Apple 'unrivaled' in innovation, 'elegant experience,' Cook says
Apple CEO Tim Cook today defended the company's cash hoard, said that innovation is in the corporate DNA, added that the smartphone market may be the best ever and outlined his acquisition strategy. He also knocked the PC industry's focus on specifications and noted the iPad is the "poster child" of the post-PC era.Cook, speaking at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference in San Francisco, addressed Wall Street analysts and investors for the second consecutive year. Generally speaking, Cook has been much more open with investors than former CEO Steve Jobs.The overall theme from Cook was that Apple doesn't buy the limits of large numbers and has existing markets -- namely tablets and smartphones -- that can continue to grow.Cook covered the following topics as he repeatedly noted that Apple can continue to grow:According to Cook, the tablet market is a huge opportunity for Apple and the iPad is the poster child for the post-PC era. "It creates an experience that's jaw-dropping," said Cook. He added that more iPads were sold than PCs. "We're in the early innings of this game," said Cook. "You can see the whole of Apple (with the iPad."Cannibalization. Cook said he has been asked about cannibalization of products repeatedly, whether it's the iMac killing the PowerBook or the iPad killing the Mac. "If we don't cannibalize, someone else will," said Cook. He added that the iPad can poach share from the Windows ecosystem for years to come. "If companies worry about cannibalization, it's the beginning of the end," said Cook.The PC market competed on two things -- spec and price. "Customers want a good experience, quality and an aha moment," said Cook. Companies that talk about the specification of something are hiding the fact their products don't deliver a great experience. He added that no one cares about Apple's chip speeds, pixels in a display and other specs. The display comments were a knock on the OLED spec war. "The only religion we have is that we must do something great," said Cook. "We won't make a crappy product."The age-old model of everyone doing a sliver of something is over. Apple can do integration better than anyone," said Cook, referring to the PC market's partner model.Can Apple do platforms around the world? Cook was asked about whether Apple can do cloud services in emerging markets, which limit content and music purchases. "Our App Store is operating in 155 countries," noted Cook. iTunes, iCloud and iBooks also operate in numerous countries. "I really feel like we advanced significantly last year in building our infrastructure around the world," said Cook. "Our intention is to have our ecosystem everywhere."The retail strategy. Cook said Apple continues to grow its retail footprint. "There's no better place to discover and explore our products than retail," he said. "It's the best retail experience. You realize the experience is there not for selling but serving. It helps you get more out of your products." Cook said "store" isn't the right term. The retail outlets are the core of Apple, not the headquarters in Cupertino. Apple will also retool and expand stores as well as add to the retail roster, he said.For Apple, innovation is embedded in the culture. "Innovation is strong as ever and in the DNA of the company," said Cook. "Apple is the center of innovation." He added there's no set formula for innovation and if there were one, companies with a lot of cash would acquire it. Innovation is about skills and leadership. "Apple has skills in software, hardware and services. The model that grew the PC industry where companies specialized. That model is not working for what consumers want today," said Cook. "Consumers want this elegant experience." The real magic happens at the integration of hardware, software and services. "I think we're unrivaled in that," said Cook.Apple has paid developers $8 billion, up from the previous mark of $7 billion noted just last month.Would Apple do a large acquisition? "We've averaged an acquisition almost every other month [for the last three years]," said Cook. Those companies typically had engineers and intellectual property. PA Semiconductor was a prime example of a good Apple acquisition. PA Semi became the engine of iPhone, iPad and iPod Touches.On the laws of large numbers, Apple doesn't believe in limits. "It's because of that Apple has been able to do so many things over the years," said Cook. He added that when he zooms out he sees a growing market that Apple can address with smartphones and tablets. "All phones will be smartphones," said Cook. He called the smartphone the best market ever and noted Apple has a lot of upside in China, the app ecosystem and global expansion. "The iPhone is only available to 50 percent of the world's subscribers," he said.Regarding cheap phones, Cook said "our north star is great products ... We wouldn't do anything we considered a cheap product," said Cook. "That said we have done things to appeal to people more price sensitive." An example is the lower pricing for iPhone 4 and 4S. Cook added that Apple ran out of supply for iPhone 4. "We have made moves to make things more affordable," he said.Cook said that Apple aimed for a less expensive Mac but couldn't deliver a great product. Apple solved the sub-$1,000 PC issue with the iPad.He countered the argument that Apple had a depression mentality about cash---a charge leveled by investor David Einhorn's Greenlight Capital. Cook said Apple is investing in R&D, stores, supply chain and is also financially conservative. "A company investing a pair of 10s over two years [$10 billion in capital expenses] doesn't have a Depression era mindset," said Cook. "We do have some cash, but it's a privilege to be in this position to seriously consider returning additional cash to shareholders." Cook added that the board is in deliberations.Cook added that the cash debate is about the rights of shareholders. Apple is looking at things to improve governance further, said Cook, responding to hubbub over the company's preferred shares practices via Greenlight's lawsuit. He said Greenlight's lawsuit over Apple's cash is "a silly sideshow" and the money used for pay for lawyers should be given to a better cause.This story originally appeared at ZDNet's Between the Lines under the headline "Apple CEO Cook: 'We're unrivaled' in innovation."
