Apple's Mac sales continue to come in flat year over year, according to a new report from Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster who looked at July data from market research firm NPD.
Based on the data, he maintains his outlook of a 5% year over year drop in Mac sales for the September quarter and continues to note that Mac sales are becoming less significant in light of iPhone and iPad sales, representing just 15% of Apple's total revenue.
As with his previous reports, Munster notes that it remains difficult to extrapolate NPD data to Apple's global sales performance, but he views the July data as “neutral to slight positive,” down from slightly negative in a June report.
Overall, we believe this July data point is likely a neutral to slight positive given that Macs should have a slight tailwind from updated Macbooks in June. We remain comfortable with our down 5% y/y estimate for Macs in the September quarter.
As for iPods, Munster's analysis of NPD data suggests that units are down 41% year over year on a global basis and that iPods will remain down 20% year over year for the September quarter. Because iPods now represent just 2% of all Apple’s revenue, the overall impact of this sales decline is minor.
Between July 2012 and June 2013, 20% of Apple's customers came from the Android operating system and 7% of Samsung's new customers during the time period switched from an iOS device, according to a new report from CIRP.
The majority of iPhone purchases came from customers who previously owned an iPhone, with 42% of customers already in Apple's ecosystem. The same holds true for Samsung, with 43% of former Android customers choosing to stick with the Android platform.
Both companies attracted former basic phone users, though Samsung attracted a good deal more at 37% vs. Apple's 26%. New phone buyers were more likely to choose a Samsung phone.
When taking into account only customers who switched brands, 33% of Apple’s new customers came from Samsung, while just 11% of Samsung's new customers came from Apple. Samsung attracted more customers from HTC, Motorola, and Nokia, while Apple garnered more BlackBerry users.
The study also found that customers who purchased iPhones tended to be younger than those who purchased Samsung phones. 69% of those that bought an iPhone were between the ages of 18 and 34 compared to only 64% of Samsung buyers. Apple buyers had a slightly higher income, with 38% reporting an income over $75,000 compared to 29% of Samsung buyers. 48% of Apple buyers also had a college degree, compared to 32% of Samsung buyers.
CIRP's data comes from four quarterly surveys between July 2012 and June 2013, and with each survey, 500 subjects who purchased a mobile phone in the preceding 90 days were queried.
Apple has asked Foxconn to begin shipping new high-end and low-end iPhones in early September, claims The Wall Street Journal. The report echoes previous rumors that Apple will release a new iPhone 5S and a lower-cost iPhone 5C that comes with a plastic back available in numerous colors.
Apple Inc. has asked assembler Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. to begin shipping both a new high-end and low-end iPhone in early September, people familiar with the matter said.
Apple's suppliers in Asia started mass-producing components in June for both a standard iPhone featuring a metal casing and a lower-cost version, people who work at those companies said.
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 5S and 5C at a media event on September 10th, alongside the final unveiling of the iOS 7 operating system.
Barnes & Noble has released a new Nook Video app for iOS, allowing customers to watch movies and TV shows from Nook Video on their iPhones and iPads.
First launched late last year, Nook Video is designed to compete with services like iTunes and Amazon Instant Video, giving Nook users the option to purchase content like movies and TV shows through Barnes & Noble.
Like Amazon, Barnes & Noble's video service includes support for UltraViolet, which is the film industry's cloud-based content licensing system designed to work across a number of platforms. Users can sync their UltraViolet accounts to their Barnes & Noble accounts to access that content as well.
- Thousands of movies and TV shows available—ad free—to stream or download. - Stream over Wi-Fi or your 3G/4G network. - Get the hottest Hollywood releases the same day they’re released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc™ and in some cases even earlier! - Rent or buy movies and TV shows in standard or high definition. - Take advantage of our NOOK Video apps for other platforms - and sync your videos across multiple devices. - Access your UltraViolet™ Collection of movies and TV shows to stream instantly, or download for offline viewing. - Start streaming your content on one device and pick up where you left off on your NOOK HD, HD+ and other NOOK Video apps. Miss something? Use the 30-second quick rewind.
