The internet is going gaga before the new iPhone release.&nbsp;iPhone will be releasing the much awaited new model in its series on Tuesday in the US.&nbsp;

Major features of the new phone including its anticipated name are flooding&nbsp;the internet.&nbsp;

The new launch is believed to revolutionise the iPhone series. The company will be marking its 10th anniversary with the launch of new model iPhone 8.&nbsp;

The anticipated name of the new model is said to&nbsp;be called iPhone X.

The handset is designed with promising features that include wireless charging, facial recognition, and edge to edge display. Also for the first time ever an Apple phone will be launched with no home button.&nbsp;

A report speculates that the new phone will be available for pre-order on September 15 and will hit stores by September 22.&nbsp;

The company will be releasing three phones in the event.

Besides iPhone X, Apple will also introduce two other phones called iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Reports also indicate that Apple may gift its users<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apples-third-generation-watch-soon-to-hit-the-market-19168"> Apple Watch </a>and 4K Apple TV.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-homepad-to-hit-the-markets-soon-19111" target="_blank">Also&nbsp;Read: &nbsp;Apple HomePod set to be launched in December</a>

iPhone X will be Apple&#39;s most expensive handset to date. According to a report in The Telegraph, one of the executives at Apple manufacturer Foxconn has clarified that the high-end device will &quot;not be cheap&quot;.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/how-apple-disrupted-the-world-16525" target="_blank">Also Read: How Apple &#39;disrupted&#39; the world</a>

The phone might cost $1,000 in the US which makes it 54 per cent more expensive than the current iPhone 7.

The new model is expected in three colours, White, Black and Copper or Gold.&nbsp;

The handset is hoped to come with a bigger screen size of about 5.8-inch edge to edge OLED display.&nbsp;However, Apple may not increase the actual size of the footprint.&nbsp;

The handset may also introduce a different back replacing the usual aluminium screen.

The new model may completely remove the original iPhone home button. In its previous launch, Apple had adorned iPhone 7 with a solid state home button which operated not with a click but vibrations.&nbsp;Apple has also introduced advanced pressure detection technology with 3D Touch. Also, the phone screen&#39;s lights up as soon as it is picked up. The new model may get further up gradation.&nbsp;

Reports also indicate that the new iPhone may be launched with an infrared scanner replacing its Touch ID fingerprint scanner and home button. The feature will unlock the phone using facial recognition software.&nbsp;

The leaked images have also hinted on a 3D camera.&nbsp;

Previous leaks have hinted on new developments in Apple&#39;s camera technology. The &quot;SmartCam&quot; is said to differentiate between different scenes and objects.&nbsp;

Rumours hint that Apple may offer wireless charging as an optional extra.

The new handset will be released by Apple CEO Tim Cook at an event in California.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/apples-iphone-turns-10-bumpy-start-forgotten-17403" target="_blank">Also </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/apples-iphone-turns-10-bumpy-start-forgotten-17403" target="_blank">Read:</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/apples-iphone-turns-10-bumpy-start-forgotten-17403" target="_blank"> 10 years of Apple iPhone: Bumpy start forgotten</a>

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The new launch is believed to revolutionise the iPhone series. The company will be marking its 10th anniversary with the launch of new model iPhone 8

The internet is going gaga before the new iPhone release. iPhone will be releasing the much awaited new model in its series on Tuesday in the US. Major features of the new phone including its anticipated name are flooding the internet. The new launch is believed to revolutionise the iPhone series. The company will be marking its 10th anniversary with the launch of new model iPhone 8. The anticipated name of the new model is said to be called iPhone X. The handset is designed with promising features that include wireless charging, facial recognition, and edge to edge display. Also for the first time ever an Apple phone will be launched with no home button. A report speculates that the new phone will be available for pre-order on September 15 and will hit stores by September 22. The company will be releasing three phones in the event. Besides iPhone X, Apple will also introduce two other phones called iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Reports also indicate that Apple may gift its users Apple Watch and 4K Apple TV. Also Read: Apple HomePod set to be launched in December iPhone X will be Apple's most expensive handset to date. According to a report in The Telegraph, one of the executives at Apple manufacturer Foxconn has clarified that the high-end device will "not be cheap". Also Read: How Apple 'disrupted' the world The phone might cost $1,000 in the US which makes it 54 per cent more expensive than the current iPhone 7. The new model is expected in three colours, White, Black and Copper or Gold. The handset is hoped to come with a bigger screen size of about 5.8-inch edge to edge OLED display. However, Apple may not increase the actual size of the footprint. The handset may also introduce a different back replacing the usual aluminium screen. The new model may completely remove the original iPhone home button. In its previous launch, Apple had adorned iPhone 7 with a solid state home button which operated not with a click but vibrations. Apple has also introduced advanced pressure detection technology with 3D Touch. Also, the phone screen's lights up as soon as it is picked up. The new model may get further up gradation. Reports also indicate that the new iPhone may be launched with an infrared scanner replacing its Touch ID fingerprint scanner and home button. The feature will unlock the phone using facial recognition software. The leaked images have also hinted on a 3D camera. Previous leaks have hinted on new developments in Apple's camera technology. The "SmartCam" is said to differentiate between different scenes and objects. Rumours hint that Apple may offer wireless charging as an optional extra. The new handset will be released by Apple CEO Tim Cook at an event in California. Also Read: 10 years of Apple iPhone: Bumpy start forgotten

Tenth-anniversary Apple iPhone to release today in US

Even as the world awaits the launch of iPhone part-10, one man is on everyone&#39;s mind&nbsp;- Steve Jobs.

Ten years ago <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/how-apple-disrupted-the-world-16525">Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had introduced the first ever iPhone and the universe shifted</a>.&nbsp;

Since then the company has launched ten models under its&nbsp;flagship despite Steve not being there to showcase his beloved iPhone.&nbsp;

Apple iPhones have now become one of the most profitable products in history.&nbsp;

However, the Apple iPhone which marked the beginning of the smartphone age&nbsp;had a&nbsp;sluggish sale&nbsp;with its first launch.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/tenth-anniversary-apple-iphone-to-release-today-in-us-20092" target="_blank">Also&nbsp;Read: Tenth-anniversary Apple iPhone to release today in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/tenth-anniversary-apple-iphone-to-release-today-in-us-20092" target="_blank">the US</a>

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/apples-iphone-turns-10-bumpy-start-forgotten-17403">initial model experienced a rocky start</a> because of its restriction to AT&amp;T as it was without an app store.&nbsp;

iPhone&nbsp;sales began escalating with the launch of iPhone 3G in 2008 after Apple introduced app store with its second model.&nbsp;

Even with a high price and huge competition from its rivals, Apple has sold over 1 billion iPhone units in the past decade.&nbsp;

How Apple revolutionised&nbsp;the world

With the release of Apple iPhone, there has been a breakthrough in Internet communication which was boosted by iOS and Android apps, photos and videos.&nbsp;

The iPhone also gifted DSLR to the mobile generation.&nbsp;

The iPhone app store has transformed phones into everything from a bank to a motion sensitive video game device.&nbsp;

Above all, iPhone has established the struggling Apple company into an elite brand.&nbsp;The phone has led to a massive growth in Apple&#39;s business as iPhones have come to dominate the world market.&nbsp;

In 2006 the company made&nbsp;$1.9 billion profit from the sale&nbsp;of iPod and Mac. After a decade, profits have skyrocketed to $45.6 billion.

Apple was launched when the market was largely dominated by BlackBerry and Microsoft devices.

iPhone has completely changed the market dynamics.

It disrupted the leading mobile companies with only Google&#39;s Android phones standing in its way.

 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Fvh_K6Wz0Zo" width="560"></iframe> 
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The initial model experienced a rocky start because of its restriction to AT&T as it was without an app store

Even as the world awaits the launch of iPhone part-10, one man is on everyone's mind - Steve Jobs. Ten years ago Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had introduced the first ever iPhone and the universe shifted. Since then the company has launched ten models under its flagship despite Steve not being there to showcase his beloved iPhone. Apple iPhones have now become one of the most profitable products in history. However, the Apple iPhone which marked the beginning of the smartphone age had a sluggish sale with its first launch. Also Read: Tenth-anniversary Apple iPhone to release today in the US The initial model experienced a rocky start because of its restriction to AT&T as it was without an app store. iPhone sales began escalating with the launch of iPhone 3G in 2008 after Apple introduced app store with its second model. Even with a high price and huge competition from its rivals, Apple has sold over 1 billion iPhone units in the past decade. How Apple revolutionised the world With the release of Apple iPhone, there has been a breakthrough in Internet communication which was boosted by iOS and Android apps, photos and videos. The iPhone also gifted DSLR to the mobile generation. The iPhone app store has transformed phones into everything from a bank to a motion sensitive video game device. Above all, iPhone has established the struggling Apple company into an elite brand. The phone has led to a massive growth in Apple's business as iPhones have come to dominate the world market. In 2006 the company made $1.9 billion profit from the sale of iPod and Mac. After a decade, profits have skyrocketed to $45.6 billion. Apple was launched when the market was largely dominated by BlackBerry and Microsoft devices. iPhone has completely changed the market dynamics. It disrupted the leading mobile companies with only Google's Android phones standing in its way.

How Steve Job's iPhone changed the world

The highly anticipated <a href="http://www.wionews.com/life-fun/japanese-iphone-app-maker-is-82-years-old-18675">iPhone</a> 8 will be launched by Apple on September 12 at an event to be held at Apple&#39;s new headquarters in California.

With the much awaited iPhone, the company is also expected to update its users about the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apples-third-generation-watch-soon-to-hit-the-market-19168">Apple Watch</a>, Apple TV, and iOS software.

The American multinational company is expected to announce three new iPhones at the annual event.&nbsp;

The new edition <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/a-month-before-its-launch-iphone-8-details-leaks-again-18750">Apple iPhone 8</a> will coincide the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/apples-iphone-turns-10-bumpy-start-forgotten-17403"> tenth anniversary of the Apple iPhone</a>.&nbsp;

Apple iPhone 8 will come with an enhanced and improved image quality. The dual lens rear camera will certainly give a new level to the already existing Portrait Mode creating DSLR pictures for its users.&nbsp;

Apple 8 which is expected to be launched with the latest operating system will come pre loaded with upgrades such as Siri, Maps and Apple&#39;s camera.

The OS 11, High-Efficiency Image File Format will reduce the amount of space used by photographs by reducing the size of each photo.&nbsp;

Apple Pay will allow users to transfer money with a single tap.&nbsp;

Recently<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-homepad-to-hit-the-markets-soon-19111"> Apple</a> had sent out invites for its next big event.

This will be the first ever event to be held at the Steve Jobs Theatre in Cupertino.&nbsp;

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With the much awaited iPhone, the company is also expected to update its users about the Apple Watch, Apple TV, and iOS software

The highly anticipated iPhone 8 will be launched by Apple on September 12 at an event to be held at Apple's new headquarters in California. With the much awaited iPhone, the company is also expected to update its users about the Apple Watch, Apple TV, and iOS software. The American multinational company is expected to announce three new iPhones at the annual event. The new edition Apple iPhone 8 will coincide the tenth anniversary of the Apple iPhone. Apple iPhone 8 will come with an enhanced and improved image quality. The dual lens rear camera will certainly give a new level to the already existing Portrait Mode creating DSLR pictures for its users. Apple 8 which is expected to be launched with the latest operating system will come pre loaded with upgrades such as Siri, Maps and Apple's camera. The OS 11, High-Efficiency Image File Format will reduce the amount of space used by photographs by reducing the size of each photo. Apple Pay will allow users to transfer money with a single tap. Recently Apple had sent out invites for its next big event. This will be the first ever event to be held at the Steve Jobs Theatre in Cupertino.

Apple to launch three new iPhones on September 12

Samsung is expected to launch the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/samsung-to-recover-gold-from-galaxy-note-7-18121">new phone under its flagship on September 12 </a>in India at an event scheduled to be held in New Delhi.

The company was forced <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/samsung-to-start-selling-refurbished-galaxy-note-7-smartphones-13886">to shut down Samsung Note 7 after reports</a> of handset explosion due to self-combusting batteries of the phone. Galaxy Note 8 will be the successor to Samsung&#39;s Note 7.

The phone is expected to be priced at Rs 60,000 in India.&nbsp;Samsung has created a special website for its new launch Samsung Galaxy Note 8.&nbsp;

The website is for people interested in the phone to register themselves.&nbsp;Early registration will give an early opportunity to buy the phone.&nbsp;

The handset&#39;s launch in India will be coinciding with the Apple event in the US.&nbsp;

The much awaited<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/iphone-8-to-be-out-on-september-12-19841"> Apple&#39;s 10th-anniversary edition- iPhone 8 </a>will be revealed in the US on September 12.

iPhone 8 is expected to enter the Indian markets around the first week of October.&nbsp;

However, the Apple&#39;s 10th-anniversary edition will be available at a price higher than that of Galaxy Note 8. The Apple iPhone is said to be priced at Rs 1 lakh.&nbsp;

Besides the two new launches, several other new phones are making their way for the Indian audience.&nbsp;

Google is expected to hit the market with Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2 in October. Also, Nokia is ready to bring Nokia 8 to the market this year.&nbsp;

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The handset's launch in India will be coinciding with the Apple event in the US

Samsung is expected to launch the new phone under its flagship on September 12 in India at an event scheduled to be held in New Delhi. The company was forced to shut down Samsung Note 7 after reports of handset explosion due to self-combusting batteries of the phone. Galaxy Note 8 will be the successor to Samsung's Note 7. The phone is expected to be priced at Rs 60,000 in India. Samsung has created a special website for its new launch Samsung Galaxy Note 8. The website is for people interested in the phone to register themselves. Early registration will give an early opportunity to buy the phone. The handset's launch in India will be coinciding with the Apple event in the US. The much awaited Apple's 10th-anniversary edition- iPhone 8 will be revealed in the US on September 12. iPhone 8 is expected to enter the Indian markets around the first week of October. However, the Apple's 10th-anniversary edition will be available at a price higher than that of Galaxy Note 8. The Apple iPhone is said to be priced at Rs 1 lakh. Besides the two new launches, several other new phones are making their way for the Indian audience. Google is expected to hit the market with Pixel 2 and the Pixel XL 2 in October. Also, Nokia is ready to bring Nokia 8 to the market this year.

Apple v Samsung: Galaxy Note 8 to be launched in India on September 12

Apple Inc will launch an expected &quot;iPhone 8&quot; on Tuesday, hoping the number&#39;s auspicious connotations in China will help turn around fortunes in the world&#39;s biggest smartphone market after six quarters of falling sales.

Chinese shoppers, however, are already counting the cost, with the latest model tipped to have a price tag upward of $1,000 - roughly double the average Chinese monthly salary.

The success of Apple&#39;s next iPhone in China is crucial for the Cupertino-based firm, which has seen its once-coveted phone slip into the fifth position in China behind offerings from local rivals Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi Inc.

Greater China, which for Apple includes Taiwan and Hong Kong, accounted for roughly 18 percent of iPhone sales in the quarter ended in July, making it the company&#39;s top market after the United States and Europe. Yet those sales have been declining steadily and are down 10 percent from a year earlier, in contrast with growth in all other regions.

And the iPhone&#39;s share of China&#39;s smartphone shipments fell to 9 percent in January-June, down from 14 percent in 2015, showed data from consultancy Counterpoint Research.

While the iPhone 6 took China by storm in 2014, models since have received a more muted response.

&quot;I&#39;ll wait for a drop in price, it&#39;s too expensive,&quot; said Angie Chen, 23, a project manager in Nanjing and iPhone 6 owner.

Chen said she might even wait for the new phone&#39;s successor when prices will fall. &quot;It&#39;s a nice number to hear, but there&#39;s no rush.&quot;

Eight is the luckiest number in China because it sounds similar to the phrase meaning &quot;to get rich&quot;.

&quot;Apple really needs to launch a very innovative product this time around,&quot; said Mo Jia, a Shanghai-based analyst at Canalys. However, the rising clout of local rivals would nevertheless make life tough for the US&nbsp;firm, he said. &quot;It has its work cut out.&quot;

The iPhone 7 suffered from the perception that it was too similar to earlier models. This time, despite talk of wireless charging, advanced touch screen and facial recognition technology, Chinese netizens are yet to replicate the online mania around previous iPhone launches.

Mentions of &quot;iPhone 8&quot; on popular Chinese social media platform Weibo - an indicator of consumer interest - were running slightly ahead of the similar period before the iPhone 7 launch, but were far more muted than with the iPhone 6.

Apple declined to comment on the new phone, price or supply.

BUY ON CREDIT

One effect of Apple&#39;s costliest phone to date will be the rise of sales on credit.

Wang Yang, who runs a bricks-and-mortar smartphone store in Beijing&#39;s largest tech market, said he expected more purchases online this time, as consumers make payments by instalment.

&quot;We will continue to stock the cheaper models or we won&#39;t sell much,&quot; he said.

Fenqile, a platform backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd allowing users to pay in instalments, said shoppers buying iPhones on the site had increased alongside rising prices - spiking in the second quarter of the year.