MP3 player upgrades and transferring iTunes content--Ask the Editors
MP3 player upgrades and transferring iTunes content--Ask the Editors
Q: I am big fan of CNET--I think you guys give the best reviews for a wide range of products. Coming to the topic: I already own a 4GB Creative Zen and I really like the player--I bought it on your advice mainly. I really love the sound quality and the stunning screen, but I don't find it comfortably large enough for watching full-length movies. Can you suggest a good player that has a bigger screen, sufficient for video? It should also have good sound quality and of course a decent battery life, because I am constantly on the move. --Nikhil, via e-mailCreativeA: I definitely agree with you about the screen size of the Zen not being large enough for comfortably enjoying feature-length movies. My suggestion is to pick up a more dedicated portable video player, since you already have a good day-to-day device for music. My top choice for you is the Creative Zen Vision:W, because it keeps everything in the family and allows you to manage content in the same way. Plus, it offers solid sound quality and an above-average battery life of 7.6 hours for video--and the battery is user-replaceable, so you can buy extras to bring with you. After that, check out the Apple iPod Touch (6 hour battery life for video), the Archos 605 (4.7 hour battery life), or the Archos 405 (4 hour battery life).Q: I've had a lot of trouble getting this question answered:I have a Mac and a PC. I have successfully transferred the music library to the Mac and it works. However, if i want to buy a song, movie, etc from iTunes on the PC, how can I get it on the Mac, or vice versa?Is there a way to have it appear on both when I purchase a song off of one of the computers?Please help!!--Vicki, via e-mailA: Unfortunately, there's no way to have the content automatically downloaded to all of your authorized systems when you buy it, but the workaround is very easy. Transfer the purchased content from the initial computer to an iPod or a UMS device. Then, connect this device to the system you want to transfer the content to and fire up iTunes. If you're using an iPod, iTunes should prompt you to back up the purchased content (click Yes). Alternatively, you can go to the File menu and select Transfer Purchases. For a UMS device, use Explorer or Finder to view the files, then drag-and-drop them to the relevant iTunes folder on your hard drive. For more detailed, step-by-step instructions on transferring iTunes content between systems, check out our tip on moving your iTunes library from PC to MacCNET Networks/Corinne Schulze MP3 Mailbox Monday is a recurring feature where I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, but if you prefer to remain completely anonymous, please state as much in your e-mail.)
