Apple Inc.

[CityFarmer]

Galaxy S4 unlikely to topple Apple’s lead in corporate market

LONDON — For a long time, Apple has adopted a pose of studied insouciance towards its rivals. It has scarcely acknowledged the way that Google’s Android operating system has come to dominate the smartphone market it kick started with the first iPhone in 2007.

The public attacks by Apple’s Marketing Chief and de facto number two Phil Schiller last week were therefore extraordinary. He gave interviews to a trio of United States media outlets in which he derided Android smartphones as “giveaway” devices often handed out by mobile operators as a free upgrade.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/galaxy-s...ate-market

[CityFarmer]

Interesting feature...

Apple plans phone that will drop without smashing its screen

LONDON — Apple is working on a system that detects when a dropped iPhone is falling, then spins it around so that it lands safely without smashing the screen.

The idea sounds like an early April Fool - or maybe something that only a cat can do – but it in fact comes from plans filed by Apple to the United States Patent Office, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The “Protective Mechanism for an Electronic Device” patent application says it aims to prevent some or all of the damage to any electronic device with a processor – such as a tablet or a laptop – but specifically mentions the iPhone.

The system needs a sensor to detect when the device is falling and how it is positioned relative to the ground, reported the website Appleinsider.com.

http://www.todayonline.com/world/quirky-...its-screen

[CityFarmer]

Apple buys indoor tracking developer WiFiSlam

NEW YORK — Apple has acquired a Silicon Valley startup, WiFiSlam, which makes mapping applications for smart phones.

Apple confirmed the acquisition, but declined to give details. The news was earlier reported by The Wall Street Journal, which quoted a person familiar with the matter as saying that Apple paid around US$20 million (S$25 million) for the company.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/apple-bu...r-wifislam

[CityFarmer]

There is always a risk of overly-done and get back-fire.

China’s netizens come to Apple’s defence

SHANGHAI — Chinese Internet users are crying foul over the perceived unfair treatment doled out to Apple Inc by state-run media, which has actively criticised the smartphone maker for the past two weeks over its warranty policy.

Apple was singled out on March 15 by state-run China Central Television in its annual corporate malpractice expose. CCTV accused Apple of having discriminatory after-sales service in China compared to the rest of the world.

CCTV’s flagship evening news programme upped the war of words yesterday, citing the national quality watchdog as saying Apple would be punished if it did not alter its policy on only offering one-year warranties for MacBook Air computers.

Other state-run outlets have also run articles and editorials criticising Apple. Yesterday, the Communist Party newspaper, the People’s Daily, ran an editorial attacking Apple for being filled with “unparalleled arrogance”.

The editorial was rapidly shared by thousands of micro bloggers on Sina Corp’s Weibo platform but panned by many users who discredited the newspaper. “sh***less People’s Daily jealously scolding people,” said one micro blogger. Another user asked where the newspaper was when it came to reporting on corrupt local ministries and poisonous milk.

http://www.todayonline.com/chinaindia/ch...es-defence

[CityFarmer]

Interesting..., a new form-factor of phone?

Apple designs iPhone with wraparound 3D display

SAN FRANCISCO - Apple has patented a new iPhone design featuring a wraparound display and no buttons.

The display would cover the entire surface of the devices and could include two AMOLED screens one on top of the other, according to a patent filing published this week, allowing it to give “an illusion of depth perception ... mimicking a 3D experience”.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/apple-de...3d-display

[arthur]

There is one very important aspect which Apple can win over Samsung or in fact all Androids phone.
That is the introduction of Near-Field Comm technology into its Iphones AND hasten the copulation with major financial services companies, ie. Visa, MasterCard, AMex.

Apple has the technology, the money AND the clout( as of current) to do so.
If Apple can get the first mover advantage, it will bring about a revolutionary way of payment through handphones.

African nations are already doing internet banking through their cheap Nokia phones. Apple can step on this segment with cheaper Iphones and NFC technology payment.

Yes Samsung can do it too through Android.
However Apple always crowed about how seamless its intergration of hardware and softwares is. Thus the payment security should be better.

I believe this technology will arrive to maturity in less than a decade time. And by then people would be thinking how could the world survived without it. Same as how we see smartphones as part of our world right now.

[CityFarmer]

There is one very important aspect which Apple can win over Samsung or in fact all Androids phone.
That is the introduction of Near-Field Comm technology into its Iphones AND hasten the copulation with major financial services companies, ie. Visa, MasterCard, AMex.

Apple has the technology, the money AND the clout( as of current) to do so.
If Apple can get the first mover advantage, it will bring about a revolutionary way of payment through handphones.

African nations are already doing internet banking through their cheap Nokia phones. Apple can step on this segment with cheaper Iphones and NFC technology payment.

Yes Samsung can do it too through Android.
However Apple always crowed about how seamless its intergration of hardware and softwares is. Thus the payment security should be better.

I believe this technology will arrive to maturity in less than a decade time. And by then people would be thinking how could the world survived without it. Same as how we see smartphones as part of our world right now.

NFC already in Samsung phone, but iPhone still lacking... The effort already started in Android phone with Google Wallet, although not sure its popularity...

I am skeptical NFC will bring a edge to Apple over Samsung

[arthur]

NFC already in Samsung phone, but iPhone still lacking... The effort already started in Android phone with Google Wallet, although not sure its popularity...

I am skeptical NFC will bring a edge to Apple over Samsung

Yup. Understand Samsubng Note 2 already has it.
Actually I am wondering why NFC isn't taking off as much as promised to be. All the systems seem ready to go and strangely, Africa is actually pioneering the inter-bank transfer through their cheap Nokia phones.

In fact, I was surprised Iphone 5 didn't incorporate NFC back then.

Perhaps the wireless payment trend needs a critical nudge somewhere somehow which nobody identify yet.

[freedom]

Blackberry's NFC payment has been certified by Visa, if I did not remember wrongly.

Payment through NFC, the most important thing is security. You don't want anyone being able to get near to your phone and steal your money through NFC payment.

Neither Android nor IPhone treats security as their first priority.

[CityFarmer]

Tim Cook did it, but if Steve Jobs still around, will he do the same?

Apple apologises for appearing ‘arrogant’ in China, vows to revamp warranty policies

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook apologised to Chinese consumers yesterday and altered iPhone warranty policies in its No 2 market after more than two weeks of condemnation in the state-run media of its after-sales service.

From China Central Television to the People’s Daily newspaper, government-controlled media outlets bashed the world’s largest technology corporation for its “arrogance”, protesting among other things that its current one-year service warranty was far shorter than in other markets.

Apple, which initially dismissed those criticisms, yesterday promised to overhaul its consumer practices. Mr Cook has previously said the world’s second-largest economy is a crucial market for the iPad-maker.

http://www.todayonline.com/business/appl...y-policies