Services backed by Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd and JD.com Inc have also introduced features&nbsp;this year aimed at price-conscious smartphone buyers, including flexible payment services and second-hand smartphone rentals.

Apple itself has launched an instalments plan in China supported by three state-linked banks.

&quot;If it&#39;s under $1,100 then I&#39;ll buy it,&quot; said Liu Song, 29, who works for a fin-tech startup in Beijing. &quot;It&#39;s manageable over 12 months for me, though I know some friends who are paying off phones for longer.&quot;

Apple Inc will launch an expected "iPhone 8" on Tuesday

Apple Inc will launch an expected "iPhone 8" on Tuesday, hoping the number's auspicious connotations in China will help turn around fortunes in the world's biggest smartphone market after six quarters of falling sales. Chinese shoppers, however, are already counting the cost, with the latest model tipped to have a price tag upward of $1,000 - roughly double the average Chinese monthly salary. The success of Apple's next iPhone in China is crucial for the Cupertino-based firm, which has seen its once-coveted phone slip into the fifth position in China behind offerings from local rivals Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi Inc. Greater China, which for Apple includes Taiwan and Hong Kong, accounted for roughly 18 percent of iPhone sales in the quarter ended in July, making it the company's top market after the United States and Europe. Yet those sales have been declining steadily and are down 10 percent from a year earlier, in contrast with growth in all other regions. And the iPhone's share of China's smartphone shipments fell to 9 percent in January-June, down from 14 percent in 2015, showed data from consultancy Counterpoint Research. While the iPhone 6 took China by storm in 2014, models since have received a more muted response. "I'll wait for a drop in price, it's too expensive," said Angie Chen, 23, a project manager in Nanjing and iPhone 6 owner. Chen said she might even wait for the new phone's successor when prices will fall. "It's a nice number to hear, but there's no rush." Eight is the luckiest number in China because it sounds similar to the phrase meaning "to get rich". "Apple really needs to launch a very innovative product this time around," said Mo Jia, a Shanghai-based analyst at Canalys. However, the rising clout of local rivals would nevertheless make life tough for the US firm, he said. "It has its work cut out." The iPhone 7 suffered from the perception that it was too similar to earlier models. This time, despite talk of wireless charging, advanced touch screen and facial recognition technology, Chinese netizens are yet to replicate the online mania around previous iPhone launches. Mentions of "iPhone 8" on popular Chinese social media platform Weibo - an indicator of consumer interest - were running slightly ahead of the similar period before the iPhone 7 launch, but were far more muted than with the iPhone 6. Apple declined to comment on the new phone, price or supply. BUY ON CREDIT One effect of Apple's costliest phone to date will be the rise of sales on credit. Wang Yang, who runs a bricks-and-mortar smartphone store in Beijing's largest tech market, said he expected more purchases online this time, as consumers make payments by instalment. "We will continue to stock the cheaper models or we won't sell much," he said. Fenqile, a platform backed by Tencent Holdings Ltd allowing users to pay in instalments, said shoppers buying iPhones on the site had increased alongside rising prices - spiking in the second quarter of the year. Services backed by Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd and JD.com Inc have also introduced features this year aimed at price-conscious smartphone buyers, including flexible payment services and second-hand smartphone rentals. Apple itself has launched an instalments plan in China supported by three state-linked banks. "If it's under $1,100 then I'll buy it," said Liu Song, 29, who works for a fin-tech startup in Beijing. "It's manageable over 12 months for me, though I know some friends who are paying off phones for longer."

Lucky 8? $1,000 price tag dampens iPhone enthusiasm in China

Alphabet&#39;s Google on Wednesday unveiled tools to make augmented reality apps for mobile devices using the Android operating system, setting up its latest showdown with Apple&nbsp;iPhone over next-generation smartphone features.

Phone-based augmented reality (AR), in which digital objects are superimposed onto the real world on screen, got a huge boost from the popularity of the Pok&eacute;mon Go game. The game, launched in the United States in July last year, sent players into city streets, offices, parks and restaurants to search for colourful animated characters.

Analysts expected the game to make $3 billion for Apple over two years as gamers buy &quot;Pok&eacute;Coins&quot; from its app store.

Google&#39;s take on the technology will first be available on the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Google&#39;s own Pixel phone. The company said in a blog post that it hoped to make the system, called ARCore, available to at least 100 million users, but did not set a date for a broad release.

Apple in June announced a similar system called ARKit that it plans to release this fall on &quot;hundreds of millions&quot; of devices.

Google and Apple will jockey for the attention of customers and software developers who will build the games, walking guides and other applications that would make AR a compelling feature.

Many tech industry leaders envision a future in which eyeglasses, car windshields, and other surfaces can overlay digital information on the real world. Google and Microsoft&nbsp;have already experimented with AR glasses.

&quot;AR is big and profound,&quot; Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook told investors earlier in August. &quot;And this is one of those huge things that we&#39;ll look back at and marvel on the start of it.&quot;

Apple and Google have had to make compromises to bring the technology to market.

In Apple&#39;s case, the Cupertino, California-based company decided to make its AR system work with devices capable of running iOS 11, its next-generation operating system due out this fall.

This means it will work on phones going back to the iPhone 6s, which have a single camera at the back and standard motion sensors, rather than a dual camera system found on newer models such as the iPhone 7 Plus or special depth-sensing chips in competing phones. That limits the range of images that can be displayed.

Google initially aimed to solve this problem with an AR system called Tango that uses a special depth-sensor, but only two phone makers so far support it. With ARCore, Google changed course to work on phones without depth sensors.

But the fragmentation of the Android ecosystem presents challenges. To spread its AR system beyond the Galaxy S8 and Pixel phone, Google will have to figure out how to account for the wide variety of Android phone cameras or require phone makers to use specific parts.

Apple, however, is able to make its system work well because it knows exactly which hardware and software are on the iPhone and calibrates them tightly.

Michael Valdsgaard, a developer with the furniture chain IKEA, called the system &quot;rock solid,&quot; noting that it could estimate the size of virtual furniture placed in a room with 98 per cent accuracy, despite lacking special sensors.

&quot;This is a classic example of where Apple&#39;s ownership of the whole widget including both hardware and software is a huge advantage over device vendors dependent on Android and the broader value chain of component vendors,&quot; said Jan Dawson, founder and chief analyst of Jackdaw Research.

Alphabet's Google on Wednesday unveiled tools to make augmented reality apps for mobile devices using the Android operating system, setting up its latest showdown with Apple?iPhone over next-generation smartphone features

Alphabet's Google on Wednesday unveiled tools to make augmented reality apps for mobile devices using the Android operating system, setting up its latest showdown with Apple iPhone over next-generation smartphone features. Phone-based augmented reality (AR), in which digital objects are superimposed onto the real world on screen, got a huge boost from the popularity of the Pokémon Go game. The game, launched in the United States in July last year, sent players into city streets, offices, parks and restaurants to search for colourful animated characters. Analysts expected the game to make $3 billion for Apple over two years as gamers buy "PokéCoins" from its app store. Google's take on the technology will first be available on the Samsung Galaxy S8 and Google's own Pixel phone. The company said in a blog post that it hoped to make the system, called ARCore, available to at least 100 million users, but did not set a date for a broad release. Apple in June announced a similar system called ARKit that it plans to release this fall on "hundreds of millions" of devices. Google and Apple will jockey for the attention of customers and software developers who will build the games, walking guides and other applications that would make AR a compelling feature. Many tech industry leaders envision a future in which eyeglasses, car windshields, and other surfaces can overlay digital information on the real world. Google and Microsoft have already experimented with AR glasses. "AR is big and profound," Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook told investors earlier in August. "And this is one of those huge things that we'll look back at and marvel on the start of it." Apple and Google have had to make compromises to bring the technology to market. In Apple's case, the Cupertino, California-based company decided to make its AR system work with devices capable of running iOS 11, its next-generation operating system due out this fall. This means it will work on phones going back to the iPhone 6s, which have a single camera at the back and standard motion sensors, rather than a dual camera system found on newer models such as the iPhone 7 Plus or special depth-sensing chips in competing phones. That limits the range of images that can be displayed. Google initially aimed to solve this problem with an AR system called Tango that uses a special depth-sensor, but only two phone makers so far support it. With ARCore, Google changed course to work on phones without depth sensors. But the fragmentation of the Android ecosystem presents challenges. To spread its AR system beyond the Galaxy S8 and Pixel phone, Google will have to figure out how to account for the wide variety of Android phone cameras or require phone makers to use specific parts. Apple, however, is able to make its system work well because it knows exactly which hardware and software are on the iPhone and calibrates them tightly. Michael Valdsgaard, a developer with the furniture chain IKEA, called the system "rock solid," noting that it could estimate the size of virtual furniture placed in a room with 98 per cent accuracy, despite lacking special sensors. "This is a classic example of where Apple's ownership of the whole widget including both hardware and software is a huge advantage over device vendors dependent on Android and the broader value chain of component vendors," said Jan Dawson, founder and chief analyst of Jackdaw Research.

Google, Apple face off over augmented reality technology

Apple will&nbsp;soon introduce a third version of the Apple Watch. The release date of which may come out soon with the launch of Apple iPhone 8 in September.&nbsp;

Apple launched its first generation watch in April 2015, while the second generation came out in September 2016.&nbsp;

The third version of the Apple watch is expected to come up with a slew of new features. An internet radio chip, that will allow the watch to work on its own, reducing the dependence on Apple handsets.&nbsp;

The newly designed watch will include a camera, an enhanced battery and an improved internal speed.&nbsp;

The watch is expected to have&nbsp;the latest software version watchOS 4, it&nbsp;will also be equipped with the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/apple-homepad-to-hit-the-markets-soon-19111">Apple&#39;s Siri feature</a>s.&nbsp;

The Apple 3 series watch in the UK will be priced at 369 pounds for the 38mm model, while 399 pounds for the 42mm, which is the current price of the Series 2 watches. However, there is also a possibility that the new model is priced at a higher rate.

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The release date of which may come out soon with the launch of Apple iPhone 8 in September.?

Apple will soon introduce a third version of the Apple Watch. The release date of which may come out soon with the launch of Apple iPhone 8 in September. Apple launched its first generation watch in April 2015, while the second generation came out in September 2016. The third version of the Apple watch is expected to come up with a slew of new features. An internet radio chip, that will allow the watch to work on its own, reducing the dependence on Apple handsets. The newly designed watch will include a camera, an enhanced battery and an improved internal speed. The watch is expected to have the latest software version watchOS 4, it will also be equipped with the Apple's Siri features. The Apple 3 series watch in the UK will be priced at 369 pounds for the 38mm model, while 399 pounds for the 42mm, which is the current price of the Series 2 watches. However, there is also a possibility that the new model is priced at a higher rate.

Apple's third generation watch to be out soon

The potential move of Apple into streaming video could reshape an industry which is already feeling the impact from new players like Netflix.

While Apple has not revealed any plans publicly, a report that the iPhone maker could spend a billion dollars on its own shows suggested more disruption for a sector seeing rapid changes.

The move by deep-pocketed Apple would challenge entrenched services such as Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime, which have been increasingly challenging the established media-entertainment world of Hollywood.

Apple declined to comment on a Wall Street journal report on its billion-dollar budget for new content.

Analysts consider original, exclusive content imperative for fielding a viable video streaming service, something that Apple has yet to do despite being early to market with an Apple TV set-top box linked to the internet. 
&quot;If Apple wants to stay relevant they have to go into the subscription streaming space, and that means original content,&quot; said Jackdaw Research chief analyst Jan Dawson.

Analyst Paul Verna at eMarketer said video fits nicely into Apple&#39;s business strategy: &quot;Content is a vital missing link that could help Apple complete a powerful ecosystem of programming, devices and services,&quot; he said.

Global streaming television king Netflix is expected to spend about $7 billion this year on content, with slightly less than half of that money going to making its shows it can distribute how and where it wishes.

&nbsp;&#39;Kick-Ass&#39;&nbsp;

Netflix recently ordered a new animated adult comedy from &quot;The Simpsons&quot; mastermind Matt Groening.

The Silicon Valley-based company is also buying comic book publisher Millarworld, creator of popular series including &quot;Kick-Ass&quot; and &quot;Kingsman.&quot;

Netflix said in a statement the deal was part of the company&#39;s effort &quot;to work directly with prolific and skilled creators and to acquire intellectual property and ownership of stories featuring compelling characters and timeless, interwoven fictional worlds.&quot;

Netflix describes itself as the world&#39;s leading internet television network, with 104 million members in more than 190 countries.

During a recent quarterly earnings call, Amazon executives once again vowed to ramp spending on original shows this year as the internet giant chases after Netflix with is Prime service.

While Amazon doesn&#39;t reveal exact figures, its budget for shows is said to be in the billions of dollars.

Google continues to make a priority of content for YouTube, which features a subscription service along with free shared video posts.

Facebook too is rolling out a new video service offering professionally produced shows in a challenge to rivals such as YouTube, and potentially to streaming providers like Netflix.

The Facebook service called Watch will include a range of shows, from reality to comedy to live sports. Facebook has funded some of the creators to get the service going.

&nbsp;Money to burn&nbsp;

These moves comes as viewers in the US and other markets increasingly turn to on-demand internet platforms instead of &quot;linear&quot; television.

Hollywood powerhouse Walt Disney&nbsp;this month announced plans to launch a &quot;multi-sport&quot; streaming service under its ESPN brand in early 2018 and a Disney branded direct-to-consumer service in 2019. 
HBO and CBS also have standalone streaming options.

Entering a market late and succeeding would be nothing new for Apple, Dawson said while discussing unconfirmed talk of the company investing in original shows.

An Apple Music service launched in a streaming radio market with dominant players, but is now second only to Spotify, the analyst noted.

Apple could get the same kind of results in streaming video, not overtaking Netflix over the short term but quickly becoming a force to be reconned with in the market, Dawson said.

While Apple has about a quarter of a trillion dollars in cash stockpiled, providing ample cash to spend on original content, such a move could distract it from the devices on which the company&#39;s fortune rests, according to analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group 
Entertainment is also a very different industry than making iPhones, and comes with film talent to manage and other challenges likely new to Apple, Enderle said.

&quot;Entertainment is no cheap date; it is a very hands-on business,&quot; Enderle said.

&quot;I think that because Apple is having so much difficulty coming up with innovation in their core area, they are starting to panic and come up with &#39;Hail Mary&#39; passes in other areas.&quot;

While Apple has not revealed any plans publicly, a report that the iPhone maker could spend a billion dollars on its own shows suggested more disruption for a sector seeing rapid changes

The potential move of Apple into streaming video could reshape an industry which is already feeling the impact from new players like Netflix. While Apple has not revealed any plans publicly, a report that the iPhone maker could spend a billion dollars on its own shows suggested more disruption for a sector seeing rapid changes. The move by deep-pocketed Apple would challenge entrenched services such as Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime, which have been increasingly challenging the established media-entertainment world of Hollywood. Apple declined to comment on a Wall Street journal report on its billion-dollar budget for new content. Analysts consider original, exclusive content imperative for fielding a viable video streaming service, something that Apple has yet to do despite being early to market with an Apple TV set-top box linked to the internet. "If Apple wants to stay relevant they have to go into the subscription streaming space, and that means original content," said Jackdaw Research chief analyst Jan Dawson. Analyst Paul Verna at eMarketer said video fits nicely into Apple's business strategy: "Content is a vital missing link that could help Apple complete a powerful ecosystem of programming, devices and services," he said. Global streaming television king Netflix is expected to spend about $7 billion this year on content, with slightly less than half of that money going to making its shows it can distribute how and where it wishes. 'Kick-Ass' Netflix recently ordered a new animated adult comedy from "The Simpsons" mastermind Matt Groening. The Silicon Valley-based company is also buying comic book publisher Millarworld, creator of popular series including "Kick-Ass" and "Kingsman." Netflix said in a statement the deal was part of the company's effort "to work directly with prolific and skilled creators and to acquire intellectual property and ownership of stories featuring compelling characters and timeless, interwoven fictional worlds." Netflix describes itself as the world's leading internet television network, with 104 million members in more than 190 countries. During a recent quarterly earnings call, Amazon executives once again vowed to ramp spending on original shows this year as the internet giant chases after Netflix with is Prime service. While Amazon doesn't reveal exact figures, its budget for shows is said to be in the billions of dollars. Google continues to make a priority of content for YouTube, which features a subscription service along with free shared video posts. Facebook too is rolling out a new video service offering professionally produced shows in a challenge to rivals such as YouTube, and potentially to streaming providers like Netflix. The Facebook service called Watch will include a range of shows, from reality to comedy to live sports. Facebook has funded some of the creators to get the service going. Money to burn These moves comes as viewers in the US and other markets increasingly turn to on-demand internet platforms instead of "linear" television. Hollywood powerhouse Walt Disney this month announced plans to launch a "multi-sport" streaming service under its ESPN brand in early 2018 and a Disney branded direct-to-consumer service in 2019. HBO and CBS also have standalone streaming options. Entering a market late and succeeding would be nothing new for Apple, Dawson said while discussing unconfirmed talk of the company investing in original shows. An Apple Music service launched in a streaming radio market with dominant players, but is now second only to Spotify, the analyst noted. Apple could get the same kind of results in streaming video, not overtaking Netflix over the short term but quickly becoming a force to be reconned with in the market, Dawson said. While Apple has about a quarter of a trillion dollars in cash stockpiled, providing ample cash to spend on original content, such a move could distract it from the devices on which the company's fortune rests, according to analyst Rob Enderle of Enderle Group Entertainment is also a very different industry than making iPhones, and comes with film talent to manage and other challenges likely new to Apple, Enderle said. "Entertainment is no cheap date; it is a very hands-on business," Enderle said. "I think that because Apple is having so much difficulty coming up with innovation in their core area, they are starting to panic and come up with 'Hail Mary' passes in other areas."

