inch MacBook Air based on information from within Apple had shown gray bezels similar to those seen on the current MacBook Air.
Claimed 12-inch MacBook Air display assembly with 13" MacBook Pro
The 12-inch MacBook Air will reportedly have roughly the same footprint as the 11-inch MacBook Air, relying on smaller bezels to compensate for a larger display size. The comparison photos shown by iFanr demonstrate the significantly smaller footprint for the 12-inch machine compared to a 13-inch MacBook Pro
Claimed 12-inch MacBook Air display assembly with 9.7-inch iPad
The next-generation MacBook Air is expected to feature a high-resolution display (perhaps classified as Retina) and new Broadwell Core M processors that will enable a thin, fanless design. Other reports have claimed the 12-inch MacBook Air will do away with nearly all the ports typically found on Apple's line of MacBooks, offering only a headphone jack, a pair of microphones, and a USB Type-C port that may handle both charging and external connectivity.
Apple CEO Tim Cook's compensation for fiscal 2014 was $9.22 million, according to a newly released SEC filing. That breaks down to a salary of $1.7 million and non-equity incentive compensation of $6.7 million, double the $4.3M compensation he received in 2013.
Apple's newest executive hire, Angela Ahrendts, received $73 million in cash and stock. That includes a $400,000 salary, a $500,000 bonus, and $70 million in stock. Ahrendts, who joined Apple in May of 2014, was previously making $37 million at Burberry, and her offer package included an RSU award with a value of $37 million to compensate her for her unvested Burberry awards along with an RSU award of $33 million as a new Apple hire.
As for other Apple executives, Eddy Cue and Jeff Williams made over $24 million in stock awards, salary, and non-equity incentive plan compensation. Peter Oppenheimer earned $4.5 million, and Luca Maestri, Apple's new CFO, received $14 million.
Apple had a record year under the guidance of Tim Cook, generating $182.8 billion in sales with $38.5 billion in net income in fiscal 2014, a new high for the company. According to its October forecast Apple expects to see revenue between $63.5 and $66.5 billion for the first quarter of 2015.
Apple will announce its earnings for the first fiscal quarter of 2015 on Monday, January 27. MacRumors will provide live coverage of both the earnings release and the conference call.
Mickey Drexler, who has served on Apple's Board of Directors since 1999, will retire at the end of his current term, according to a new shareholders filing. Drexler's term ends at the annual shareholder's meeting, on March 10, 2015. A replacement for Drexler has not yet been chosen.
On January 16, 2015, Millard "Mickey" Drexler, 70, who has served on the Board since 1999, notified the Board of his intention to retire at the end of his current term, which will expire at the Annual Meeting. The Board has not yet nominated an individual to fill the vacancy that will be created by Mr. Drexler's departure from the Board.
Drexler is the CEO of JCrew and was formerly the CEO of Gap, where he's widely credited for the chain's popularity during the 1990s. Jobs brought Drexler in to help define Apple's retail store goals at a time when its retail push was just beginning. Ron Johnson was hired during the same time period, and the first Apple Stores launched in 2001.
Drexler is the second longtime board member to leave the Apple Board of Directors in recent months, with Bill Campbell retiring back in July of 2014. He was replaced by BlackRock's Susan Wagner.
A new study that measures iPhone usage rates by state suggests that Apple's iPhone is most popular in states like Alaska, Montana, Vermont, New York, Kansas, and Mississippi. The study, conducted by Chitika Insights on December 25 through December 31, sampled "hundreds of millions" of U.S.-based iPhone ad impressions to determine the percentage of iPhone users in each state.
Each of the above listed states, along with many states in New England, saw between 55 and 65 percent of smartphone traffic coming from iPhones. Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan saw the lowest amount of traffic coming from iPhones, at 40 to 44 percent. New Mexico was the state with the lowest iPhone usage.
According to Chitika, iPhone usage rates did not correlate to geography or raw population figures, but there was some relationship to both population density and education level. A higher median income was also associated with iPhone usage, but that could be a result of education level, as those two variables go hand in hand. In states with higher education levels and denser populations, iPhone usage tended to be higher.
In a similar study conducted in 2011, Montana was one of the few states where iPhone usage outpaced Android usage. In many states the iPhone is not dominant, but the two usage maps provide an interesting look at how iPhone adoption has grown by state over the past four years. Many states where BlackBerry dominated, for example, are now seeing high iPhone usage.
Chitika's study is not the first to correlate iPhone usage with higher education and income levels. Several other studies have also suggested that iPhone owners are, on average, wealthier and higher educated than other smartphone owners.
One of the biggest mysteries about the upcoming Apple Watch is its battery life. Previous rumors have hinted that it will need to be charged once a day, and Apple CEO Tim Cook himself said that users will want to charge it on a daily basis, but concrete battery life information has yet to be revealed.
New details on the Apple Watch's possible battery life have now surfaced from inside sources that spoke to 9to5Mac, revealing information on the battery life Apple was aiming for and what it may actually be able to achieve.
As of 2014, Apple was reportedly aiming for 2.5 to 4 hours of active application use with 19 hours of active/passive use, plus 3 days of pure standby time and four days if the watch was sleeping. That's somewhat in line with early rumors, which suggested Apple was targeting a three to five day battery life for the device. Though Apple was aiming for three to four days of standby time, it may only reach two to three days. Apple is hoping the Apple Watch will last for 19 hours of mixed usage, but it "may not hit that number in the first generation version."
The Apple Watch is equipped with a tiny but powerful S1 chip, and its performance is similar to that of the A5 processor from the iPhone 4s and the iPad 2. It also has a 60-FPS Retina-class display, which, along with the S1 chip, results in a significant amount of power usage.
Apple has also been stress-testing the Apple Watch’s battery life with pre-bundled and third-party applications. Our sources say that Apple is targeting 2.5 hours of “heavy” application use, such as processor-intensive gameplay, or 3.5 hours of standard app use. Interestingly, Apple expects to see better battery life when using the Watch’s fitness tracking software, which is targeted for nearly 4 hours of straight exercise tracking on a single charge.
As Apple is positioning the Apple Watch as a timepiece, the company has conducted numerous tests to determine how long it can run purely in time-keeping modes. We’re told that the Watch should be able to display its clock face for approximately three hours, including watch ticking animations, if nothing else is done with the device.
These usage numbers make it sound like the Apple Watch will need to be charged multiple times a day, but it's unlikely that Apple Watch users will use apps and games continuously for hours, allowing the Apple Watch to last for approximately a day before needing to be charged. When not in active use, the Apple Watch goes into a battery-preserving sleep mode.
Apple originally hoped to launch the Apple Watch in late 2014, but delays with software optimization ultimately caused the company to push back the release of the device until 2015, giving it time to eke out as much battery life as possible. Apple is also said to be perfecting the Apple Watch's MagSafe charger, improving its recharging time.
Current rumors suggest the Apple Watch could launch in March of 2015, at the tail end of "early 2015." While complete pricing remains unknown, the entry-level model will sell for $349.
Apple CEO Tim Cook's compensation for fiscal 2014 was $9.22 million, according to a newly released 
Mickey Drexler, who has served on Apple's Board of Directors since 1999, will retire at the end of his current term, according to a new shareholders filing. Drexler's term ends at the annual shareholder's meeting, on March 10, 2015. A replacement for Drexler has not yet been chosen.