Q: I am big fan of CNET--I think you guys give the best reviews for a wide range of products. Coming to the topic: I already own a 4GB Creative Zen and I really like the player--I bought it on your advice mainly. I really love the sound quality and the stunning screen, but I don't find it comfortably large enough for watching full-length movies. Can you suggest a good player that has a bigger screen, sufficient for video? It should also have good sound quality and of course a decent battery life, because I am constantly on the move. --Nikhil, via e-mailCreativeA: I definitely agree with you about the screen size of the Zen not being large enough for comfortably enjoying feature-length movies. My suggestion is to pick up a more dedicated portable video player, since you already have a good day-to-day device for music. My top choice for you is the Creative Zen Vision:W, because it keeps everything in the family and allows you to manage content in the same way. Plus, it offers solid sound quality and an above-average battery life of 7.6 hours for video--and the battery is user-replaceable, so you can buy extras to bring with you. After that, check out the Apple iPod Touch (6 hour battery life for video), the Archos 605 (4.7 hour battery life), or the Archos 405 (4 hour battery life).Q: I've had a lot of trouble getting this question answered:I have a Mac and a PC. I have successfully transferred the music library to the Mac and it works. However, if i want to buy a song, movie, etc from iTunes on the PC, how can I get it on the Mac, or vice versa?Is there a way to have it appear on both when I purchase a song off of one of the computers?Please help!!--Vicki, via e-mailA: Unfortunately, there's no way to have the content automatically downloaded to all of your authorized systems when you buy it, but the workaround is very easy. Transfer the purchased content from the initial computer to an iPod or a UMS device. Then, connect this device to the system you want to transfer the content to and fire up iTunes. If you're using an iPod, iTunes should prompt you to back up the purchased content (click Yes). Alternatively, you can go to the File menu and select Transfer Purchases. For a UMS device, use Explorer or Finder to view the files, then drag-and-drop them to the relevant iTunes folder on your hard drive. For more detailed, step-by-step instructions on transferring iTunes content between systems, check out our tip on moving your iTunes library from PC to MacCNET Networks/Corinne Schulze MP3 Mailbox Monday is a recurring feature where I answer a selection of questions about MP3 players and accessories, such as headphones, speakers, and music services and software. Check back often to see if the advice presented here might be of some use to you, or send your questions directly to me. (Note: We never include last names, but if you prefer to remain completely anonymous, please state as much in your e-mail.)
Australia number one in Game of Thrones torrents
Australia number one in Game of Thrones torrents
According to TorrentFreak's now-regular data analysis around Game of Thrones, there were over one million downloads in half a day and at one point over 300,000 torrent users were sharing the premiere simultaneously. Last season's finale managed just 170,000.Using a sample of 18,333 IP-address collected over the day, TorrentFreak reports that 11.6 per cent of users sharing the episode came from Australia, putting us number one in the world. The US follows at 9.3 per cent and the UK at 5.8.If we look at individual cities, Melbourne and Sydney take the first and third spots on the podium, with Athens sneaking in for the silver. In terms of why the torrent traffic is up worldwide, well the show is obviously more popular than ever â€" so popular, in fact, that HBO's own streaming service HBO Go crashed during the premiere and was unavailable for several hours. The theory is that many people who had paid for access to a legal version of GoT ended up using a torrent site during the outage.Locally of course, Foxtel have the rights to broadcasting Game of Thrones for the entirety of this season â€" other services such as Quickflix and iTunes can only sell the episodes after the season is done. This may have contributed somewhat to Australia's higher ranking â€" we were only in the third spot for the season three premiere back when it was available on iTunes in line with the US showings.Timeliness remains a factor as well. Foxtel are showing the episodes "express" meaning they will air in Australia just hours after the US. But a few hours is still a long time in the spoiler-filled world of social media. We've heard rumours that suggested up to 40 per cent of Foxtel subscribers still used a torrent site to get a copy of the GoT S4 premiere. That sounds a little dubious â€" but, along with the aforementioned HBO Go crash, it does suggest a fact often forgotten in discussions of TV shows and torrents: not every downloaded episode is a direct loss of revenue.People who pay for Game of Thrones may still, for one reason or another, be contributing to the torrent statistics. Similarly, people using a torrent site for their weekly viewing may still purchase the whole season at a later date, either through an online service such as iTunes or Quickflix or in an 'old-school' boxed set format. Will the season 4 finale break worldwide torrent records again? No one can tell the future, but we'd certainly be offering even money if we were taking bets...