Apple's deep pockets could take on Hollywood, Netflix

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/apple-shares-sail-to-record-high-on-healthy-iphone-sales-18496">After setting the mobile space on fire</a>, Apple is now expanding its services to Apple speakers.

Tech analysts say the speaker priced at $349 is set to be launched in December.&nbsp;

The acoustic modeling and <a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/wwdc-2017-apple-set-to-make-siri-work-with-a-larger-variety-of-apps-16442">Siri&#39;s optimized version will make the &quot;Homepod&quot;</a>&nbsp;an all-in-one entertainment. The speaker will be powered by Apple&#39;s A8 chip.&nbsp;

The Siri operated HomePod not only plays music but will also help in assisting and controlling household tasks and smart home accessories.&nbsp;

Just say &ldquo;Hey Siri, turn on the lights&rdquo; or &ldquo;cool the room&rdquo; or &ldquo;lower the shades.&rdquo;

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<h5>Just say &ldquo;Hey Siri, turn on the lights&rdquo; or &ldquo;cool the room&rdquo; or &ldquo;lower the shades.&rdquo; A wide range of accessories work with Apple&rsquo;s HomeKit platform &mdash; from air conditioners to garage doors to security cameras. Just add an accessory to the Home app, then control it with your voice on HomePod, the company website said.</h5>
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<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Just say ?Hey Siri, turn on the lights? or ?cool the room? or ?lower the shades.? A wide range of accessories work with Apple?s HomeKit platform ? from air conditioners to garage doors to security cameras. Just add an accessory to the Home app, then control it with your voice on HomePod, the company website said." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
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A wide range of accessories work with Apple&rsquo;s HomeKit platform &mdash; from air conditioners to garage doors to security cameras. Just add an accessory to the Home app, then control it with your voice on HomePod, the company said on its&nbsp;website.

Apple will first launch the limited edition with&nbsp;only around 500,000 units in the US, UK, and Australia.

The tech giant will be manufacturing the speaker in collaboration with Taiwanese firm Inventec. Also, expectations are that Foxconn may join the partnership in 2018.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Apple will be launching Apple "Homepod" in December 2017

After setting the mobile space on fire, Apple is now expanding its services to Apple speakers. Tech analysts say the speaker priced at $349 is set to be launched in December. The acoustic modeling and Siri's optimized version will make the "Homepod" an all-in-one entertainment. The speaker will be powered by Apple's A8 chip. The Siri operated HomePod not only plays music but will also help in assisting and controlling household tasks and smart home accessories. Just say “Hey Siri, turn on the lights” or “cool the room” or “lower the shades.” Just say “Hey Siri, turn on the lights” or “cool the room” or “lower the shades.” A wide range of accessories work with Apple’s HomeKit platform — from air conditioners to garage doors to security cameras. Just add an accessory to the Home app, then control it with your voice on HomePod, the company website said. × A wide range of accessories work with Apple’s HomeKit platform — from air conditioners to garage doors to security cameras. Just add an accessory to the Home app, then control it with your voice on HomePod, the company said on its website. Apple will first launch the limited edition with only around 500,000 units in the US, UK, and Australia. The tech giant will be manufacturing the speaker in collaboration with Taiwanese firm Inventec. Also, expectations are that Foxconn may join the partnership in 2018.

Apple HomePod set to be launched in December

&nbsp;Apple&#39;s new phones - iPhone 8 and iPhone 7s&nbsp;are expected to enter the market&nbsp;next month. However, just before the launch, a report detailing the handsets internal design and novel features have already been leaked.&nbsp;

According to reports,&nbsp;the new image shows an iPhone surrounded by a protective cover with a spirit-level-like green element on its&nbsp;side.&nbsp;

The leak clearly shows the vertical dual camera setup, smaller printed circuit board, &nbsp;L-shaped battery, and the wireless charging coil. With enhanced resolution display the handset will have a smaller body than iPhone 7.&nbsp;

The 10th anniversary Apple smartphone, iPhone 8, is designed with an infrared face unlock system that will work in the dark.

This is not the first time when iPhone details have come out. However, the latest leak was&nbsp;revealed by a reliable mobile reporter Evan Blass aka @evleaks.

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iPhone 8 (encased) <a href="https://t.co/9LpARCAML2">pic.twitter.com/9LpARCAML2</a>
&mdash; Evan Blass (@evleaks) <a href="https://twitter.com/evleaks/status/894745764244578304">August 8, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Though the phone is set to release in September, few reports suggest&nbsp;that it will not be available in the market because of limited quantity availability.

Analyst Timothy Arcuri from Cowen and Company claims that production might be delayed due to issues with its Touch IS sensor. Also, a report from Business Insider quotes a research by Deutsche Bank which claims that the phone will not be available until 2018 due to supply chain issues and technical challenges.

Apple is expected to price iPhone 8 between $1,100 to $1,200, Forbes reported.

The new image shows an iPhone surrounded by a protective cover with a spirit-level-like green element on its?side

Apple's new phones - iPhone 8 and iPhone 7s are expected to enter the market next month. However, just before the launch, a report detailing the handsets internal design and novel features have already been leaked. According to reports, the new image shows an iPhone surrounded by a protective cover with a spirit-level-like green element on its side. The leak clearly shows the vertical dual camera setup, smaller printed circuit board, L-shaped battery, and the wireless charging coil. With enhanced resolution display the handset will have a smaller body than iPhone 7. The 10th anniversary Apple smartphone, iPhone 8, is designed with an infrared face unlock system that will work in the dark. This is not the first time when iPhone details have come out. However, the latest leak was revealed by a reliable mobile reporter Evan Blass aka @evleaks. iPhone 8 (encased) pic.twitter.com/9LpARCAML2 — Evan Blass (@evleaks) August 8, 2017 × Though the phone is set to release in September, few reports suggest that it will not be available in the market because of limited quantity availability. Analyst Timothy Arcuri from Cowen and Company claims that production might be delayed due to issues with its Touch IS sensor. Also, a report from Business Insider quotes a research by Deutsche Bank which claims that the phone will not be available until 2018 due to supply chain issues and technical challenges. Apple is expected to price iPhone 8 between $1,100 to $1,200, Forbes reported.

iPhone 8 details leaked: Report

&nbsp;Apple delivered surprisingly strong fiscal third-quarter earnings and signalled that its upcoming 10th-anniversary phone lineup is on schedule, driving the stock up 6 per cent to an all-time high in after-hours trading.

The stock climbed above its intraday record high to $159.10 after the company reported better-than-expected iPhone sales, revenue, and earnings per share. The stock price move was expected to help drive the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the 22,000 mark on Wednesday.

Apple&nbsp;also said it hit a milestone of 1.2 billion iPhones sold.

The April-June quarter is traditionally a soft one for&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;as the market waits for the September launch of new iPhone models. But Tuesday&rsquo;s results show that iPhone buyers may be less inclined than they once were to delay purchases until a new model is out.

The iPad product lines also showed unexpected strength, service revenue continues to grow at a healthy clip, and even the much-maligned&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;Watch showed a 50 per cent sales increase.

Apple&nbsp;is widely tipped to adopt higher-resolution OLED displays for the latest iPhone, along with better touchscreen technology and wireless charging, which could come with a $1,000 plus price tag.

The phone is expected to launch in September.

The company forecast total revenue of between $49 billion and $52 billion for the current fourth quarter, while analysts on average were expecting $49.21 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Apple&#39;s fourth quarter generally includes first-weekend sales of the company&#39;s latest devices.

The forecast &quot;makes it fairly certain that at least some new iPhone models will be released on the normal schedule,&rdquo; said analyst Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research. &ldquo;That doesn&rsquo;t necessarily mean all new models will go on sale then, or that they&rsquo;ll all be in abundant supply, but I would think it means that at the very least the successors to the current phones will be available.&quot;

But Bob O&#39;Donnell, chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research, cautioned that if&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;releases cheaper models before the premium models in its 10th-anniversary phone lineup, the cheaper models could dampen sales of more expensive units released closer to the holidays.

The company said iPhone sales rose 1.6 per cent to 41.03 million in the third quarter ended July 1, above analysts&#39; average estimate of 40.7 million units, according to FactSet StreetAccount.&nbsp;Apple sold 40.4 million iPhones a year earlier.

But a lower average iPhone selling price of $606, well below Wall Street expectations of $621, caused iPhone revenue to come in at $24.8 billion, below expectations of $25.5 billion.

Apple&nbsp;Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri told Reuters the weak price was partly explained by apple&nbsp;lowering the flow of inventory by 3.3 million units, which he said was &ldquo;entirely at the high end of the range.&rdquo;

Apple&nbsp;reports how many phones it sells to retailers, not how many phones it sells to consumers, what is known as a sell-in basis. When factoring how many existing &ldquo;high end&rdquo; phones the company cleared out of retail inventory, Maestri said average selling prices were higher.

The company&#39;s net income rose to $8.72 billion, or $1.67 per share, from $7.80 billion, or $1.42 per share, a year earlier.

Revenue rose to $45.41 billion from $42.36 billion in the quarter, typically the company&#39;s weakest, beating expectations of $44.89 billion.

China Revenue Down, Autonomy to the Future

Apple&nbsp;said revenue from emerging markets excluding China grew 18 per cent, a bright spot. But sales from the Greater China region fell 9.5 per cent to $8 billion in the latest quarter, as consumers switched to newer domestic offerings.

The decline was smaller than recent quarters.&nbsp;Apple&#39;s Maestri said mainland China revenue was flat, as were iPhone sales in the mainland. Sales of other&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;products rose in mainland China and were also up in Taiwan.

&ldquo;The decline from a market standpoint was concentrated in Hong Kong, which is a place that has been really affected by a reduction in tourism because the Hong Kong Dollar is pegged to the US dollar,&rdquo; Maestri said.

Apple&nbsp;CEO Tim Cook also directly addressed the company&#39;s decision to remove so-called VPN apps from the App Store in China. Those apps help Chinese users circumnavigate government internet restrictions.

&quot;We would obviously rather not remove the apps, but like we do in other countries we follow the law wherever we do business,&quot; Cook said. &quot;We believe in engaging with governments even when we disagree. This particular case, we&rsquo;re hopeful that over time the restrictions we&rsquo;re seeing are lessened because innovation really requires freedom to collaborate and communicate.&quot;

Strong iPad sales of $4.9 billion, almost $1 billion above Wall Street expectations, and a 21.6 per cent jump in the company&#39;s services business that includes the App Store also helped boost revenue. In particular,&nbsp;Apple&nbsp;said that Walmart Stores would buy 19,000 iPads to train as many as 225,000 employees. The company also said it increased production of AirPods, its wireless headphones.

Apple&nbsp;CEO Tim Cook declined to directly address US President Donald Trump&#39;s claims that Apple&nbsp;will build three new factories in the US, instead citing the company&#39;s job creation efforts and a $1 billion US manufacturing fund.

Cook also hinted that&nbsp;Apple&#39;s experiments with self-driving cars may include ambitions that extend beyond cars. He said the company is making a &quot;big investment&quot; in autonomous systems.

&quot;From our point of view, autonomy is sort of the mother of all AI projects,&quot; Cook said. &quot;And the autonomous systems can be used in a variety of ways, and a vehicle is only one, but there are many different areas of it. And I don&#39;t want to go any further with that.&quot;

The April-June quarter is traditionally a soft one for?Apple?as the market waits for the September launch of new iPhone models. But Tuesday?s results show that iPhone buyers may be less inclined than they once were to delay purchases until a new model is out.

Apple delivered surprisingly strong fiscal third-quarter earnings and signalled that its upcoming 10th-anniversary phone lineup is on schedule, driving the stock up 6 per cent to an all-time high in after-hours trading. The stock climbed above its intraday record high to $159.10 after the company reported better-than-expected iPhone sales, revenue, and earnings per share. The stock price move was expected to help drive the Dow Jones Industrial Average over the 22,000 mark on Wednesday. Apple also said it hit a milestone of 1.2 billion iPhones sold. The April-June quarter is traditionally a soft one for Apple as the market waits for the September launch of new iPhone models. But Tuesday’s results show that iPhone buyers may be less inclined than they once were to delay purchases until a new model is out. The iPad product lines also showed unexpected strength, service revenue continues to grow at a healthy clip, and even the much-maligned Apple Watch showed a 50 per cent sales increase. Apple is widely tipped to adopt higher-resolution OLED displays for the latest iPhone, along with better touchscreen technology and wireless charging, which could come with a $1,000 plus price tag. The phone is expected to launch in September. The company forecast total revenue of between $49 billion and $52 billion for the current fourth quarter, while analysts on average were expecting $49.21 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Apple's fourth quarter generally includes first-weekend sales of the company's latest devices. The forecast "makes it fairly certain that at least some new iPhone models will be released on the normal schedule,” said analyst Jan Dawson of Jackdaw Research. “That doesn’t necessarily mean all new models will go on sale then, or that they’ll all be in abundant supply, but I would think it means that at the very least the successors to the current phones will be available." But Bob O'Donnell, chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research, cautioned that if Apple releases cheaper models before the premium models in its 10th-anniversary phone lineup, the cheaper models could dampen sales of more expensive units released closer to the holidays. The company said iPhone sales rose 1.6 per cent to 41.03 million in the third quarter ended July 1, above analysts' average estimate of 40.7 million units, according to FactSet StreetAccount. Apple sold 40.4 million iPhones a year earlier. But a lower average iPhone selling price of $606, well below Wall Street expectations of $621, caused iPhone revenue to come in at $24.8 billion, below expectations of $25.5 billion. Apple Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri told Reuters the weak price was partly explained by apple lowering the flow of inventory by 3.3 million units, which he said was “entirely at the high end of the range.” Apple reports how many phones it sells to retailers, not how many phones it sells to consumers, what is known as a sell-in basis. When factoring how many existing “high end” phones the company cleared out of retail inventory, Maestri said average selling prices were higher. The company's net income rose to $8.72 billion, or $1.67 per share, from $7.80 billion, or $1.42 per share, a year earlier. Revenue rose to $45.41 billion from $42.36 billion in the quarter, typically the company's weakest, beating expectations of $44.89 billion. China Revenue Down, Autonomy to the Future Apple said revenue from emerging markets excluding China grew 18 per cent, a bright spot. But sales from the Greater China region fell 9.5 per cent to $8 billion in the latest quarter, as consumers switched to newer domestic offerings. The decline was smaller than recent quarters. Apple's Maestri said mainland China revenue was flat, as were iPhone sales in the mainland. Sales of other Apple products rose in mainland China and were also up in Taiwan. “The decline from a market standpoint was concentrated in Hong Kong, which is a place that has been really affected by a reduction in tourism because the Hong Kong Dollar is pegged to the US dollar,” Maestri said. Apple CEO Tim Cook also directly addressed the company's decision to remove so-called VPN apps from the App Store in China. Those apps help Chinese users circumnavigate government internet restrictions. "We would obviously rather not remove the apps, but like we do in other countries we follow the law wherever we do business," Cook said. "We believe in engaging with governments even when we disagree. This particular case, we’re hopeful that over time the restrictions we’re seeing are lessened because innovation really requires freedom to collaborate and communicate." Strong iPad sales of $4.9 billion, almost $1 billion above Wall Street expectations, and a 21.6 per cent jump in the company's services business that includes the App Store also helped boost revenue. In particular, Apple said that Walmart Stores would buy 19,000 iPads to train as many as 225,000 employees. The company also said it increased production of AirPods, its wireless headphones. Apple CEO Tim Cook declined to directly address US President Donald Trump's claims that Apple will build three new factories in the US, instead citing the company's job creation efforts and a $1 billion US manufacturing fund. Cook also hinted that Apple's experiments with self-driving cars may include ambitions that extend beyond cars. He said the company is making a "big investment" in autonomous systems. "From our point of view, autonomy is sort of the mother of all AI projects," Cook said. "And the autonomous systems can be used in a variety of ways, and a vehicle is only one, but there are many different areas of it. And I don't want to go any further with that."

Apple stocks on record high over iPhone sales

&nbsp;Apple has asked the Indian government to extend tax breaks to its suppliers if India seeks to become a manufacturing hub for iPhones and its components.

