Apple to Announce iPhone 5 on October 4

Tuesday October 4, that’s the day Apple is currently expected to hold its next big media event, according to sources close to the situation, where the tech giant will unveil the next iteration of its popular iPhone.

While Apple could certainly change its plans anytime, sources said that the October 4 date has been selected by the company to showcase the iPhone 5. Sources added that the plan is now to make the new device available for purchase within a few weeks after the announcement.

And while the iPhone 5 is a much anticipated handset, the event itself has a lot more importance for Apple than many previous ones.

That’s because it will be newly installed CEO Tim Cook’s first big product introduction and the place where the public will get a first lengthy impression of him that may well set the tone for Cook’s new role.

What will be interesting to see, of course, is if Jobs himself will also make an appearance, which is something that is likely to be determined by his health in a decision that will made very close to the event.

And while putting Jobs onstage with Cook could diminish the new leader’s first public effort, what better “one more thing” than Jobs himself making a cameo appearance?

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What Apple destroyed, creatively

Jobs renovated entire industries according to his unique vision. Film music, mobile phones, media, computer, and now, its impact has been enormous. And a lot of rumors about the next new thing, a remake of Apple's traditional television.

One thing that might be lost in an avalanche of coverage of Steve Jobs, has been its impact on technology investments. Not all of the industry, but the overwhelming power that Apple has had a number of competitors. It 'obvious creative destruction.

While Apple 1.0 influenced the way we think about the user interface of PC, it was hardly the monstrosity worrying that Apple was 2.0. The Cupertino computer maker little benefit from its innovations - Apple has been a marginal player with a small market. Yes, we know that the original Mac was very influential and often torn by Microsoft. In fact, Mac-maker was kept alive by an investment of $ 150 million from Microsoft in 1997. With what could be Bill Gates keeps a weakened competitor, claiming that his company did not have a monopoly on operating systems. The irony is that the lifeline will be a competitor to reach the point where it is now a threat.

But it is much more than Microsoft. Today, the triple threat of the iPod / iPhone / iPhone has left behind a trail of business models overwhelmed, directors and shareholders alike misery. Look who was wounded - and helped - the perfectionist in Cupertino:

Destroyed
Hewlett-Packard: The printer company may still have some ink left in its cartridges, but its PC business badly, purified from the sale of the iPad. HP plans to sell its division 40000000000 dollar and the PC industry exciting. HP tablet input, touchpad $ 499, was an unmitigated disaster - Best Buy sitting on more than 200,000 unsold units - until the price was cut by 80 percent, to $ 99

Dell: About Apple, Dell, founder Michael once famously said: "What would I do? You close and return money to shareholders." When Apple's market capitalization increased from Dell in 2006, Steve Jobs, said the Barb employees by e-mail. Today, earnings from Apple ($ 29 billion) alone is greater than the entire market capitalization of Dell. And Dell does not seem to have answers to the challenges that Apple has launched its PC business as traditional.

Research in Motion/BlackBerry: RIM is a very instructive example of how a leader can be overthrown by an innovative competitor. RIM's long owned the market for mobile email and text messages via the MOVEMENT FOR 'CrackBerry. "Topping out at $ 144 per share in 2008, trades now $ 20s, and have a strong response to the iPhone.

Nokia: Not so long ago, Nokia had better than a market share of 50 percent of the market for mobile telephony. Today? Only 15 percent and forced to abandon its own operating system for taming Microsoft also ran-Phone OS, Windows Mobile.

Ericsson: I’m sorry, but the name doesn’t ring a bell.

Damaged
Microsoft: When the monopoly of evil and hated, Mister Softee is currently led by Steve Ballmer. Under Ballmer, Microsoft has become vulnerable on several fronts. He missed almost all major trends in technology over the past decade, with Kinect is the only exception. Ballmer said so well he would not let his children use an iPod or Google is missing a quarter of the entire computer. As recently as two years ago, he said Linux was a serious competitor to Microsoft than Apple. Maybe Ballmer sale of 49300000 shares of his Microsoft stock at the end of 2010 - the $ 1.3 billion in cash - is a better telling that his proclamations stupid. Microsoft still has its cash cow Windows and Office, but I guess he could see a significant reduction over the next decade.

Sony: Previously owned portable music space, but the Walkman was replaced by the iPod and its well-regarded Vaio laptops are being replaced by iPads. It has a large consumer of e-business, film and television, but it is a slap in the face of Koreans under and above Apple.

