Spotify hires Fox dealmaker to court distribution partners
Spotify has hired one of Rupert Murdoch's execs to spearhead its attempt to break away from the start-up pack and give bigger rivals like Pandora or iTunes a run for their money. Jorge EspinelLinkedIn Jorge Espinel, previously the head of 21st Century Fox and News Corp.'s digital strategy, is now in charge of global business development at Spotify. Spotify confirmed the hire to CNET, and Espinel listed the job on his LinkedIn profile Thursday. For all its success elbowing to the front of a pack of streaming music start-ups, Spotify far lags the numbers put up by Pandora, Sirius XM or iTunes for users.Spotify rapidly ramped up to more than 6 million paid subscribers and more than 24 million active users, but that pales to Pandora Internet radio's 71 million active listeners, for example.To rise to the fore of music-streaming startups, Spotify sealed parternships with European mobile telecommunications companies like Vodafone, Orange, Telia and Telefónica, which bundled Spotify with their services and helped propel the Stockholm-based service to the kind of reach it has now. It enjoys very high adoption in areas like Sweden, its home turf. Related storiesSpotify has much to do before U.S. launchWas Spotify too optimistic about U.S. launch?Pandora spurs music sales; Spotify not so muchBut telecoms in the US haven't greeted Spotify with the same open arms. The company hasn't sealed any similar deals yet in the US, holding back its penetration in the world's biggest music market. Espinel will be based in New York and run business development for Spotify globally. He reports to Jeff Levick, Spotify's head of sales, marketing and international growth. The news was reported earlier by AllThingsD.
iPhone 3GS firmware 3.1 jailbreak available--sort of
iPhone 3GS firmware 3.1 jailbreak available--sort of
The tool creates a custom firmware from the version 3.1 firmware released by Apple. To install it, you put the phone into recovery mode (turn it off, then plug it in while holding down the Home button) and use iTunes to restore the phone with the custom firmware (hold down the Option key while clicking on the Restore button).The custom firmware, apart from jailbreaking, will not upgrade the baseband--the chip that connects the phone to a service provider--and therefore still allows the phone to be unlocked.But there's a catch here. The tool only works with the iPhone 3GSthat has been jailbroken with the firmware version 3.0 or 3.0.1. This means if you buy a new iPhone 3GS that already has version 3.1 on it or you have updated to version 3.1 using iTunes, there's still no way to have your phone jailbroken. There's even a rumor that there might never be one, unless a new exploit is found. If this is true, it seems Apple has finally been able to gain significant ground in stopping the practice it claims could pose a threat to national security. And for thousands, if not millions of iPhone 3GS users who rely on jailbreaking and unlocking to use their phones with the service of their choice, this is sad news. Note that this development only applies to the iPhone 3G, 3GS and the iPod Touch 2G and 3G. The iPhone 2G, and other generations of the iPod Touch can now be jailbroken regardless of what versions of firmware they run.Apart from allowing for unlocking, which makes the iPhone work with any cell service provider, jailbreaking allows the device to support third-party applications not available at Apple's App Store. Examples of functions offered by these apps include tethering, video recording for the iPhone 3G and 2G, running multiple applications in the background, changing the display themes, and so on. Most are also free. The firmware version 3.1 for the iPhone 3G and 3GS is a significant update as it adds multimedia messaging to the phone, tempting a lot of jailbroken iPhone usersto do the upgrade before the Dev Team could find a way to jailbreak the firmware. On the downside, firmware 3.1 seems to drain the phone's battery life really fast.
