MacRumors

Earlier this year, Apple design chief Jony Ive and designer Marc Newson created a number of one-of-a-kind items to be sold at a Sotheby's charity auction to benefit Product (RED). Two items in particular were Apple related, a pair of solid gold Apple EarPods and a new Mac Pro with a special red finish.

According to a pair of tweets by photographer Kevin Abosch, Tony Fadell -- one of the creators of the iPod and the founder of Nest, the company behind the Nest Thermostat and Protect smoke detector -- may have purchased both the Mac Pro and the EarPods at the auction.

The Mac Pro sold for $977,000 while the solid gold EarPods sold for $461,000. Other items sold at the auction included a Steinway & Sons grand piano that sold for $1,925,000 and a magnum of Dom Perignon 1966 with a custom red label that sold for $93,750.

Tony Fadell With Red Mac Pro

The red Mac Pro is one of the few out in the wild at the moment, as Apple has not yet started selling the device to the public. First shipments of the new Mac are expected later this month.

We have reached out to both Kevin Abosch and Tony Fadell for confirmation of the purchase and will update if we hear back.

Image via Kevin Abosch

Update: Fadell has issued a Tweet clarifying that he did not purchase either the Mac Pro or the EarPods.


Update 2: Abosch has now tweeted a picture of himself reflected in what appears to be the surface of the red Mac Pro, perhaps supporting the theory that he is the owner of the machine.

Google today announced that it is bringing Chrome Apps to the Mac, following a beta period that began in May. First introduced in September for Windows and Chromebook users, Chrome Apps are designed to function like native Mac apps, working offline, updating automatically, and syncing on any computer where a user is signed into Chrome.

applauncher

Chrome Apps work offline, update automatically and sync to any computer where you're signed into Chrome, so you can pick up where you left off. Your Chrome Apps on Mac behave and feel just like native software. For example, you can find your Chrome Apps in the Applications folder on the Dock. Search for apps by name in the Spotlight search—just like any other Mac program that you already use.

Chrome Apps, which are separate from Chrome browser apps, are downloaded into the applications folder and work like any other Mac app. The apps have access to local storage for offline support, differentiating them from standard Chrome apps, and are able to easily sync content between multiple computers.

Chrome Apps for the Mac also work with Google's Chrome App Launcher, which will be automatically installed when any Chrome App is downloaded. The Chrome App Launcher aggregates all Chrome Apps into one convenient expandable grid on the Mac's dock.

Google has several different fully functional Chrome Apps available for download from its Chrome Web Store, including offerings like video editing app WeVideo Next and project management app Smartsheet.

Bethesda and Zenimax today announced that it plans to release The Elder Scrolls Online MMO on Friday, April 4, 2014 on both the Mac and the PC, with a console release coming later in June.

elderscrolls
The Elder Scrolls Online, initially announced in mid–2012, is part of the Elder Scrolls franchise, which has included open world role-playing games like Daggerfall, Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim.

Like other games in the series, The Elder Scrolls Online is set on the continent of Tamriel and will feature a storyline that is indirectly connected with the storylines from previous games, set 1,000 years before the events of Skyrim. Along with a release date, a new trailer for the game is also available.


According to Game Director Matt Firor, major systems development has been completed and the development team is focused on polishing content, improving combat, and fixing bugs.

Game development is coming along very well. We completed major systems development, and are focusing on making this the Elder Scrolls game you expect: polishing the hundreds and hundreds of hours of content, making combat even more fun and responsive, fixing quest issues, and much, much more. In fact, we plan on spending the next few months before launch reacting to the latest feedback from internal and external testers and gameplay data we have collected.

The Elder Scrolls Online has been in beta testing for the last year, and the company plans to expand beta testing opportunities ahead of the game's April release.

Southwest Airlines is offering passengers the ability to send and receive iMessages from their iOS devices in-flight for $2 per day. In-flight Wi-Fi access for all applications is available for $8 per device per day.

It's likely that the airline is opening up iMessage related ports to users who pay the $2, while users who pay more receive access to in-flight email, social networks and the like. For a limited time, all users receive access to 13 live television channels on laptops and iOS devices for free.

Imessagesouthwest

Beginning today, Southwest is enabling iMessage for $2 a day!

Any Apple user that has iOS 5 or later with the iMessage feature pre-loaded on their device can take advantage of this option. Now you can stay powered up and connected to friends and family like you never left the ground.