Government officials say meeting this request would require a new policy that applies fairly to other device makers, too.

The US&nbsp;tech giant has been in talks with Indian officials since May of last year when CEO Tim Cook and Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to set up a production base in the country that goes beyond just assembling the devices, as happens today.

The two sides have been discussing a list of &quot;prerequisites&quot; that Apple submitted in October, including duty exemption on raw materials for manufacturing components and capital equipment for 15 years for it to make iPhones from scratch in India.

The company has told the government it would be bringing in a host of these ancillary units when it sets up operations to cater to India, one of the world&#39;s fastest growing smartphone markets, a top government official said.

&quot;They want the same treatment to be given to the component manufacturers; the tax concessions, they want everything. But then some kind of policy will have to be evolved,&quot; the official said.

Apple declined to comment.

The demand could further delay Apple&#39;s plans to penetrate the Indian market, the world&#39;s third largest for smartphones behind the United States and China, but where it has only a 2 per cent share.

The company is looking to India after sales in the Greater China region, once a major growth driver, slid 14 per cent year-on-year to $10.7 billion in the three months ended April 1.

In May, Apple, working with Taiwanese contract manufacturer Winstron, began assembling the iPhone SE in Bengaluru.

The plan that Modi and Cook ordered the two sides to work on, however, envisages manufacturing a full range of iPhones for the domestic market, as well as for export.

Ecosystem for Handsets

For India, which would only be the second iPhone production centre after China, such an investment would be a big win for Modi&#39;s Make-in-India campaign.

It would also spawn a vast network of suppliers, in the way that India&#39;s auto ancillary sector took off to feed Maruti Suzuki India&#39;s production line over three decades ago.

Another official, who has led efforts to secure foreign investment in the manufacturing sector, said Apple&#39;s proposal to build its phones in India was being examined favourably by the government.

&quot;My view is that India needs to support Apple to create an ecosystem, which was done for Maruti. This helped to build the automobile and auto component industry in India,&quot; the official said, seeking anonymity in line with government policy.

&quot;Initial support will pay rich dividends in the long run and facilitate innovation, design, and manufacturing of electronics components in India,&quot; the official added.

Apple competitors such as South Korea&#39;s Samsung Electronics and China&#39;s Oppo could also benefit from a broader policy review as they, too, currently have predominantly assembly operations in India.

Another government official familiar with the matter said it would be difficult for India to agree to Apple&#39;s request for a customs holiday for just its own operations in India.

Customs duties have already been slashed in order to make India a hub for handset assembly lines, the official said.

That move has encouraged phone makers to set up such facilities in India, and so the duty structure cannot be changed for one company, the official said.

The US?tech giant has been in talks with Indian officials since May of last year when CEO Tim Cook and Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to set up a production base in the country

Apple has asked the Indian government to extend tax breaks to its suppliers if India seeks to become a manufacturing hub for iPhones and its components. Government officials say meeting this request would require a new policy that applies fairly to other device makers, too. The US tech giant has been in talks with Indian officials since May of last year when CEO Tim Cook and Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to set up a production base in the country that goes beyond just assembling the devices, as happens today. The two sides have been discussing a list of "prerequisites" that Apple submitted in October, including duty exemption on raw materials for manufacturing components and capital equipment for 15 years for it to make iPhones from scratch in India. The company has told the government it would be bringing in a host of these ancillary units when it sets up operations to cater to India, one of the world's fastest growing smartphone markets, a top government official said. "They want the same treatment to be given to the component manufacturers; the tax concessions, they want everything. But then some kind of policy will have to be evolved," the official said. Apple declined to comment. The demand could further delay Apple's plans to penetrate the Indian market, the world's third largest for smartphones behind the United States and China, but where it has only a 2 per cent share. The company is looking to India after sales in the Greater China region, once a major growth driver, slid 14 per cent year-on-year to $10.7 billion in the three months ended April 1. In May, Apple, working with Taiwanese contract manufacturer Winstron, began assembling the iPhone SE in Bengaluru. The plan that Modi and Cook ordered the two sides to work on, however, envisages manufacturing a full range of iPhones for the domestic market, as well as for export. Ecosystem for Handsets For India, which would only be the second iPhone production centre after China, such an investment would be a big win for Modi's Make-in-India campaign. It would also spawn a vast network of suppliers, in the way that India's auto ancillary sector took off to feed Maruti Suzuki India's production line over three decades ago. Another official, who has led efforts to secure foreign investment in the manufacturing sector, said Apple's proposal to build its phones in India was being examined favourably by the government. "My view is that India needs to support Apple to create an ecosystem, which was done for Maruti. This helped to build the automobile and auto component industry in India," the official said, seeking anonymity in line with government policy. "Initial support will pay rich dividends in the long run and facilitate innovation, design, and manufacturing of electronics components in India," the official added. Apple competitors such as South Korea's Samsung Electronics and China's Oppo could also benefit from a broader policy review as they, too, currently have predominantly assembly operations in India. Another government official familiar with the matter said it would be difficult for India to agree to Apple's request for a customs holiday for just its own operations in India. Customs duties have already been slashed in order to make India a hub for handset assembly lines, the official said. That move has encouraged phone makers to set up such facilities in India, and so the duty structure cannot be changed for one company, the official said.

Apple seeks tax breaks for suppliers to make iPhones in India: Report

The Dow topped 22,000 points for the first time early on Wednesday, bolstered by a huge gain by<a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/apple-shares-sail-to-record-high-on-healthy-iphone-sales-18496"> Apple, the latest blue-chip company to report strong earnings</a>.

About 15 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 22,012.94, up 0.2 per cent and on track for its sixth-straight record close, a feat President Donald Trump cheered a day early.

The broad-based S&amp;P 500 lost a hair at 2,475.87, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 0.2 percent to 6,375.13.

Apple surged 5.8 per cent after reporting that quarterly net profit climbed 12 per cent to $8.7 billion, and revenue rose seven percent to $45.4 billion. The tech giant highlighted its increased sales of digital content and services.

The strong results come on the heels of other successful earnings reports by Dow members that have led to outsized gains for shares of blue chips, including Boeing, McDonald&#39;s and Verizon.&nbsp;

More broadly, companies in the S&amp;P 500 earned 9.1 per cent more in the second quarter compared with the year-ago period, according to Factset.

That has fueled a series of records in the last couple of weeks for all three major stock indices, a trend also supported by still-accommodative monetary policies that have offset disappointment over the progress in Washington on tax cuts and other growth measures under Trump.

Apple surged 5.8 per cent after reporting that quarterly net profit climbed 12 per cent to $8.7 billion

The Dow topped 22,000 points for the first time early on Wednesday, bolstered by a huge gain by Apple, the latest blue-chip company to report strong earnings. About 15 minutes into trading, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood at 22,012.94, up 0.2 per cent and on track for its sixth-straight record close, a feat President Donald Trump cheered a day early. The broad-based S&P 500 lost a hair at 2,475.87, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index advanced 0.2 percent to 6,375.13. Apple surged 5.8 per cent after reporting that quarterly net profit climbed 12 per cent to $8.7 billion, and revenue rose seven percent to $45.4 billion. The tech giant highlighted its increased sales of digital content and services. The strong results come on the heels of other successful earnings reports by Dow members that have led to outsized gains for shares of blue chips, including Boeing, McDonald's and Verizon. More broadly, companies in the S&P 500 earned 9.1 per cent more in the second quarter compared with the year-ago period, according to Factset. That has fueled a series of records in the last couple of weeks for all three major stock indices, a trend also supported by still-accommodative monetary policies that have offset disappointment over the progress in Washington on tax cuts and other growth measures under Trump.

Dow tops 22k as Apple stocks surge

Before Apple officially opens gates of its brand new &#39;spaceship&#39; campus later this year, a new drone footage has surfaced showcasing the progress within the spaceship ring. The new video highlights the final touches being given to the 175-acre Apple Park, such as landscaping.

If media reports are to be believed, Apple&rsquo;s new campus will be surrounded by around 9,000 trees and will house up to 14,200 employees.

This latest video of Apple&rsquo;s new campus has been shot by drone videographer Duncan Sinfield.
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Apple, undoubtedly, has been paying a lot of attention to even smallest details of the sprawling new headquarters in Cupertino, California. From the arrangement of electrical wiring to the finish of a hidden pipe, no aspect of the 2.8 million-square-foot main building has been too small to attract scrutiny.

Apple has not revealed the total price tag, but former project managers estimate it at about $5 billion - a figure CEO Tim Cook did not dispute in a 2015 TV interview. More than $1 billion was allocated for the interior of the main building alone, according to a former construction manager.

Apple?s new campus, reportedly, will be surrounded by around 9,000 trees

Before Apple officially opens gates of its brand new 'spaceship' campus later this year, a new drone footage has surfaced showcasing the progress within the spaceship ring. The new video highlights the final touches being given to the 175-acre Apple Park, such as landscaping. If media reports are to be believed, Apple’s new campus will be surrounded by around 9,000 trees and will house up to 14,200 employees. This latest video of Apple’s new campus has been shot by drone videographer Duncan Sinfield. Apple, undoubtedly, has been paying a lot of attention to even smallest details of the sprawling new headquarters in Cupertino, California. From the arrangement of electrical wiring to the finish of a hidden pipe, no aspect of the 2.8 million-square-foot main building has been too small to attract scrutiny. Apple has not revealed the total price tag, but former project managers estimate it at about $5 billion - a figure CEO Tim Cook did not dispute in a 2015 TV interview. More than $1 billion was allocated for the interior of the main building alone, according to a former construction manager.

New video shows Apple's 'spaceship' campus almost ready

Apple said it is setting up its first data centre in China, in partnership with a local Internet services company, to comply with tougher cyber-security laws introduced last month.&nbsp;

The US technology company said it will build the centre in the southern province of Guizhou with data management firm Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Industry (GCBD).

An Apple spokesman in Shanghai said the centre is part of a planned $1 billion investment into the province.

&quot;The addition of this data centre will allow us to improve the speed and reliability of our products and services while also complying with newly passed regulations,&quot; Apple said in a statement. &quot;These regulations require cloud services be operated by Chinese companies so we&#39;re partnering with GCBD to offer iCloud,&quot; it added referring to its online data storage service.

Apple is the first foreign firm to announce amendments to its data storage for China following the implementation of a new cyber-security law on June 1 that requires foreign firms to store data within the country.

Overseas business groups said the law&#39;s strict data surveillance and storage requirements are overly vague, burdening the firms with excessive compliance risks and threatening proprietary data.

Authorities say the law is not designed to put foreign firms at a disadvantage and was drafted in reaction to the threat of cyber attacks and terrorism.

Apple also said it had strong data privacy and security protections in place.

&quot;No backdoors will be created into any of our systems,&quot; it said.

In April, China also announced a law requiring businesses transferring over 1,000 gigabytes of data outside China to undergo yearly security reviews, with potential blocks on exporting economic, technological and scientific data.

Earlier this week, Apple said it planned to open a new data centre in Denmark. An earlier centre in the country, announced in 2015, will come online this year, it said.

The new laws come as Chinese cloud firms are expanding rapidly in foreign markets. Alibaba Group Holding has 17 data centres across China, the United States, Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

Other foreign firms that oversee cloud businesses, including Amazon.com and Microsoft, already have data centres in China.

Apple partners with local internet company services in China to comply with tougher cyber-security laws introduced last month

Apple said it is setting up its first data centre in China, in partnership with a local Internet services company, to comply with tougher cyber-security laws introduced last month. The US technology company said it will build the centre in the southern province of Guizhou with data management firm Guizhou-Cloud Big Data Industry (GCBD). An Apple spokesman in Shanghai said the centre is part of a planned $1 billion investment into the province. "The addition of this data centre will allow us to improve the speed and reliability of our products and services while also complying with newly passed regulations," Apple said in a statement. "These regulations require cloud services be operated by Chinese companies so we're partnering with GCBD to offer iCloud," it added referring to its online data storage service. Apple is the first foreign firm to announce amendments to its data storage for China following the implementation of a new cyber-security law on June 1 that requires foreign firms to store data within the country. Overseas business groups said the law's strict data surveillance and storage requirements are overly vague, burdening the firms with excessive compliance risks and threatening proprietary data. Authorities say the law is not designed to put foreign firms at a disadvantage and was drafted in reaction to the threat of cyber attacks and terrorism. Apple also said it had strong data privacy and security protections in place. "No backdoors will be created into any of our systems," it said. In April, China also announced a law requiring businesses transferring over 1,000 gigabytes of data outside China to undergo yearly security reviews, with potential blocks on exporting economic, technological and scientific data. Earlier this week, Apple said it planned to open a new data centre in Denmark. An earlier centre in the country, announced in 2015, will come online this year, it said. The new laws come as Chinese cloud firms are expanding rapidly in foreign markets. Alibaba Group Holding has 17 data centres across China, the United States, Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Other foreign firms that oversee cloud businesses, including Amazon.com and Microsoft, already have data centres in China.

Apple sets up China data centre to meet new cyber-security rules

Chipmaker Qualcomm will ask the US International Trade Commission to bar Apple from selling some iPhones and iPads in the United States that use chips made by competitor Intel on the grounds that the devices infringe on six Qualcomm patents.

In a request that would broaden its legal battle with Apple, San Diego-based Qualcomm said it will ask the US ITC to ban imports of the infringing Apple devices. A related lawsuit was filed in federal court in California to request monetary damages.

Qualcomm, which also supplies chips to Apple, said the six patents help devices perform well without draining the battery.

Apple referred reporters to its earlier comments on the dispute with Qualcomm, which accuse Qualcomm of unfairly imposing what Apple calls a &quot;tax&quot; on Apple devices using Qualcomm chips.

In its complaint to the ITC, Qualcomm asked the body to ban &quot;iPhones that use cellular baseband processors other than those supplied by Qualcomm&rsquo;s affiliates.&quot; Qualcomm did not name Intel, but Intel began supplying chips for some iPhones starting with the iPhone 7.

Qualcomm has not alleged that Intel chips violate its patents but claims that the way Apple implements them in the iPhone does. Intel declined to comment.

Stacy Rasgon, an analyst at Bernstein, said ITC cases typically take 16 months to conclude and the case was unlikely to affect Apple&#39;s 10th anniversary iPhone launch expected this fall. &quot;I doubt this puts a lot of immediate pressure on Apple,&quot; Rasgon said.

There has been long-running tension between Qualcomm and Apple over Qualcomm&#39;s practice of taking a cut of the total price of the phone in exchange for &quot;modem&quot; chips that help phones use wireless networks data plans.

The ITC is a popular venue for patent disputes because it handles cases relatively quickly and can more easily bear an infringing product from the US market than federal courts.

Animosity between the two companies burst into open in January, when the US Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against Qualcomm and accused it of using &quot;anticompetitive&quot; tactics to maintain its monopoly on a key semiconductor used in mobile phones.

The FTC, which enforces antitrust law along with the Justice Department, said that Qualcomm used its dominant position as a supplier of certain chips to impose &quot;onerous&quot; supply and licensing terms on cellphone manufacturers and to weaken competitors.

Days later, Apple sued Qualcomm for $1 billion, accusing it of overcharging for chips and withholding promised rebates because of Apple&#39;s discussions with South Korea&#39;s antitrust regulators in their probe of Qualcomm.

Separately from this dispute, Qualcomm is a major supplier to both Apple and Samsung Electronics for modem chips that connect phones to wireless networks.

Qualcomm, which also supplies chips to Apple, said the six patents help devices perform well without draining the battery

Chipmaker Qualcomm will ask the US International Trade Commission to bar Apple from selling some iPhones and iPads in the United States that use chips made by competitor Intel on the grounds that the devices infringe on six Qualcomm patents. In a request that would broaden its legal battle with Apple, San Diego-based Qualcomm said it will ask the US ITC to ban imports of the infringing Apple devices. A related lawsuit was filed in federal court in California to request monetary damages. Qualcomm, which also supplies chips to Apple, said the six patents help devices perform well without draining the battery. Apple referred reporters to its earlier comments on the dispute with Qualcomm, which accuse Qualcomm of unfairly imposing what Apple calls a "tax" on Apple devices using Qualcomm chips. In its complaint to the ITC, Qualcomm asked the body to ban "iPhones that use cellular baseband processors other than those supplied by Qualcomm’s affiliates." Qualcomm did not name Intel, but Intel began supplying chips for some iPhones starting with the iPhone 7. Qualcomm has not alleged that Intel chips violate its patents but claims that the way Apple implements them in the iPhone does. Intel declined to comment. Stacy Rasgon, an analyst at Bernstein, said ITC cases typically take 16 months to conclude and the case was unlikely to affect Apple's 10th anniversary iPhone launch expected this fall. "I doubt this puts a lot of immediate pressure on Apple," Rasgon said. There has been long-running tension between Qualcomm and Apple over Qualcomm's practice of taking a cut of the total price of the phone in exchange for "modem" chips that help phones use wireless networks data plans. The ITC is a popular venue for patent disputes because it handles cases relatively quickly and can more easily bear an infringing product from the US market than federal courts. Animosity between the two companies burst into open in January, when the US Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against Qualcomm and accused it of using "anticompetitive" tactics to maintain its monopoly on a key semiconductor used in mobile phones. The FTC, which enforces antitrust law along with the Justice Department, said that Qualcomm used its dominant position as a supplier of certain chips to impose "onerous" supply and licensing terms on cellphone manufacturers and to weaken competitors. Days later, Apple sued Qualcomm for $1 billion, accusing it of overcharging for chips and withholding promised rebates because of Apple's discussions with South Korea's antitrust regulators in their probe of Qualcomm. Separately from this dispute, Qualcomm is a major supplier to both Apple and Samsung Electronics for modem chips that connect phones to wireless networks.