The tool creates a custom firmware from the version 3.1 firmware released by Apple. To install it, you put the phone into recovery mode (turn it off, then plug it in while holding down the Home button) and use iTunes to restore the phone with the custom firmware (hold down the Option key while clicking on the Restore button).The custom firmware, apart from jailbreaking, will not upgrade the baseband--the chip that connects the phone to a service provider--and therefore still allows the phone to be unlocked.But there's a catch here. The tool only works with the iPhone 3GSthat has been jailbroken with the firmware version 3.0 or 3.0.1. This means if you buy a new iPhone 3GS that already has version 3.1 on it or you have updated to version 3.1 using iTunes, there's still no way to have your phone jailbroken. There's even a rumor that there might never be one, unless a new exploit is found. If this is true, it seems Apple has finally been able to gain significant ground in stopping the practice it claims could pose a threat to national security. And for thousands, if not millions of iPhone 3GS users who rely on jailbreaking and unlocking to use their phones with the service of their choice, this is sad news. Note that this development only applies to the iPhone 3G, 3GS and the iPod Touch 2G and 3G. The iPhone 2G, and other generations of the iPod Touch can now be jailbroken regardless of what versions of firmware they run.Apart from allowing for unlocking, which makes the iPhone work with any cell service provider, jailbreaking allows the device to support third-party applications not available at Apple's App Store. Examples of functions offered by these apps include tethering, video recording for the iPhone 3G and 2G, running multiple applications in the background, changing the display themes, and so on. Most are also free. The firmware version 3.1 for the iPhone 3G and 3GS is a significant update as it adds multimedia messaging to the phone, tempting a lot of jailbroken iPhone usersto do the upgrade before the Dev Team could find a way to jailbreak the firmware. On the downside, firmware 3.1 seems to drain the phone's battery life really fast.
Web site presents 'all sides' of election news (podcast)
Web site presents 'all sides' of election news (podcast)
John Gable doesn't believe that there is really such a thing as objective journalism."There's a great group of reporters that have really tried to be unbiased but as an individual," he said, "it's impossible to do that and do that reliably."He feels that voters would be better off if they knew where writers and editorial organizations are coming from, so he built a "bias engine" to calculate that so his new site, Allsides.com, can link to articles from the left, right, and center "and bring the best of all opinions together so you can see the different points of view." Allsides founder John GableAllsides.comThe bias calculations are based on crowd sourcing. "We are not deciding who's left, who's right and who's middle.We have people online looking at articles and evaluating what's left and what's right... and we have that done by a lot of different people many times."The evaluators themselves take tests and quizzes so Allsides knows their biases.Articles are presented next to each other along with fact checker arguments so, "you get to decide," according to Gable.The bias engine is pretty good but not perfect.One day it rated an article by Fox commentator Juan Williams as from the right. Although that designation may apply to the news organization itself, it doesn't apply to Williams.Gable said that this is one of the reasons why the service is still in "beta" and that they are in the process of ranking individual commentators as well as the new organizations they work for.For more, listen to my seven-minute interview.Listen nowYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe now:iTunes (audio) |RSS (audio) RSS (audio)
John Gable doesn't believe that there is really such a thing as objective journalism."There's a great group of reporters that have really tried to be unbiased but as an individual," he said, "it's impossible to do that and do that reliably."He feels that voters would be better off if they knew where writers and editorial organizations are coming from, so he built a "bias engine" to calculate that so his new site, Allsides.com, can link to articles from the left, right, and center "and bring the best of all opinions together so you can see the different points of view." Allsides founder John GableAllsides.comThe bias calculations are based on crowd sourcing. "We are not deciding who's left, who's right and who's middle.We have people online looking at articles and evaluating what's left and what's right... and we have that done by a lot of different people many times."The evaluators themselves take tests and quizzes so Allsides knows their biases.Articles are presented next to each other along with fact checker arguments so, "you get to decide," according to Gable.The bias engine is pretty good but not perfect.One day it rated an article by Fox commentator Juan Williams as from the right. Although that designation may apply to the news organization itself, it doesn't apply to Williams.Gable said that this is one of the reasons why the service is still in "beta" and that they are in the process of ranking individual commentators as well as the new organizations they work for.For more, listen to my seven-minute interview.Listen nowYour browser does not support the audio element.Subscribe now:iTunes (audio) |RSS (audio) RSS (audio)
Watch Xvid videos on your iPad
Watch Xvid videos on your iPad
The iPad may work wonders as a mobile video player, but it's rather hamstrung by the limited number of video file formats it supports.Indeed, unless you convert all your videos to MP4 format (a lengthy and sometimes fruitless process) or stream them via an app like Air Video (not an option when you're offline), you're sorta outta luck.Enter CineXPlayer, an iPad video player with native support for the popular Xvid (AVI) format. It's free, and it's fantastic.Start by copying videos to your iPad by way of iTunes' File Sharing feature (which is accessible in the Apps tab once your device is connected). It's fast and easy--I loaded a couple gigabytes' worth of files in just a few minutes.The CineXPlayer app is about as bare-bones as can be, with little more than an alphabetical list of videos and a rudimentary set of playback controls: play/pause, volume, full-screen toggle, and a scrubber. Thankfully, it's clever enough to resume from where you left off.Not sure how to use the aforementioned File Sharing tool? Tap CineXPlayer's Add More Movies button for a video tutorial.I tested the app with a variety of Xvid-formatted videos, and every one of them played perfectly. Keep in mind, however, that owing to the numerous variables that go into Xvid encoding, you may encounter files that don't work. And the developer specifically notes that CineXPlayer doesn't yet support MKV video or AC3 audio.We hope it will soon. In the meantime, CineXPlayer is a must-have app for iPad owners who want a free and easy way to watch their Xvid vids on the go.