While the Nook Video app can be used to view previously purchased content, iOS users are not able to make rentals and purchases from within the app.
Nook Video is a universal app that can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
The very popular World of Goo has finally been updated with support for the iPhone 5's 16:9 screen (via Macgasm).
The $2.99 puzzler, which our sister site TouchArcade named as iPad Game of the Year in 2010, has players manufacturing bridges and towers out of balls of goo to help other balls of goo reach a particular end point.
At first, World of Goo is about manufacturing bridges and towers with the stretched tissue of little balls of goo. The point is to provide a path that other goo balls can follow into a metal pipe, the end point. Physics play a key role in this process: you'll need to build sound structures, which sounds easier than it is. Goo isn't concrete.
Each level requires a set number of goo balls to reach the pipe, and each goo ball you use for a structure counts against the total provided. This constant negotiation of goo resources is pleasing because it forces you to think around the obvious solution, which is often one of brute building.
World of Goo is available for $2.99 on the iPhone, $4.99 on the iPad, and $9.99 on the Mac. [Direct Links: iPhone, iPad, Mac]
As we get closer to the September 10th announcement of the new iPhone and the public launch of the next version of iOS, more details are leaking out regarding the new 5S and the rollout of iOS 7.
Mark Gurman at 9to5Mac, who has reported accurately in the past, published a lengthy post today sharing a number of tidbits that he has heard from his sources.
Gurman says there will be a fingerprint scanner built into the home button of the iPhone 5S, but it will not look significantly different from the current home button. He also says that Apple did not build the fingerprint scanner into early prototypes of the 5S, but instead tested the scanners in an external housing.
Previously, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has on a number of occasions offered accurate information on Apple's product plans, said the iPhone 5S may include a sapphire-covered home button with a convex shape to fit the fingerprint sensor. However, Gurman says the new home button will not be dramatically different:
The new Home button’s design will not be noticeably convex. Perhaps the shape has changed slightly, but the tweaked button is nothing distinct enough for the iPhone 5S to be identified as anything but an iPhone 5 by the untrained eye. There’s the possibility, however, that the etching and border of the Home button could become more shiny and look slightly different.
He says Apple is concerned about user privacy and security and, with very few iPhone owners using a passcode, the company is hoping the fingerprint scanner will help keep iPhones secure. The 5S will have an option to disable the fingerprint sensor, however.
When iOS 7 was first released to developers at WWDC back in June, Apple delayed the initial beta release for the iPad by several weeks. Gurman says the iPad version of iOS 7 continues to run behind the iPhone version, which remains the priority for Apple's engineers. As a result, he says Apple is considering a delay in the final release of iOS 7 for the iPad, perhaps holding it for release in late September or early October alongside the launch of updated iPad hardware.
Many developers have noted that the iOS 7 builds for iPad feel unstable and unreliable compared to the iPhone-optimized betas. The reason is that Apple started on iOS 7 for iPhone prior to building for the iPad.
Apple is also rumored to be working on iOS 7-specific training sessions for Apple Retail Stores, as the company is expecting some customers to be surprised by the new look-and-feel of the software and that they will need extra help.
Apple engineers are also "said to be working overtime" to ensure that iOS 7 runs smoothly on the iPhone 4 and that iOS 7 may be the last version of iOS to support the iPhone 4.
Finally, Gurman offers a few notes about future versions of iOS, including that Apple is hard at work on iOS 7.1 and it could include some iOS in the Car features. He notes that details are scarce regarding iOS 8, but he's heard about several projects "in development" at Apple:
We’ve heard that a Siri API, with restrictions to certain app categories (like weather, information, and news apps), has been considered in the past. Also in the works are advancements to iOS in the Car that could tie in an iPhone’s camera to provide the car improved information about current road conditions. This could help with re-routing vehicles via the iOS Maps app
iOS 7 is scheduled for release in the fall of this year, with updates to Apple’s iPhone and iPad lineups expected around the same time. If past history is any indication, iOS 7 should be made available to the public just a few days before the release of the next-generation iPhone.
After numerous publications reported on the existence of a gold color option for the upcoming iPhone 5S this weekend, AllThingsD and 9to5Mac this morning have reported that gold will indeed be a new option.