Qualcomm accuses Apple of infringing six patents in iPhone, iPad

Apple on Saturday reduced the retail prices of iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple Watch models for Indian consumers, a fall-out of the Goods and Services Tax which came into effect the same day.

The base model (32GB) of Apple iPhone 7 Plus is now priced at Rs 67,300 as opposed to Rs 72,000 in the past.&nbsp;

The Rs 60,000 Apple iPhone 7 (32GB variant) can now be purchased at Rs 56, 200. The Rs 70,000 iPhone 7 (128GB) is now priced at Rs 65,200 and the Rs 80,000 256GB variant is available at Rs 74,400.&nbsp;

The 32GB model of iPhone SE (Rs 27,200), being assembled in Bengaluru, will now cost Rs 26,000. The 32GB iPhone 6s (Rs 50,000) is now available at Rs 46,900.

The new prices have taken the basic customs duty (BCD) of 10 per cent into account.

Apple has expanded into the Indian market recently.

PM Narendra Modi was told by Apple CEO Tim Cook on a recent visit to US that his company is positive about the production of Apple&#39;s popular iPhone SE model in Bengaluru.

Mobile phones, which fall in the 12 per cent slab, may get costlier by four to five per cent after the imposition of GST. Imported smart phones are likely to get cheaper and so Apple may benefit from the levying of GST.

The base model (32GB) of Apple iPhone 7 Plus is now priced at Rs 67,300 as opposed to Rs 72,000 in the past

Apple on Saturday reduced the retail prices of iPhones, iPads, Macs and Apple Watch models for Indian consumers, a fall-out of the Goods and Services Tax which came into effect the same day. The base model (32GB) of Apple iPhone 7 Plus is now priced at Rs 67,300 as opposed to Rs 72,000 in the past. The Rs 60,000 Apple iPhone 7 (32GB variant) can now be purchased at Rs 56, 200. The Rs 70,000 iPhone 7 (128GB) is now priced at Rs 65,200 and the Rs 80,000 256GB variant is available at Rs 74,400. The 32GB model of iPhone SE (Rs 27,200), being assembled in Bengaluru, will now cost Rs 26,000. The 32GB iPhone 6s (Rs 50,000) is now available at Rs 46,900. The new prices have taken the basic customs duty (BCD) of 10 per cent into account. Apple has expanded into the Indian market recently. PM Narendra Modi was told by Apple CEO Tim Cook on a recent visit to US that his company is positive about the production of Apple's popular iPhone SE model in Bengaluru. Mobile phones, which fall in the 12 per cent slab, may get costlier by four to five per cent after the imposition of GST. Imported smart phones are likely to get cheaper and so Apple may benefit from the levying of GST.

GST impact: Apple cuts iPhone, iPad prices in India

Apple iPhone turns 10 this week, evoking memories of a rocky start for the device that ended up doing most to start the smartphone revolution and stirring interest in where it will go from here.

Apple has sold more than 1 billion iPhones since June 29, 2007, but the first iPhone which was launched without an App Store and was restricted to the AT&amp;T was limited compared to today&#39;s version.

After sluggish initial sales, Apple slashed the price to spur holiday sales that year.

&quot;The business model for year one of the iPhone was a disaster,&quot; Tony Fadell, one of the Apple developers of the device said. &quot;We pivoted and figured it out in year two.&quot;

The very concept of the iPhone came as a surprise to some of Apple&#39;s suppliers a decade ago, even though Apple, led by CEO Steve Jobs, had already expanded beyond computers with the iPod.

&quot;We still have the voicemail from Steve Jobs when he called the CEO and founder here,&quot; said David Bairstow at Skyhook, the company that supplied location technology to early iPhones. &quot;He thought he was being pranked by someone in the office and it took him two days to call Steve Jobs back.&quot;

The iPhone hit its stride in 2008 when Apple introduced the App Store, which allowed developers to make and distribute their mobile applications with Apple taking a cut of any revenue.

Ten years later, services revenue is a crucial area of growth for Apple, bringing in $24.3 billion in revenue last year.

New model

Fans and investors are now looking forward to the 10th anniversary iPhone 8, expected this fall, asking whether it will deliver enough new features to spark a new generation to turn to Apple.

That new phone may have 3-D mapping sensors, support for &quot;augmented reality&quot; apps that would merge virtual and real worlds, and a new display with organic LEDs, which are light and flexible, according to analysts at Bernstein Research.

A decade after launching into a market largely occupied by BlackBerry and Microsoft devices, the iPhone now competes chiefly with phones running Google&#39;s Android software, which is distributed to Samsung Electronics and other manufacturers around the world.

Even though most of the world&#39;s smartphones now run on Android, Apple still garners most of the profit in the industry with its generally higher-priced devices.

More than 2 billion people now have smartphones, according to data from eMarketer, and Fadell, who has worked for both Apple and Alphabet, sees that as the hallmark of success.

&quot;Being able to democratise computing and communication across the entire world is absolutely astounding to me,&quot; Fadell said. &quot;It warms my heart because that&#39;s something Steve tried to do with the Apple II and the Mac, which was the computer for the rest of us. It&#39;s finally here, 30 years later.&quot;

Apple has sold more than 1 billion iPhones since June 29, 2007, but the first iPhone was restricted to the AT&T and was limited compared to today's version

Apple iPhone turns 10 this week, evoking memories of a rocky start for the device that ended up doing most to start the smartphone revolution and stirring interest in where it will go from here. Apple has sold more than 1 billion iPhones since June 29, 2007, but the first iPhone which was launched without an App Store and was restricted to the AT&T was limited compared to today's version. After sluggish initial sales, Apple slashed the price to spur holiday sales that year. "The business model for year one of the iPhone was a disaster," Tony Fadell, one of the Apple developers of the device said. "We pivoted and figured it out in year two." The very concept of the iPhone came as a surprise to some of Apple's suppliers a decade ago, even though Apple, led by CEO Steve Jobs, had already expanded beyond computers with the iPod. "We still have the voicemail from Steve Jobs when he called the CEO and founder here," said David Bairstow at Skyhook, the company that supplied location technology to early iPhones. "He thought he was being pranked by someone in the office and it took him two days to call Steve Jobs back." The iPhone hit its stride in 2008 when Apple introduced the App Store, which allowed developers to make and distribute their mobile applications with Apple taking a cut of any revenue. Ten years later, services revenue is a crucial area of growth for Apple, bringing in $24.3 billion in revenue last year. New model Fans and investors are now looking forward to the 10th anniversary iPhone 8, expected this fall, asking whether it will deliver enough new features to spark a new generation to turn to Apple. That new phone may have 3-D mapping sensors, support for "augmented reality" apps that would merge virtual and real worlds, and a new display with organic LEDs, which are light and flexible, according to analysts at Bernstein Research. A decade after launching into a market largely occupied by BlackBerry and Microsoft devices, the iPhone now competes chiefly with phones running Google's Android software, which is distributed to Samsung Electronics and other manufacturers around the world. Even though most of the world's smartphones now run on Android, Apple still garners most of the profit in the industry with its generally higher-priced devices. More than 2 billion people now have smartphones, according to data from eMarketer, and Fadell, who has worked for both Apple and Alphabet, sees that as the hallmark of success. "Being able to democratise computing and communication across the entire world is absolutely astounding to me," Fadell said. "It warms my heart because that's something Steve tried to do with the Apple II and the Mac, which was the computer for the rest of us. It's finally here, 30 years later."

10 years of Apple iPhone: Bumpy start forgotten

Apple is working with Cisco Systems to help businesses that primarily use gear from both companies to get a discount on cyber-security insurance premiums, Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said.

Sharing a stage with Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins at a Cisco event in Las Vegas, Cook said the combination of gear from the two companies was more secure than the use of competing technology such as the Android mobile operating system made by Alphabet Google.

&quot;The thinking we share here is that if your enterprise or company is using Cisco and Apple, the combination of these should make that (cyber-security) insurance cost significantly less,&quot; Cook said. &quot;This is something we&#39;re going to spend some energy on. You should reap that benefit.&#39;

Cisco gave few details about the effort saying in a company blog post that the two companies were collaborating with insurance industry heavyweights to offer more robust policies to the customers. It said it will create systems that allow for continuous security monitoring and for insurers to double-check that the systems are set up as intended.

Cisco, a networking company that has increasingly moved into cyber security in recent years, highlighted several other joint efforts with Apple. It rolled out a new security app for iPhones meant to protect against so-called phishing attacks, an email with a malicious link sent under the guise of being legitimate.

Cook also said the &#39;fast lane&#39; that Cisco had created in 2015 to speed up Internet connections for iPhones on Cisco routers and switches has been expanded to Mac computers.

Long known for its consumer devices, Apple has embraced business users in recent years, adding additional security features to its iPhones and iPads. In 2015, Cook said Apple was generating at least $25 billion a year in revenue selling to businesses.

Apple has also undertaken joint efforts with enterprise software firms IBM and SAP to encourage developers to write business apps for its mobile devices.

The two companies are collaborating with insurance industry heavyweights to offer more robust policies to customers

Apple is working with Cisco Systems to help businesses that primarily use gear from both companies to get a discount on cyber-security insurance premiums, Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said. Sharing a stage with Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins at a Cisco event in Las Vegas, Cook said the combination of gear from the two companies was more secure than the use of competing technology such as the Android mobile operating system made by Alphabet Google. "The thinking we share here is that if your enterprise or company is using Cisco and Apple, the combination of these should make that (cyber-security) insurance cost significantly less," Cook said. "This is something we're going to spend some energy on. You should reap that benefit.' Cisco gave few details about the effort saying in a company blog post that the two companies were collaborating with insurance industry heavyweights to offer more robust policies to the customers. It said it will create systems that allow for continuous security monitoring and for insurers to double-check that the systems are set up as intended. Cisco, a networking company that has increasingly moved into cyber security in recent years, highlighted several other joint efforts with Apple. It rolled out a new security app for iPhones meant to protect against so-called phishing attacks, an email with a malicious link sent under the guise of being legitimate. Cook also said the 'fast lane' that Cisco had created in 2015 to speed up Internet connections for iPhones on Cisco routers and switches has been expanded to Mac computers. Long known for its consumer devices, Apple has embraced business users in recent years, adding additional security features to its iPhones and iPads. In 2015, Cook said Apple was generating at least $25 billion a year in revenue selling to businesses. Apple has also undertaken joint efforts with enterprise software firms IBM and SAP to encourage developers to write business apps for its mobile devices.

Apple, Cisco team up to push for cyber security insurance discounts

Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted the economic impact the company is having on India in a meeting with its prime minister as the iPhone maker seeks deeper access to the world&#39;s third-largest smartphone market behind the United States and China.

Cook met with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a business summit in Washington at a time when Apple is targeting the nascent Indian market as a revenue source after its sales in China slipped.

Apple has asked Indian government officials for a range of tax and policy changes to help build out its iPhone assembly work in the country. It is seeking permission to open its own retail stores in India where it currently sells iPhones through resellers.

In his meeting with Modi, Cook disclosed that Apple expected its Indian operations to be run completely from renewable energy within the next six months. Cook reiterated that Apple had generated 7,40,000 jobs in India through its so-called &quot;app economy&quot; and Indian developers had created nearly 1,00,000 apps for the App Store.

Modi talked with Cook and other US corporate leaders ahead of a meeting with President Donald Trump.&nbsp;

Apple, working with contract manufacturer Winstron, began assembling the iPhone SE in Bengaluru last month. Indian authorities have offered Apple tax concessions for the work with the requirement that more local components be used over time.

The company is looking to India after sales in the greater China region, once a major factor in Apple&#39;s rise, fell 14 percent year over year to $10.7 billion in the most recent quarter. Apple has not disclosed how much revenue it generates in India but said that sales grew by &#39;strong double digits&#39; there in the most recent quarter.

&quot;We have a ton of energy going into the country on a number of fronts,&quot; Cook told analysts about Apple&#39;s efforts in India during the company&#39;s most recent earnings call. &quot;We believe, particularly now that the 4G infrastructure is going in the country and it&#39;s continuing to be expanded, there is a huge opportunity for Apple there.&quot;

Apple has asked Indian government officials for a range of tax and policy changes to help build out its iPhone assembly work in the country

Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted the economic impact the company is having on India in a meeting with its prime minister as the iPhone maker seeks deeper access to the world's third-largest smartphone market behind the United States and China. Cook met with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a business summit in Washington at a time when Apple is targeting the nascent Indian market as a revenue source after its sales in China slipped. Apple has asked Indian government officials for a range of tax and policy changes to help build out its iPhone assembly work in the country. It is seeking permission to open its own retail stores in India where it currently sells iPhones through resellers. In his meeting with Modi, Cook disclosed that Apple expected its Indian operations to be run completely from renewable energy within the next six months. Cook reiterated that Apple had generated 7,40,000 jobs in India through its so-called "app economy" and Indian developers had created nearly 1,00,000 apps for the App Store. Modi talked with Cook and other US corporate leaders ahead of a meeting with President Donald Trump. Apple, working with contract manufacturer Winstron, began assembling the iPhone SE in Bengaluru last month. Indian authorities have offered Apple tax concessions for the work with the requirement that more local components be used over time. The company is looking to India after sales in the greater China region, once a major factor in Apple's rise, fell 14 percent year over year to $10.7 billion in the most recent quarter. Apple has not disclosed how much revenue it generates in India but said that sales grew by 'strong double digits' there in the most recent quarter. "We have a ton of energy going into the country on a number of fronts," Cook told analysts about Apple's efforts in India during the company's most recent earnings call. "We believe, particularly now that the 4G infrastructure is going in the country and it's continuing to be expanded, there is a huge opportunity for Apple there."

How Apple aims to dive deeper into Indian market

Apple is leasing a small fleet of cars from rental company Hertz Global Holdings to test self-driving technology.

Hertz shares were up 13.5 percent at $10.82, while shares of Apple were slightly down.

As per the recent documents released by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Apple is renting Lexus RX450h sport-utility vehicles from Hertz&#39;s Donlen fleet management unit.

The iPhone maker is concentrating on technology for self-driving cars, Chief Executive Tim Cook stated earlier this month.

Hertz declined to comment, while Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Alphabet&#39;s self-driving car unit Waymo announced a similar partnership with Avis Budget Group to offer fleet support and maintenance services for its fleet of autonomous vehicles.

Apple is renting Lexus RX450h sport-utility vehicles from Hertz's Donlen fleet management unit

Apple is leasing a small fleet of cars from rental company Hertz Global Holdings to test self-driving technology. Hertz shares were up 13.5 percent at $10.82, while shares of Apple were slightly down. As per the recent documents released by the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Apple is renting Lexus RX450h sport-utility vehicles from Hertz's Donlen fleet management unit. The iPhone maker is concentrating on technology for self-driving cars, Chief Executive Tim Cook stated earlier this month. Hertz declined to comment, while Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Alphabet's self-driving car unit Waymo announced a similar partnership with Avis Budget Group to offer fleet support and maintenance services for its fleet of autonomous vehicles.

Apple working with Hertz to test self-driving technology

Global electronics makers are scrambling to stock up on memory chips to keep production lines running as Apple&#39;s new iPhone 8 launch later this year threatens to worsen a global squeeze on supply.

While heavyweights such as Apple and Samsung Electronics, which is also the world&#39;s top memory chipmaker, will not be seriously hit, industry sources and analysts say some electronics makers are paying a premium to lock into longer-term contracts. Others are placing orders earlier than before to ensure their perilously low inventories do no dry up completely.

&quot;After the supply shortages emerged we brought forward our procurement decisions ... to ensure a stable supply,&quot; smartphone and personal computer maker LG Electronics&nbsp;said in a statement, adding it had pushed up quarterly purchase decisions by about a month.

Chip manufacturing technologies are growing increasingly complex, raising investment costs yet providing less output growth as some suppliers struggle to improve yields. This has caused some chip prices to double or triple from a year earlier.

Some analysts say device makers could be forced to cut down on the amount of DRAM chips, which help devices perform multiple tasks at once, or NAND chips that are used for long-term data storage, on new products if the cannot get enough chips.

According to a chip supplier source, a handful of clients have moved to 6-month supply agreements, accepting higher prices than the customary quarterly or monthly deals, to make sure they get enough memory chips for their products. He added that the problem will be more acute for the NAND market, where the iPhone remains a critical source of demand given the huge sales volumes and recent moves to increase storage capacity on the device.