According to TorrentFreak's now-regular data analysis around Game of Thrones, there were over one million downloads in half a day and at one point over 300,000 torrent users were sharing the premiere simultaneously. Last season's finale managed just 170,000.Using a sample of 18,333 IP-address collected over the day, TorrentFreak reports that 11.6 per cent of users sharing the episode came from Australia, putting us number one in the world. The US follows at 9.3 per cent and the UK at 5.8.If we look at individual cities, Melbourne and Sydney take the first and third spots on the podium, with Athens sneaking in for the silver. In terms of why the torrent traffic is up worldwide, well the show is obviously more popular than ever â€" so popular, in fact, that HBO's own streaming service HBO Go crashed during the premiere and was unavailable for several hours. The theory is that many people who had paid for access to a legal version of GoT ended up using a torrent site during the outage.Locally of course, Foxtel have the rights to broadcasting Game of Thrones for the entirety of this season â€" other services such as Quickflix and iTunes can only sell the episodes after the season is done. This may have contributed somewhat to Australia's higher ranking â€" we were only in the third spot for the season three premiere back when it was available on iTunes in line with the US showings.Timeliness remains a factor as well. Foxtel are showing the episodes "express" meaning they will air in Australia just hours after the US. But a few hours is still a long time in the spoiler-filled world of social media. We've heard rumours that suggested up to 40 per cent of Foxtel subscribers still used a torrent site to get a copy of the GoT S4 premiere. That sounds a little dubious â€" but, along with the aforementioned HBO Go crash, it does suggest a fact often forgotten in discussions of TV shows and torrents: not every downloaded episode is a direct loss of revenue.People who pay for Game of Thrones may still, for one reason or another, be contributing to the torrent statistics. Similarly, people using a torrent site for their weekly viewing may still purchase the whole season at a later date, either through an online service such as iTunes or Quickflix or in an 'old-school' boxed set format. Will the season 4 finale break worldwide torrent records again? No one can tell the future, but we'd certainly be offering even money if we were taking bets...
The 404 1,193- Where we take the number 2 train (podcast)
The 404 1,193: Where we take the number 2 train (podcast)
Welcome to today's show, where we're finally analyzing the food photography trend for what it is, with the help of this article in the New York Times that profiles restaurateur David Bouley and the creative tactics he's come up with to stop the dining room distractions.The way we see it, the problem with food photography is that we've collectively lost our shame and sense of subtlety when it comes time to dine. Instead of snapping a quick 3-second iPhone pic, we've seen folks stand on chairs, use tripods with a giant dSLR, and even ask the restaurant to adjust the ceiling lights to suit the mood of the picture.The fact is that there's really no better way to prove you're eating above your budget than to take a picture of it. Argue all you want, it's just a tacky move and plenty of restaurants agree. Check out today's show to hear some places are doing to avoid the awkwardness.We'll also talk about a story from Jim Romanesko's blog about an on-air news reporter in Rochester that took a stand and refused to let WHAM-TV's parent company take control of her personal Twitter accounts.The reporter, Rachel Barnhart, asserts that a reporter's relationship with her followers is part of her personal brand, and should be treated such. Just as Sinclair Broadcasting doesn't own her life outside of work, she should be given carte blanche over her social-media profiles too.Finally, we'll end with a story about Atari filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy.Atari is still paying off its $27 million debt to BlueBay Asset Management five years after Infogrames Entertainment bought the company in 2008, and the NY-based branch is eager to maintain their independence from their parent company. We'll finish off the show reminiscing about the faux wood-paneling on the original Atari 2600 and cap it off with a few listener voicemails.Episode 1193PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe:iTunes (HD) |Â iTunes (SD) |Â iTunes (HQ) |Â iTunes (MP3) RSS (HD) |Â RSS (SD) |Â RSS (HQ) |Â RSS (MP3)Â Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff Bakalar