The iPad may work wonders as a mobile video player, but it's rather hamstrung by the limited number of video file formats it supports.Indeed, unless you convert all your videos to MP4 format (a lengthy and sometimes fruitless process) or stream them via an app like Air Video (not an option when you're offline), you're sorta outta luck.Enter CineXPlayer, an iPad video player with native support for the popular Xvid (AVI) format. It's free, and it's fantastic.Start by copying videos to your iPad by way of iTunes' File Sharing feature (which is accessible in the Apps tab once your device is connected). It's fast and easy--I loaded a couple gigabytes' worth of files in just a few minutes.The CineXPlayer app is about as bare-bones as can be, with little more than an alphabetical list of videos and a rudimentary set of playback controls: play/pause, volume, full-screen toggle, and a scrubber. Thankfully, it's clever enough to resume from where you left off.Not sure how to use the aforementioned File Sharing tool? Tap CineXPlayer's Add More Movies button for a video tutorial.I tested the app with a variety of Xvid-formatted videos, and every one of them played perfectly. Keep in mind, however, that owing to the numerous variables that go into Xvid encoding, you may encounter files that don't work. And the developer specifically notes that CineXPlayer doesn't yet support MKV video or AC3 audio.We hope it will soon. In the meantime, CineXPlayer is a must-have app for iPad owners who want a free and easy way to watch their Xvid vids on the go.
Copy songs from iTunes Radio with AirPlay Recorder
Copy songs from iTunes Radio with AirPlay Recorder
The AirPlay Recorder app was released last month for Android and now has come to OS X. It allows you to record a stream from iTunes Radio, saving songs for offline use. DoubleTwist AirPlay Recorder for Mac can be downloaded directly from the developer's site. You can try out the free version of the app, but it lets you record only the first 10 seconds of a song. The full version of AirPlay Recorder costs $9.99 and lets you record entire tracks. You'll need Mac OS X 10.7.3 or higher to run the app.When you launch AirPlay Recorder, it adds itself as an option to the AirPlay menu. Select it as your AirPlay output choice and it will record songs as they play on iTunes Radio. The app creates a Recorder folder in your Music folder where it puts copies of the songs it downloads.Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNETAirPlay Recorder records songs in real time, and it can't record a song that is playing before it is selected as your AirPlay option. Thus, you can't choose which songs to record during an iTunes Radio stream, but can record them only as they stream by. Also, because AirPlay Recorder must be selected as your AirPlay output, you can't listen to songs and record them at the same time. On a positive note, AirPlay Recorder recognizes ads as being too short to be a song and doesn't record them.One question remains: Is this legal? Addressing this concern, company co-founder and President Monique Farantzos told Engadget in January when the Android app launched, "Recording has been around for decades, from audio cassettes (remember mixtapes?) to TuneIn radio's recording feature. Given that Apple built their iPod empire on letting millions of people rip CDs based on fair use, we don't see how they could object to this app."Via MacRumors.
