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Amazon has expanded its Cloud Drive online storage service to two more countries in Europe, Spain and Italy, according to an announcement. As elsewhere, the service includes a free 5GB of storage; in the new regions, adding 20GB costs 8 euros per year. The expansion completes Amazon's coverage of the major European markets, following the UK, France, and Germany.
Apple is preparing to open five new Apple Stores this week. The first is the Rio Shopping outlet, based in Valladolid, Spain. That shop will launch at 10AM local time on Thursday, likely in anticipation of the iPhone 5's debut on Friday. Three stores elsewhere will in fact launch at 8AM on Friday, an unusually early hour reserved for iPhone rollouts.
Facebook is offering free advertising to small businesses in an effort to encourage more advertisement sales in Europe. Qualifying companies operating in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain can receive a free advertising credit on the social network through its Small Business Boost promotion. This comes at a time when the effectiveness of advertizing on Facebook is questioned, with General Motors dropping paid Facebook ads altogether.
Apple is opening a seventh store in Spain this Saturday at 10AM, the company has announced. The shop will be located in the Nuva Condomina mall, in the southern city of Murcia near Cartagena and the Mediterranean coastline. Although it's scheduled to be closed on Sundays, the outlet will otherwise be open from 10AM to 10PM every day.
Apple is opening a third store in the Madrid area this Saturday, the company has announced. The Gran Plaza 2 outlet will launch in its namesake mall in Majadahonda, a town to the northwest of Madrid proper. The mall is in fact debuting on the same day, and the Apple Store will be open at 10AM. Unlike many Apple locations, the Gran Plaza 2 shop will be closed on Sundays.
Plans for several new international Apple Store have been discovered, notes ifoAppleStore. In Germany Apple has posted jobs for two new outlets, located in Stuttgart and Cologne. A third store, in Hanover, is said to be under construction at Bahnhofstraße 5; iFun.de remarks that windows have been blacked out for construction.
The third-generation iPad is now on sale in an additional 25 countries. The emphasis is mostly on Europe: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden are included. The only non-European countries are in fact Macau, Mexico, and New Zealand.
Apple's dependence on high carrier subsidies for the iPhone is giving Android devices an advantage in parts of Europe, especially the south, suggests research firm IDC. The group notes that Apple had over 20 percent of the US and UK smartphone markets last year. But in Greece and Portugal, two of the countries hardest hit by European economic problems, the iPhone claimed just 5 and 9 percent shares, respectively. Shipments of smartphones costing over $300 before subsidies dipped below 50 percent in those countries.
Officials in Madrid have approved renovations for the building where Apple will establish the city's third Apple Store, reports say. The city's deputy mayor, Manuel Cobo, has announced at a press conference that 1 Puerta del Sol will keep its exterior -- which dates back to the 1860s -- while making some important technical improvements. "It is one more link in the process of downtown revitalization, which will contribute to increasing commercial and tourist attractions of Madrid," Cobo is quoted as saying in translation.
Following a botched rollout on Wednesday, Apple has today officially expanded iTunes Match to Canada and the UK. In Canada the service costs $28 a year, while in the UK annual pricing is set at £22. Unlike regular iCloud options, iTunes Match allows a person to mirror and remotely access their entire music library, regardless of whether the content is on iTunes.
Global iPlayer will make it to the iPhone and iPod touch on December 8th, the BBC has announced. The paid video-on-demand service has been available on the iPad for about five months. A list of countries getting the iPhone app on the 8th includes Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
A new Spanish Apple Store is opening this Friday, November 25th, the company has announced. The outlet is based in the La Cañada shopping mall in the southern coastal town of Marbella. While the area has a native population of just 125,000, it is also a important international tourist destination, which Apple is likely depending on for visitors.
A Spanish Android tablet maker, Nuevas Tecnologias y Energias Catala -- also known as NT-K -- has won its defense in a patent infringement suit directed against it by Apple, says FOSS Patents. In November 2010 Apple accused NT-K of copying the design of the original iPad, and asked a court for a customs ban, which resulted in NT-K tablets being seized after they arrived from China. In December Apple attempted to press criminal charges, but these were tossed out for an absence of "sufficient justification."
The iPhone 4S is now formally on sale in 22 more countries, following an expansion of preorders exactly a week ago. For the time being Apple has adopted a European focus; new regions include Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. More regions should be added over the course of the next several months.
Apple has opened up iPhone 4S preorders to 22 previously unserved countries. The phone is now available in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Shipping times are typically listed at one to two weeks, a delay consistent with the US online store.
Apple has dramatically expanded the presence of iTunes in Europe, reports say. In addition to Poland, the iTunes Music Store is now accessible in 11 more European countries. The remainder of the list includes Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Apple is planning three major Apple Store openings for this Saturday, reports note. In the US Apple will finally be opening its long-awaited Berkeley store, located at 1823 4th Street. The outlet was greeted with some mild controversy before its construction, since plans called for it to swallow up an outdoor plaza frequently used by animal adoption agencies to showcase pets. As is usual with Apple Stores, the grand opening is scheduled for 10AM local time.
