06/16, 3:10pm
Apple 'hostile' at WWDC?
Apple showed "hostility" towards attendees at a key session of last week's Worldwide Developers Conference, claims Marco Arment. The lead developer behind Tumblr and Instapaper, Arment observes that the session on publishing to the App Store ended 45 minutes early, despite having only offered "lightweight" examples. More seriously the company is accused of skipping the standard Q&A, which lets WWDC attendees interact with both presenters and Apple engineers.
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06/10, 11:30am
2009 Design Award winners
As a part of the ongoing Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple has announced the winners of its 2009 Design Awards. The Best Mac OS X Student Project award has gone to Pieter Omvlee's Fontcase, which manages fonts in an iPhoto-like interface. The first of four Leopard Developer Showcase awards belongs to Marketcircle's Billings, described by Apple as having a simplified interface that exposes elements only when necessary.
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06/09, 10:05am
Analysts on WWDC keynote
Major financial analysts have taken a generally positive view of Apple's WWDC keynote. Kaufman's Shaw Wu observes that it was unexpected for Steve Jobs to make no appearance whatsoever, despite being on medical leave until the end of the month. The CEO has typically made every major Apple announcement since returning in the late '90s; WWDC 2009 may signify that "the management transition is complete," according to Wu, meaning that Jobs' philosophy has been burned into his fellow executives. Kaufman has correspondingly raised its price target for Apple stock from $160 to $176.
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06/08, 7:00pm
Safari security updated V4
The new Safari 4.0, announced today at the WWDC keynote address, includes a host of security enhancements. Issues with CFNetworks have been resolved, with the program examining the content of CFNetwork files and treat them as HTML, and downloading files to the user's secure temporary direction location. CoreGraphics has also been enhanced, fixing memory corruption issues by improving bounds checking, error checking and input validation of TrueType font data.
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06/08, 3:25pm
iPhone 3.0 announced
Apple has formally unveiled its iPhone 3.0 firmware at this year's WWDC keynote. The software includes 100 new features, including cut, copy and paste functions, as well as the ability to type in landscape mode. MMS messaging has also been integrated, allowing longer text and WAP delivery of content such as images, audio and video. MMS service will be available in 29 countries, with AT&T support coming later this summer.
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06/08, 3:05pm
Apple intros iPhone 3GS
Presenting at the 2009 WWDC keynote, Apple has announced the iPhone 3GS. Said to use the same exterior design as the 3G, the interior is nevertheless described as "entirely new," able to load apps two to three times faster, and render websites as much as three times faster. OpenGL ES 2.0 rendering is present for games, and the phone's HSDPA reception is now rated at 7.2Mbps instead of 3.6Mbps.
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06/08, 1:45pm
MacBooks at WWDC
In an unusual turn for WWDC, Apple has announced a new 15-inch MacBook Pro. While similar to the existing unibody model, the notebook now has a sealed battery with seven hours of runtime, capable of lasting five years, or 1,000 recharge cycles. The display is said to produce more vivid colors, but the ExpressCard slot is being replaced with the SD format, due to the proliferation of digital cameras. Configuration options run up to a 3GHz Core 2 Duo with 8GB of RAM, and a 500GB hard drive.
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06/08, 1:05pm
Snow Leopard introduced
Apple on Monday at the WWDC event launched the latest revision of its operating system, Mac OS X Snow Leopard. The software offers a number of refinements and improvements over 10.5 including faster speed, more efficient use of system resources, and 64-bit optimizations. Support for Exchange has been added, while installation is claimed to be 45-percent faster. The OS footprint has been cut in half, now taking up 6GB of storage due to file compression.
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06/08, 12:05pm
WWDC 2009 in SF
MacNN and Electronista are covering Apple's WWDC keynote live and will be providing updates from the event as they happen, including photos where possible. Apple is expected to finish detailing iPhone OS 3.0 and Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and may introduce a new iPhone lineup as well as other products at the developer gathering.
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06/08, 10:10am
WWDC '09 keynote at 10AM
Apple's 2009 Worldwide Developers Conference is set to begin at 10AM Pacific time on Monday, or 1PM Eastern. Leading events will be a keynote hosted by Apple's senior VP of worldwide marketing, Phil Schiller, filling in for CEO Steve Jobs. Jobs has been on a medical leave since January, and is only scheduled to resume normal work later this month. Some speculation has held that he could make a cameo appearance at the keynote.