In-flight Wi-Fi is not yet available on all Southwest flights, but the airline has a Wi-Fi finder on its website so flyers can check if their aircraft will support the service.

Southwest Airlines flies within the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Thanks to MacRumors Forum member Lumpydog for the screenshot!

Spotify today announced the introduction of new free listening tiers for its mobile customers, with separate options available for both tablets and smartphones. Previously, Spotify limited its free listening to desktop users, requiring a $9.99 monthly subscription for music access on mobile devices beyond Spotify's free radio streaming.


On the iPad, the Spotify app will function similarly to the current free desktop version of the app, permitting users to search for specific tracks, build playlists, and listen to content for free.

On the iPhone, Spotify's service is built around shuffling, much like similar services from Pandora and iTunes Radio. Customers can search for a specific artist or song, but will be required to shuffle through an artist's catalog to access the music. Pre-compiled playlists can also be accessed, but unlimited search and listen access is not available.

- Your music: Listen to all the playlists you’ve created and playlists from the people you follow. Spotify lets you discover new music, save, shuffle and share.

- Your favourite artists: Want to listen to a certain artist? Just hit shuffle play, sit back and listen to their entire catalogue. Don’t settle for something similar. Don’t settle for just one track from the artist you want to hear every 20 minutes.

- Discover great new playlists: Going for a jog or to the gym? We’ve got the playlist to help you go the extra mile. We know you just want the perfect music for a specific moment in time – and we’ve got you covered. There’s something for every mood, genre or moment.

The difference between the iPhone app and the iPad app comes from Spotify's decision to treat the iPad as a PC. Subscribers who pay Spotify's $9.99 per month fee will have exclusive access to offline playlists along with the ability to select specific songs for playback.

Along with new free listening options on mobile devices, Spotify today also announced that it has added the full catalog of Led Zeppelin albums and expanded to 20 new markets around the world.

Spotify's free services will be available beginning today. The Spotify app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

PROMISE Technology is now shipping its Thunderbolt 2 RAID systems ahead of the new Mac Pro's promised December release. The arrays were first announced back in October but are now available through a number of retail channels.

The Pegasus2 line of RAID arrays allow for simultaneous transfer and display of 3D and 4K video files. They work with the new MacBook Pro with Retina display released in October, as well as the new Mac Pro when it launches later this month.

Pegasus2

"Pegasus2 is truly one-of-a-kind, as there has never before been a storage solution that offered such an incredible combination of performance, mobility, and simplicity," said James Lee, CEO, PROMISE Technology. "We are thrilled that Pegasus2 is the first storage solution available with Thunderbolt 2 -- this further illustrates PROMISE's position as a leader in Thunderbolt technology."

The Pegasus 2 is available in 4-bay, 6-bay, and 8-bay configurations with 8TB, 12TB, 18TB, 24TB and 32TB capacities through the Apple Online Store and elsewhere. Pricing ranges from $1,499 to $4,599, though some retailers are offering modest discounts off PROMISE's MSRP.

- Pegasus2 R4 (4-bay): Diskless $699, 4x2TB $1,499
- Pegasus2 R6 (6 bay): 6x2TB $2,299, 6x3TB $2,999
- Pegasus2 R8 (8-bay): 8x3TB $3,599, 8x4TB $4,599

The new Mac Pro, which will include six Thunderbolt 2 ports, is expected to begin shipping later this month.

apple_tv_roundupFollowing last week's addition of an iPhone 6 roundup, MacRumors today is publishing a new Apple TV roundup covering not only Apple's current set-top box and rumors for future enhancements, but also long-running rumors of a dedicated Apple television set.

While Apple has been busy increasing the amount of content available through the current Apple TV, there is still uncertainty about timing for new television-related hardware from the company. A dedicated Apple television set has been rumored for a number of years, with Steve Jobs having been quoted in his 2011 biography as saying "I finally cracked it" with regard to a television interface concept, but signs continue to suggest that release is not yet imminent.

Apple has also been rumored to be working on Kinect-like motion control for the Apple TV, and Apple's acquisition of PrimeSense, the company behind the original Microsoft Kinect motion control technology, last month has continued to fuel that speculation. But whether that technology will make its way into the next Apple TV as part of a radical revamp or if the next-generation box will primarily be an iterative update based on improved internals remains to be seen.

Continue reading our full Apple TV roundup...