Intel: A mixed bag, to say the least. Intel starts on Mac and some other chipsets in Apple products, but its PC business appears to be in danger.

Challenged
Google: Like a giant, Google acquired Android, and turned it into a legitimate competitor to the iPhone. But does not sell OS - gives it away for free, and to preserve the rights of research (the bread and butter).

It was smart to develop the mobile not to be eclipsed in this space, but also created another set of headaches: the exposure of patents. Apple dominates not only space but also the acquisition of a great treasure of Nortel's patents, in order to isolate and challenge all comers. This has forced Google to pay for a comparable portfolio, entering (former partner of Apple) Motorola's $ 12.5 billion. The jury is still out whether it will be to isolate some of the tests based on Apple technology to Android.

AT&T: It was desperate enough to let Apple dictate the terms for the iPhone, transforming the industry. When the iPhone dropped calls in large numbers, Apple could have saved from an ignominious death.

Verizon: It could be argued that the telephone giant could be a number of categories: challenged? Benefited? Perhaps the foot in each camp?

Undoubtedly, the first sales of the iPhone from AT & T had a market share of competitors. But Verizon's reputation for reliable network coverage has been strengthened. His expertise in advertising has also limited the damage. Once the exclusive AT & T ended, Verizon was there to become a iPhone4/iPad2 seller. Both products are well sold to the company. Verizon Android sales meant they were also in a good position for negotiations with Apple for contracts. This is something that most other mobile phone companies can claim.

Benefited
Samsung: Similar to Verizon and Foxconn, Samsung benefits from Apple as a major supplier but is also a competitor in its own right. The Economist recently reported that Samsung makes 26 percent of the component cost of the iPhone. Indeed, there is litigation between the two firms over designs and patents, but so far, Samsung is a net winner in the new Apple econosphere.

Sharp: Apple invested billions of dollars in Sharp to ensure a stable supply of LCD laptop and its ongoing relationship seems to work well for the Japanese multinational.

Corning: “Gorilla” Touchscreen Glass is the supplier not only to the iPod Touch/iPhone/iPad but also to an entire industry. The i-line and its many competitive inspirations have been a boon to Corning.

Sprint: Will reportedly begin selling the iPhone 5 later this year.

Foxconn: Manufacturer of many Apple products continues to benefit from the relationship with Cupertino.

STMicroelectronics: Makes the Accelerometer and Gyroscope in iPods and iPhones.

Qualcomm: Produces the wireless baseband chips in iPhone4 and to be in iPhone 5.

One day, a new competitor comes in and do for Apple what Apple did for others. It is the nature of creative destruction that these innovative companies are temporary, lasting from years to decades. Survive as IBM and GE are the exception not the rule. That's why investors should always be on guard against loss. There is no such thing as an eternal stock.


Credits: Bangor Daily News

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Apple loses another unreleased iPhone

In a bizarre repeat of a high-profile incident last year, an Apple employee once again appears to have lost an unreleased iPhone in a bar, CNET has learned.
The errant iPhone, which went missing in San Francisco's Mission district in late July, sparked a scramble by Apple security to recover the device over the next few days, according to a source familiar with the investigation.

Last year, an iPhone 4 prototype was bought by a gadget blog that paid $5,000 in cash. This year's lost phone seems to have taken a more mundane path: it was taken from a Mexican restaurant and bar and may have been sold on Craigslist for $200. Still unclear are details about the device, what version of the iOS operating system it was running, and what it looks like.

While Apple has not publicly announced any plans for future phones, unconfirmed reports in the last few weeks suggest the launch date for the iPhone 5 is likely to be in early October. Other reports from Taiwan have set the date at September or October.

Apple declined to comment after being contacted this morning. A spokesman for the San Francisco Police Department said the company did not file a police report based on the loss at the bar. Craigslist did not respond to requests for comment.

A day or two after the phone was lost at San Francisco's Cava 22, which describes itself as a "tequila lounge" that also serves lime-marinated shrimp ceviche, Apple representatives contacted San Francisco police, saying the device was priceless and the company was desperate to secure its safe return, the source said.


Read more: CNET

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Steve Jobs Resigns As CEO Of Apple

A major development out of Cupertino: Apple CEO Steve Jobs has stepped down, the board naming Tim Cook as his replacement. The company said "Steve's extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world's most innovative and valuable technology company."