The AirPlay Recorder app was released last month for Android and now has come to OS X. It allows you to record a stream from iTunes Radio, saving songs for offline use. DoubleTwist AirPlay Recorder for Mac can be downloaded directly from the developer's site. You can try out the free version of the app, but it lets you record only the first 10 seconds of a song. The full version of AirPlay Recorder costs $9.99 and lets you record entire tracks. You'll need Mac OS X 10.7.3 or higher to run the app.When you launch AirPlay Recorder, it adds itself as an option to the AirPlay menu. Select it as your AirPlay output choice and it will record songs as they play on iTunes Radio. The app creates a Recorder folder in your Music folder where it puts copies of the songs it downloads.Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNETAirPlay Recorder records songs in real time, and it can't record a song that is playing before it is selected as your AirPlay option. Thus, you can't choose which songs to record during an iTunes Radio stream, but can record them only as they stream by. Also, because AirPlay Recorder must be selected as your AirPlay output, you can't listen to songs and record them at the same time. On a positive note, AirPlay Recorder recognizes ads as being too short to be a song and doesn't record them.One question remains: Is this legal? Addressing this concern, company co-founder and President Monique Farantzos told Engadget in January when the Android app launched, "Recording has been around for decades, from audio cassettes (remember mixtapes?) to TuneIn radio's recording feature. Given that Apple built their iPod empire on letting millions of people rip CDs based on fair use, we don't see how they could object to this app."Via MacRumors.
CoPilot Live HD, first iPad navigation app, approved
CoPilot Live HD, first iPad navigation app, approved
Having survived the crucible that is Apple's App Store approval process, CoPilot Live HD has become the first available iPad-specific GPS application. The app is a reworking of the iPhone version of the CoPilot Live app for iPhone, featuring a revised interface that takes better advantage of the iPad's larger screen.The app features 2D and 3D maps of North America stored locally on the device, so users won't need to maintain a data connection while navigating from point A to B. However, the app will need to make use of the iPad's GPS antenna for positioning, so this is a purely iPad 3G affair. Sorry, iPad Wi-Fi users.CoPilot Live HD works in portrait or landscape modes with four different split-screen combinations.Like any iPad app worth its salt, the app functions in portrait and landscape modes and features pinch-to-zoom on its maps. You can choose your destination from a preloaded database of thousands of points of interest, by imputing an address, or by using Live Local search to pluck an address from the web. There's also a trip planner function that allows you to enter multiple destinations and have the app sort them in the most efficient order--this is a great feature for running daily errands without running all over town. While navigating, you get spoken turn-by-turn directions, graphic lane guidance at major highway intersections, and access to music controls from within the app. There's also Live Local Weather that can be accessed from within the app. Because everything needs to have a social networking spin these days, CoPilot has also included a location-sharing service called LiveLink that updates your Facebook status--presumably with your destination and ETA.To keep the app's maps accurate, you also get access to free monthly map improvements and quarterly full-map updates through the end of 2010. CoPilot Live HD North America has been approved and is now available in iTunes for $29.99.
Having survived the crucible that is Apple's App Store approval process, CoPilot Live HD has become the first available iPad-specific GPS application. The app is a reworking of the iPhone version of the CoPilot Live app for iPhone, featuring a revised interface that takes better advantage of the iPad's larger screen.The app features 2D and 3D maps of North America stored locally on the device, so users won't need to maintain a data connection while navigating from point A to B. However, the app will need to make use of the iPad's GPS antenna for positioning, so this is a purely iPad 3G affair. Sorry, iPad Wi-Fi users.CoPilot Live HD works in portrait or landscape modes with four different split-screen combinations.Like any iPad app worth its salt, the app functions in portrait and landscape modes and features pinch-to-zoom on its maps. You can choose your destination from a preloaded database of thousands of points of interest, by imputing an address, or by using Live Local search to pluck an address from the web. There's also a trip planner function that allows you to enter multiple destinations and have the app sort them in the most efficient order--this is a great feature for running daily errands without running all over town. While navigating, you get spoken turn-by-turn directions, graphic lane guidance at major highway intersections, and access to music controls from within the app. There's also Live Local Weather that can be accessed from within the app. Because everything needs to have a social networking spin these days, CoPilot has also included a location-sharing service called LiveLink that updates your Facebook status--presumably with your destination and ETA.To keep the app's maps accurate, you also get access to free monthly map improvements and quarterly full-map updates through the end of 2010. CoPilot Live HD North America has been approved and is now available in iTunes for $29.99.