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06/05, 10:45am
Sources back cheap iPhone
Apple is indeed preparing to announce a cheaper version of the iPhone, possibly at Monday's WWDC keynote, according to sources quoted by the Financial Times. The informants are described only as "familiar with the initiative," but may serve to validate the opinions of analysts, who have predicted the tactic as a means of spreading the iPhone beyond a wealthier demographic. Even those already in a position to buy an iPhone may be holding off, given worries caused by recession.
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06/05, 9:40am
Jobs on track for return
Steve Jobs should be set to return to full CEO duties with Apple later this month, sources say. The executive has been on medical leave since January, as a result of an unspecified "hormonal imbalance" that led to severe weight loss. Some investors have expressed concern that Jobs might never return, in part because he is a survivor of pancreatic cancer; a recurrence of the disease has been considered a possibility.
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06/04, 12:10pm
Piper on WWDC doubts
The high expectations for next week's WWDC gathering in San Francisco may result in disappointment for a lot of onlookers, argues Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. Although no longer talking about a postponed iPhone announcement, Munster notes that even if new hardware is announced at WWDC, it may be unlikely to ship until mid-July, much like the iPhone 3G in 2008. Other commentators have also called for a $99 iPhone, but it is thought that a more realistic low end could be $149.
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06/03, 9:30am
WWDC 2009 banners
With less than a week to go before the 2009 Worldwide Developers Conference, staff at the Moscone West conference center have begun putting up various promotional banners in order to greet visitors. The centerpiece is a display spanning much of the Moscone lobby, bearing 2009's slogan: "One year later. Light-years ahead." The phrase is a reference to third-party iPhone apps, which during WWDC will occupy a central place in presentations.
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05/22, 3:20pm
ATT iPhone stock dwindles
AT&T is reportedly selling out of its iPhone 3G inventories and does not plan on restocking, according to AppleInsider. The actions add more evidence to speculation that the company is preparing to launch the next-generation device at the upcoming WWDC. Earlier reports suggest a number of other carriers are following similar strategies, allowing subscribers to pair the iPhone with a cheaper data plan or discounting the device itself.
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05/19, 9:05pm
Top ranking video sites
In brief: A new Apple Lab has been opened at the Cisco Solutions Center in Clearwater, Florida. The lab provides Apple resellers with a location to take employees and customers to provide training and demonstrations on how to implement Apple technology into a variety of businesses. An annoyed customer, Jon Kout, has started a new online petition in hopes of seeing Czech and Slovak localizations added to the upcoming operating system, OS X 10.6, which many believe will be announced at this year's WWDC event. Meanwhile, a report has been released by Neilsen Online which outlines the top ranking video services on the web. Youtube and Hulu were among the top 10, with YouTube controlling 58-percent of streams shown in April.
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05/14, 9:40am
Piper on Jobs, iPhone
Apple may not expose any new iPhones at this year's WWDC keynote, claims Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster. Although an announcement of new hardware is anticipated by most analysts and the media, Munster argues that wording in Apple's keynote press release may have been deliberately geared to alter expectations. The company may instead focus on Mac OS X Snow Leopard at WWDC, despite the operating system's distance from release.
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05/13, 10:05am
Schiller to keynote WWDC
Apple's senior VP of worldwide product marketing, Phil Schiller, will host the keynote speech at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, an announcement reveals. The speech is set to begin Monday, June 8th at 10AM PT in the Moscone Center, where Schiller will be joined by other, as-yet-unnamed Apple executives. The bulk of WWDC events -- namely labs and sessions -- are scheduled to begin the next day.
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05/07, 1:55pm
Palm Pre June 5 Meeting
Palm has potentially tipped its hand as to the Pre's launch date through a company memo. The note shown to BGR has multiple meetings scheduled on the 3rd through the 5th that include launch meetings on both the start and end dates of the schedule as well as other meetings that hint at final-stage preparations, such as talk of pricing and availability as well as a meet-up with Sprint. Having multiple similar meetings throughout the day is rare and would hint that the launch would follow almost immediately after the meetings are completed.
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05/03, 8:25pm
BBuy Palm Pre Jun 7 Rumor
Sprint's own stores may be accompanied by Best Buy for an increasingly corroborated June 7th Palm Pre launch based on a new leak. An insider tells BGR that about 4,500 Palm Pre units will reportedly be shipped to Best Buy Mobile stores that day and will guarantee that every store has at least one unit, with some getting several examples to sell. The reason for the small supply isn't yet clear.
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04/30, 7:50am
2009 iPhone Screen and Vid
Apple's update to the iPhone this year will not only be necessary for the new video recording feature but will also have a better display, according to a purported leak from those with access to the new hardware. Without entering into detail, the source for BusinessWeek says the 2009 refresh has an "improved screen" beyond the 320x480 LCD that has been a staple of the iPhone since 2007. Whether this is a resolution increase or a change to a different display technology, such as AMOLED (active matrix organic light-emitting diode), isn't known.
