iPad

Apple's monster Q1 earnings still fall short on Wall Street

Apple just reported its first quarter earnings, and they were huge, though they missed Wall Street's expectations.

The iPhone and iPad maker posted revenue of $54.5 billion and earnings of $13.1 billion, or $13.81 per share. That was just below the $54.7 billion and slightly above the earnings per share of $13.44 Wall Street was expecting, but above the $52 billion and $11.75 per share Apple forecast for itself back in October.

Apple sold 47.8 million iPhones during the quarter, which ended in December. Sales of the iPad came in at 22.… Read more

Samsung tops Apple in another metric -- top chip buyer

Samsung surpassed Apple to become the world's biggest semiconductor buyer in 2012, a new report from Gartner said.

The tech research firm, which evaluated the total available market for chip purchases, found Samsung bought 8 percent, or $23.9 billion, of all chips this year. That's up 29 percent from the previous year and reflects Samsung's soaring mobile device sales.

Apple, by comparison, purchased 7.2 percent, or $21.4 billion, of the semiconductors sold last year. That's up 14 percent from 2011 but not enough to maintain Apple's position as the top semiconductor customer. … Read more

Orangutans monkey around with iPads at zoo

Apple's iPad is proving to be popular among a different, and hairier, type of consumer.

The Smithsonian's National Zoo recently kicked off Apps for Apes, a program that lets orangutans use the iPad as a way to stimulate their lives.

Offered through Orangutan Outreach, Apps for Apes has already been used at 12 other zoos around the world. As described by the group, the program has three goals:

Provide stimulating enrichment and immediate gratification for orangutans. Make zoo visitors aware of the critical need to protect orangutans in the wild. Promote the conservation efforts of Orangutan Outreach.

… Read more

Apple's Chinese New Year sale hits Jan. 25 -- but only in Asia

Apple will kick off its Chinese New Year sale Friday, giving customers in the key Asia market access to discounts as part of its effort to attract buyers in the fast-growing region.

The sale will last from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 25 and will take place in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, and Taiwan.

Apple already has introduced a Chinese New Year gift guide, but it's unclear what discounts it will offer Friday. Deals in the past included 8 percent off iPads and 10 percent off iPod Touches, as … Read more

Apple's first 2013 earnings to be closely watched

Apple reports its first-quarter earnings this week, and the results could not be more closely watched for signs of the company's health and future.

The story is well-known by now. Shares of Apple's stock have been on the decline, going from $702 in late September to a close at an even $500 last week. That's a 28.4 percent drop in just over four months. Positive results -- and a look ahead when Apple puts out its numbers Wednesday -- could turn that trend.

Apple forecast $52 billion in revenue and earnings of $11.75 per share … Read more

NFC: Not just for mobile payments anymore

Move over, mobile payments. NFC is finding other ways to make itself useful.

In fact, paying for items with one's phone seems to be the least common use for the close-range connectivity technology right now, at least based on gadgets unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show. Rather, essentially all products using NFC shown at the recent confab employed the technology in one of two ways: To set up a sort of digital handshake between a mobile device and another gadget or as a way to share information between products with just a tap.

"NFC really simplifies things," … Read more

Sharp cuts iPad screen output -- due to iPad Mini success?

Apple has asked Sharp to decrease production of its 9.7-inch iPad screens, leading some to wonder if the iPad Mini is behind the move.

Sharp's iPad screen production line has fallen to "minimal level," Reuters reported today, citing people who claim to have knowledge of its output. The sources say the production slowdown commenced late last year.

Those sources say that the slowdown could be due to consumer demand increasingly shifting to the iPad Mini, though they would not say how much Apple's smaller slate could be impacting screen production. It's also possible, the … Read more

iPad Mini cellular model debuts in China with two-week delay

The cellular edition of the iPad Mini debuted in China today, but buyers will have to wait two weeks before it ships.

That delay also applies to the Wi-Fi only version, which has been out for about six weeks. A check of the Apple Store in China finds that all capacities of both the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular models are stuck with a two-week ship time.

iPad Mini buyers in the U.K., Japan, and other countries face the same delay, though the wait time in the U.S. is only one week.

Apple has been battling to meet global … Read more

Hearst gives iPad owners early dibs on magazines

Publisher Hearst has a new initiative that gives iPad owners early access to digital versions of its magazines.

Apple today quietly launched a new section in its App Store called "Read them here first," with a listing of Hearst-owned magazines that can be had digitally before they arrive on newsstands or on competing digital platforms.

Hearst has 20 of its titles involved in the program, including Esquire, Car and Driver, and Popular Mechanics. A company spokeswoman said the lead time varies by publication.

The move gives Apple a leg up against competing digital newsstand products, particularly apps Zinio … Read more