Apple Store offline ahead of expected iPhone 6 preorder rush
Apple Store offline ahead of expected iPhone 6 preorder rush
Per Apple's standard operating procedure before a major product offering, the home page for the company's online store was offline on Thursday evening, displaying the familiar "We'll be back" message. The move is apparently in preparation for the anticipated onslaught of preorders for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus that will begin at midnight PT. The timing coincides with the preorder launch at Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular, among other sellers. Customers also can place your order at a physical Apple retail store beginning at 8 a.m. local time on Friday. And several retailers also will get in on the act Friday in their physical stores, including RadioShack, Sam's Club, Target, and Walmart. Best Buy will offer online preorders for only the Sprint version of the iPhone 6 but will open up preorders for other devices in its physical stores on Friday.Apple unveiled both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus on Tuesday. The iPhone 6 is equipped with a 4.7-inch Retina display, while the larger iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5-inch Retina display. Both devices are a big jump over the 4-inch screen found in last year's iPhone 5S. In addition to being slimmer and lighter, both models also include a 64-bit A8 processor with improved graphics, an improved 8-megapixel rear camera, improved battery life, and an NFC chip that allows you to use the phone to make payments.The iPhone 6 is priced at $199 with a new two-year agreement, while the iPhone 6 Plus starts at $299.The iPhone 6 has the potential to be the biggest launch in Apple's 38-year history. Apple reportedly has asked manufacturing partners to produce about 70 million to 80 million units of its larger screen iPhones by December 30, which is about 30 percent to 40 percent more iPhones than it ordered for its initial run of last year's iPhone 5S and 5C.
Per Apple's standard operating procedure before a major product offering, the home page for the company's online store was offline on Thursday evening, displaying the familiar "We'll be back" message. The move is apparently in preparation for the anticipated onslaught of preorders for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus that will begin at midnight PT. The timing coincides with the preorder launch at Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and US Cellular, among other sellers. Customers also can place your order at a physical Apple retail store beginning at 8 a.m. local time on Friday. And several retailers also will get in on the act Friday in their physical stores, including RadioShack, Sam's Club, Target, and Walmart. Best Buy will offer online preorders for only the Sprint version of the iPhone 6 but will open up preorders for other devices in its physical stores on Friday.Apple unveiled both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus on Tuesday. The iPhone 6 is equipped with a 4.7-inch Retina display, while the larger iPhone 6 Plus has a 5.5-inch Retina display. Both devices are a big jump over the 4-inch screen found in last year's iPhone 5S. In addition to being slimmer and lighter, both models also include a 64-bit A8 processor with improved graphics, an improved 8-megapixel rear camera, improved battery life, and an NFC chip that allows you to use the phone to make payments.The iPhone 6 is priced at $199 with a new two-year agreement, while the iPhone 6 Plus starts at $299.The iPhone 6 has the potential to be the biggest launch in Apple's 38-year history. Apple reportedly has asked manufacturing partners to produce about 70 million to 80 million units of its larger screen iPhones by December 30, which is about 30 percent to 40 percent more iPhones than it ordered for its initial run of last year's iPhone 5S and 5C.