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04/08, 9:10am
WWDC09 sessions list
Apple has revealed a complete list of the labs and sessions to be held at this year's WWDC in San Francisco. As at past conferences, the events are being divided into Mac, iPhone and IT tracks, with Apple engineers guiding developers on various subjects related to Mac OS X, the iPhone OS and Mac OS X Server. Notable in the Mac track are topics themed around Snow Leopard, such as "Introduction to OpenCL" and "NSImage in Snow Leopard."
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03/26, 2:20pm
WWDC 2009 dates out
Apple has officially announced the dates for its 2009 Worldwide Developers Conference, scheduling the event for June 8th to the 12th. It will as usual take place at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, and concentrate primarily on technical sessions dedicated to various aspects of Mac and iPhone development. Visitors should also have access to lab help, and a variety of special events. Passes to the conference are now on sale for $1,295, but following April 24th, will increase in price to $1,595.
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03/06, 3:25pm
Possible WWDC '09 dates
A potential timeframe for the 2009 Worldwide Developers' Conference has been identified, reports say. The conference is typically held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, and investigation reveals that a "corporate meeting" has been scheduled for June 6th to the 12th. Most events at the Center are scheduled under identifiable names months in advance, but Apple is said to be known for pretending to anonymity.
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02/03, 3:15pm
Bkgrnd Apps in iPhone 3
Apple may give iPhones true but controlled support for background apps with a major revision of the operating system, a claim from MacRumors suggests. Pointing to one or more unnamed source, the site says the delay in implementing the long-delayed background push notification feature promised at last year's WWDC may transform into a true background app process that lets users choose which software stays open as they switch to other tasks; Apple's proposed solution would only allow a channel of network data to be sent to individual programs.
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10/27, 10:30am
WWDC footage on iTunes U
Months after the actual conference, which occurred in early June of this year, Apple has posted iTunes U videos for a variety of the WWDC 2008 development sessions. The clips are only available to Premiere members of Apple's Developer Connection program, but include some 57 iPhone videos, 92 Mac clips, and 56 IT-related pieces. iPhone topics cover areas such as networking, game development and the Interface Builder, while Mac topics include the likes of Cocoa tips, Aperture plug-ins and the creation of media apps.
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06/23, 4:55am
ZFS in Snow Leopard
Amongst a host of high profile releases and announcements at this year's WWDC, Apple finally confirmed what has been an open secret for over a year -- Suns ZFS filesystem is coming to Mac OS X 10.6 codenamed 'Snow Leopard'. Overshadowed by some of the more headline=friendly developments such as improved multicore support, OpenCL and 'Grand Central', ZFS support could turn out to be one of the most important developments in OS X.
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06/16, 11:35am
Apple SproutCore debut
Apple formally adopted a new web design framework at the end of last week's WWDC conference, accounts say. Although the session was guarded with high security and a non-disclosure agreement, information has reportedly emerged on Apple's announced development for SproutCore, an existing, open-source JavaScript framework based on Cocoa. The technology addresses deficiencies in exploiting JavaScript, which is often used only for launching simple behaviors such as animations.
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06/13, 9:15pm
Apple security paranoia
Apple's notorious secrecy when dealing with unreleased product is especially prevalent at conferences as journalists and the like are ferried around by Apple PR reps to avoid early leaks, heavily contrasting the easy-going image of actor Justin Long in the famous "Get a Mac" commercials. Computerworld writer Matt Hamblen had a need at WWDC to repeatedly use the washroom, each time he was escorted by a friendly, but stern Apple representative.
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06/12, 9:15am
Apple Design Awards
Apple has announced the winners of its 2008 Design Awards, meant to encourage development for its different product lines. Highlights include Vara Software's ScreenFlow screencasting software, which won both the Best OS X Application and Best OS X Graphics and Media Application awards; Aspyr's port of Guitar Hero III, which won for Best OS X Game; and Omni Group's OmniFocus, which won for Best iPhone Productivity App. Pangea's Enigmo, used to demonstrate iPhone 2.0 apps, took home Best iPhone Game.
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06/10, 4:40pm
Steve Jobs health
Past concerns for the health of Apple CEO Steve Jobs are resurfacing after his demonstration of the iPhone onstage at the WWDC keynote, with a spokeswoman passing off his mince physique as a "common bug". The Wall Street Journal reports that, in addition to the new iPhone, bloggers and internet news sites are abuzz with talk of whether Jobs is in good health or not. Jobs recently suffered from pancreatic cancer, which was revealed after it was believed to have been treated.