Welcome to today's show, where we're finally analyzing the food photography trend for what it is, with the help of this article in the New York Times that profiles restaurateur David Bouley and the creative tactics he's come up with to stop the dining room distractions.The way we see it, the problem with food photography is that we've collectively lost our shame and sense of subtlety when it comes time to dine. Instead of snapping a quick 3-second iPhone pic, we've seen folks stand on chairs, use tripods with a giant dSLR, and even ask the restaurant to adjust the ceiling lights to suit the mood of the picture.The fact is that there's really no better way to prove you're eating above your budget than to take a picture of it. Argue all you want, it's just a tacky move and plenty of restaurants agree. Check out today's show to hear some places are doing to avoid the awkwardness.We'll also talk about a story from Jim Romanesko's blog about an on-air news reporter in Rochester that took a stand and refused to let WHAM-TV's parent company take control of her personal Twitter accounts.The reporter, Rachel Barnhart, asserts that a reporter's relationship with her followers is part of her personal brand, and should be treated such. Just as Sinclair Broadcasting doesn't own her life outside of work, she should be given carte blanche over her social-media profiles too.Finally, we'll end with a story about Atari filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy.Atari is still paying off its $27 million debt to BlueBay Asset Management five years after Infogrames Entertainment bought the company in 2008, and the NY-based branch is eager to maintain their independence from their parent company. We'll finish off the show reminiscing about the faux wood-paneling on the original Atari 2600 and cap it off with a few listener voicemails.Episode 1193PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe:iTunes (HD) |Â iTunes (SD) |Â iTunes (HQ) |Â iTunes (MP3) RSS (HD) |Â RSS (SD) |Â RSS (HQ) |Â RSS (MP3)Â Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff Bakalar
Kindle app update brings some Kindle Fire features to iPads
Kindle app update brings some Kindle Fire features to iPads
For any iPad owner who's seen those spiffy-looking magazines and newspapers on Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet and thought, "Hey, why don't my magazines and newspapers look this spiffy?", here's good news: Amazon just rolled out a Kindle app update that adds rich magazine and newspaper viewing to the iPad, among other things.Kindle 2.9 for iOS offers several appreciable changes, and not just for the iPad. For example, iPhone and iPod Touch users will also notice a new scrolling menu atop their library; it lets you sort your view between books, magazines, and documents.Also, you can now e-mail documents to your Send-to-Kindle address for quick and easy viewing on your iWhatever. (Those documents will also reside in Amazon's cloud so you can redownload them to other devices.)In addition, Amazon has built in a PDF reader, which you can use not just for documents linked to your Kindle account, but also for PDFs that come from the Web, iTunes, and e-mail. The reader supports tables of contents and thumbnail navigation.But it's definitely iPad users who clean up with this update. Like the Kindle Fire, the iPad can now tap more than 400 magazines and newspapers, all of them displayed in full color, just like the paper editions.And good news for students: the new iPad app supports print-replica textbooks, which can be purchased or rented (at considerable savings). According to Amazon, "print replica textbooks maintain the rich formatting and layout of the print editions, with features including notes and highlights, zoom and pan, linked table of contents, and Whispersync of notes, highlights, and last page read."Kindle 2.9 is available now. As always, it's free, though obviously most Kindle content is not.
For any iPad owner who's seen those spiffy-looking magazines and newspapers on Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet and thought, "Hey, why don't my magazines and newspapers look this spiffy?", here's good news: Amazon just rolled out a Kindle app update that adds rich magazine and newspaper viewing to the iPad, among other things.Kindle 2.9 for iOS offers several appreciable changes, and not just for the iPad. For example, iPhone and iPod Touch users will also notice a new scrolling menu atop their library; it lets you sort your view between books, magazines, and documents.Also, you can now e-mail documents to your Send-to-Kindle address for quick and easy viewing on your iWhatever. (Those documents will also reside in Amazon's cloud so you can redownload them to other devices.)In addition, Amazon has built in a PDF reader, which you can use not just for documents linked to your Kindle account, but also for PDFs that come from the Web, iTunes, and e-mail. The reader supports tables of contents and thumbnail navigation.But it's definitely iPad users who clean up with this update. Like the Kindle Fire, the iPad can now tap more than 400 magazines and newspapers, all of them displayed in full color, just like the paper editions.And good news for students: the new iPad app supports print-replica textbooks, which can be purchased or rented (at considerable savings). According to Amazon, "print replica textbooks maintain the rich formatting and layout of the print editions, with features including notes and highlights, zoom and pan, linked table of contents, and Whispersync of notes, highlights, and last page read."Kindle 2.9 is available now. As always, it's free, though obviously most Kindle content is not.