This is in addition to the existing black-and-slate and white-and-silver options for the iPhone 5. John Paczkowski for AllThingsD:
Apple is adding a new color to the iPhone color palette, and yes, it is indeed gold.
Sources in position to know tell AllThingsD that Apple, after years of offering the iPhone in either black and white, will soon offer it in a gold tone as well.
The new color option was described to AllThingsD as an “elegant” gold tone. “Think champagne, not ingot,” a source said. Sources say that the gold iPhone will feature a white face, with a gold-tone back plate and chamfered edging.
Mockup of iPhone 5S in "champagne" (Source: iMore)
9to5Mac's Mark Gurman is reporting separately with additional details about the new color, and his sources have often proven accurate in the past:
While many have called this new iPhone color “gold,” our source says that the color is more inline with the yellow fifth-generation iPod touch, but slightly lighter in texture. Some have called this “champagne” and that sounds about right. We’ve also heard that this gold model has a white front-face, so it won’t be a black and gold device, but rather a white and “gold/champagne” phone.
Gurman also says that the iPhone 5S home button will not take on a convex shape and that it will in fact be nearly indistinguishable from the current design.
Apple today announced that it will be making changes to its affiliate program for its digital content stores, bringing on a new partner to help expand participation to new countries. Under Apple's affiliate programs, participants can earn commissions on revenue generated through links to the iTunes Store, App Store, Mac App Store, and iBookstore in various countries. The program also provides a number of tools to help website owners add digital content from Apple to their sites.
The existing program uses four separate affiliate networks to provide coverage for a number of countries:
- LinkShare: United States, Canada and Mexico - Tradedoubler: Europe and Brazil - LinkShare Japan: Japan - dgm: Australia and New Zealand
The revised program is streamlined to just two affiliate networks, while also including a significant expansion in the number of countries where commissions are earned.
Performance Horizon Group (PHG): United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Turkey, and many countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa
Tradedoubler: Europe and South America
Notably, program participants currently registered for the LinkShare, LinkShare Japan, and/or dgm networks will need to set up a new account with PHG and update their links by October 1 in order to continue receiving commissions. Additional information is available on Apple's Affiliate Resources page.
BGR reports that Apple is planning to launch the seventh beta version of iOS 7 today.
We are told by our trusted sources that Apple has once again seeded a new build of iOS 7 to partners, and that it should be released to developers later today. We can confirm the build number is much higher than the previous beta, and we would assume that iOS 7 beta 7 should be distributed and made available for developers around 1:00 p.m. EDT, as usual.
Last week, the site reported that today would see the launch of iOS beta 6, but just hours later the new beta made an unusual late-day appearance. iOS 7 beta 6 was, however, an emergency bug fix for iTunes in the Cloud issues, and thus appears to have been an unexpected addition to Apple's release schedule, bumping back the originally planned beta 6 to a beta 7 arriving today.
According to BGR's previous report, the beta version being released today is planned to be the final version seeded to developers before a golden master version begins making its way to Apple employees and partners around September 5. That golden master would then be made available to developers following Apple's rumored iPhone media event on September 10, with a release to the public happening perhaps a week or so later just prior to the launch of new iPhone hardware.
Update: Apple's usual 10:00 AM Pacific release time has passed with no sign of iOS 7 beta 7.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Taiwanese manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., better known as Foxconn, is ramping up its television production through an exclusive partnership deal with 7-Eleven, a convenience store chain. The move comes after a report earlier this year indicated that Foxconn was at least partially pushing its television production forward in anticipation of landing a deal with Apple for its own television set products.
7-Eleven, which is owned in Taiwan by Uni-President Enterprises Corporation and currently has around 5,000 stores scattered across the island, is selling the televisions under its own 7-Eleven branding priced at NT$ 12,888 ($430) for the 40-inch model, NT$ 39,990 ($1,333) for the 60-inch model and NT$ 69,900 ($2,336) for the 70-inch model. As of yet, Foxconn has not divulged any sales figures relating to its television business, though it is reported that the company has sold over 10,000 7-Eleven branded sets in the past six weeks.
