Apple mines big profits from Watch band

SAN FRANCISCO  - Nearly 20% of Apple Watch buyers are not only shelling out hundreds of dollars for the timepiece but are springing for a spare band too, giving the tech giant a profitable second dip into customers' wallets, according to data provided exclusively to Reuters.

The data from Slice Intelligence, a research firm that mines e-mail receipts, offers a rare window into the money-making potential of Apple's first brand-new product under CEO Tim Cook.

The ever-secretive company has yet to release how many units of the watch it has sold, let alone how profitable it is. Slice estimates the company has sold 2.79 million as of mid-June.

But if the band purchases are any indication, sales of the watch itself are just the beginning of Apple's profits.

Although the entry-level sports band retails for US$49, it costs only about $2.05 to make, according to an analysis of the 38-millimeter size by IHS, a technology research firm.

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Apple Gives Another Huge Win To Samsung

Samsung has been chosen to produce components for the forthcoming Apple Watch, DigiTimes reports (via MacRumors). 

Specifically, Samsung will focus on building Apple’s new S1 system-in-a-package chipset designed specifically for Apple Watch, which includes all of the sensors and processors in one neat package.

In November, The Korea Times reported Samsung would be making the majority of chips for future iPhones and iPads starting next year, which was a huge win for the South Korean company. Building components for the Apple Watch, which is sure to be a hot product this year, is another a huge win for Samsung. 

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You'll Be Able To Get A Super-Cheap iPhone 6 At Wal-Mart This Black Friday

Wal-Mart is already teasing its tech deals for Black Friday, as the blog 9to5Mac first spotted, which include some appealing bargains on the iPhone 6, iPad mini, and other gadgets.

The iPhone 6 will be available for $179, and Wal-Mart is also throwing in a $75 gift card, which the retailer says is a $274 value.

That saves you about $100. This issimilar to Target's deal, which made the rounds earlier this week.

Wal-Mart is also selling the 16GB Wi-Fi-only iPad Air for $397 with a $100 gift card and the iPad mini for $199 with a $30 gift card.

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How and where to use Apple Pay with your iPhone 6

Roughly one month after we first saw a demo of Tim Cook scanning an iPhone at a cash register to buy stuff, Apple Pay has arrived for the rest of us to check out. But before you go blowing your entire paycheck on everything from big handbags to Big Macs, there are a few things to keep in mind about the platform. Read on to learn more about how Apple Pay works, how to get your iPhone ready for it, and most importantly, where you can go test it out yourself.

Get your iPhone ready

Before you can start using Apple Pay, you need to have a compatible device and the right version of iOS. Apple Pay is compatible with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, which are the only iPhones equipped with the requisite NFC radio antennae. Besides NFC compatibility, the other piece of the hardware puzzle is a Touch ID censor, but iPhone 5S owners are out of luck.

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Nexus 6 vs iPhone 6: Which flagship phone should you buy?

Google and Apple do battle with their flagship smartphones

Google has announced its classiest and most premium smartphone yet in the Google Nexus 6, so how does it stack up to the iPhone 6?

You might think that the iPhone 6 Plus is more of a match for the Nexus 6, and that's true in terms of size. But when it comes down to it, the Nexus 6 and the iPhone 6 are Google and Apple's flagship smartphones for 2014 and most of 2015 - and the two visions are surprisingly different.

Here's how the two match up.

Nexus 6 vs iPhone 6: Design

iPhone 6: Curved aluminium, gold or light/dark silver, 6.8mm thick, 129g
Nexus 6: Aluminium frame, polycarbonate body, 10.06mm thick, 184g

These two flagship phones couldn't look or feel much more different. The Nexus 6 has taken on an aluminium rim that at a stretch could call to mind previous iPhones, but this one's rounded and the rear of the device is plastic.

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Apple iPhone 6 event officially set for Sept. 9

Apple on Thursday sent out invites for a press event on Sept. 9 in its hometown of Cupertino, Calif.