Nokia has reportedly shuttered two of its online stores in international markets, as visitors to the company's web-based portals in France and Spain are greeted with notices pointing to the closures. The cellphone maker blamed the decision on lackluster sales performance, mostly driven by subsidies offered from carriers in both regions.
Plans for four more Apple Stores are progressing in the US and in Europe. In Sarasota, Florida, management at the Westfield Southgate mall has acknowledged being in talks for an Apple location. When the store would open is uncertain, but it may reportedly arrive by the end of 2011, and fill a gap in Apple Stores between Tampa and Naples.
Online shipping times for the white iPhone 4 are stretching out in a number European countries. Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Ireland and the UK are some of the major countries now listing a delay of a flat five days. Black iPhones are more readily available, shipping in the space of a day or two.
Two more Apple Stores are confirmed for Europe, reports say. The first is coming to Madrid, Spain, where a shop will open by the end of the year in the Parquesur mall, located within the city's southern suburbs. The mall is said to be one of the largest in Europe, with over 230 vendors. The new outlet will be roughly 10 miles away from the Xanadu Apple Store, and only 7 miles away from the upcoming Puerta del Sol location downtown.
Apple has settled on the location of another Madrid Apple Store, a local publication reports. The building is a historic one at 1 Puerta del Sol, which Apple is said to have finally agreed to lease after scouting the city for roughly two years. It has five levels in total, and is described as having elaborate stonework on the ground floor, and above that rows of tall windows and wrought-iron railings. An electric sign on the top serves as a local landmark for visitors to the Puerta del Sol Plaza.
A bevy of new Apple Stores are in the works for 2011, a report says. At least several of these are forecast to open in Italy by the middle of the year, including one in Bologna, a previously unexpected outlet in Florence, and a second Milan location. Possible addresses for the Milan and Florence stores remain unknown.
Apple has greatly expanded the international reach of the new Apple TV, bringing it to Mexico and Japan, as well as several European countries including Austria, Italy, Spain and Switzerland. Some sample prices include a cost of €119 in Italy, and 129 CHF in Switzerland. Both of those regions should now have HD movie rentals via the iTunes Store.
Apple may be on the verge of making movies officially available in several more European countries, an Italian site claims. Macity notes that the option is, for instance, appearing for some iTunes and Apple TV users in Italy, although only by roundabout means; the option doesn't yet show in the iTunes Store's drop-down menus. A selection of movies is already present, such as Aliens, Avatar and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief .
At least several of Apple's European online stores are offline, investigation shows. The UK, French, German, Spanish and Swedish stores are all down as of about noon Eastern time, with no indication of when they might return other than "soon." Countries in other continents, such as Canada and the United States, are notably unaffected.
A Spanish newspaper, La Vanguardia, says it has confirmed the location of a second Apple Store to be built in Barcelona. A lease has reportedly been signed for a 27,000 square-foot space at 1 Paseo de Gràcia, located within the city's center. The building was founded in the late 1800s, and features apartments on its upper levels. One corner is noted to face Catalunya Square, making the structure extremely visible.
Following a long wait, Apple has at last scheduled grand openings for the first two Apple Stores in Spain. Launching on September 4th at 10AM is the La Maquinista outlet, situated in Barcelona. Normal operating hours are scheduled for 10AM to 10PM Monday through Saturday.
Apple has confirmed plans to release the iPhone 4 in 17 more regions on Friday. In North America, Canada will finally get the device; the bulk of additional launches are in Europe, including Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. Elsewhere, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Singapore will begin sales.
Progress has been made in the development of three upcoming Apple Stores, reports say. Two of them are located in Spain; a Madrid outlet will be situated in the Xanadú shopping center next to Nike Madrid, and has already had a black construction facade erected. In Barcelona, meanwhile, a similar facade has been put in place inside the La Maquinista mall. No opening dates have been set, but construction is unlikely to go on any longer than the fall.
Telefonica has pulled both the iPhone 3G and 3GS from sale in its home country of Spain, reports say. Though reasons are unclear, it is believed that the carrier may simply be running out of stock of the phones, without any plans to order more. Apple is expected to announce a new iPhone at the WWDC keynote on June 7th.
Apple is already pushing out the shipping times for international iPad pre-orders, checks show. The first wave of tablets is set to ship on May 28th, to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. All of Apple's online storefronts in those countries now display a June 7th shipping date for new customers.
Apple has confirmed pricing for the UK versions of the iPad, launching on May 28th. The base 16GB Wi-Fi model will cost £429, with VAT included. Prices rise to £499 for 32GB, and £599 for 64GB. A £100 premium applies to each capacity when choosing a 3G edition of the tablet.
