Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) is fast approaching and with that excitement and anticipation comes the discussion around the potential for any new hardware or software to be announced during the event. It's becoming increasingly difficult to predict the route which Apple will go down in terms of hardware specifications and release schedules, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is standing by his turn-of-the year predictions regarding the fruit company's 2013 plans.
Speculation regarding Apple's supposed "iWatch" endeavors has certainly been gathering steam over the past 24 hours, and following the report from Bloomberg earlier today that Apple could bring its smartwatch to market in time for the holiday season, we're now also beginning to get an idea of just how long Apple may have been contemplating this product. According to reports, boxes of Nike watches were ordered by Apple all the way back in the mid 2000s, with Apple engineers and designers then taking the time to study how they were made, and the materials used.
The blogosphere has been getting itself in something of a tizzy over the idea of Apple bringing a so-called "iWatch" to the market. Ever since, it seems, the Pebble Smartwatch finally set a release bracket following its Kickstarter phenomenon, the talk of Apple exploring this market has been without relent. We've heard several inconsequential reports pertaining to a supposed iWatch over the years, but there's a lingering feeling that this time, it's for real, and Bloomberg has shed even further light on the matter by stating that it expects the Cupertino company to come through with such a device within the next nine months.
Apple has a habit for going against the grain when creating some of its adapters and peripherals, and on closer inspection, that's perhaps never more apparent than in the Lightning to Digital AV adapter. You wouldn't expect a great deal when stripping it down, but as Panic (of Coda and Transmit fame) dug up, there's actually a fully-fledged computer, complete with an ARM chip and 256MB of RAM inside.
With so many different legal battles roaring on between Samsung and Apple, it's easy to lose track of which court case is which. The one that really stands out from the crowd though is the infamous court decision which awarded Apple a cool $1 billion, with Samsung told to pay up for infringing upon some of Apple’s patents.
Apple To Release 4.5-inch iPhone In 2014, Will Feature A Polycarbonate Body, Priced At $330 [Report]
Apple finally, contrary many of its earlier claims, released the smaller and cheaper iPad mini towards the close of 2012, and although it perhaps didn't hit a price point to suit those dazzled by the powerful-yet-inexpensive Nexus 7, it has enjoyed a solid first six months in the market. With that release in mind, the seemingly omni-present rumors of a cheaper, smaller iPhone have suddenly gained traction, and according to a report over at Japanese blog Macotakara, the Cupertino company has "deferred" such plans until next year.
With Android frequently making the news with regards to malware outbreaks, you may be forgiven for thinking apps on the the open-source platform were more likely to leak your private info than, say, the much more watertight iOS. Apparently, this is not the case, and as per a study by Appthority, which plies its trade in assessing mobile apps for numerous companies, free apps over at the App Store present a greater privacy risk to users than the free offerings over at the Play Store.
Apple held its shareholder's meeting at its Cupertino headquarters this morning, and from what we've gathered of the consultation, things ran pretty smoothly. The annual event allows shareholders communicate across any concerns they may have to corporate officers, take care of many aspects of corporate business (such as the re-election of the board of directors), and casting votes on proposals made. CNBC's Jon Fortt has the inside scoop, and notes that all directors were re-elected, the fruit company's accounting firm was approved, and an an advisory vote pertaining to executive compensation was passed.
The iPad mini is most certainly far from a perfect device. The lack of a Retina display and high cost have both been pointed out as glaring issues with the scaled-down Cupertino slate, yet one aspect that doesn't seem to have divided opinion is the design and form factor of the device. Doubtlessly, it's beautiful to hold and use, and for the last few months, it has been reported that the full-sized iPad may be treated to similar design traits. Following on from the supposed Retina iPad mini case leaks, the first cases of a redesigned iPad 5 have leaked via case maker MiniSuit, which seem to further substantiate the notion of the iPad mini and regular iPad adopting a uniform look moving forward.
The 85th Academy Awards ceremony may be all about the glitz and glamour of Hollywood but it seems virtually impossible for a large event to pass without Apple making some kind of appearance.