The company provided few hints about what will be announced beyond saying "Wish we could say more." That could indicate something related to Siri, Apple's digital voice assistant. Generally, Apple is expected to introduce its newest iPhone, dubbed the iPhone 6. The company also could show off awearable at the event.

The event will come a year after Apple introduced the iPhone 5S and 5C and a week after arch rival Samsung is set to unveil its Galaxy Note 4 phone-tablet hybrid, or phablet. Apple has added a new iPhone every year since former CEO Steve Jobs introduced the smartphone line in 2007, and new iPhones have been unveiled in the fall since 2011.

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Samsung ad challenges Apple's iPhone 5s to take 'ice bucket challenge'

The short, 15-second spot is voiced entirely by the Galaxy's British S-Voice variant. "I am the Samsung Galaxy S5, this is my ice bucket challenge," it intones. "Gosh that's freezing." 

Samsung has repeatedly touted the handset's waterproof housing when comparing it against Apple's iPhone. Apple has repeatedly been rumored to have a new waterproof option in the works, but it has yet to materialize in a shipping device.

As is the custom for the ice bucket challenge, Samsung will also make a donation to the British Motor Neurone Disease Association charity. One executive at Samsung UK's advertising agency, Cheil UK, told AdAge that it was the "perfect opportunity for the brand to do something that was meaningful but also unexpected."

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Samsung Uses Ice Bucket Challenge To Troll Apple, HTC, Nokia

By now you’ve likely seen videos of people dumping buckets of ice water on their heads as part of the “Ice Bucket Challenge,” a viral stunt designed to raise money and awareness for ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) research. Tech CEOs, celebrities and ordinary people have all doused themselves in the name of a good cause, or perhaps just to ride the crest of the latest hip meme.

The popularity of the Ice Bucket Challenge has given rise to something of a backlash, as well as a backlash to the backlash. Whatever you think about it, clearly there’s marketing gold here just waiting to be exploited. That whooshing sound you hear is Samsung’s UK-based marketing team saddling up to ride out to meet the challenge.

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Apple 2014 WWDC Roundup: WWDC Schedule, Larger iPad, iOS 8, iPhone 6, Apple TV and More

Apple already established that its Worldwide Developers Conference will focus on two products: the iOS 8 and the OS X Mavericks. Nonetheless, analysts believe Apple will provide more information about its upcoming hardware cycles during the event. 

Apple's next big event is just around the corner. Many industry observers and analysts anticipate what the tech giant has in store during its two-hour keynote speech. According to a report by Forbes, they keynote section should give way for "something big." Fundamental changes on the OS X 10.10 and iOS 8 are already given. There are also the much anticipated hardware cycles for a new iPhone and set of iPads. Forbes also noted that it is possible Apple may have a MacBook update in line. 

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Apple devices hacked by ‘Oleg Pliss’ and held for ransom

Hey, remember when Apple promised that their products were ‘unhackable’? Well, they were wrong.

iPhone and iPad owners in Australia were in for a real shock when they woke to a strange sound coming from their devices Tuesday morning. According to The Huffington Post, the sound was not an alarm, but rather an alert informing them that their device had been hacked and locked.

A message appeared on the screen, stating that their Apple device has been “hacked by Oleg Pliss” with a message demanding between $50 and $100 to unlock it.

Many who were affected by the hack took to Twitter to voice their concerns.

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Apple falls from top spot in global brand ranking

Persuasion Notebook offers quick hits on the business of persuasion from The Globe and Mail’s marketing and advertising reporter, Susan Krashinsky. Read more on The Globe’s marketing page and follow Susan on Twitter@Susinsky

Google has leapfrogged Apple in the power of its brand globally.

That is according to the BrandZ top 100 ranking, which is one of the annual reports that track the monetary value that brands contribute to a company’s worth. Apple had bested Google in recent years, but saw itself knocked out of the top spot in 2014.