Inventory squeeze

Signs of stress have already emerged after Huawei Technologies&nbsp;was criticised by consumers. It was discovered that the Chinese firm used a mix of less advanced and powerful chips in its flagship P10 model that led to significant variations in performance. Huawei did not respond to requests for comment on its memory procurement plans.

According to analysts, about 18 per cent of the global annual supply of NAND chips is bought by Apple. In recent years, electronics makers have typically built up inventory during the first half to avoid being squeezed by Apple, which generally unveils its latest iPhone model in September. But the shortage of chips in the first half of the year has left many scrambling.

Should the US giant opt to push out more iPhones than usual or further increase the portion of high-storage models, that could further squeeze out other companies. Some analysts estimate Apple could ship as many as 100 million new iPhone 8s this year, compared to the 82.3 million iPhone 7s that Cowen &amp; Co. estimates for 2016.

&quot;For the iPhone 8 launch there have been specific references to this by customers and distributors as a reason for longer delivery times and shortages,&quot; said Tobey Gonnerman, executive vice president at US-based component distributor Fusion Worldwide. &quot;Buying buffer stock and holding the product in hubs to protect against anticipated delivery interruptions has certainly become more common in recent months.&quot;

Apple declined to comment on its memory chip purchasing plans.

No relief in sight

Chipmakers have been allocating more capital in recent years to boost production of NAND chips, where the shortage has been acute due to strong demand for high-end data storage products. Samsung Electronics will start NAND production at a $14 billion South Korea plant in the second half, while SK Hynix&nbsp;will start making its new high-end NAND products in coming months. But analysts say meaningful new supply is unlikely to materialise until 2018.

SK Hynix stated it has been meeting delivery dates but acknowledged supply conditions were tight, noting its inventory levels were at an all-time low and unlikely to increase in the near-term given continued demand.

Samsung declined to comment on chip procurement for its electronic devices or inventory levels for its memory business.

Smartphone makers in China are also locked in an arms race to provide the most memory, which could further exacerbate the squeeze as they seek to counter the iPhone.

Some investors and analysts have voiced concerns about potential &quot;de-speccing,&quot; where product makers cut back on memory to cope with the shortages or margin pressures. IHS analyst Walter Coon said some firms were starting to prepare to offer products with lower memory content if market conditions remain tight.

But analysts also say manufacturers will be loath to cut back on memory as such a move would be deeply unpopular, saying the firms are more likely to just not upgrade memory on new models.

Industry sources and analysts say some electronics makers are paying a premium to lock into longer-term contracts

Global electronics makers are scrambling to stock up on memory chips to keep production lines running as Apple's new iPhone 8 launch later this year threatens to worsen a global squeeze on supply. While heavyweights such as Apple and Samsung Electronics, which is also the world's top memory chipmaker, will not be seriously hit, industry sources and analysts say some electronics makers are paying a premium to lock into longer-term contracts. Others are placing orders earlier than before to ensure their perilously low inventories do no dry up completely. "After the supply shortages emerged we brought forward our procurement decisions ... to ensure a stable supply," smartphone and personal computer maker LG Electronics said in a statement, adding it had pushed up quarterly purchase decisions by about a month. Chip manufacturing technologies are growing increasingly complex, raising investment costs yet providing less output growth as some suppliers struggle to improve yields. This has caused some chip prices to double or triple from a year earlier. Some analysts say device makers could be forced to cut down on the amount of DRAM chips, which help devices perform multiple tasks at once, or NAND chips that are used for long-term data storage, on new products if the cannot get enough chips. According to a chip supplier source, a handful of clients have moved to 6-month supply agreements, accepting higher prices than the customary quarterly or monthly deals, to make sure they get enough memory chips for their products. He added that the problem will be more acute for the NAND market, where the iPhone remains a critical source of demand given the huge sales volumes and recent moves to increase storage capacity on the device. Inventory squeeze Signs of stress have already emerged after Huawei Technologies was criticised by consumers. It was discovered that the Chinese firm used a mix of less advanced and powerful chips in its flagship P10 model that led to significant variations in performance. Huawei did not respond to requests for comment on its memory procurement plans. According to analysts, about 18 per cent of the global annual supply of NAND chips is bought by Apple. In recent years, electronics makers have typically built up inventory during the first half to avoid being squeezed by Apple, which generally unveils its latest iPhone model in September. But the shortage of chips in the first half of the year has left many scrambling. Should the US giant opt to push out more iPhones than usual or further increase the portion of high-storage models, that could further squeeze out other companies. Some analysts estimate Apple could ship as many as 100 million new iPhone 8s this year, compared to the 82.3 million iPhone 7s that Cowen & Co. estimates for 2016. "For the iPhone 8 launch there have been specific references to this by customers and distributors as a reason for longer delivery times and shortages," said Tobey Gonnerman, executive vice president at US-based component distributor Fusion Worldwide. "Buying buffer stock and holding the product in hubs to protect against anticipated delivery interruptions has certainly become more common in recent months." Apple declined to comment on its memory chip purchasing plans. No relief in sight Chipmakers have been allocating more capital in recent years to boost production of NAND chips, where the shortage has been acute due to strong demand for high-end data storage products. Samsung Electronics will start NAND production at a $14 billion South Korea plant in the second half, while SK Hynix will start making its new high-end NAND products in coming months. But analysts say meaningful new supply is unlikely to materialise until 2018. SK Hynix stated it has been meeting delivery dates but acknowledged supply conditions were tight, noting its inventory levels were at an all-time low and unlikely to increase in the near-term given continued demand. Samsung declined to comment on chip procurement for its electronic devices or inventory levels for its memory business. Smartphone makers in China are also locked in an arms race to provide the most memory, which could further exacerbate the squeeze as they seek to counter the iPhone. Some investors and analysts have voiced concerns about potential "de-speccing," where product makers cut back on memory to cope with the shortages or margin pressures. IHS analyst Walter Coon said some firms were starting to prepare to offer products with lower memory content if market conditions remain tight. But analysts also say manufacturers will be loath to cut back on memory as such a move would be deeply unpopular, saying the firms are more likely to just not upgrade memory on new models.

As iPhone 8 looms, firms scramble to lock up memory chip supply

Apple broadened a legal attack on Qualcomm, arguing to a US federal court that license agreements that secure the chip maker a cut of every iPhone manufactured were invalid. 
If successful, Apple&#39;s attack would undermine a core tenet of Qualcomm&#39;s business model.

 
Apple sued San Diego-based Qualcomm in January, saying the chip maker improperly withheld $1 billion in rebates because Apple helped Korean regulators investigate Qualcomm. 
Apple&#39;s initial lawsuit was a relatively narrow one focused on whether it violated a contract with Qualcomm by helping regulators that were investigating Qualcomm&#39;s business practices. But the new filing expands Apple&#39;s claims and seeks to stop Qualcomm&#39;s longstanding business model using a legal theory based on a ruling last month.

 
The US&nbsp;Supreme Court made it harder for manufacturers and drug companies to control how their products are used or resold, ruling in May against printer company Lexmark International in a patent dispute over another company&#39;s resale of its used ink cartridges.

 
In a Tuesday brief seen by Reuters, Apple took aim at Qualcomm&#39;s practice of requiring customers to sign patent license agreements before purchasing chips, known in the industry as &quot;no license, no chips&quot;.

The license allows Qualcomm to take a percentage of the overall selling price for iPhone in exchange for supplying the modem chips that let phones connect to cellular data networks.

Apple argued that the ruling involving Lexmark showed that Qualcomm was entitled to only &quot;one reward&quot; for its intellectual property and products.

Qualcomm should be allowed to charge for either a patent license or a chip, but not both, Apple argued.

Apple wants to be able to buy chips without signing the license agreement that forces it to pay a part of the overall iPhone sale price.

Apple also asked the court to stop lawsuits that Qualcomm had filed against Foxconn Technology Group and three other contract makers that assemble the iPhone on Apple&#39;s behalf and are the formal buyers of Qualcomm&#39;s chip, as is standard in the electronics industry.

If successful, Apple's attack would undermine a core tenet of Qualcomm's business model

Apple broadened a legal attack on Qualcomm, arguing to a US federal court that license agreements that secure the chip maker a cut of every iPhone manufactured were invalid. If successful, Apple's attack would undermine a core tenet of Qualcomm's business model. Apple sued San Diego-based Qualcomm in January, saying the chip maker improperly withheld $1 billion in rebates because Apple helped Korean regulators investigate Qualcomm. Apple's initial lawsuit was a relatively narrow one focused on whether it violated a contract with Qualcomm by helping regulators that were investigating Qualcomm's business practices. But the new filing expands Apple's claims and seeks to stop Qualcomm's longstanding business model using a legal theory based on a ruling last month. The US Supreme Court made it harder for manufacturers and drug companies to control how their products are used or resold, ruling in May against printer company Lexmark International in a patent dispute over another company's resale of its used ink cartridges. In a Tuesday brief seen by Reuters, Apple took aim at Qualcomm's practice of requiring customers to sign patent license agreements before purchasing chips, known in the industry as "no license, no chips". The license allows Qualcomm to take a percentage of the overall selling price for iPhone in exchange for supplying the modem chips that let phones connect to cellular data networks. Apple argued that the ruling involving Lexmark showed that Qualcomm was entitled to only "one reward" for its intellectual property and products. Qualcomm should be allowed to charge for either a patent license or a chip, but not both, Apple argued. Apple wants to be able to buy chips without signing the license agreement that forces it to pay a part of the overall iPhone sale price. Apple also asked the court to stop lawsuits that Qualcomm had filed against Foxconn Technology Group and three other contract makers that assemble the iPhone on Apple's behalf and are the formal buyers of Qualcomm's chip, as is standard in the electronics industry.

Apple tells court Qualcomm chip licenses are invalid

Apple has hired two long-time Sony Pictures Television executives to expand the iPhone maker&#39;s push into original television programming, plunging deeper into a field crowded by Hollywood studios and online streaming services.

Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, responsible for hit shows such as Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul and The Crown, will join Apple in newly created positions to oversee all aspects of video programming, the technology company said in a statement.

&quot;Jamie and Zack are two of the most talented TV executives in the world and have been instrumental in making this the golden age of television,&quot; said Eddy Cue, Apple&#39;s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services.

&quot;There is much more to come,&quot; Cue said of Apple&#39;s video effort.

The new hires demonstrate a serious commitment by another deep-pocketed technology company to produce quality television shows. Erlicht and Van Amburg have served as senior Sony television executives since 2005.

But Apple did not elaborate on its strategy, leaving investors guessing how many shows it plans to distribute, how much it will spend and where the programming will be available.

The company is playing in an increasingly competitive field. Amazon.com and Netflix have invested billions of dollars in award-winning comedies and dramas featuring A-list Hollywood stars. And social media company Facebook has signed deals with millennial-focused news and entertainment creators, including Vox and BuzzFeed, to make shows for its upcoming video service.

Apple began its move last week with reality programme Planet of the Apps, an unscripted show about developers competing for venture capital funding. The series is available only to subscribers to Apple Music, a $10-a-month streaming service.

Viewer data

Apple has one huge advantage compared with other companies - 1 billion iPhones, iPads and other devices that run Apple&#39;s mobile operating system and offer a broad distribution platform. The company has widely promoted Planet of the Apps across iTunes, the App Store, Apple&#39;s website and elsewhere.

As tech companies push further into the content business, pressure mounts on traditional media outlets that do not have the same amount of data on viewers or the ability for content to be a loss leader, said Rich Greenfield, an analyst with BTIG.

&quot;These companies do not need to make money off video because they can make money other ways,&quot; Greenfield said. &quot;And they are going to have tons of data on their viewers.&quot;

It is more cost-effective for Apple to pay for original content and secure licensing deals on its own than to buy a content company, said Moody&rsquo;s analyst Gerald Granovsky.

&quot;From a credit perspective, we&rsquo;d much rather see Apple overpay to deliver original content than pay $50 billion to buy Netflix and basically compete for the same content,&quot; he said. &quot;They&rsquo;ll definitely get a better bang for their buck by focusing on their Apple TV product.&quot;

Greenfield said news of Apple&rsquo;s hires should put to rest rumours that Apple might acquire another content company, Walt Disney. &quot;It&rsquo;s pretty clear now that Apple isn&rsquo;t buying Disney,&quot; he said.

For Sony, the departures come as the Japanese conglomerate revamps its movie and television studio under new Chief Executive Tony Vinciquerra. In a memo to staff, Vinciquerra suggested Apple could be a buyer of Sony programming. 
&quot;While we are sad to see them go, we are excited by the opportunity to work with them as partners in the future,&quot; he said.

(Reuters)

Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, responsible for hit shows such as Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul and The Crown, will join Apple

Apple has hired two long-time Sony Pictures Television executives to expand the iPhone maker's push into original television programming, plunging deeper into a field crowded by Hollywood studios and online streaming services. Jamie Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg, responsible for hit shows such as Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul and The Crown, will join Apple in newly created positions to oversee all aspects of video programming, the technology company said in a statement. "Jamie and Zack are two of the most talented TV executives in the world and have been instrumental in making this the golden age of television," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "There is much more to come," Cue said of Apple's video effort. The new hires demonstrate a serious commitment by another deep-pocketed technology company to produce quality television shows. Erlicht and Van Amburg have served as senior Sony television executives since 2005. But Apple did not elaborate on its strategy, leaving investors guessing how many shows it plans to distribute, how much it will spend and where the programming will be available. The company is playing in an increasingly competitive field. Amazon.com and Netflix have invested billions of dollars in award-winning comedies and dramas featuring A-list Hollywood stars. And social media company Facebook has signed deals with millennial-focused news and entertainment creators, including Vox and BuzzFeed, to make shows for its upcoming video service. Apple began its move last week with reality programme Planet of the Apps, an unscripted show about developers competing for venture capital funding. The series is available only to subscribers to Apple Music, a $10-a-month streaming service. Viewer data Apple has one huge advantage compared with other companies - 1 billion iPhones, iPads and other devices that run Apple's mobile operating system and offer a broad distribution platform. The company has widely promoted Planet of the Apps across iTunes, the App Store, Apple's website and elsewhere. As tech companies push further into the content business, pressure mounts on traditional media outlets that do not have the same amount of data on viewers or the ability for content to be a loss leader, said Rich Greenfield, an analyst with BTIG. "These companies do not need to make money off video because they can make money other ways," Greenfield said. "And they are going to have tons of data on their viewers." It is more cost-effective for Apple to pay for original content and secure licensing deals on its own than to buy a content company, said Moody’s analyst Gerald Granovsky. "From a credit perspective, we’d much rather see Apple overpay to deliver original content than pay $50 billion to buy Netflix and basically compete for the same content," he said. "They’ll definitely get a better bang for their buck by focusing on their Apple TV product." Greenfield said news of Apple’s hires should put to rest rumours that Apple might acquire another content company, Walt Disney. "It’s pretty clear now that Apple isn’t buying Disney," he said. For Sony, the departures come as the Japanese conglomerate revamps its movie and television studio under new Chief Executive Tony Vinciquerra. In a memo to staff, Vinciquerra suggested Apple could be a buyer of Sony programming. "While we are sad to see them go, we are excited by the opportunity to work with them as partners in the future," he said. (Reuters)

Apple poaches two long-time Sony TV executives

Apple is concentrating on technology for self-driving cars, chief executive Tim Cook said for the first time in an interview with Bloomberg.

The company is focusing on autonomous systems, Cook told Bloomberg Television on June 5.

&quot;We&#39;re not really saying from a product point of view, what we will do ... it&#39;s a core technology that we view as very important,&quot; Cook said in the interview.

A late entrant to the self-driving race, Apple secured a permit in April to test autonomous vehicles in California and has recruited dozens of auto experts.

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(Reuters)

A late entrant to the self-driving race, Apple secured a permit in April to test autonomous vehicles in California and has recruited dozens of auto experts.

Apple is concentrating on technology for self-driving cars, chief executive Tim Cook said for the first time in an interview with Bloomberg. The company is focusing on autonomous systems, Cook told Bloomberg Television on June 5. "We're not really saying from a product point of view, what we will do ... it's a core technology that we view as very important," Cook said in the interview. A late entrant to the self-driving race, Apple secured a permit in April to test autonomous vehicles in California and has recruited dozens of auto experts. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reuters)

Apple focusing on autonomous car system: CEO

Chinese authorities say they have uncovered a massive underground operation run by Apple employees selling computer and phone users&#39; personal data.

Twenty-two people have been detained on suspicion of infringing individuals&#39; privacy and illegally obtaining their digital personal information, according to a statement Wednesday from local police in southern Zhejiang province.

Of the 22 suspects, 20 were Apple employees who allegedly used the company&#39;s internal computer system to gather users&#39; names, phone numbers, Apple IDs, and other data, which they sold as part of a scam worth more than 50 million yuan ($7.36 million).

The statement did not specify whether the data belonged to Chinese or foreign Apple customers.