The move marks a shift in Foxconn's sales strategy towards OEM, or original equipment manufacturing, whereby the goods are purchased by another company and sold under their own brand name -- in this case, 7-Eleven. Previously, Foxconn manufactured under ODM, or original design manufacturing, whereby the products were designed and specified by another company (such as Apple).
The company has been manufacturing television sets since 2008 and has since acquired manufacturing facilities previously owned by the Sony Corporation. Last week, it was reported that Apple is currently in the development stages of manufacturing a television set, and is partnering with Foxconn, Corning, G-Tech Optoelectronics and Innolux. The "iTV" has been rumored for several years now, although there have yet to be any firm signs of the project moving toward a launch.
A new iPhone market forecast by KGI Securities predicts "substantial shipments growth" starting in August and supports the flood of rumors about a new, lower-cost "iPhone 5C", which is widely speculated to be released sometime in September. The report by Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a solid track record when it comes to Apple rumors, highlights five key trends for the upcoming few months:
- The components and the EMS (electronics manufacturing services) for the new iPhone will be ramping up in late-August/early September. - Hon Hai (also known as Foxconn) will start manufacturing a version of the iPhone 5C supporting the TDD-LTE used by China Mobile in August, earlier than expected. - Models supporting the TDD-LTE standard are predicted see a penetration of 25% in iPhone 5S and 35% in iPhone 5C shipments, which may boost Apple's presence in China. - The iPhone 5 will be discontinued at the end of the third quarter, but shipments of the iPhone 4S will continue until the end of 2013. The iPhone 5C is therefore designed to replace the iPhone 5, rather than the iPhone 4S as originally predicted. - The iPhone 5S will be the more popular model and will exceed the iPhone 5C in terms of shipments.
iPhone 5C rear shell compared to older iPhone models and iPod touch (Source: DetroitBORG)
A move by Apple to discontinue the iPhone 5 was rumored late last month, but it would be something of a surprise for Apple to continue offering the iPhone 4S while discontinuing the iPhone 5. Many had suggested that Apple's work to launch an iPhone 5C was an effort to unify Apple's lineup around the new Lightning connector and 4-inch display, but a move by Apple to keep the iPhone 4S on the market indicates that iPhone 5C is not a true "low-cost" device and is indeed primarily a repackaged iPhone 5.
Kuo suggests that during 2013, Apple will ship roughly 33.3 million iPhone 5S and around 27.2 million 5C units, with 5.2 million and 8.4 million units planned for the third quarter of 2013 respectively. The analyst also predicts that the iPhone 5S will retail at roughly $600–$700, whereas the iPhone 5C will sell for around $400–$500 SIM-free. The iPhone 4S will drop to roughly $300–$400 and the iPhone 4, which would fall to $200–$300, does not fully support the graphical requirements of iOS 7 and thus is likely to be discontinued, although it may continue to hang on for a brief time after the launch of the new iPhones.
Kuo also points to the fact that shipments of the new iPhone 5S will outsell those of the 5C, owing to the new gold color casing and a new maximum storage capacity of 128 GB. The report also says that production concerns over the iPhone 5S fingerprint sensor have eased, with Apple having "a defined timetable demanding yield rate improvement for fingerprint sensor module and casing".
In a column at TechCrunch, MG Siegler adds his voice to the growing chorus of claims of Apple's plans to add a "gold" color option for its upcoming iPhone 5S, with information coming from his various sources. The report follows a parts leak last week that appeared to show photos of the gold/champagne casing for the iPhone 5S.
Yes, there will be a gold iPhone.
That’s the latest I’m hearing from multiple sources after several weeks of rumors and possible component leaks suggesting the same thing. At first, I couldn’t believe Apple would break from the tradition of offering the simple choice: black and white (or “slate” and “silver” if you prefer for the iPhone 5) for their flagship device. Gold simply seemed too gaudy, perhaps even tacky. But a few compelling arguments countered my disbelief. And now, upon checking, sure enough, there will be gold.