Apple store anniversary poster chock-full of trivia
Apple store anniversary poster chock-full of trivia
A poster spotted in the back of one of Apple's retail stores has provided a number of interesting facts about the company's retail efforts, which turned 10 years old last month. MacRumors, which snagged the photo from a source, has shared an image of it (right), along with a full transcription of its text. Some of the more interesting bits include:• To make sure the full-scale front of the Regent Street store would look like it did in plans, the company built a full-sized replica in a parking lot nearby Apple's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters. • After the company noticed that the steel used in its first store was dulling, the company began using a different finishing process on it. "That's when we learned that blasting steel with virgin sand makes it less prone to scuff marks," the poster reads. • Apple closed down a street in Sydney to get the three-story pane of glass to go in the downtown retail store, along with building a special piece of machinery that could install it. • The company has found shirts with too many colors to be confusing, while blue shirts are "just right." Why no black T-shirts? They "blend in."• The Apple logo that's embroidered on store employee T-shirts takes 4,253 stitches. • Restoring the Paris Opera retail store involved more than 500,000 tiles. • The red phone that was previously placed behind the Genius Bar to give store employees a direct line to Apple's experts in Cupertino has been phased out in favor of making store employees more knowledgeable. • It's harder to get a gig working at an Apple Store than it is to work for Apple at its headquarters in Cupertino. "It can sometimes take two to three years to bring someone in. Not because they aren't right for Apple. But because we want to be sure the opportunity we have to offer is right for them," the poster reads. For more Apple store tidbits, including details on how they were almost cyber cafes, be sure to read our story from last month.
A poster spotted in the back of one of Apple's retail stores has provided a number of interesting facts about the company's retail efforts, which turned 10 years old last month. MacRumors, which snagged the photo from a source, has shared an image of it (right), along with a full transcription of its text. Some of the more interesting bits include:• To make sure the full-scale front of the Regent Street store would look like it did in plans, the company built a full-sized replica in a parking lot nearby Apple's Cupertino, Calif., headquarters. • After the company noticed that the steel used in its first store was dulling, the company began using a different finishing process on it. "That's when we learned that blasting steel with virgin sand makes it less prone to scuff marks," the poster reads. • Apple closed down a street in Sydney to get the three-story pane of glass to go in the downtown retail store, along with building a special piece of machinery that could install it. • The company has found shirts with too many colors to be confusing, while blue shirts are "just right." Why no black T-shirts? They "blend in."• The Apple logo that's embroidered on store employee T-shirts takes 4,253 stitches. • Restoring the Paris Opera retail store involved more than 500,000 tiles. • The red phone that was previously placed behind the Genius Bar to give store employees a direct line to Apple's experts in Cupertino has been phased out in favor of making store employees more knowledgeable. • It's harder to get a gig working at an Apple Store than it is to work for Apple at its headquarters in Cupertino. "It can sometimes take two to three years to bring someone in. Not because they aren't right for Apple. But because we want to be sure the opportunity we have to offer is right for them," the poster reads. For more Apple store tidbits, including details on how they were almost cyber cafes, be sure to read our story from last month.
Apple stock to hit $600 today- Tomorrow- Friday-
Apple stock to hit $600 today? Tomorrow? Friday?
Let the guessing game begin.On December 23, 2011, Apple shares closed the day trading at $403.33. Less than two months later, this past February 13, the shares finished at $502.60. If you thought that was a steep climb, consider this: the company's stock price reached $594.72 earlier today, putting it within easy distance of $600.With Apple's latest iPad going on sale in a couple of days, another catalyst for the latest move came from Morgan Stanley. Analyst Katy Huberty lifted her target to $720 from $515. She also offered the bull case scenario for calendar 2013, putting it out there that Apple can make it to $960. The Morgan analyst likes Apple's ability to sell tablets into the enterprise as well as the potential for marketing lower-priced iPads. Also, she