Steve himself published the following letter:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CUO,)I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

I believe Apple's brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.

I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.


Steve


Apple has confirmed that Jobs will stay on as Chairman.

Press Release

Steve Jobs Resigns as CEO of Apple
Tim Cook Named CEO and Jobs Elected Chairman of the Board

CUPERTINO, California—August 24, 2011—Apple’s Board of Directors today announced that Steve Jobs has resigned as Chief Executive Officer, and the Board has named Tim Cook, previously Apple’s Chief Operating Officer, as the company’s new CEO. Jobs has been elected Chairman of the Board and Cook will join the Board, effective immediately.

“Steve’s extraordinary vision and leadership saved Apple and guided it to its position as the world’s most innovative and valuable technology company,” said Art Levinson, Chairman of Genentech, on behalf of Apple's Board. “Steve has made countless contributions to Apple’s success, and he has attracted and inspired Apple’s immensely creative employees and world class executive team. In his new role as Chairman of the Board, Steve will continue to serve Apple with his unique insights, creativity and inspiration.”

“The Board has complete confidence that Tim is the right person to be our next CEO,” added Levinson. “Tim’s 13 years of service to Apple have been marked by outstanding performance, and he has demonstrated remarkable talent and sound judgment in everything he does.”

Jobs submitted his resignation to the Board today and strongly recommended that the Board implement its succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO.

As COO, Cook was previously responsible for all of the company’s worldwide sales and operations, including end-to-end management of Apple’s supply chain, sales activities, and service and support in all markets and countries. He also headed Apple’s Macintosh division and played a key role in the continued development of strategic reseller and supplier relationships, ensuring flexibility in response to an increasingly demanding marketplace.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.


source: Engadget

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iPhone 5 To Arrive in Early October, Says AT&T Exec

iPhone 5 release date rumors are swirling again as a new report says an AT&T vice president has confirmed plans to launch the phone in early October.

On Friday, a post from Boy Genius Report said one of its high-level AT&T sources had confirmed that a company vice president had told several employees the device would be out in early October. In addition, the executive told a group of managers to expect things to get busy during the next 35 to 50 days, asking them to prepare their teams accordingly.

Our own sources within Apple suggest the next two months are going to be extremely busy, but can’t be more specific.

The device’s release date has been the subject of much anticipation on the web lately, with alternate reports fluctuating between September and October as possible time frames for the launch. At the beginning of this month, All Things Digital said the next generation iPhone would come out in October. But just last week, a report from a Japanese website indicated the device would be released in September, during a rumored Apple media event. Meanwhile, during his company’s last earnings call, Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam said he expected the phone out in the fall.

In the past, newer versions of the iPhone have typically been released during Apple’s summer Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). But that didn’t happen this year, following the release of the Verizon iPhone 4 in February.


more at Mashable

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iPad 3 Coming in Early 2012 [REPORT]

Apple has reportedly begun trial production on its next-generation iPad tablet device and it’s scheduled to launch in early 2012.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple has begun ordering chips, display panels and other key components for the iPad 3. It is reportedly expected to feature a high resolution (2048×1536), 9.7-inch display, up from the iPad 2′s 9.5-inch, 1024×768 display. (The report didn’t say anything about the iPad 3′s rumored OLED screen, however.)

One supplier claimed that Apple has already placed orders to develop 1.5 million iPad 3s in the fourth quarter.

Apple announced the iPad 2 in March, just 15 months after the launch of the first-generation iPad. The accelerated release cycle has helped Apple maintain a dominant share of the tablet market, which Thursday claimed its first victim: the HP TouchPad.

Apple could not be reached for comment at press time.


more at Mashable

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Apple sees bumper final quarter, reportedly orders 20m iPhone 5 units

Apple appears to be positioning itself for a bumper final quarter, reportedly reducing its order volumes for its next-generation iPhone in the third quarter from 7 million units to around 5.5 million units whilst increasing orders by as much as six million units to 20 million as the company prepares for e fruitful holiday season, Digitimes reports.