Apple's mobile-advertising VP departing
Apple's mobile-advertising VP departing
Apple's vice president of mobile advertising for Apple's iAd platform is leaving the company.Andy Miller, who joined Apple with the company's acquisition of Quattro Wireless, is leaving to become a general partner at venture firm Highland Capital. That's the same firm that helped fund Quattro Wireless, the advertising company that Miller was the co-founder and CEO of, the report notes. An Apple spokesman confirmed that Miller plans to leave the company, though did not provide additional details on his departure.Miller's departure, which was first reported by AllThingsD, comes at a time when the company's advertising efforts are still in their infancy. Apple bought Quattro Wireless in January 2010 for a reported $275 million. Just months before, rival Google purchased Quattro competitor AdMob in a deal worth nearly three times as much. Apple proceeded to shut down Quattro Wireless in September of last year, shifting its focus to iAd, the company's first-party advertising platform it launched in April 2010.Last month, Apple began offering advertising firms a way to make large iAd buys that could then be doled out to companies at a lower volume than what Apple sells directly--a move designed to make the service more approachable to advertisers that wanted to run smaller campaigns. On the flip side of that, the company has shrugged off the inclusion of advertising of any sort on its Web properties, notably its iCloud service, which is set to launch this fall. Updated at 11:32 a.m. PT with Apple's confirmation of Miller's departure.
Apple's vice president of mobile advertising for Apple's iAd platform is leaving the company.Andy Miller, who joined Apple with the company's acquisition of Quattro Wireless, is leaving to become a general partner at venture firm Highland Capital. That's the same firm that helped fund Quattro Wireless, the advertising company that Miller was the co-founder and CEO of, the report notes. An Apple spokesman confirmed that Miller plans to leave the company, though did not provide additional details on his departure.Miller's departure, which was first reported by AllThingsD, comes at a time when the company's advertising efforts are still in their infancy. Apple bought Quattro Wireless in January 2010 for a reported $275 million. Just months before, rival Google purchased Quattro competitor AdMob in a deal worth nearly three times as much. Apple proceeded to shut down Quattro Wireless in September of last year, shifting its focus to iAd, the company's first-party advertising platform it launched in April 2010.Last month, Apple began offering advertising firms a way to make large iAd buys that could then be doled out to companies at a lower volume than what Apple sells directly--a move designed to make the service more approachable to advertisers that wanted to run smaller campaigns. On the flip side of that, the company has shrugged off the inclusion of advertising of any sort on its Web properties, notably its iCloud service, which is set to launch this fall. Updated at 11:32 a.m. PT with Apple's confirmation of Miller's departure.
Apple's mea culpa works wonders in China
Apple's mea culpa works wonders in China
Apple CEO Tim Cook's apology to China over his company's warranty apology seems to have succeeded in reducing tension with the Chinese government.Global Times, a state-run media outlet in China, today wrote that Apple's "apology letter has eased the situation, softening the tense relationship between Apple and the Chinese market," according to Reuters, which was first to report on the statement. The Global Times also said that Apple's apology was "worth respect."Tim Cook yesterday issued an apology, saying his company was sorry for the lack of communication on its warranty policies. Cook also promised a new repair policy for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, new explanation pages to make it clearer what's covered under its warranty and what's not, and more training and policing of Apple Authorized Service Providers doing repairs.Apple had been facing criticism over its warrantiesfor weeks. State-run media outlets were targeting the company over its warranty policies, but Apple had argued that it was following all local laws and regulations. After Apple declined to be interviewed by state-run media, however, the company was called arrogant, and speculation rose that the country's commerce watchdog, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, might move in.For now, though, it appears that the apology and promises of fixes have addressed China's concerns. They also underscore just how important China has become to Apple -- the company has consistently said it's the second-largest market for its business -- and how powerful the Chinese government is.
Apple CEO Tim Cook's apology to China over his company's warranty apology seems to have succeeded in reducing tension with the Chinese government.Global Times, a state-run media outlet in China, today wrote that Apple's "apology letter has eased the situation, softening the tense relationship between Apple and the Chinese market," according to Reuters, which was first to report on the statement. The Global Times also said that Apple's apology was "worth respect."Tim Cook yesterday issued an apology, saying his company was sorry for the lack of communication on its warranty policies. Cook also promised a new repair policy for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, new explanation pages to make it clearer what's covered under its warranty and what's not, and more training and policing of Apple Authorized Service Providers doing repairs.Apple had been facing criticism over its warrantiesfor weeks. State-run media outlets were targeting the company over its warranty policies, but Apple had argued that it was following all local laws and regulations. After Apple declined to be interviewed by state-run media, however, the company was called arrogant, and speculation rose that the country's commerce watchdog, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, might move in.For now, though, it appears that the apology and promises of fixes have addressed China's concerns. They also underscore just how important China has become to Apple -- the company has consistently said it's the second-largest market for its business -- and how powerful the Chinese government is.