thinks the launch of an LTE-capable device sometime during the second half of this year will be good for an extra filip.Related storiesHere's who should buy the new iPadWant to buy a new iPad online? There's a wait for thatYou should still wait online, not in line, for a third-gen iPadWill you buy the new iPad? (poll)Apple at $600-and beyond?After cracking the $600 barrier, are Apple shares likely to head much higher?Separately, Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley went over to his dart board and raised estimates on Apple's stock to $710 from $665. Since the iPad launch last week, he said that his checks "have indicated record preorders with wait times for shipping iPad models now reaching 2-3 weeks. Given the new iPad's leading hardware specs and iOS developer and application ecosystems versus all tablet competitors, we anticipate Apple will continue to dominate both market and value share of the growing tablet market in calendar 2012-13."Hands on Apple's new iPad (photos)See full gallery1 - 4 / 23NextPrev
Let the guessing game begin.On December 23, 2011, Apple shares closed the day trading at $403.33. Less than two months later, this past February 13, the shares finished at $502.60. If you thought that was a steep climb, consider this: the company's stock price reached $594.72 earlier today, putting it within easy distance of $600.With Apple's latest iPad going on sale in a couple of days, another catalyst for the latest move came from Morgan Stanley. Analyst Katy Huberty lifted her target to $720 from $515. She also offered the bull case scenario for calendar 2013, putting it out there that Apple can make it to $960. The Morgan analyst likes Apple's ability to sell tablets into the enterprise as well as the potential for marketing lower-priced iPads. Also, she thinks the launch of an LTE-capable device sometime during the second half of this year will be good for an extra filip.Related storiesHere's who should buy the new iPadWant to buy a new iPad online? There's a wait for thatYou should still wait online, not in line, for a third-gen iPadWill you buy the new iPad? (poll)Apple at $600-and beyond?After cracking the $600 barrier, are Apple shares likely to head much higher?Separately, Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Walkley went over to his dart board and raised estimates on Apple's stock to $710 from $665. Since the iPad launch last week, he said that his checks "have indicated record preorders with wait times for shipping iPad models now reaching 2-3 weeks. Given the new iPad's leading hardware specs and iOS developer and application ecosystems versus all tablet competitors, we anticipate Apple will continue to dominate both market and value share of the growing tablet market in calendar 2012-13."Hands on Apple's new iPad (photos)See full gallery1 - 4 / 23NextPrev
Apple stock slouches toward $500, near February lows
Apple stock slouches toward $500, near February lows
Even with Apple's top product arriving in more stores around the world, and its last products of the year shipping out, Wall Street's not so hot on the company today.Shares of Apple closed at $509.79, down $19.90, or 3.76 percent, on Friday. That's near where the stock was trading in February, ahead of the journey that would take it beyond its high of $702 in September. Of course everyone's looking for explanations behind the slump, a behavior that's become regular in the nearly three month span since the iPhone 5 went on sale. During that time, shares of Apple's stock have dropped more than 24 percent, including a 10 percent slip just last week. Some of the reasons include:Shareholders selling off their stock to avoid potential extra taxes next year given the "fiscal cliff"A lack of huge lines for the iPhone 5 in China, where it went on sale today Reports of decreased marginson Apple's products, leading to less profitLess demand for certain parts and components, suggesting a sales slowdownEarlier today UBS analyst Steven Milunovich made big cuts to the firm's forecast on Apple's device sales and stock target price. In a note to investors, Milunovich trimmed iPad estimates by 2 million units in the March, June, and September 2013 quarters, as well as the firm's stock target price, to $700, from $780. Related storiesAnalyst: iPad, iPhone, Apple to feel squeeze in 2013iPad Mini set to eclipse Retina iPadIn a note this morning, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster offered a contrarian view, saying Apple will have a lot going for it in 2013, if shareholders are willing to believe."The bottom line is that we believe AAPL needs something that investors can look forward to in the numbers for the stock to work well," Munster wrote. "We are more optimistic about 2013 as we believe Apple will not only launch a television, but also a lower priced iPhone for prepaid markets in 2014 or potentially sooner."