Apple today added yet another set of channels to its Apple TV set-top box, including a "Watch ABC" channel to allow subscribers to certain cable services to watch content from their local ABC affiliate through Apple TV. Other additions include financial channel Bloomberg, streaming movie and TV show channel Crackle, and Korean channel KORTV.

apple_tv_abc_bloomberg
Today's launches are just a few of the many additions for Apple TV over the past few months, with the most recent previous addition having been Yahoo Screen and PBS last month. Other recent additions included Major League Soccer and Disney Junior in September, Vevo, Smithsonian, and Disney in August, and WatchESPN and HBO GO in June. Apple is also reportedly in talks to launch channels for cable provider Time Warner Cable and TV network The CW.

Update: 9to5Mac has a behind the scenes look at the development process for the Bloomberg channel.

Apple has already streamlined the process of building its current lineup of Apple TV apps— which mostly consist of streaming video content— to the point where developers can quickly and easy build apps through an easy to use SDK, much like on iOS. The team behind the development of the Bloomberg app, which consisted of two developers under Bloomberg’s head of mobile and connected devices Oke Okaro, told me that Apple’s toolkit, an SDK of sorts, has “made it quite easy to build the apps.” The team of two developers along with Okaro built the app in just five weeks. Most of that time was spent testing and optimizing the video experience.

Apple reportedly provided some input and feedback along the way in terms of optimizing the user experience, but largely allowed Bloomberg to define what it wanted to include in the channel.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

pegatron_logoChinese labor rights group China Labor Watch (CLW) is calling for answers from primary Apple supplier Pegatron after the death of five young workers in recent months, highlighted by the passing of a fifteen year old factory worker due to pneumonia related causes in October, reports The New York Times. The laborer, Shi Zhaokun, was able to secure a job at a Pegatron factory producing the iPhone 5c by presenting a fake ID stating that he was 20, reportedly working a total of 280 hours in his only month at the company.

Apple’s supplier responsibility statement bars employees of supplier companies in China from working more than 60 hours a week; so does Chinese law. But Mr. Shi worked 79 hours in his first week, 77 in his second and 75 in his third, all apparently in violation of the law, according to documents provided by his family.

Pegatron said that the work logs the family kept are records of when the young man clocked in and out, and may not include breaks. The company said his hours did not exceed the legal limit.

A Pegatron spokeswoman said that the death of the worker was “not related to the workplace environment“, while Apple has not officially commented on the incident. In July, China Labor Group alleged numerous safety and workplace violations at Pegatron, including the unethical holding of worker pay and identification cards, as well as poor living conditions within the factory including tight living quarters and packed cafeterias. Apple replied to the allegations, confirming various labor violations and vowing to investigate the incident.

Recently, Hong Kong-based Apple supplier Biel Crystal was also accused of workers rights violations, with a nonprofit watchdog labor group stating that the company made employees work forced 11-hour shifts without adequate compensation for injuries sustained on the job.

Apple announced in July that it was forming an academic advisory board for its Supplier Responsibility program, saying that it wanted to ensure "safe and ethical working conditions wherever its products are made." Apple has also published Supplier Responsibility Progress Reports every year since 2007, tracking the ethical progress of its suppliers in order to bring transparency to its product manufacturing process.

Update: Reuters reports that Apple sent a medical team to the Pegatron facility last month, determining that the worker's death was not related to working conditions.

"Last month we sent independent medical experts from the U.S. and China to conduct an investigation of the (Pegatron) factory. While they have found no evidence of any link to working conditions there, we realize that is of little comfort to the families who have lost their loved ones," Apple said in a statement on Thursday.

"Apple has a long-standing commitment to providing a safe and healthy workplace for every worker in our supply chain, and we have a team working with Pegatron at their facility to ensure that conditions meet our high standards."

angrybirdsgologo Rovio has officially released Angry Birds Go! for iOS, bringing a 3D kart racing game based off of the popular Angry Birds franchise to mobile devices. The game includes many of the usual bird and pig characters from the Angry Birds series participating in downhill kart races with various tracks and power ups, and also includes the ability to perform kart upgrades. A variety of game modes are present as well, with Angry Birds Go! also bringing support for Hasbro's interactive "Telepods" toys that debuted alongside Angry Birds Star Wars II.