Following months of investigation, the statement said, police across more than four provinces - Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Fujian - apprehended the suspects over the weekend, seizing their &quot;criminal tools&quot; and dismantling their online network.

The suspects, who worked in direct marketing and outsourcing for Apple in China, allegedly charged between 10 yuan ($1.50) and 180 yuan ($26.50) for pieces of the illegally extracted data.

The sale of personal information is common in China, which implemented on June 1 a controversial new cybersecurity law aimed at protecting the country&#39;s networks and private user information.

In December, an investigation by the Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper exposed a black market for private data gathered from police and government databases.

Reporters successfully obtained a trove of material on one colleague - including flight history, hotel checkouts and property holdings - in exchange for a payment of 700 yuan ($100).

Twenty-two people have been detained on suspicion of infringing individuals' privacy and illegally obtaining their digital personal information

Chinese authorities say they have uncovered a massive underground operation run by Apple employees selling computer and phone users' personal data. Twenty-two people have been detained on suspicion of infringing individuals' privacy and illegally obtaining their digital personal information, according to a statement Wednesday from local police in southern Zhejiang province. Of the 22 suspects, 20 were Apple employees who allegedly used the company's internal computer system to gather users' names, phone numbers, Apple IDs, and other data, which they sold as part of a scam worth more than 50 million yuan ($7.36 million). The statement did not specify whether the data belonged to Chinese or foreign Apple customers. Following months of investigation, the statement said, police across more than four provinces - Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Fujian - apprehended the suspects over the weekend, seizing their "criminal tools" and dismantling their online network. The suspects, who worked in direct marketing and outsourcing for Apple in China, allegedly charged between 10 yuan ($1.50) and 180 yuan ($26.50) for pieces of the illegally extracted data. The sale of personal information is common in China, which implemented on June 1 a controversial new cybersecurity law aimed at protecting the country's networks and private user information. In December, an investigation by the Southern Metropolis Daily newspaper exposed a black market for private data gathered from police and government databases. Reporters successfully obtained a trove of material on one colleague - including flight history, hotel checkouts and property holdings - in exchange for a payment of 700 yuan ($100).

Chinese Apple staff suspected of selling private data

Hey Siri, where can I get my cracked iPhone screen fixed?

Apple customers will soon have more choices as the company looks to reduce long wait times for iPhone repairs at its retail stores. By the end of 2017, Apple will put its proprietary machines for mending cracked iPhone glass in about 400 authorised third-party repair centers in 25 countries, company executives told Reuters.

Among the first recipients is Minneapolis-based Best Buy, which has long sold and serviced Apple products. The electronics retailer already has one of the screen-repair machines at a Miami-area store and one coming soon to an outlet in Sunnyvale, California.

Fixing cracked screens may seem like small potatoes, but it&#39;s a multi-billion-dollar global business. The move is also a major shift for Apple. The company had previously restricted use of its so-called Horizon Machine to its nearly 500 retail stores and mail-in repair centers; and it has guarded its design closely.

The change also comes as eight US states have launched &quot;right to repair&quot; bills aimed at prying open the tightly controlled repair networks of Apple and other high-tech manufacturers.

Apple said legislative pressure was not a factor in its decision to share its technology. It allowed Reuters to view and photograph the machines in action at a lab near its Cupertino, California headquarters. Until now, Apple had never formally acknowledged the Horizon Machine&#39;s existence.

The initial rollout aims to put machines in 200, or about 4 per cent, of Apple&#39;s 4,800 authorised service providers worldwide over the next few months. The company plans to double that figure by the end of the year.

&quot;We&#39;ve been on a quest to expand our reach,&quot; said Brian Naumann, senior director of service operations at Apple. He said repair wait times have grown at some of the company&#39;s busiest retail stores.

Pilot testing started a year ago. In addition to Miami, a few machines already are operating at third-party repair centers in the Bay Area, London, Shanghai and Singapore. Shops in some countries where Apple has no retail presence will also be early recipients, including locations in Colombia, Norway and South Korea. Apple would not say how much its partners are paying for the equipment.

To be sure, any mall repair kiosk can replace a cracked iPhone screen. Apple says its customers can get their devices fixed at non-authorized shops without voiding their warranties as long as the technician caused no damage.

But the Horizon Machine is needed to remedy the trickiest mishaps, such as when the fingerprint sensor attached to the back of the glass gets damaged when a phone is dropped.

For security, only Apple&#39;s fix-it machine can tell the iPhone&#39;s processor, its silicon brain, to recognise a replacement sensor. Without it, the iPhone won&#39;t unlock with the touch of a finger. Banking apps that require a fingerprint won&#39;t work either, including the Apple Pay digital wallet.

&quot;Right to repair&quot; gaining steam

Apple has sold more than 1 billion iPhones worldwide, many to customers who don&#39;t live near an Apple Store or an authorized third-party repair centre.

For fixes, many have turned to mom-and-pop shops and independent technicians that now dominate the trade. Research firm IBISWorld estimates the global cell phone repair business generates about $4 billion in revenue per year.

Many of these entrepreneurs do good work. Some don&#39;t. All use copycat parts because Apple, like other major manufacturers, doesn&#39;t supply original parts or repair manuals to anyone but authorised service partners.

Big companies defend this arrangement as the only way they can guarantee high-quality repair work and keep hackers away from the proprietary software that makes their products tick.

Consumer advocates, however, say their aim is to wring outsized profits from repairs. Independent technicians often charge less than the cost of a factory fix.

Enter right-to-repair bills. New York, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas and Wyoming have introduced legislation looking to aid small shops and do-it-yourself tinkerers.

These proposed measures would require manufacturers to supply repair manuals, diagnostic tools and authentic replacement parts at fair prices to independent technicians and the general public.

Apple, heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc and medical device maker Medtronic have lobbied against New York&#39;s bill. In Nebraska, Apple sent its state and local lobbying chief Steve Kester to visit the Republican lawmaker sponsoring that state&#39;s measure.

&quot;Apple is telling me this is a bad thing because you&#39;re going to have a mecca for hackers in Nebraska,&quot; State Sen. Lydia Brasch said of Kester&#39;s February visit.

Apple hasn&#39;t commented on the bills, but a trade group it belongs to contends the Nebraska measure would force the company to divulge how it secures sensitive data on the iPhone.

&quot;Think about how much of our personal lives are in this device,&quot; said Mike Lanigan, head engineer for Apple&#39;s service efforts.

Inside the lab

Apple got into the screen-fixing business just three years ago with the introduction of the iPhone 5. Up until then, customers whose phones were out of warranty paid a &quot;repair&quot; fee, but Apple simply replaced the entire phone.

Lanigan said customers have been requesting repair service since shortly after the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, but the company waited until it could perfect the process.

&quot;We view the service aspect of this as all part of the overall Apple experience,&quot; Lanigan said.

Apple doesn&#39;t break out repair revenue in its financial statements. Analysts estimate it at $1 billion to $2 billion annually for all products.

As Apple&#39;s screen mending has matured, its prices have dropped to $129 to $149, depending on screen size, from $229. That&#39;s competitive with many independent shops for newer iPhones. Still, some technicians charge as little as $60 to fix older models.

Apple says its process aims to make the display look like it just came out of the box. To demonstrate, the company allowed Reuters to observe the Horizon Machine at a repair lab in Sunnyvale, California.

In the cavernous, brightly lit lab painted in Apple&#39;s signature sparkling white, two lab technicians clad in T-shirts, shorts and tennis shoes scurried between rows of long white metal tables stuffed with test equipment.

Dozens of Horizon Machines lined the tables. The contraptions, gray metal boxes the size of a microwave with a swing-out windowed door, vary slightly in shape depending on the model of iPhone they repair. Apple would not say where the machines were made or by whom.

In a smaller training room, a technician laid out the tools Apple uses to fix iPhone screens: special screwdrivers for the iPhone&#39;s five- and three-lobed screws, a custom suction-cup for loosening the screen without tearing the delicate ribbon cables behind it, and a press to squeeze iPhone 7s to ensure waterproofing.

Once the new screen is mounted, the iPhone goes into the Horizon Machine, which allows Apple&#39;s software to communicate with the fresh hardware. Over the course of 10 to 12 minutes, the machine talks to the phone&#39;s operating system to pair the fingerprint sensor to the phone&#39;s brain.

While that unfolds, a mechanical finger jabs the screen in multiple places to test the touch-sensitive surface. The machine also fine tunes the display and software to match the precise colors and calibration of the original.

&quot;We design for a customer experience that exceeds anything our competitors try to do,&quot; said Naumann, Apple&#39;s service chief. &quot;We endeavour to make it right at the same standard as when the customer bought the product.&quot;

(Reuters)

By the end of 2017, Apple will put its proprietary machines for mending cracked iPhone glass in about 400 authorised third-party repair centers in 25 countries.

Hey Siri, where can I get my cracked iPhone screen fixed? Apple customers will soon have more choices as the company looks to reduce long wait times for iPhone repairs at its retail stores. By the end of 2017, Apple will put its proprietary machines for mending cracked iPhone glass in about 400 authorised third-party repair centers in 25 countries, company executives told Reuters. Among the first recipients is Minneapolis-based Best Buy, which has long sold and serviced Apple products. The electronics retailer already has one of the screen-repair machines at a Miami-area store and one coming soon to an outlet in Sunnyvale, California. Fixing cracked screens may seem like small potatoes, but it's a multi-billion-dollar global business. The move is also a major shift for Apple. The company had previously restricted use of its so-called Horizon Machine to its nearly 500 retail stores and mail-in repair centers; and it has guarded its design closely. The change also comes as eight US states have launched "right to repair" bills aimed at prying open the tightly controlled repair networks of Apple and other high-tech manufacturers. Apple said legislative pressure was not a factor in its decision to share its technology. It allowed Reuters to view and photograph the machines in action at a lab near its Cupertino, California headquarters. Until now, Apple had never formally acknowledged the Horizon Machine's existence. The initial rollout aims to put machines in 200, or about 4 per cent, of Apple's 4,800 authorised service providers worldwide over the next few months. The company plans to double that figure by the end of the year. "We've been on a quest to expand our reach," said Brian Naumann, senior director of service operations at Apple. He said repair wait times have grown at some of the company's busiest retail stores. Pilot testing started a year ago. In addition to Miami, a few machines already are operating at third-party repair centers in the Bay Area, London, Shanghai and Singapore. Shops in some countries where Apple has no retail presence will also be early recipients, including locations in Colombia, Norway and South Korea. Apple would not say how much its partners are paying for the equipment. To be sure, any mall repair kiosk can replace a cracked iPhone screen. Apple says its customers can get their devices fixed at non-authorized shops without voiding their warranties as long as the technician caused no damage. But the Horizon Machine is needed to remedy the trickiest mishaps, such as when the fingerprint sensor attached to the back of the glass gets damaged when a phone is dropped. For security, only Apple's fix-it machine can tell the iPhone's processor, its silicon brain, to recognise a replacement sensor. Without it, the iPhone won't unlock with the touch of a finger. Banking apps that require a fingerprint won't work either, including the Apple Pay digital wallet. "Right to repair" gaining steam Apple has sold more than 1 billion iPhones worldwide, many to customers who don't live near an Apple Store or an authorized third-party repair centre. For fixes, many have turned to mom-and-pop shops and independent technicians that now dominate the trade. Research firm IBISWorld estimates the global cell phone repair business generates about $4 billion in revenue per year. Many of these entrepreneurs do good work. Some don't. All use copycat parts because Apple, like other major manufacturers, doesn't supply original parts or repair manuals to anyone but authorised service partners. Big companies defend this arrangement as the only way they can guarantee high-quality repair work and keep hackers away from the proprietary software that makes their products tick. Consumer advocates, however, say their aim is to wring outsized profits from repairs. Independent technicians often charge less than the cost of a factory fix. Enter right-to-repair bills. New York, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas and Wyoming have introduced legislation looking to aid small shops and do-it-yourself tinkerers. These proposed measures would require manufacturers to supply repair manuals, diagnostic tools and authentic replacement parts at fair prices to independent technicians and the general public. Apple, heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc and medical device maker Medtronic have lobbied against New York's bill. In Nebraska, Apple sent its state and local lobbying chief Steve Kester to visit the Republican lawmaker sponsoring that state's measure. "Apple is telling me this is a bad thing because you're going to have a mecca for hackers in Nebraska," State Sen. Lydia Brasch said of Kester's February visit. Apple hasn't commented on the bills, but a trade group it belongs to contends the Nebraska measure would force the company to divulge how it secures sensitive data on the iPhone. "Think about how much of our personal lives are in this device," said Mike Lanigan, head engineer for Apple's service efforts. Inside the lab Apple got into the screen-fixing business just three years ago with the introduction of the iPhone 5. Up until then, customers whose phones were out of warranty paid a "repair" fee, but Apple simply replaced the entire phone. Lanigan said customers have been requesting repair service since shortly after the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, but the company waited until it could perfect the process. "We view the service aspect of this as all part of the overall Apple experience," Lanigan said. Apple doesn't break out repair revenue in its financial statements. Analysts estimate it at $1 billion to $2 billion annually for all products. As Apple's screen mending has matured, its prices have dropped to $129 to $149, depending on screen size, from $229. That's competitive with many independent shops for newer iPhones. Still, some technicians charge as little as $60 to fix older models. Apple says its process aims to make the display look like it just came out of the box. To demonstrate, the company allowed Reuters to observe the Horizon Machine at a repair lab in Sunnyvale, California. In the cavernous, brightly lit lab painted in Apple's signature sparkling white, two lab technicians clad in T-shirts, shorts and tennis shoes scurried between rows of long white metal tables stuffed with test equipment. Dozens of Horizon Machines lined the tables. The contraptions, gray metal boxes the size of a microwave with a swing-out windowed door, vary slightly in shape depending on the model of iPhone they repair. Apple would not say where the machines were made or by whom. In a smaller training room, a technician laid out the tools Apple uses to fix iPhone screens: special screwdrivers for the iPhone's five- and three-lobed screws, a custom suction-cup for loosening the screen without tearing the delicate ribbon cables behind it, and a press to squeeze iPhone 7s to ensure waterproofing. Once the new screen is mounted, the iPhone goes into the Horizon Machine, which allows Apple's software to communicate with the fresh hardware. Over the course of 10 to 12 minutes, the machine talks to the phone's operating system to pair the fingerprint sensor to the phone's brain. While that unfolds, a mechanical finger jabs the screen in multiple places to test the touch-sensitive surface. The machine also fine tunes the display and software to match the precise colors and calibration of the original. "We design for a customer experience that exceeds anything our competitors try to do," said Naumann, Apple's service chief. "We endeavour to make it right at the same standard as when the customer bought the product." (Reuters)

Now, it will be a lot easier to get your broken iPhones fixed

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Monday that Amazon Prime Video would be available on Apple TV and other Apple devices starting later this year.

Apple has about 50 media partners that supply content to its Apple TV and on the television app on its popular iPhone. But Amazon&#39;s service, which includes hit shows like &quot;Transparent,&quot; has been a notable absence from Apple&#39;s hardware.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/science-tech/apple-debuts-homepod-speaker-to-take-on-amazon-google-16472">Also read: Apple debuts HomePod speaker to take on Amazon, Google</a>

CEO Tim Cook also used the Apple keynote to show off new iPad and Mac computer models, as well as provide glimpses at coming versions of the software powering the technology titan&#39;s devices.

Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi said the next Mac operating system will be named &quot;High Sierra&quot; in tribute to the California mountain range.

High Sierra features will include being able to stop unexpected videos from starting to play automatically when landing on web pages and &quot;intelligent tracking prevention&quot; that will prevent ads from following people about the internet.

High Sierra will be released later this year as a free update, according to Federighi.

(WION with inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

Apple has about 50 media partners that supply content to its Apple TV and on the television app on its popular iPhone.

Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Monday that Amazon Prime Video would be available on Apple TV and other Apple devices starting later this year. Apple has about 50 media partners that supply content to its Apple TV and on the television app on its popular iPhone. But Amazon's service, which includes hit shows like "Transparent," has been a notable absence from Apple's hardware. Also read: Apple debuts HomePod speaker to take on Amazon, Google CEO Tim Cook also used the Apple keynote to show off new iPad and Mac computer models, as well as provide glimpses at coming versions of the software powering the technology titan's devices. Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi said the next Mac operating system will be named "High Sierra" in tribute to the California mountain range. High Sierra features will include being able to stop unexpected videos from starting to play automatically when landing on web pages and "intelligent tracking prevention" that will prevent ads from following people about the internet. High Sierra will be released later this year as a free update, according to Federighi. (WION with inputs from agencies)

WWDC 2017: Amazon Prime Video coming to Apple devices

Apple is expected to announce plans next week to make its Siri voice assistant work with a larger variety of apps, as the technology company looks to counter the runaway success of Amazon&#39;s competing Alexa service.

But the Cupertino, California company is likely to stick to its tested method of focusing on a small amount of features and trying to perfect them, rather than casting as wide a net as possible, according to engineers and artificial intelligence industry insiders.

