Analyst tallies perks of September launch of new iPhone, iPad
Increased talk of a September launch of the next iPhone, as well as a new, smaller iPad -- if accurate -- would make it easier for Apple to erase the bad taste of the second quarter and beat its own lowered expectations this quarter, a Wall Street analyst said today.
Brian White, of Topeka Capital Markets, said Apple would be smart to ship the new smartphone and tablet in September -- part of the third calendar quarter -- rather than duplicate its 2011 timetable, when it launched the iPhone 4S in early October, or the fourth quarter.
"A September launch for the iPhone 5 would be significant for the stock price, especially given the recent concerns around the June quarter weakness in the iPhone and a weak September quarter outlook," said White in a Monday note to clients. Read more...
With iPad Mini, Apple would remain tablet king through ’16, says IDC
Apple will continue to dominate the world's tablet market through 2016 if it launches a smaller iPad this year, according to research firm IDC.
In a revised five-year forecast, IDC said last week that the addition of a so-called "iPad Mini" into its model line-up will keep Apple's share above the 60% bar for the foreseeable future. Apple's tablet line overall would account for 60.8% of the market in 2016.
That's a huge turnaround from earlier IDC projections that just two months ago predicted the iPad would slip under 50% as soon as 2014 and fall to 47.8% by 2016. In May, IDC estimated that Android tablets would soon start to chew into Apple's lead and by 2015 would account for the majority of devices.
The difference between the two forecasts for the iPad was a whopping 14 percentage points. Read more...
Apple kicks off new iPad sales in China next week
Apple today said it would start selling the new iPad in China starting Friday, July 20.
As analysts expected, the move came quickly after Apple settled a dispute with a Chinese company over the iPad name.
The tablet, which Apple launched in the U.S. in March, will be priced the same as the current iPad 2, which is the model now for sale in the People's Republic of China (PRC), or mainland China: $499 (US) for the base 16GB iPad with Wi-Fi only, up to $829 for the 64GB Wi-Fi/3G configuration.
Current prices for the iPad 2 run from 2,988 yuan to 5,488 yuan, which at Tuesday's exchange rate is $469 to $861.
As in other markets, Apple will continue to sell the iPad 2 for $399 (2,542 yuan at today's exchange rate) in China.
Chinese buyers will be able to purchase iPads through the Apple online store, some authorized resellers and by reservation at one of the country's five Apple retail stores. The latter can be made daily between 9 a.m. and noon local time, starting July 19, for next-day pick up. Read more...
Why small tablets will dominate the tablet market
Most tablets in use today are iPad-size. That's because most tablets in use are iPads.
This reality has led pundits to believe that iPad size is the right size for a touch tablet. But I've come to believe that in just two years, iPad-size tablets will represent a small minority of the market.
It's hard to believe now, but experts used to argue about whether there was room in the space between a phone and a laptop for any kind of consumer electronics device.
Now it has become clear that there are major markets for two sizes: An iPad size in the 10-in. diagonal range, and a smaller size in the 7-in. diagonal range.
Not only should these two form factors be considered distinct, but in many ways they should be considered opposites. The big one is portable (home, office, coffee shop) and the other is mobile (absolutely everywhere). Read more...
Apple’s popularity boosts Objective-C language past C++
Thanks to the popularity of Apple's iPad and iPhone mobile devices, the Objective-C language has overtaken C++ in Tiobe's monthly assessment of programming language popularity.
Objective-C, the language used for developing applications to run on Apple's mobile devices, was ranked the third most-popular language in the July edition of the Tiobe Programming Community Index, followed by C++ in fourth place. Released this week, the index has Objective-C used by 9.335 percent of developers and C++ used by 9.118 percent. The two languages swap rankings from last month, when C++ was used by 9.358 percent of developers and Objective-C by 9.094 percent. Read more...
Facebook needs Opera – to rescue it from dependence on Apple
Facebook is reported to be interested in buying Scandinavian browser company Opera Software.
The facts are few, the sourcing criminally light, but the story arrives as Opera is also reported to have instituted a hiring freeze that some claim is a harbinger to putting itself up for sale.
Both firms refused to comment on the reports when contacted by The Reg.
Why would Facebook want to own its own browser, especially when Opera has minuscule market share and is better at generating publicity than desktop growth?
Facebook is also interested in buying Face.com and, again, preparing its own phone having poached six iPhone engineers and one from the iPad team at Apple. Read more...