Most or all countries getting the iPad on May 28th will also get iBooks and access to the iBookstore at the same time, Apple has disclosed. So far confirmed are Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Spain and the UK. France, Germany and Switzerland are likely to have iBooks support as well, but this has yet to be mentioned by Apple.
Clearing up a formerly ambiguous timetable, Apple has announced that the international launch of the iPad is now set for May 28th. Nine regions will get the tablet initially: Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK. A second wave is only expected in July, including Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore.
Three international phone carriers have announced new plans for the iPad, a report observes. Vodafone says it will carry the 3G version of tablet in at least five countries: Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Pricing details should be available towards the end of May, even though Apple has said international pricing should first become available on May 10th.
Apple has at last set a formal release date for the first iPad models. Wi-Fi only iPads will go on sale in the US on April 3rd, in an unusual Saturday launch. Online pre-orders however are set to begin March 12th, for both Wi-Fi- and 3G-ready tablets. Sales in other countries -- namely Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the UK -- will only begin in late April, but all regions will have access to 3G models at that point.
Apple will open at least three stores in Spain this year, various sources claim. Two of these are expected to open in the capital city of Madrid, one of which could be located in a shopping mall, Xanadu. The third is slated for the city of Barcelona, allegedly at 38-40 Passeig de Gràcia. The street represents a major business and shopping district, which would be consistent with Apple's tendency to build shops in high-profile, sometimes luxury-themed neighborhoods.
The iPhone 3GS is essentially unavailable in Spain, reports from the country claim. The device is believed to be in short or non-existent supply from official carrier Telefonica, as well any of the company's associated third-party outlets. Some sources in the region say they have been on multiple waiting lists for weeks or months, in at least once instance going as far back as July.
Spanish carrier Telefonica has reported a decline in its second-quarter profits despite the help of the iPhone, according to published results. Profits dropped 20 percent in Q2 over the same period a year ago, with net income sliding to $3.21 billion from $4.01 billion. This still beats the predictions of a Bloomberg survey however, which had suggested profits of only $2.84 billion.
Spanish carrier Movistar, owned by Telefonica, has published its official subscription plans for the iPhone 3G. The company has prepared two iPhone-specific data plans: the basic one costs €15 (plus VAT) per month on top of a voice plan, and is technically unlimited, but after the 200MB threshold reduces speed to 128Kbps down, and 64Kbps up. The Plus option costs €25 and has similar throttling, but moves the threshold to 1GB.
Prices for Spanish subscriptions to the iPhone have been leaked, according to reports. Exploration of the Movistar website has allegedly uncovered a page displaying phone prices, with a cost of €99 for an 8GB iPhone, and €199 for a 16GB model. Options are further divided into "iPhone" and "iPhone Plus" tariffs.
Spanish carrier Telefonica has large plans for the debut of the iPhone 3G, sources say. At the heart of this is Telefonica's building in the Gran Via shopping district of Madrid, which is having its first floor completely redone in time for July 11th, the official release date of the 3G in 22 countries. Window displays have been emptied out, and installed video signage currently remains non-functional. Both Apple and Telefonica are said to want a "media extravaganza" around the world in advance of the 3G's availability.
Spain will be one of the next countries to adopt a so-called "iPod tax," Billboard writes. Formally known as the "digital canon," the tax will go in effect on July 1st, and apply to all electronic devices (and their media) capable of storing, copying or recording sound and images, even to the extent of applying to printers, scanners and ink cartridges. The fee levied against manufacturers will vary depending on the particular device; while ellphones with MP3 playback will warrant a levy of €1.10, dedicated MP3 players will cost an extra €3.15 each.
The 3G iPhone will be available for less than €100 with Spanish carrier Movistar, writes Thomson Financial. The group cites reports in the Spanish press, which say that in exchange for such a low fee, buyers will have to agree to contracts as long as two or three years. The Thomson story also suggests that the new phone will definitely have GPS and video recording capabilities, though only the former has been indicated by evidence such as iPhone 2.0 firmware references.
Telefonica Movistar will carry the iPhone in Spain through a temporary exclusivity arrangement that will last several months without interference from competitors such as Vodafone. Sevenclick reports that although neither Apple nor Telefonica would say which device it would introduce into the country – between the current and potential third generation iPhone – it would hold on to the device for three to six months before competitors would be allowed to sell it.
Several more deals are in the works for expanding iPhone distribution, says Thomson Financial News. The group first writes that Orange, owned by France Telecom, is seeking to sell the iPhone outside of its home territory, where the device has been available since November. Orange CFO Gervais Pellissier says his company is currently in negotiations with Apple on the matter, and is looking to bring the iPhone to countries such as Spain and Poland, "among others." The carrier also has operations in regions such as Romania, Slovakia, Israel and the UK.
