China pips Apple on iPhone 5 launch

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Apple Inc's next-generation iPhone has not even been released yet, but opportunistic sellers on China's largest e-commerce platform, Taobao, are already accepting pre-orders, complete with mock-up pictures and purported technical specifications.

The hotly anticipated iPhone 5 is widely expected to be released sometime between August and October this year, although Apple itself has been tight-lipped about it. Sources have said the iPhone 5 would have a bigger screen than previous models, while Taiwanese media reported the phone's voice recognition software, Siri, would have more powerful functions.

Sellers on Taobao, a unit of Alibaba Group, are accepting orders for the iPhone 5, in some cases asking for a deposit of 1,000 yuan ($160) for the new phone. One seller, "Dahai99888", who started accepting pre-orders this week, is asking for full payment upfront, at a cool 6,999 yuan ($1,100).

Taobao sellers that Reuters spoke with said they planned to buy the iPhone 5 in Hong Kong or the United States and then bring it to mainland China. Apple products are often available in Hong Kong before they are released on the mainland.

The sellers could not promise a specific delivery time. The pre-order activity comes despite the mystery around the iPhone 5 and highlights the intense demand for new Apple products in China.

Apple has not confirmed the specifications, details or price of the latest iPhone but the Internet rumor mill has been in overdrive, churning out photo renderings and pictures of purported iPhone 5 engineering samples, and speculating endlessly on its technical specifications and functions.

Apple did not respond to requests for comment. "Demand is high, yesterday someone just bought two phones. Altogether we have about two dozen orders," said one seller on Taobao who went by the nickname Xiaoyu.

Demand for Apple products in China is so high that many consumers buy smuggled goods in order get them before the official China release. Earlier this year scalpers queued overnight outside a Beijing store for the latest version of the iPhone 4, only to pelt it with eggs after Apple decided against selling the phone at the store because of security concerns.

"It's not so easy to bring the phones from overseas, there's a limit to how many you can carry in ... If we could bring in a few thousand that will be great!," said Xiaoyu.

One enterprising seller posted a list of 17 possible new iPhone 5 features and gave a percentage probability that they would be included in the new device. For example, bio-metric capability has a 20 percent chance of being a feature on the iPhone 5, according to this seller.

Apple, which recently settled an iPad trademark lawsuit with a Shenzhen technology firm, said on Tuesday it would release its latest iPad in China on July 20.

Apple has five stores in mainland China and plans to open flagship stores in the major Chinese cities of Chengdu and Shenzhen, according to government officials.

This article comes from:http://news.yahoo.com/china-pips-apple-iphone-5-launch-071605454--finance.html;_ylt=A2KJjbxpmP5PIBgAxSDQtDMD

Apple's New IPad Arrives in China Stores

Apple Inc. (AAPL) (AAPL) said the latest iPad will arrive in China on July 20, working to extend its lead in the tablet market by courting new business in the world’s most populous nation.

The new iPad, which went on sale in the U.S. in March, will cost $499 to $829, depending on the amount of memory and the device’s wireless-connection compatibility, Cupertino, California-based Apple said yesterday in a statement.

China has become Apple’s second-biggest market after the U.S., as rising wages give Chinese citizens more disposable income to spend on iPhones, iPads and Mac computers. China accounted for $7.9 billion of Apple’s $39.2 billion sales in the fiscal second quarter, which ended March 31. That was more than triple the company’s sales in the country a year earlier.

Apple will look to buck a slowdown in the Chinese economy that is reverberating across the technology industry. Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) (AMAT) andAdvanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) (AMD) cited weakness in China this week when trimming financial forecasts.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said there was “relatively large” downward pressure on the economy there, and that authorities will intensify efforts to give it a boost, according to a July 8 report by the official Xinhua News Agency.

Apple is also aiming to stay ahead in tablets as Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. prepare to release their own tablet computers.
Reservation Only

Apple is taking steps to manage the new iPad’s debut in China to avoid a repeat of the scene when the iPhone 4S was released there last year. Customers who had been waiting in line for hours clashed with employees and threw eggs at the stores, causing shops to be closed. Authorities were called in to break up the crowd.

Apple said the new iPad will be available for purchase by reservation only at Apple retail stores. It also will be available for sale at authorized resellers and the company’s online store.