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06/10, 3:00pm
Snow Leopard Server
Continuing announcements at its WWDC 08 conference, Apple has exposed some details of Snow Leopard Server, a complement to the client-level operating system also in development. As with its sibling, Server will focus on making all aspects of the OS mutlicore-ready through Grand Central, with the option of tapping into GPU power via OpenCL. Because Server will operate on a 64-bit kernel, it should in theory support up to 16TB of RAM.
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06/09, 8:10pm
QuickTime 7.5 fixes bugs
Apple on Monday released QuickTime 7.5, an update to its multimedia software (available for both Macs and PCs). The software, according to the company, improves application compatibility and addresses five security issues; it "is recommended for all QuickTime 7 users." The download is 60MB and available via the Software Update for Tiger, Panther, and Leopard users. In addition, Apple has also posted the QuickTime/MPEG video stream of the keynote. Our own coverage is still available online and we have a full gallery of photos.
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06/09, 7:05pm
WWDC keynote photo gallery
MacNN on Monday attended the WWDC keynote at Moscone West in San Francisco, and assembled a Flickr gallery of the event. Before the highly-anticipated keynote kicked off, attendees anxiously wait outside in the early morning, eagerly anticipating a glimpse of the iPhone's second official incarnation. Banners on walls and ceilings teased event goers with vague, but insightful, phrases as they mulled about enjoying a nice pre-show breakfast.
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06/09, 5:05pm
Piper on iPhone 3G
The price cut for the iPhone 3G was deeper than expected, says analyst group Piper Jaffray. Moving the base price to $199, it is fact said to be 50 percent greater than predicted by The Street, a factor which Piper believes will contribute to high CY08 shipments of 12.9 million units. Also significant is that iPhone availability will expand from the present six countries to 22 by July 11th, and as many as 70 countries within the "next several months," according to Apple.
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06/09, 3:20pm
iPhone push notification
Speaking at the WWDC keynote, Apple's senior VP of iPhone software -- Scott Forstall -- today claimed that the company was addressing a major concern of developers, background processes. Forstall noted that using true background processes would be "wrong," as it often hurts battery life, as well as the performance of foreground applications, which must split CPU cycles. Forstall cited the example of Windows Mobile's task manager, calling it clunky to use.
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06/09, 2:35pm
Third-party iPhone apps
As a part of its WWDC keynote, Apple today brought a number of companies on-stage to demonstrate some of the first third-party applications designed to run natively on the iPhone. Leading the presentation was Sega, which presented a more complete version of Super Monkey Ball, its 3D action game controlled via the accelerometer. The final version will have over 100 levels with four playable characters, and should be available at the launch of the App Store for $10.
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06/09, 1:20pm
Mac OS X Snow Leopard
During his keynote speech for the 2008 WWDC conference, Apple CEO Steve Jobs today confirmed the existence of "Snow Leopard," the next version of Mac OS X. No details have so far been announced publicly, but Jobs explains that developers will get a sneak preview of the OS after lunch at the conference. Snow Leopard has been rumored to be mainly a refinement of existing Leopard features, focusing on speed, stability and security. Other changes, however, are rumored to include the elimination of PowerPC support, resulting in more streamlined code. The OS may also be wrapped entirely in Cocoa, rather than Carbon.
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06/09, 11:20am
Apple Store goes offline
Apple's online store has been temporarily taken down for updating, a splash page reads. The maintenance comes in advance of today's WWDC keynote by CEO Steve Jobs, scheduled for 10AM Pacific time. Apple is then widely expected to announce a new 3G iPhone, and possibly other new hardware, including a rumored touch tablet that would measure between 4 and 7 inches. The upgraded iPhone is expected to ship later this month.
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06/09, 2:35am
WWDC 08 Live Coverage
MacNN expects to provide live coverage of the WWDC Keynote, which begins at 10 am/1pm ET. The lineup has already started and FastMac, who announced five T-shirt designs to commemorate WWDC 2008 and Apple’s imminent launch of a new iPhone, said it would give away T-shirts for free outside the Moscone Convention Center 12 AM and 6 AM on June 9th and that while supplies last, the T-shirts will also be available for order from FastMac’s website.