Currently, Apple&#39;s Siri works with only six types of apps - ride-hailing and sharing; messaging and calling; photo search; payments; fitness; and auto infotainment systems. At the company&#39;s annual developer conference next week, it is expected to add to those categories.

Some industry-watchers have also predicted Apple will announce hardware similar to Amazon&#39;s Echo device for the home, which has been a hot-seller recently. Apple declined comment.

But even if Siri doubles its areas of expertise, it will be a far cry from the 12,000 or so tasks that Amazon&#39;s Alexa can handle.

The difference illustrates a strategic divide between the two tech rivals. Apple is betting that customers will not use voice commands without an experience similar to speaking with a human, and so it is limiting what Siri can do in order to make sure it works well.

Amazon puts no such restrictions on Alexa, wagering that the voice assistant with the most &quot;skills,&quot; its term for apps on its Echo assistant devices, will gain a loyal following, even if it sometimes makes mistakes and takes more effort to use.

The clash of approaches is coming to a head as virtual assistants that respond to voice commands become a priority for the leading tech companies, which want to find new ways of engaging customers and make more money from shopping and online services.

Path to the money

Now, an iPhone user can say, &quot;Hey Siri, I&#39;d like a ride to the airport&quot; or &quot;Hey Siri, order me a car,&quot; and Siri will open the Uber or Lyft ride service app and start booking a trip.

Apart from some basic home and music functions, Alexa needs more specific directions, using a limited set of commands such as &quot;ask&quot; or &quot;tell.&quot; For example, &quot;Alexa, ask Uber for a ride,&quot; will start the process of summoning a car, but &quot;Alexa, order me an Uber&quot; will not, because Alexa does not make the connection that it should open the Uber &quot;skill.&quot;

After some setup, Alexa can order a pizza from Domino&#39;s, while Siri cannot get a pie because food delivery is not - so far - one of the categories of apps that Apple has opened up to Siri.

&quot;In typical Apple fashion, they&#39;ve allowed for only a few use cases, but they do them very well,&quot; said Charles Jolley, chief executive of Ozlo, maker of an intelligent assistant app.

Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller said the company does not comment on its plans for developers. 
Amazon said in a statement: &quot;Our goal is to make speaking with Alexa as natural and easy as possible, so we&rsquo;re looking at ways to improve this over time.&quot;

Side dish, not entree

Apple&#39;s narrower focus could become a problem, said Matt McIlwain, a venture capitalist with Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group.

The potential of Apple&#39;s original iPhone did not come to light until thousands of developers started building apps. McIlwain said he expects Apple to add new categories at its Worldwide Developers Conference next week, but not nearly enough to match Alexa&#39;s number of skills.

&quot;To attract developers in the modern world, you need a platform,&quot; McIlwain said. &quot;If Apple does not launch a &#39;skills store,&#39; that would be a mistake.&quot;

Neither Siri nor Alexa has a clear path to making money. Siri works as an additional tool for controlling traditional apps, and Apple pays money to owners of those apps. Alexa&#39;s skills are free, and developers are not paid.

At the moment, because of their limits, voice apps are &quot;a side dish, not the entree,&quot; according to Oren Etzioni, CEO of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence.

Amazon was wise to not commit to an economic model at such an early state, Etzioni said. &quot;Once a successful economic model for developers emerges, people are going to gravitate to it.&quot;

(Reuters)

Currently, Apple's Siri works with only six types of apps

Apple is expected to announce plans next week to make its Siri voice assistant work with a larger variety of apps, as the technology company looks to counter the runaway success of Amazon's competing Alexa service. But the Cupertino, California company is likely to stick to its tested method of focusing on a small amount of features and trying to perfect them, rather than casting as wide a net as possible, according to engineers and artificial intelligence industry insiders. Currently, Apple's Siri works with only six types of apps - ride-hailing and sharing; messaging and calling; photo search; payments; fitness; and auto infotainment systems. At the company's annual developer conference next week, it is expected to add to those categories. Some industry-watchers have also predicted Apple will announce hardware similar to Amazon's Echo device for the home, which has been a hot-seller recently. Apple declined comment. But even if Siri doubles its areas of expertise, it will be a far cry from the 12,000 or so tasks that Amazon's Alexa can handle. The difference illustrates a strategic divide between the two tech rivals. Apple is betting that customers will not use voice commands without an experience similar to speaking with a human, and so it is limiting what Siri can do in order to make sure it works well. Amazon puts no such restrictions on Alexa, wagering that the voice assistant with the most "skills," its term for apps on its Echo assistant devices, will gain a loyal following, even if it sometimes makes mistakes and takes more effort to use. The clash of approaches is coming to a head as virtual assistants that respond to voice commands become a priority for the leading tech companies, which want to find new ways of engaging customers and make more money from shopping and online services. Path to the money Now, an iPhone user can say, "Hey Siri, I'd like a ride to the airport" or "Hey Siri, order me a car," and Siri will open the Uber or Lyft ride service app and start booking a trip. Apart from some basic home and music functions, Alexa needs more specific directions, using a limited set of commands such as "ask" or "tell." For example, "Alexa, ask Uber for a ride," will start the process of summoning a car, but "Alexa, order me an Uber" will not, because Alexa does not make the connection that it should open the Uber "skill." After some setup, Alexa can order a pizza from Domino's, while Siri cannot get a pie because food delivery is not - so far - one of the categories of apps that Apple has opened up to Siri. "In typical Apple fashion, they've allowed for only a few use cases, but they do them very well," said Charles Jolley, chief executive of Ozlo, maker of an intelligent assistant app. Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller said the company does not comment on its plans for developers. Amazon said in a statement: "Our goal is to make speaking with Alexa as natural and easy as possible, so we’re looking at ways to improve this over time." Side dish, not entree Apple's narrower focus could become a problem, said Matt McIlwain, a venture capitalist with Seattle-based Madrona Venture Group. The potential of Apple's original iPhone did not come to light until thousands of developers started building apps. McIlwain said he expects Apple to add new categories at its Worldwide Developers Conference next week, but not nearly enough to match Alexa's number of skills. "To attract developers in the modern world, you need a platform," McIlwain said. "If Apple does not launch a 'skills store,' that would be a mistake." Neither Siri nor Alexa has a clear path to making money. Siri works as an additional tool for controlling traditional apps, and Apple pays money to owners of those apps. Alexa's skills are free, and developers are not paid. At the moment, because of their limits, voice apps are "a side dish, not the entree," according to Oren Etzioni, CEO of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence. Amazon was wise to not commit to an economic model at such an early state, Etzioni said. "Once a successful economic model for developers emerges, people are going to gravitate to it." (Reuters)

WWDC 2017: Apple set to make Siri work with a larger variety of apps

Apple Music streaming service will release its adaptation of comedian James Corden&#39;s &quot;Carpool Karaoke&quot; to subscribers beginning on August 8, the company said on its website.

The technology giant had previously announced that &quot;Carpool Karaoke: The Series&quot; would be launched in April as part of a move into original video for Apple Music, a $9.99-a-month streaming service. Apple later delayed the release without providing an explanation, Reuters reported.

The series for Apple Music is an adaptation of a popular segment that runs during CBS Corp&#39;s &quot;The Late Late Show with James Corden&quot; and sees him driving with a celebrity and singing a medley of songs.

Corden will appear in the Apple Music series with basketball superstar LeBron James and actor Will Smith, according to Apple&#39;s statement. Other episodes feature celebrity pairings including John Legend with Alicia Keyes and Taraji P. Henson, and Miley Cyrus with her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, and other family members.

New episodes of the series will be released on Apple Music on Tuesdays, the company said. &quot;Carpool Karaoke&quot; will continue to be a recurring segment on &quot;The Late Late Show.&quot;

(Reuters)

The series for Apple Music is an adaptation of a popular segment that runs during CBS Corp's 'The Late Late Show with James Corden'

Apple Music streaming service will release its adaptation of comedian James Corden's "Carpool Karaoke" to subscribers beginning on August 8, the company said on its website. The technology giant had previously announced that "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" would be launched in April as part of a move into original video for Apple Music, a $9.99-a-month streaming service. Apple later delayed the release without providing an explanation, Reuters reported. The series for Apple Music is an adaptation of a popular segment that runs during CBS Corp's "The Late Late Show with James Corden" and sees him driving with a celebrity and singing a medley of songs. Corden will appear in the Apple Music series with basketball superstar LeBron James and actor Will Smith, according to Apple's statement. Other episodes feature celebrity pairings including John Legend with Alicia Keyes and Taraji P. Henson, and Miley Cyrus with her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, and other family members. New episodes of the series will be released on Apple Music on Tuesdays, the company said. "Carpool Karaoke" will continue to be a recurring segment on "The Late Late Show." (Reuters)

Apple Music sets August 8 as new release date for 'Carpool Karaoke'

Apple has settled a patent dispute with Finnish telecom equipment maker Nokia and agreed to buy more of its network products and services, sending Nokia shares up 7 per cent.

The deal means Nokia will get bigger royalties from Apple for using its mobile phone patents, helping offset the impact of waning demand for its mobile network hardware.

Such legal battles are common in the industry but can drag on for years and analysts had not been expecting such a quick resolution to the dispute that started in December.

Under the deal announced in a joint statement from the companies on Tuesday, Nokia will also supply network infrastructure products to Apple, and Apple will resume sales of Nokia&#39;s digital health products in retail and online stores and look at further collaboration in health.

Digital health is one of the areas Nokia is targeting as it tries to develop new businesses to offset the industry-wide slump in demand for network equipment. Last year, Nokia bought France&#39;s Withings S.A., a small firm with products such as activity trackers and baby monitors built on digital platforms.

&quot;There could emerge big future value from this as Apple could become an important distribution channel,&quot; said Handelsbanken analyst Daniel Djurberg, who has an &quot;accumulate&quot; recommendation for Nokia shares.

&quot;I have not given any value so far for Nokia&#39;s digital health business, but might apply an option value to it.&quot;

Indutrial deal

Nokia Chief Executive Rajeev Suri told the company&#39;s annual general meeting later on Tuesday that the deal would help expand network sales beyond telecom operators to global internet and technology giants.

&quot;(The deal) involves a business collaboration ... in particular in areas of IP and optical equipment, which is quite key to webscale players when they build their data centers,&quot; he said. &quot;It&#39;s a good deal, a multi-year licensing deal, and I love it that it has an industrial deal and aspect to it.&quot;

Under the patent license agreement, Nokia will receive a &quot;significant&quot; upfront cash payment and additional revenues from Apple starting from the current quarter. The companies did not give further details but analysts said the revenue was likely to be far higher than a previous deal.

Inge Heydorn, fund manager at Sentat Asset Management, said it was a smart move to collaborate on digital health products.

&quot;It&#39;s interesting for Nokia in a 5&nbsp;to 10&nbsp;year perspective since I think it will be hard to be profitable within mobile infrastructure,&quot; said Heydorn, whose firm does not hold any shares in Nokia.

Nokia shares, which fell in December when the patent dispute was announced, jumped to their highest since February 2016 and were up 6.7 per cent at 5.89 euros&nbsp;by 1509 GMT.

A previous patent license contract between the companies expired last year, and both sides took legal action in December. Apple complained of being overcharged and Nokia responded by accusing Apple of violating technology patents.

In the absence of a new deal, Nokia cut its annual run-rate forecast in December for patent and brand licensing sales to 800 million euros ($900 million) from 950 million euros ($1000 million) previously. In its latest quarterly report released in April, Nokia stopped giving an annual run-rate forecast altogether.

&quot;(The agreement) moves our relationship with Apple from being adversaries in court to business partners,&quot; Nokia&#39;s Chief Legal Officer Maria Varsellona said in a statement.

Quick resolution

Analysts were surprised by the relatively quick resolution of the dispute between Apple and Nokia.

&quot;Nokia told analysts in April don&#39;t calculate on any license revenue from Apple, not even in 2018, so this is a positive surprise. It will also limit Nokia&#39;s legal expenses,&quot; said Djurberg who said he would probably raise his Nokia estimates.

&quot;For Nokia, it&#39;s good news they got this out of the way, but we still have to wait for details about the financial impact,&quot; said OP Equities analyst Hannu Rauhala.

&quot;The previous annual rate was 150 million euros ($167 million), so I assume this to be more, around 500 million euros ($558 million).&quot;

Rauhala said Apple might have been willing to settle with Nokia as the US&nbsp;company&#39;s patent battle with chipmaker Qualcomm has escalated.

Patent royalties represent only a sliver of Nokia&#39;s overall revenue, more than 90 per cent of which comes from telecom&nbsp;network equipment. But licensing payments are highly profitable and the network business is suffering an industry-wide slump.

Nokia&#39;s patents cover technology that reduces the need for hardware components in a phone, conserves battery life, increases radio reception, helps in recovering lost phones and enables voice recognition, among other features.

Once the world&#39;s dominant cellphone maker, Nokia sold its handset business to Microsoft in 2014 to focus on its network business and large portfolio of mobile device patents.

Nokia&#39;s total sales in 2016 were about 24 billion euros ($27 billion).

(Reuters)

Nokia will get bigger royalties from Apple for using its mobile phone patents

Apple has settled a patent dispute with Finnish telecom equipment maker Nokia and agreed to buy more of its network products and services, sending Nokia shares up 7 per cent. The deal means Nokia will get bigger royalties from Apple for using its mobile phone patents, helping offset the impact of waning demand for its mobile network hardware. Such legal battles are common in the industry but can drag on for years and analysts had not been expecting such a quick resolution to the dispute that started in December. Under the deal announced in a joint statement from the companies on Tuesday, Nokia will also supply network infrastructure products to Apple, and Apple will resume sales of Nokia's digital health products in retail and online stores and look at further collaboration in health. Digital health is one of the areas Nokia is targeting as it tries to develop new businesses to offset the industry-wide slump in demand for network equipment. Last year, Nokia bought France's Withings S.A., a small firm with products such as activity trackers and baby monitors built on digital platforms. "There could emerge big future value from this as Apple could become an important distribution channel," said Handelsbanken analyst Daniel Djurberg, who has an "accumulate" recommendation for Nokia shares. "I have not given any value so far for Nokia's digital health business, but might apply an option value to it." Indutrial deal Nokia Chief Executive Rajeev Suri told the company's annual general meeting later on Tuesday that the deal would help expand network sales beyond telecom operators to global internet and technology giants. "(The deal) involves a business collaboration ... in particular in areas of IP and optical equipment, which is quite key to webscale players when they build their data centers," he said. "It's a good deal, a multi-year licensing deal, and I love it that it has an industrial deal and aspect to it." Under the patent license agreement, Nokia will receive a "significant" upfront cash payment and additional revenues from Apple starting from the current quarter. The companies did not give further details but analysts said the revenue was likely to be far higher than a previous deal. Inge Heydorn, fund manager at Sentat Asset Management, said it was a smart move to collaborate on digital health products. "It's interesting for Nokia in a 5 to 10 year perspective since I think it will be hard to be profitable within mobile infrastructure," said Heydorn, whose firm does not hold any shares in Nokia. Nokia shares, which fell in December when the patent dispute was announced, jumped to their highest since February 2016 and were up 6.7 per cent at 5.89 euros by 1509 GMT. A previous patent license contract between the companies expired last year, and both sides took legal action in December. Apple complained of being overcharged and Nokia responded by accusing Apple of violating technology patents. In the absence of a new deal, Nokia cut its annual run-rate forecast in December for patent and brand licensing sales to 800 million euros ($900 million) from 950 million euros ($1000 million) previously. In its latest quarterly report released in April, Nokia stopped giving an annual run-rate forecast altogether. "(The agreement) moves our relationship with Apple from being adversaries in court to business partners," Nokia's Chief Legal Officer Maria Varsellona said in a statement. Quick resolution Analysts were surprised by the relatively quick resolution of the dispute between Apple and Nokia. "Nokia told analysts in April don't calculate on any license revenue from Apple, not even in 2018, so this is a positive surprise. It will also limit Nokia's legal expenses," said Djurberg who said he would probably raise his Nokia estimates. "For Nokia, it's good news they got this out of the way, but we still have to wait for details about the financial impact," said OP Equities analyst Hannu Rauhala. "The previous annual rate was 150 million euros ($167 million), so I assume this to be more, around 500 million euros ($558 million)." Rauhala said Apple might have been willing to settle with Nokia as the US company's patent battle with chipmaker Qualcomm has escalated. Patent royalties represent only a sliver of Nokia's overall revenue, more than 90 per cent of which comes from telecom network equipment. But licensing payments are highly profitable and the network business is suffering an industry-wide slump. Nokia's patents cover technology that reduces the need for hardware components in a phone, conserves battery life, increases radio reception, helps in recovering lost phones and enables voice recognition, among other features. Once the world's dominant cellphone maker, Nokia sold its handset business to Microsoft in 2014 to focus on its network business and large portfolio of mobile device patents. Nokia's total sales in 2016 were about 24 billion euros ($27 billion). (Reuters)

Nokia and Apple see deeper partnership after ending patent dispute

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