The iPad is Apple’s second-best (AAPL) selling product behind the iPhone, accounting for 17 percent of sales in the second quarter. Apple, the world’s largest company by market value, will report third-quarter results on July 24.

Apple slid less than 1 percent to $608.21 at the close yesterday in New York. Through yesterday, the shares had risen 50 percent this year.

This article comes from: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-07-10/apple-says-next-ipad-tablet-will-arrive-in-china-on-july-20

iPhone Coding Language Now World’s Third Most Popular

Objective-C — the programming language used to build applications for the Apple iPhone and iPad — is now the third most popular language on Earth, according to a new study.

Moving into the third spot in the oft-cited TIOBE index, Objective-C has surpassed C++, another derivative of the venerable C programming language.

C itself is still at the top of the list, followed by Java.
Just a year ago, Objective-C was ranked 46th on TIOBE’s list, and its sudden rise is all about Apple. “This is less about Objective-C and more about the success of the Apple ecosystem,” says Nolan Wright, the technology chief at Appcelerator, an outfit offering a development tool that spans various languages and platforms. “Objective-C is enjoying that benefit. If it had been another language [on the Apple platform], it would have enjoyed that too.”

Apple settled on Objective-C because it was the language of choice on the NeXTSTEP operating system, which was developed by Steve Jobs and his NeXT Inc. in the mid-1980s and later became the basis for Apple’s Mac OS X operating system as well as iOS, the operating system that drives the iPhone and the iPad.

Originally developed in early ’80s by two developers at a company called Stepstone — Brad Cox and Tom Love — Objective-C was barely on TIOBE’s radar in the summer of 2008. But then Apple launched the iPhone App Store.

Now, according to the TIOBE Index — which surveys engineers and crawls the web for code — Objective-C accounts for 9.3 percent of the world’s software, while C++ stands at 9.1 percent. And a second survey, the Transparent Language Index, puts Objective-C at 9.2 percent and C++ at 7.9 percent.

Though the Apple App Store is the main reason for the recent rise of the language, Eric Shapiro, technology chief of app developer ArcTouch, also argues that the language is easier to use than most. “Almost anybody can just pick up a book and learn [Objective C] basics,” he tells Wired. “That doesn’t make you an expert, but that does mean that so many more [developers] are familiar.”

There’s still a learning curve, says Appcelerator’s Nolan, but once you climb it, you benefit from, well, Apple. “Apple probably has the most developed developer ecosystem,” he says. “Once people get passed that learning curve, people tend to really enjoy the language.”

But Objective C is unlikely to surpass the popularity of Java anytime soon. Unlike Objective C — which is predominantly used build “front-end” software on devices such as the iPhone — Java is a mainstay on servers running “back-end” software that feed online services to phones, tablets, and PCs. Plus, it’s the language used to build applications on Google’s Android mobile operating system.
This article comes from:http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2012/07/apple-objective-c/

Is Apple Planning a Mini iPad?

The sheer number of reports indicating Apple plans to launch a mini version of its iPad would lead one to believe that a 7-inch (18-centimeter) Apple tablet is a foregone conclusion. It’s less clear, however, that the company has much to gain in taking on the likes of Samsung and Amazon head-on by shrinking the iPad while the current incarnation remains the dominant tablet.

While Apple has been characteristically mum regarding its product pipeline, recentWall Street Journal and Bloomberg articles have added credibility to claims that the company would introduce a smaller tablet by year’s end. Ostensibly, an iPad mini would let Apple tap into another category of the tablet market rather than cede sales of 7-inch handhelds to Amazon’s Kindle Fire, Samsung’s Galaxy and Google’s Nexus 7.

It’s conceivable that Apple could deliver a mini iPad—both the iPhone and iPad began as long-simmering rumors. Yet Apple iPads already represent more than 61 percent of the worldwide tablet market, doubling sales of tablets using Google’s Android operating system, according to technology research firm Gartner.