Welcome to downhill racing on Piggy Island! Feel the rush as you fling those freewheeling birds and piggies down the track at breakneck speed – with plenty of twists and turns in a thrilling race to the finish line! But beware! Look out for hazardous roads, mischievous opponents riding your tail and special powers to put the race leader behind the pack. Plus, go from soapbox car to supercar by upgrading your ride! Ready…Set…Angry Birds Go!

FIRST-EVER 3D ANGRY BIRDS WORLD! See the birds and pigs from every angle as Piggy Island comes alive in this rich and colorful 3D world!

RACE AS THE BIRDS OR PIGS! Jump behind the wheel and race as Red, Chuck, Terence, Stella, King Pig, Moustache Pig and many other favorites!

MASTER THE TRACKS! Plenty of racetracks, stunt roads, air courses and off-road races – each throwing big and unexpected challenges your way!

AWESOME SPECIAL POWERS! Smash your opponents off the road and take that winning position thanks to unique special powers for each character!


The title was first teased back in June, with additional information about the game released this past August. Angry Birds Go! is a free download for iOS devices, and also features in-app purchases. [Direct Link]

AT&T LogoWireless carriers like AT&T and Verizon will not be able to continue the smartphone subsidy model that has driven widespread smartphone penetration to this point. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson, speaking at an investor conference today, said the current model is not economically viable, reported CNET.

With more than 75 percent of mobile phone users owning smartphones -- and that number growing towards 90 percent -- Stephenson said carriers will "move into maintenance mode" and that "the model has to change" because carriers "can't afford to subsidize devices like that". Many higher-end smartphone power users also tend to upgrade their phones as often as possible, something that can become expensive for carriers subsidizing those purchases to the tune of hundreds of dollars per device.

Stephenson also acknowledged that breaking customers of their habit of upgrading to a new phone every 18 months to two years is not an easy task. But he said a business models focused on financing rather than providing a subsidy would be "transformative" for the industry. He said the company's new AT&T Next program, which offers no-money down and 0-percent financing, drives smartphone penetration in a way that is more sustainable over time.

"If you are a customer and you don't need to upgrade your device, you can get unlimited talk and text and access to the data network for $45 all-in," he said. "You can use your own device or finance it. I think this will be very powerful. It's where we see the market going."

As part of a larger strategy to move away from straight device subsidies, AT&T rolled out its AT&T Next smartphone and tablet upgrade program earlier this year -- following T-Mobile's lead -- to entice customers to pay for devices in full, spreading the payments out over several years with no down payment or upgrade fees.

This month, AT&T introduced a new "value plan" that gives customers a $15/month discount on smartphone plans when users bring an off-contract device, purchase a phone at full retail price, or use an AT&T Next financing plan. The new plans come after several price adjustments to AT&T Next plans as customers analyzed similar offerings from other carriers.

Stephenson noted that carriers have largely solved their data capacity issues because of LTE and can now focus on lower end customers, saying that AT&T will "go very aggressively in the prepaid market".

Apple has seen huge success with the iPhone, largely because of carrier strategies that saw its smartphones heavily subsidized while locking customers into two-year contracts. As demand in Western countries begins to peak, Apple executives have often spoken of the importance of growth in countries where purchasing phones for full-price, with prepaid voice and data plans, is more popular.

Apple is vastly increasing the size of its Stonestown Galleria Apple Retail Store in San Francisco, going from one of the narrowest locations in the chain at 25 feet wide -- a total of 3,160 square feet including back of house space -- to a much larger location a reported 7,600 square feet of total space.

The new store location will open on Saturday, December 14 at 8AM for extended holiday hours (via 9to5Mac), just two Saturdays before Christmas.

Stonestown
According to ifoAppleStore:

The mall plan shows how the T-shaped Apple store will move into three spaces that form a curved storefront. Apple will occupy spaces 170, 171 and about the right-most 10 feet of #172 (the remaining part to the left will be occupied by a bakery restaurant). The width of the storefront will increase from 25 feet to nearly 75 feet. The square footage will increase from 3,160 to about 7,690, double the original space.

Apple has moved a number of its stores within the same general areas in recent years, focusing on increased square footage of existing locations as they get busier, rather than building new locations.

Last month, Apple more than doubled the size of its Rockingham Park Apple Store in Salem, New Hampshire, one of the busiest mall locations in the chain.