Apple's market cap tops $600 billion
Apple's market cap tops $600 billion
Apple's market capitalization crossed the $600 billion mark earlier today, setting a record for the company and nearing that of one of its biggest rivals.Shares of the company's stock reached $644 in intraday trading. Per Dow Jones, the stock needs to close above $643.52 to reach the magic $600 billion number. Market capitalization is defined as the value of shares times the number of shares outstanding. Apple passed previous market cap champ Exxon on that metric last year, and is now nearing the $619 billion market cap record set by rival Microsoft on December 30, 1999. The record for the company comes a little more than a month after Apple's market cap hit $500 billion, and weeks after the company announced plans to tap its $100 billion cash pile to pay a dividend to investors, as well as buy back $10 billion worth of company stock over the next three years. As mighty as $600 billion is, this could just be a stop along the way according to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. In a note to investors this time last week, Munster said that shares of Apple would hit $1,000 a pop in 2014, bringing the company's market cap to "roughly" $1 trillion. That was based on the firm's confidence in Apple being able to continue to sell its mobile devices -- specifically the iPhone -- in markets around the world.Related storiesSky's the limit: Analyst says Apple could be worth $1 trillionApple sets earnings news for April 24Apple reports its fiscal second-quarter earnings on April 24, which will offer a more complete tally on sales of the latest iPad, which was released last month, as well as a progress report on iPhone sales since the iPhone 4S was launched in additional countries.
Apple's market capitalization crossed the $600 billion mark earlier today, setting a record for the company and nearing that of one of its biggest rivals.Shares of the company's stock reached $644 in intraday trading. Per Dow Jones, the stock needs to close above $643.52 to reach the magic $600 billion number. Market capitalization is defined as the value of shares times the number of shares outstanding. Apple passed previous market cap champ Exxon on that metric last year, and is now nearing the $619 billion market cap record set by rival Microsoft on December 30, 1999. The record for the company comes a little more than a month after Apple's market cap hit $500 billion, and weeks after the company announced plans to tap its $100 billion cash pile to pay a dividend to investors, as well as buy back $10 billion worth of company stock over the next three years. As mighty as $600 billion is, this could just be a stop along the way according to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. In a note to investors this time last week, Munster said that shares of Apple would hit $1,000 a pop in 2014, bringing the company's market cap to "roughly" $1 trillion. That was based on the firm's confidence in Apple being able to continue to sell its mobile devices -- specifically the iPhone -- in markets around the world.Related storiesSky's the limit: Analyst says Apple could be worth $1 trillionApple sets earnings news for April 24Apple reports its fiscal second-quarter earnings on April 24, which will offer a more complete tally on sales of the latest iPad, which was released last month, as well as a progress report on iPhone sales since the iPhone 4S was launched in additional countries.