Even with Apple's top product arriving in more stores around the world, and its last products of the year shipping out, Wall Street's not so hot on the company today.Shares of Apple closed at $509.79, down $19.90, or 3.76 percent, on Friday. That's near where the stock was trading in February, ahead of the journey that would take it beyond its high of $702 in September. Of course everyone's looking for explanations behind the slump, a behavior that's become regular in the nearly three month span since the iPhone 5 went on sale. During that time, shares of Apple's stock have dropped more than 24 percent, including a 10 percent slip just last week. Some of the reasons include:Shareholders selling off their stock to avoid potential extra taxes next year given the "fiscal cliff"A lack of huge lines for the iPhone 5 in China, where it went on sale today Reports of decreased marginson Apple's products, leading to less profitLess demand for certain parts and components, suggesting a sales slowdownEarlier today UBS analyst Steven Milunovich made big cuts to the firm's forecast on Apple's device sales and stock target price. In a note to investors, Milunovich trimmed iPad estimates by 2 million units in the March, June, and September 2013 quarters, as well as the firm's stock target price, to $700, from $780. Related storiesAnalyst: iPad, iPhone, Apple to feel squeeze in 2013iPad Mini set to eclipse Retina iPadIn a note this morning, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster offered a contrarian view, saying Apple will have a lot going for it in 2013, if shareholders are willing to believe."The bottom line is that we believe AAPL needs something that investors can look forward to in the numbers for the stock to work well," Munster wrote. "We are more optimistic about 2013 as we believe Apple will not only launch a television, but also a lower priced iPhone for prepaid markets in 2014 or potentially sooner."
Apple stock hits an all-time high
Apple stock hits an all-time high
Apple shares hit an all-time high today, underscoring the growing hype and anticipation over the company's next major product.The stock reached a peak of $413.23 before retreating slightly to $411.63--still up nearly 3 percent from the previous day--at the close of the trading session. The company finished the day with a market value of $381.62 billion. Last month, it passed Exxon Mobile as the most valuable company in the country; the other major tech company, Microsoft, has a market capitalization of $228 billion.That next major product driving the stock is almost certainly going to be the next iPhone, which got a fresh injection of hype after J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz issued a research note today detailing the iPhone 5, as well as a souped-up version of the current model called "iPhone 4-plus." The products are widely expected to launch some time next month. The two iPhones, which many believe will be available on multiple carriers, suggests that Apple could sell even more phones than previously expected. Beyond AT&T and Verizon, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA are seen as also carrying Apple products. The recent stock activity bodes well for Apple, which has had to deal with the official departure of Steve Jobs as chief executive. Last month, he stepped down as CEO and took over as chairman. That the stock has not only held up but advanced even higher bodes well for successor Tim Cook. The rise also comes as Samsung Electronics has countered with legal action in South Korea and Australia today. A report says Samsung will attempt to ban the iPhone 5 from South Korea and has filed a counterclaim against Apple and iOS-based devices in Australia. The two companies have been embroiled in multiple lawsuits and complaints around the world. Wall Street, however, has largely ignored news that would normally weigh on any other company. The common thinking is that Jobs and his management team have set up the company for years of product dominance, thanks to the success of the iPhone, and particularly with its hit iPad tablet.
Apple shares hit an all-time high today, underscoring the growing hype and anticipation over the company's next major product.The stock reached a peak of $413.23 before retreating slightly to $411.63--still up nearly 3 percent from the previous day--at the close of the trading session. The company finished the day with a market value of $381.62 billion. Last month, it passed Exxon Mobile as the most valuable company in the country; the other major tech company, Microsoft, has a market capitalization of $228 billion.That next major product driving the stock is almost certainly going to be the next iPhone, which got a fresh injection of hype after J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz issued a research note today detailing the iPhone 5, as well as a souped-up version of the current model called "iPhone 4-plus." The products are widely expected to launch some time next month. The two iPhones, which many believe will be available on multiple carriers, suggests that Apple could sell even more phones than previously expected. Beyond AT&T and Verizon, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA are seen as also carrying Apple products. The recent stock activity bodes well for Apple, which has had to deal with the official departure of Steve Jobs as chief executive. Last month, he stepped down as CEO and took over as chairman. That the stock has not only held up but advanced even higher bodes well for successor Tim Cook. The rise also comes as Samsung Electronics has countered with legal action in South Korea and Australia today. A report says Samsung will attempt to ban the iPhone 5 from South Korea and has filed a counterclaim against Apple and iOS-based devices in Australia. The two companies have been embroiled in multiple lawsuits and complaints around the world. Wall Street, however, has largely ignored news that would normally weigh on any other company. The common thinking is that Jobs and his management team have set up the company for years of product dominance, thanks to the success of the iPhone, and particularly with its hit iPad tablet.
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