Apple isn’t likely to start making a 7-inch (18-centimeter) tablet unless that device can do something better than any other 7-inch tablet on the market, and Apple can make a lot of money doing it, says Gartner analyst Michael Gartenberg. “Apple products exist because they sell at relatively high margins,” he adds. “For Apple to introduce a mini tablet that would cost more than a Nexus 7 with the same specs doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”

It’s also not Apple’s style to make products simply as a strategic move to keep consumers from buying competitors’ products or to drive down prices, Gartenberg says. If Amazon and Google are selling the Fire and Nexus 7, respectively, for $199, then Apple would have to add something to its 7-inch tablet to justify a starting cost of $299 or $399, he adds.

Beyond market dynamics, midsize tablets are more for viewing content than creating it. With its five-megapixel digital camera and high-definition video-recording capabilities, the current 10-inch (24.6-centimeter) iPad is as much for content creation as it is for consumption. “Besides, Apple already has something that’s a mini in their line up—the iPod touch,” Gartenberg says. “Would they create a device that’s in between the iPod touch and the iPad?”

All those caveats aside, it’s still difficult to rule out a smaller version of the iPad. “Steve Jobs was dismissive of the 7-inch display, but Apple is frequently like that with things they later introduce to the market,” Gartenberg suggests.

This article comes from:http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/2012/07/08/is-apple-planning-a-mini-ipad/

Amazon Said To Plan Smartphone To Vie With Apple IPhone

Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) is developing a smartphone that would vie with Apple Inc. (AAPL)’s iPhone and handheld devices that run Google Inc. (GOOG)’s Android operating system, two people with knowledge of the matter said.

Foxconn International Holdings Ltd. (2038), the Chinese mobile- phone maker, is working with Amazon on the device, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans are private. Amazon is seeking to complement the smartphone strategy by acquiring patents that cover wireless technology and would help it defend against allegations of infringement, other people with knowledge of the matter said.

A smartphone would give Amazon a wider range of low-priced hardware devices that bolster its strategy of making money from digital books, songs and movies. It would help Chief Executive Officer Jeff Bezos -- who made a foray into tablets with the Kindle Fire -- carve out a slice of the market for advanced wireless handsets. Manufacturers led by Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple shipped 398.4 million smartphones in the first quarter, according to researcher IDC.

Drew Herdener, a spokesman for Amazon, declined to comment.Mark Mahaney, an analyst at Citigroup Inc., said in November that Amazon is planning to release a smartphone.

Seattle-based Amazon considered buying wireless patents from InterDigital Inc. before the King of Prussia, Pennsylvania- based company said in June that it will sell the assets to Intel Corp. for $375 million, two people said. Amazon is taking pitches and setting up briefings with other sellers, the people said.

This article comes from:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-06/amazon-said-to-plan-smartphone-to-vie-with-apple.html

Shanghai Company Sues Apple Over Siri for Alleged Patent Infringement

Apple has become the target of another lawsuit in China, this time because of its Siri technology, with a Shanghai-based company alleging that Apple has infringed on a patent involving its own personal assistant software.

The company, Shanghai Zhi Zhen Internet Technology, is the developer of software called "Xiao i Robot" that communicates through voice, and can answer users' questions while also holding simple conversations. In 2004, the company applied for a patent in China covering the technology, and was later granted it in 2006.

"We have a 100 million users in China, and many companies are using our product," said the company head Yuan Hui, in an interview on Friday. The software is available for Android, iOS, Windows Live Messenger, and is used by products from China Telecom, China Mobile, as well as major banks in the country.

Apple's Siri, which is also a personal assistant software, became available in China starting early this year, when the iPhone 4S was officially launched in the country. Last month, Apple said it had incorporated Chinese Mandarin and Cantonese languages into Siri.

In May, Zhi Zhen Internet Technology contacted Apple about the alleged patent infringement. A month later, the company filed a lawsuit against Apple in a Shanghai court, which has accepted the case, Yuan said. "Our only demand is that Apple stop infringing on our patent," he said.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.The patent lawsuit is one more legal battle Apple has to deal with in China. Earlier this week, a Chinese court announced Apple had to pay US$60 million to buy ownership of the "iPad trademark" in China from a local company.

Another Chinese company, called Jiangsu Snow Leopard Household Chemical, has also said it is suing Apple for trademark infringement because a version of the Mac OS X also uses the Snow Leopard name in Chinese.

"Apple is a major company, and so it will be hard for it to avoid these legal disputes. If you are a big company you will attract controversy," said Zhao Zhanling, an expert on China's IT laws.