Apple's Maps makes its way to OS X Mavericks
Apple's Maps makes its way to OS X Mavericks
Apple has updated its Maps application to work on the Mac, the company announced Monday at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.The company's platform will be built into Apple's new operating system, OS X Mavericks. Information from the Mac's Maps can be sent to an iPhone for access on that device. Developers also can bundle the software's features, thanks to a software development kit, into their own OS X apps.Apple launched Maps last year with iOS 6. The application was designed to replace Google Maps as Apple's built-in mapping application. Soon after users got their hands on it, though, they found it lacking in accuracy, overall usability, and feature set.Apple soon after apologized for Maps' issues, saying that it would do a better job of delivering the software. In the meantime, Apple suggested that users try out the many other mapping applications already available on the platform through the App Store.More from WWDCMeet iTunes Radio, Apple's long-awaited streaming music service CNET Editors' Take: Apple's Pandora-like streaming radio service is finally here Apple gives the iPhone a user interface face-lift with iOS 7 Editors' Take: iOS 7 gets a new look and several new features The fresh new look of Apple iOS 7 (pictures) Apple unveils new MacBook Air, gives Mac Pro sneak peek Editors' Take: Apple updates MacBook Air New MacBook Air boasts all-day battery life (pictures) Editors' Take: A bold new look for the Mac Pro desktop Mac Pro sneak peek (pictures) Editors' Take: Apple Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks Getting to know Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks (pictures) WWDC 2013: Full coverage
Apple has updated its Maps application to work on the Mac, the company announced Monday at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.The company's platform will be built into Apple's new operating system, OS X Mavericks. Information from the Mac's Maps can be sent to an iPhone for access on that device. Developers also can bundle the software's features, thanks to a software development kit, into their own OS X apps.Apple launched Maps last year with iOS 6. The application was designed to replace Google Maps as Apple's built-in mapping application. Soon after users got their hands on it, though, they found it lacking in accuracy, overall usability, and feature set.Apple soon after apologized for Maps' issues, saying that it would do a better job of delivering the software. In the meantime, Apple suggested that users try out the many other mapping applications already available on the platform through the App Store.More from WWDCMeet iTunes Radio, Apple's long-awaited streaming music service CNET Editors' Take: Apple's Pandora-like streaming radio service is finally here Apple gives the iPhone a user interface face-lift with iOS 7 Editors' Take: iOS 7 gets a new look and several new features The fresh new look of Apple iOS 7 (pictures) Apple unveils new MacBook Air, gives Mac Pro sneak peek Editors' Take: Apple updates MacBook Air New MacBook Air boasts all-day battery life (pictures) Editors' Take: A bold new look for the Mac Pro desktop Mac Pro sneak peek (pictures) Editors' Take: Apple Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks Getting to know Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks (pictures) WWDC 2013: Full coverage
Apple's maps app 'sent Google scrambling,' report claims
Apple's maps app 'sent Google scrambling,' report claims
For those hoping Google had a version of its maps application on standby in the event that Apple's own maps app shipped, a new report suggests otherwise.Citing two people familiar with the matter, The Verge says Google was caught flat-footed by the news that Apple would be rolling out its own mapping software, in part because there was still more than a year of mapping service as part of the agreement between the two companies.As a result, the report claims, Google has been "scrambling" to finish a replacement Google Maps application but the app is "several months" out. The report sharply counters claims that Google already submitted a finished version of its own, standalone maps application for iOS and was waiting on approval from Apple. It also matches up with a report from The Guardian last night saying that a replacement app from Google was still very much a work in progress.CNET has reached out to Google for more information and will update this post when we know more. So far the company has not said much of anything about its plans to bring its software back to iOS, short of some comments made earlier today by Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, saying Apple should have kept using Google's technology instead of switching to its own. Apple debuted its own maps technology at its annual developers conference in June, and shipped it to users as part of iOS 6 last week. While the on-stage demos were quite impressive, many users have found the newer version of the software, which uses various Apple and third-party mapping data, to be underwhelming or inaccurate when compared with Google's offering. Apple, meanwhile,has said its data will improve with time and more real-world use.Are we there yet? More iOS 6 maps problems...See full gallery1 - 4 / 12NextPrev
For those hoping Google had a version of its maps application on standby in the event that Apple's own maps app shipped, a new report suggests otherwise.Citing two people familiar with the matter, The Verge says Google was caught flat-footed by the news that Apple would be rolling out its own mapping software, in part because there was still more than a year of mapping service as part of the agreement between the two companies.As a result, the report claims, Google has been "scrambling" to finish a replacement Google Maps application but the app is "several months" out. The report sharply counters claims that Google already submitted a finished version of its own, standalone maps application for iOS and was waiting on approval from Apple. It also matches up with a report from The Guardian last night saying that a replacement app from Google was still very much a work in progress.CNET has reached out to Google for more information and will update this post when we know more. So far the company has not said much of anything about its plans to bring its software back to iOS, short of some comments made earlier today by Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, saying Apple should have kept using Google's technology instead of switching to its own. Apple debuted its own maps technology at its annual developers conference in June, and shipped it to users as part of iOS 6 last week. While the on-stage demos were quite impressive, many users have found the newer version of the software, which uses various Apple and third-party mapping data, to be underwhelming or inaccurate when compared with Google's offering. Apple, meanwhile,has said its data will improve with time and more real-world use.Are we there yet? More iOS 6 maps problems...See full gallery1 - 4 / 12NextPrev
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