Kickstarter: Turn Your iPad Into An Etch-A-Sketch
Looking to relive your childhood or turn your iPad into a hackneyed political pun? You’d best get over to Ari Krupnik’s Kickstarter project. For $60 you get a red or blue case that simulates the actual Etch-A-Sketch knobs, allowing you to perform all of the deft maneuvers to which you’re accustomed. Stair steps? Easy. Long curve? Go for it. Horrible script writing? Bingo. Read more...
Apple updates iOS, mum on Wi-Fi, battery fixes
Apple has released an update to its iOS mobile operating system, version 5.1.1, which it claims remove some bugs and improves reliability of some options, but which does not address the wireless connectivity problems – well, at least not overtly – that have had some fanbois fuming.
The update, released Monday, is for the iPhone 3GS and later, the third and fourth-generation iPod touch, and the iPad and iPad 2 – presumably by "iPad", Apple means both the original iPad and the third-generation iPad, aka "The new iPad". Read more...
Logitech launches the Solar Keyboard Folio, protecting your iPad and charging whilst you work
Logitech today unveiled the latest in its solar-powered accessory range, launching the Solar Keyboard Folio to provide new iPad and iPad 2 owners with a slim and robust Bluetooth keyboard that draws its power from light, but also doubles as a protective case.
The Solar Keyboard Folio has been adapted from Logitech’s Mac and PC solar keyboards to operate seamlessly with second and third-generation iPads, utilising on-board solar cells to charge the Bluetooth keyboard in any light. Read more...
Does the iPad cannibalize Apple’s laptops?
Is Apple cutting the MacBook's throat with the iPad?
The question -- whether the company's tablet cannibalizes sales of its own portable computing line -- is ultimately impossible to answer, or at least quantify: One can't look into a counter-factual crystal ball to view an alternate universe without the iPad.
But Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, believes that the iPad does block sales of at least some Apple personal computers.
"I think there was some cannibalization from iPad," Cook acknowledged earlier this week during his company's quarterly earnings call with Wall Street. Read more...
Appvetica turns the iPhone and iPod Touch into a controller for Wii-like iPad gaming
While there’s no doubt that tablets are becoming a huge market for gaming, the touch screen interface provides a number issues for both gamers, who want a quality experience, and developers who have to adapt to a control-pad-free environment.
However, one Polish startup is giving developers the tools to provide a more functional gaming experience and free your thumbs. Read more...
Apple further eases new iPad availability, orders now showing 5-7 day deliveries
Apple has taken steps to ease constraints on the availability of its new iPad after it cut delivery times by a week, with delivery times now showing availability of between 5-7 days on its US online store.
Previously, the US store showed delivery times of between 1-2 weeks, but today it has been slashed. Other regional markets are also showing the shortened customer waiting times, including Korea and Malaysia, where the device launched today, which shows that the company is working to provide the new iPad faster than ever as it is introduced to new markets. Read more...
7 smart toys for today’s connected kids
The price of admission to this year's hottest toys list is a touch of tech. Not that old double-A battery and an on-switch kind — today's toys come equipped with capacitive screens, augmented reality, and the assumption that you already have an iPad, an iPod touch, or an iPhone in the family. You know what that means? There's a good chance our youngsters are (or will soon be) more tech-savvy than we are.
The good news? Many of these toys will do more than just suck those little brains in and get them glued to yet another screen. Choose right, and their favorite new tech toy could help teach them about math, science, physics, digital photography, computer programming, or even motivate them to go outside and learn more about good ol' Mother Nature. Here are some of the best teaching toys that I've seen and tested so far this year. Read more...
iPad Wi-Fi issues may be linked to power management
The Wi-Fi reliability problems reported by iPad owners can probably be solved with a software update, a hardware expert said Friday.
"It's unlikely that hardware is the primary cause of the [problem]," said Aaron Vronko, CEO of Michigan-based Rapid Repair, a repair shop and do-it-yourself parts supplier for the iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch. "This is probably a software problem, or a hardware quirk that software must negotiate." Read more...
Complaints about iPad Wi-Fi problems continue to climb
Complaints from owners of Apple's newest iPad that their device has trouble connecting to wireless networks continue to mount.
One Apple support thread on the subject has collected over 770 messages, and has been viewed more than 65,000 times, both very large numbers by the support forum's standards.
Apple started selling the third-generation iPad on March 16, and gripes about its wireless performance appeared almost immediately.
Most complaints have been filed by Wi-Fi model owners, but some have been posted by people with the more expensive 4G-enabled iPad. Read more...