Some of these legal battles involve legitimate grievances, according to Zhao, such as in the case of a group of Chinese authors suing Apple for allegedly hosting pirated e-books on its App Store.

But others, including the trademark infringement case being brought by Jiangsu Snow Leopard Household Chemical, appear to be more about generating promotion, he said. "There is a low likelihood that Jiangsu Snow Leopard will win the case," he said. "They are just sensationalizing themselves, and perhaps want to try to make some money from trademark licensing from Apple."

Zhao declined to comment on Zhi Zhen Internet Technology's lawsuit against Apple because he was not familiar with the patent at the center of the dispute. Zhi Zhen Internet Technology, however, is dismissing any criticism that the company is suing Apple at an opportune time to try and gain something from the U.S. tech giant.

"People feel that China has no innovation, that companies here just copy. But this is a misunderstanding," Yuan said. "We are a leader in our field, and we have created our own innovation."

Yuan declined to comment on whether his company would sue other developers of similar personal assistant technology in China.

This article comes from:http://www.pcworld.com/article/258835/shanghai_company_sues_apple_over_siri_for_alleged_patent_infringement.html

10 Apple iPad apps to enjoy this summer

Flipboard: Flipboard launched on the iPad and is a fantastic way to view news and social networking updates. It gives Internet feeds a magazine look and feel and after testing it out a while ago I now use it every day to enjoy content.

MLB At Bat: When you travel outside your local area you end up having to watch whatever sports are on in the hotel for that particular destination. With MLB At Bat you can view and/or listen to your favorite home team on the go. I love the pitch tracking feature and all the real time stats too and as you may know serious baseball fans love their stats.

Angry Birds Seasons: Rovio just released an update to Angry Birds Seasons for the iPad that includes a new water feature. That's right, you sling your bird through the air and then figure out how to get through the water in the scene to knock out the pigs. I love that they keep updating the game with new levels and functions.

Evernote: I use Evernote to capture lots of things and with the solid camera on the new iPad it is handy for receipts, lists of movies to watch, attractions you want to visit, and much more. Evernote takes advantage of the large display on the iPad to give you an excellent experience that I even prefer over the version on my Macbook Pro.

ABC Player: We no longer have cable TV in my house so I catch up on all the shows I missed on ABC through the ABC Player app. I can't stop laughing through episodes of Modern Family and enjoy the intrigue in Castle. The ABC Player app is free and is great for viewing TV content. I even use the app with the adapter to play shows on my HD TV at home so the whole family can enjoy TV without paying for cable.
Facebook: My family and friends share most of their photos and activities on Facebook and during the summer it is fun to see where people have been, invite people over for barbeques, and share memories with Facebook on the iPad. Every once in a while I will login too and use Facebook to chat live with family and friends.

Newstand (Mac Life): I am moving away from paper magazine subscriptions and have a couple magazines I subscribed to through Newstand. The iPad is perfect for modeling the magazine experience and it is much easier to carry an iPad loaded with five magazines rather than five physical magazines. There is quite a good selection of titles and you can buy single issues or subscribe at a much lower monthly rate.

Kayak: I use both TripIt Pro and Kayak for travel, but have to say the Kayak iPad app is much better than TripIt. I love the way it uses the full screen to present your itinerary and since my iPad is always with me when I travel it is great to have along, especially since it is free. You can also use Kayak to plan trips on the go with its powerful search features.

IA Writer: I was using the default Apple Notes application to write in the past, but when I sent this content to copy and use in my posts the margins were all goofed up. I recently discovered IA Writer for the iPad, after hearing others talk about it for quite some time, and already wrote a couple ZDNet posts and extensive Facebook posts using this app. IA Writer gives you a full screen, basic experience for writing and is already proving that 99 cents is cheap for such a powerful document creation tool.

Skydrive: There are a number of cloud storage solutions out there now and I have accounts with several of them. I was signed up early for Skydrive so I have a free 25GB account and use this on all my devices to keep documents backed up for easy access from my devices.

Do you enjoy using any of these applications? What apps do you like to use in the summer?

This article comes from:http://www.zdnet.com/10-apple-ipad-apps-to-enjoy-this-summer-7000000201/