The Cupertino-based company has boosted orders for the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4 CDMA and iPhone 5 by 13% for the second half of the year, increasing its total order volumes from around 50 million units to exceed more than 56 million units. Predicting that demand will be healthy for the iPhone 5, the device accounts for nearly half of the total orders for iPhone devices in the second half of the year.

iPhone 5 orders for the third quarter of 2011 have been lowered from seven million units to 5.5-6 million units, while fourth-quarter orders have been raised from 14 million units to more than 20 million units, the sources pointed out. Total orders for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 and iPhone 4 CDMA for the third quarter exceed 20 million units, and fourth-quarter orders have been reduced to eight million units, the sources indicated.

Sources indicate that Apple’s total iPhone shipments will reach 95 million units, as the smartphone market continues to boom and Apple aligns itself with carriers and boosts its retail presence in Asia, a region it sees as a “massive opportunity”.


Source: TheNextWeb

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Detailed Renderings Revealed: Apple’s Flying Saucer HQ [PICS]

Apple’s architects were just teasing us in June when they gave us a peek at the company’s new circular headquarters planned for Cupertino. Now, a group of idyllic renderings has surfaced, offering a more detailed look at what we call the AppleSaucer, officially called “Apple Campus 2.”

The 2.8 million-square-foot four-story workplace for 12,000 Apple employees will contain a 1,000-seat auditorium, 300,000 square feet of research facilities, a couple of levels of underground parking in the circular structure, as well as an external four-story parking structure. Best of all, it will run mostly off the grid, using its own “energy center” as its power source, using the conventional power grid as a backup.

The building will be enshrouded in huge pieces of curved glass. When originally presenting this to the City of Cupertino, Steve Jobs said, “We’ve used our experience making retail buildings all over the world now, and we know how to make the biggest pieces of glass in the world for architectural use.” Perhaps those enormous new pieces of glass Apple’s installing at its Fifth Avenue store will be a warm-up for this grand finale.

Beyond the renderings in the gallery below, Macrumors points us to PDFs (Intro, site plan/landscaping, floor plans, renderings) you can download from Cupertino.org that reveal even more details.

Steve Jobs says the groundbreaking for this magnificent flying-saucer-like edifice is planned for next year, with completion scheduled for 2015. Will this 360-degree circular behemoth be the new 1 Infinite Loop?

more at Mashable

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ICloud.com Goes Live, Betas and Price Plans Revealed

Apple’s iCloud.com Web site has gone live, allowing developers to test out the online version of MobileMe’s replacement. At the same time, beta versions of the iWork suite for iOS and iPhoto have also been made available. And inevitably, many details have already leaked to the web.

ICloud is Apple’s new “sync” service. When you create or edit a photo or document on your iPhone, iPad, Mac or Windows PC, it is automatically pushed to any other device you have chosen. Thus, you can snap photos on your iPhone and have them ready to edit on your iPad in seconds, along with a safe backup on your home Mac.

The iCloud.com site is the online home for your data. There’s a calendar, an address book, a mail web app, access to the Find My iPhone service and a new section called “iWork.” These all look a lot like their iOS counterparts, right down to the icons. This is no surprise, as even the awful MobileMe used a very iPad-like interface for its Mail web app.

Most interesting are the online versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote. Posted screenshots show that there is no editing or even viewing functionality yet. Visitors are told instead to launch the apps on their iOS device and switch on iCloud. Perhaps there will never be a way to view your documents on the web, or maybe it will be added before the official launch.

Right now there doesn’t seem to be any way to view your photos at iCloud.com.

Windows users needn’t feel left out, either. Also available is the iCloud Control Panel for Windows (beta 3), which lets you configure iCloud on the PC. Photo Stream, contacts and calendars are supported, and presumably iWork documents might somehow be wrangled to open on the PC, too.

Cloud backup is also working in devices running the latest iOS 5 beta. You can choose to back up your camera roll (photos actually taken with the device), accounts, documents and settings to iCloud automatically whenever the iDevice is plugged in to power. This is essential for anyone using an iPad as their main machine, and not tied to a computer with iTunes.

ICloud is free, and comes with 5GB storage. You can also pay for more. $20 per year will buy you 10GB storage, $40 will get you 50GB and for $100 you will get 50GB. But before you rush out and spend the extra, remember that iCloud’s storage quota doesn’t include your photos, your iTunes music, you apps or your purchased books. In fact, 5GB looks like more than enough for most people. Extra storage can be purchased from within the iCloud settings app on your iOS device.

The iCloud service will launch to the public along with iOS 5, some time in September.

iCloud.com [Apple]


more at Wired

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