Siegler goes on to note that the gold rear shell that showed up in photos last week is said to be a somewhat inaccurate representation of the device's actual color, indicating that it will be "less 'gold' and more 'champagne'."
Mockup of iPhone 5S in "champagne" (Source: iMore)
As for why Apple is pursuing a gold iPhone option, Siegler points out that it could in part be a strategy to upsell customers in emerging markets where the lower-cost "iPhone 5C" is expected to be a significant player.
A number of folks have noted that a gold iPhone would likely do well in the Chinese and Indian markets as well, where the color is very popular. This is especially interesting given the talk about the “iPhone 5C” being key in these markets as well, with a presumed unsubsidized lower price-point. One line of thinking was that the lower-cost iPhone would all-but replace the higher cost one in these markets. But perhaps the gold option would still be enticing enough for some buyers to lure them to the higher end model. That’s all pure speculation, of course.
Siegler's comments follow a research note from last week in which KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo stated that the iPhone 5S will be offered in a gold casing in addition to Apple’s traditional white and black offerings. Another report from Japanese blog Mac Otakara stated that the iPhone 5S would come in a gold color as well, while also sharing additional information about the device.
Apple will reportedly unveil the next-generation iPhone on September 10, but it is still unclear whether the event will focus singularly on the iPhone 5S or include the announcement of the lower-cost iPhone as well.
French site Nowhereelse.fr [Google Translate] has posted new alleged photos of the back casing of the next-generation iPad. The images appear to show a silver casing, and are also consistent with a previous report that the next-generation full-sized iPad would use the same touch panel technology like that of the current generation iPad mini to achieve a smaller size. The images also show a rear shell for an iPad mini, although it is unclear whether the part is intended to be for the current iPad mini or a second-generation model.
Throughout the past few months, a number of reports have surfaced claiming to be leaks from both upcoming products. The rear shell of the fifth-generation iPad leaked as far back as late January, and a silver part very similar to the one shown in today's photos appeared earlier this month.
Other sightings have included a brief video that claimed to show the next-generation iPad’s front panel and digitizer paired with a rear shell, as well as alleged photos of the black next-generation iPad’s front panel and digitizer assembly.
Meanwhile, a report last month stated that the next-generation iPad mini will likely include a Retina display, and will potentially be available with back covers in a number of colors. Photos of the next-generation iPad mini’s silver rear shell also appeared last month and showed off a new embedded black logo, which is a distinct change from styling of the current-generation iPad mini with a mirrored logo applied to the rear of the device.
Apple will reportedly release the thinner full-sized iPad and the next-generation iPad mini in the final three months of the year, with the devices apparently set to debut at a separate media event from the one for the next-generation iPhone scheduled for September 10.
According to box office reporting service Box Office Mojo (via AppleInsider), Joshua Michael Stern’s Steve Jobs biography "Jobs" made an estimated $6.7 million this weekend, less than the $8-9 million its distributor, Open Road Films, projected. The film was made on a budget of $12 million, and played on 2,381 screens for its opening weekend.
Playing at 2,381 locations, Jobs opened in seventh place with an estimated $6.7 million. While it was never expected to match The Social Network, it's still very disappointing to note that the Steve Jobs biopic earned less than one-third as much as the Facebook story. This is also one of star Ashton Kutcher's lowest openings ever—among nationwide releases, it's only ahead of 2003's My Boss's Daughter ($4.9 million).
Jobs had plenty of issues, including awful reviews and a comedy star playing dramatic (almost never a good idea). Most important, though, was the movie's apparent tonal issues: while plenty of people enjoy their Apple products, the deification of Steve Jobs is a bit of a turn off. Jobs received a weak "B-" CinemaScore, and all indications are that it will disappear from theaters quickly.
The movie has been the subject of mostly poor reviews over the weekend, and currently holds a score of 25 out of 100 on movie review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes. According to the site, the critical consensus around the movie proclaims that it is an “ambitious but skin-deep portrait of an influential, complex figure,” and further summarizes the film in saying that “Jobs often has the feel of an over-sentimentalized made-for-TV biopic.”