Twitter for iOS was today updated to version 6.0, adding a refreshed design that incorporates a revamped navigation bar with new icons for easier access to DMs. The Discover feed, previously accessible from the navigation bar, can now be accessed along with the Activity feed by swiping in Timelines.

twitter6
Along with a new look, Twitter for iOS now allows users to send and receive photos via Direct Message and it includes several new notification options. Search has also been improved, showing results from followed and nearby users and Safari Reading List support has been added.

New design.
- Refreshed look and feel. Home, Activity and Discover now available by swiping in Timelines. Easier access to DMs.

Share photos in Direct Messages.
- Send and receive photos via DMs.

Notifications from your network.
- Choose to view replies, retweets, and favorites from only the people that you follow.

Search got even easier.
- Access tweets from people you follow and near you, directly from search results.

Safari Reading List support
- Save web articles to read later with Safari Reading List.

Twitter for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

A consumer group is campaigning for a recall on an infant bouncy chair that comes equipped with an iPad stand, reports AllThingsD. The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) is calling on parents and supporters to sign a petition directed at Fisher-Price Vice President David Allmark asking parent company Mattel to stop selling the Fisher-Price Newborn-to-Toddler Apptivity Seat for iPad.

The Apptivity seat, which is priced at $80, has an adjustable three-position seat designed to fit both infants and toddlers.

apptivityseat

If you insert and lock your iPad® into the mirror’s case, the visual display provides another way to stimulate and engage baby while protecting your device from baby’s sticky fingers and preventing unintentional navigating to other apps.

According to the CCFC, which backs the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation discouraging screen time for kids under age two, the iPad blocks the baby’s view of the world and encourages parents to leave infants alone with iPads.

There are so many awful screen products for babies these days, but the Fisher-Price Newborn-to-Toddler Apptivity™ Seat for iPad® device is the worst yet. It’s a bouncy seat for an infant – with a place for an iPad directly above the baby’s face, blocking his or her view of the rest of the world. And because screens can be mesmerizing and babies are strapped down and “safely" restrained, it encourages parents to leave infants all alone with an iPad. To make matters even worse, Fisher-Price is marketing the Apptivity Seat - and claiming it’s educational - for newborns.

"It is wrong to create a product whose very existence suggests that it’s fine to leave babies as young as newborns alone and with an iPad inches from their face," says CCFC, while urging consumers to support the petition demanding the product be removed from store shelves. Josh Golin, associate director for the group, says the toy is the "worst of the worst."

Currently, the CCFC's petition had garnered nearly 2,000 signatures. The group is hoping for a total of 3,000 signatures

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today published a newly granted Apple patent describing a goggle-like video headset designed to allow users to view media while on the go but with a much larger view than on their mobile device's built-in display (via Patently Apple).

apple_patent_video_goggleApple's patent is a relatively straightforward one with a single independent claim outlining a headset that contains adjustable optical modules for lining up with the user's eyes, but the full description of Apple's ideas includes such topics as allowing displays for each eye to be individually focused to provide vision correction, as well as possibilities for 3-D viewing similar to Oculus Rift's virtual reality headset.

A goggle system for providing a personal media viewing experience to a user is provided. The goggle system may include an outer cover, a mid-frame, optical components for generating the media display, and a lens on which the generated media displayed is provided to the user. The goggle system, or head mounted display may have any suitable appearance. For example, the goggle system may resemble ski or motorcycle goggles. To enhance the user's comfort, the goggle system may include breathable components, including for example breathable foam that rests against the user's face, and may allow the user to move the display generation components for alignment with the user's eyes. In some embodiments, the goggle system may include data processing circuitry operative to adjust left and right images generated by the optical components to display 3-D media, or account for a user's eyesight limitations.

Apple goes on to describe how visual corrections could be made either by the user entering a prescription or by the headset automatically detecting the needed correction. Those corrections could then be stored by the headset and automatically applied when the user wearing the headset is identified.

apple_patent_video_goggles_tether
Apple's patent was originally filed in May 2008 and is based on a provisional patent application filed in May 2007, but it has taken until now for the application to make its way through the review process to approval. This is also not the first time Apple has moved to patent concepts related to video headsets, with the company receiving a 2008 patent for a system in which laser light could be pumped from an external source into a lightweight goggle system to display images. As noted by Patently Apple, Apple has made a number of other moves over the years to expand on the possibilities for a video headset, but the company has yet to bring any such product to market.