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06/09, 2:15am
WWDC Keynote line forms
With Apple's keynote less than 12 hours away (live coverage here)), attendees have already begun lining up outside Moscone Center West. The line as of 11 pm PT had eight people -- all of whom expected to spend all night waiting. The first person in line reportedly showed up around 1:30 pm on Sunday and a second person joined the line a few hours later. A group of students from Connecticut, who work for Tooble.TV, later showed up around 6:30 pm. They told MacNN, however, that Apple security refused to provide an extension cord from the building for charging their laptops and iPhones, although IDG Expo, the company that produces the annual Macworld Expo, had done the same for for those waiting in line ahead of the Expo keynote. On Friday, we posted some early photos of Moscone Center.
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06/09, 12:45am
3G iPhone at Apple retail?
Apple retail stores around the world are beginning to receive mysterious boxes (one box per store) with strict instructions not to be opened until next week, along with new unidentified signage. It's unknown at this time what exactly is in these boxes but a couple false reports have come in stating they contain a version 2.0 iPhone display unit. An AppleInsider report is posting similar information taking place in Apple retails stores across Australia.
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06/06, 11:55pm
3G iPhone impact mobile TV
Apple has a window of opportunity to make a significant impact on the mobile TV market with it's imminent launch of the 3G iPhone around the world, according to the latest report from Analysys Mason. Market research shows that many iPhone owners have accessed TV and video content, with greater frequency than subscribers using other types of mobile handsets. If a new iPhone based on AT&T faster "3G" network is announced during next week's Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) it could mean big things for the mobile TV market.
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06/05, 6:00pm
WWDC banners at Moscone
As the World Wide Developers Conference ramps up in San Francisco, banners are appearing at Moscone West, touting "OS X Leopard: The world's most advanced operating system". While the statement appears simple, it is curious to note the absence of the word "Mac" before OS X Leopard, since Apple does not usually mince words when it comes to its brands. The WWDC begins with Steve Jobs' keynote on June 9th, and is expected to be the launch platform for the 3G iPhone, and many other software-related announcements.
[via Crunch Gear]
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06/05, 5:25pm
Apple receiving iPhones?
One of Apple's principal manufacturers is shipping large quantities of an unknown item in advance of the former's WWDC conference on June 9th, Forbes suggests. The magazine notes that in May, Quanta Computer began shipments of a number of unidentified packages, through a port in Oakland, California and a distribution center in Fremont. More importantly, according to Forbes, a substantial amount of packages left the center Wednesday night, with as many as four trucks arriving for pickup during a single 20-minute span.
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06/05, 3:30pm
ATT 3G iPhone Training
AT&T is beginning to train its retail staff in preparation for the next-generation iPhone, according to a purported tip sent to CrunchGear. The details themselves of training are uncertain, though the news alludes to preparation for Apple's Worldwide Development Conference next week and implies a relatively short turnaround for the announcement. A previous report has suggested that Apple may not only announce the iPhone at the expo but sell it soon after in one or more countries.
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06/03, 3:55pm
Analyst predicts market
As the WWDC approaches, excitement for the 3G iPhone builds, and industry analysts predict that Apple will have many new potential users with current and future carriers. Barron's Online writes that Pacific Crest's Andy Hargreaves on Tuesday offered his take on the whole situation. Hargreaves notes that the carriers with which Apple has agreements have grown in subscriber base to 669 million people, an increase of 520 million in just the last month.
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06/03, 12:05pm
Piper on WWDC trading
People looking to make a short-term profit on Apple stock may want to consider buying before a company event, and selling the week after, a new Piper Jaffray analysis suggests. The group says it has researched the trading history for the past 14 major events, and determined that Apple stock tends to climb 0.4 percent between the day before an event and a week after it; if the former duration is extended to a week before, the growth becomes 4.2 percent. During the events themselves, Apple stocks slide an average of 0.7 percent.
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06/02, 6:30pm
3G iPhone design insight
As the suspected June introduction date for the third generation iPhone rolls closer, a developer claims to have accurate insight into the device's specifications. While Apple has not yet confirmed any specs, the insider reveals that the 3G iPhone would be thinner than the present model, with double the internal memory – 16GB and 32GB – as well as sporting a longer battery life. The tipster says that Apple CEO Steve Jobs will launch the device on June 9th at the WWDC.
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05/29, 7:05am
iPhone for Hong Kong Macau
Hutchison, parent company of cellular provider 3, today said it has signed a deal with Apple to carry the iPhone in Hong Kong and Macau. As with agreements struck in recent weeks, Hutchison doesn't provide specifics and says only that it will offer the iPhone sometime "later this year." The introduction is the first for Chinese-owned territories and the first for 3, whose coverage area includes parts of Europe already addressed by other iPhone carriers.
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