A second Steve Jobs movie, from screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, is also in the works for 2014. In a public appearance last year, Sorkin disclosed that the entire movie "is going to be 3 scenes, and take place in real-time." Each of the three 30-minute scenes will take place backstage before three significant events in Jobs’ career, including the launches of the original Mac, the NeXT cube, and the iPod.
Fitness expert and Nike product consultant Jay Blahnik appears to have confirmed his hiring by Apple on Twitter (via 9to5Mac). While Blahnik has been a consultant to Apple on unspecified products in the past, it now seems that he may join the company full time, potentially working on Apple's highly-rumored iWatch.
Jay has been a Nike Elite Athlete and Nike consultant for almost 20 years. He worked closely with Nike on the launch of Nike+Running, which has become the largest digital running community in the world. He was also the original creator and program developer of the Nike Training Club App, and the Nike Training Club in-gym program, which boasts over 6 million digital users. He is also a key expert and consultant for many of Nike's new Digital Sport initiatives that launched in 2012, including Nike+ Kinect Training and Nike+ FuelBand.
Last month, Apple notably hired new employees with an expertise in health sensors to work on the iWatch, including hiring personnel away from notable firms such as AccuVein and MediSensors. Apple has also been filing trademark applications on the iWatch name in a number of countries, and is reportedly looking toward a late 2014 launch for the product as it works to solve numerous technical challenges.
Update:AllThingsD confirms that Apple has hired Jay Blahnik and speculates that he will likely be working with the company's wearables team.
Apple is aiming to encourage Mac usage to its business consumers by displaying iMacs running a copy of Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system within Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac in the business section of its stores, according to a report from 9to5Mac. Apple Retail Stores will also train business specialists on using Parallels and Windows software as part of the initiative.
Apple currently includes a section on its website with information on how to run Windows and its associated software on a Mac through Boot Camp, a multi boot utility introduced in Mac OS X Leopard. However, virtualization software such as Parallels Desktop and VMWare Fusion have been alternative choices for users who want to run Windows on a Mac due to the non-requirement of a reboot and the ability to run Windows simultaneously within an active session of OS X.
The latest version of Parallels, Parallels Desktop 8, was released last August, adding new features such as full support for Windows 8 and automatic visual optimization for the software when running on Retina displays.
The standard edition of the software retails for $79.99 on Apple's Online Store, though pre-orders have begun popping up for the next generation of the software, Parallels Desktop 9. Currently, Amazon Germany and Apple Authorized Reseller MacMall have the software for $74.99 with an expected release date of September 5.
With Apple's USB Power Adapter Takeback Program officially launching yesterday, the company has now posted prices for additional participating regions, boosting the number of countries where consumers may trade-in a third-party USB charger for a discount on an official Apple charger (via 9to5Mac). While Apple originally expanded plans for the program last month to countries beyond the United States and China with seven additional countries, the recent move brings the amount of countries supported by the program to 30.
Apple is maintaining separate information pages for several countries involved in the program, while pricing in the bulk of the countries is summarized on a separate "other countries" page.
First introduced last month following the electrocution of a Chinese woman using a counterfeit iPhone charger, the recycling initiative is designed to allow iOS users to safely replace and dispose of questionable third-party power adapters.
Under the terms of the program, Apple will accept and recycle any third-party charger at any Apple Retail Store or participating Apple Authorized Service Provider, and will also provide an authentic charger for $10 in the United States, a $9 discount from Apple's regular pricing.
Apple has sent an email to registered developers informing them that its Developer Center and additional developer program services will be offline for “brief scheduled maintenance” on Saturday, August 17th at 6PM PST.
Last month, Apple’s Developer Center experienced over three weeks of at least partial downtime that started on July 18. Independent security researcher Ibrahim Balic speculated that he was responsible for the breach that caused the outage of Apple’s Developer Center, and claimed to have accessed details on over 100,000 users. As part of its efforts to bring the developer site back online, Apple has also rolled out a status page to keep developers updated on the availability of its services.
As we get closer to the September 10th announcement of the new iPhone and the public launch of the next version of iOS, more details are leaking out regarding the new 5S and the rollout of iOS 7.
According to box office reporting service 