Related Roundup: Apple Vision Pro
Tag: Patent
Buyer's Guide: Vision Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Apple Vision Pro

Imangi Studios' hit game Temple Run 2 received a significant update today, adding a new water feature, holiday artifacts, and a limited-time playable Santa character.

Temple Run 2 now includes a water slide, which players navigate by tilting their devices left and right to dodge rocks. As with regular gameplay, swiping is used to change direction and duck under logs.

The game also includes several holiday additions, such as a Santa character unlocked with 60 gems that can be purchased or earned through gameplay. There are also holiday artifacts like presents and stockings to unlock, along with Santa hats for each character. Our sister site TouchArcade has posted a video showing some of the new features in the game.

Enjoy the holidays with this HUGE update! We've added:

- A water slide!!
- Run as Santa!! You can unlock Santa for gems!
- Santa hats for your characters! Just find all the Christmas artifacts to unlock!
- Christmas artifacts to find on your runs!
- Mysterious masks to add to your artifact collection!
- And more objectives!

Merry running!

First introduced in January of 2013, Temple Run 2, the successor to the original Temple Run game, has been highly successful. Just two weeks after launch, the game was downloaded more than fifty million times, making it the fastest downloaded mobile game in history. Since its debut, the game has received several updates, adding new content like playable characters and artifacts.

Temple Run 2 is a universal app that can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Qualcomm has announced the launch of its Gimbal proximity beacons, which are designed to work similarly to Apple's own iBeacons. Like iBeacons, Qualcomm's proximity beacons serve as physical Bluetooth access points that interact with apps on iPhones and iPads over Bluetooth LE.

Qualcomm's overall Gimbal platform is billed as a "context aware" proximity platform allowing brands to deliver information to customers based on physical location, activity, time, and personal interests.

Gimbal helps increase the relevance of content delivered to end users' devices, filtering out the irrelevant and offering more personalized experiences, thereby allowing retailers, venues, content providers and developers to send personalized high-value content to enhance their users' mobile devices.

The Gimbal beacons, which support iOS out of the box with an accompanying SDK that can be built into apps, come in two different sizes that are accurate down to one foot both indoors and outdoors. The Series 10 beacons cost as little as $5, while the larger Series 20 beacons start at $10. Individual iBeacon-compatible beacons from other companies are more expensive, at approximately $100 for three.

Apple's iBeacons, first introduced earlier this year at the company's Worldwide Developers Conference, are already in use in a number of different locations.

Back in November, Shopkick teamed up with Macy's to debut the first retail-based iBeacons, allowing customers to find location-specific deals and recommendations within the app while visiting a participating Macy’s store.

iBeacons have also been installed in Apple retail stores, giving in-store notifications through the company's Apple Store app. Along with retail applications, one publishing startup is using the technology to deliver free magazines, and Major League Baseball also plans to incorporate iBeacons into stadiums next year.

With iOS support, Qualcomm's Gimbal proximity beacons will be indistinguishable from Apple's iBeacons to end users, giving merchants and retailers a suitable alternative to Apple's technology. Apple does have an edge, however, as iPhones and iPads can potentially be configured as both iBeacon receivers and transmitters, skirting the need for a separate piece of hardware.

Ahead of a significant expansion of its new iTunes Radio product, Apple has hired Michael Pallad to run its iTunes Radio international ad sales team. Pallad was most recently the head of sales for Cumulus Media, the new holding company for what used to be Clear Channel's radio properties. The hire was reported by AdAge.

itunes radio

Mr. Pallad started with Apple on December 2 and spent last week at the company's Cupertino, CA, headquarters getting oriented, the people said. Radio industry email newsletter Tom Taylor Now had previously reported that Mr. Pallad may be leaving Cumulus Media to join Apple.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Mr. Pallad will report into the iAd organization led by VP and former Yahoo exec Todd Teresi.

Mr. Pallad's appointment suggests that Apple plans to make a stronger play at the $1.56 billion U.S. digital radio advertising market, as estimated by eMarketer. One media buyer said the executive should gain traction quickly among agencies.

The AM/FM radio advertising market is worth more than $15 billion this year and spending on digital radio is expected to more than double over the next several years.

iTunes Radio, currently available only in the United States, is expected to expand to the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and a number of other countries early next year. Before the iTunes Radio launch, Apple was looking to fill an number of iAd related positions and signing up new advertisers. It's likely this is continuing with the imminent international rollout.