The BrandZ rankings were led by tech companies in the top four spots. There were also some new entrants from the tech world: Twitter and PayPal both joined the top 100 for the first time this year.

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Apple v. Samsung: Who is really winning the patent fight?

SAN JOSE, Calif. – When a jury ordered Samsung to pay Apple $119 million for copying features of the iPhone, it was the latest chapter in the worldwide legal fight between the top two smartphone companies.

Friday’s damage award was far less than the $2.2 billion Apple demanded and the $930 million a previous jury ordered Samsung to pay after an earlier patent trial involving older-generation products. The jury also trimmed $158,000 from the latest award after finding Apple infringed one of Samsung’s patents in making the iPhone line.

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Why Apple's iWatch Will Sell Better In An iPhone 6 World

We will not, indeed, see the first peek at the iWatch at Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) at the beginning of June, according to a report from John Paczkowski at re/code yesterday. “Sources familiar withApple AAPL +0.16%’s plans tell Code/red that Tim Cook will not use WWDC to unveil Apple’s mythical wearable device,” Paczkowski writes. “Nor will he use it to show off a new Apple TV, or even preview the new software the company is developing for it.”

If true, this would be significant because, according to Stuart Miles of Pocket-lint last week, “Announcing an iWatch at the show, but then not launching it until September would allow the media, consumers, and naysayers to discuss, dissect, analyze, and be educated over a couple of months into why you would want a smartwatch and why you won’t be able to live without one.”  But if Apple is not going to unveil the iWatch at WWDC, this same line of reasoning would suggest that there will be no iWatch this year at all.

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Apple wins $120 million in patent lawsuit against Samsung

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—Samsung was ordered Friday to pay Apple $119.46 million (U.S.) after a Silicon Valley jury found the South Korean company guilty of copying key features of the iPhone in creating its own line of smartphones.

The verdict was a far cry from the $2.2 billion sought by Apple and the $930 million it won in a separate 2012 trial making similar patent infringement claims against older Samsung products, most of which are no longer for sale in the United States.

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Apple, Samsung resume their patent war in Silicon Valley

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The fiercest rivalry in the world of smartphones is heading back to court this week in the heart of the Silicon Valley, with Apple and Samsung accusing each other, once again, of ripping off designs and features.

The trial will mark the latest round in a long-running series of lawsuits between the two tech giants that underscore a much larger concern about what is allowed to be patented.

“There’s a widespread suspicion that lots of the kinds of software patents at issue are written in ways that cover more ground than what Apple or any other tech firm actually invented,” Notre Dame law professor Mark McKenna said. “Overly broad patents allow companies to block competition.”

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Apple’s next big move

I read with great interest the recent hiring of Angela Ahrendts by Apple. Ahrendts is the former CEO of British luxury brand Burberry. She, along with lead designer Christopher Bailey, was instrumental in turning the old, stodgy company with declining sales into a fashion icon. The duo tripled the company’s earnings and turned the brand into a global success story.

Knowing Ahrendts’s strengths, I believe you can tell a lot about a company’s direction by the people they hire. The official announcement indicated Ahrendts joined Apple to revitalize its retail stores, which represent $20 billion in sales. Store sales have lost some of its luster and the actual concept created by Steve Jobs is now close to ten years old. The question is: what direction will Ahrendts take the chain? More importantly, what influence will she have on the style and direction of its products?

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Apple's iPhone 'shortfall'? Blame Verizon, AT&T

A decline in smartphone sales at Verizon Wireless and AT&T is the primary culprit for iPhone sales that some on Wall Street have deemed disappointing.

That's according to Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt, who calculated that 80 percent of the shortfall could be attributed to the two larger carriers, which sell the iPhone.

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Apple asks US court to ban Samsung phones, tablets

SAN FRANCISCO: Apple has asked a federal judge to bar US sales of Samsung smartphones and tablet computers in the blockbuster patent case involving the two electronics giants.

In a court filing in California, Apple said the smartphones and tablets were found to have violated patents in a jury trial held last year.

Apple renewed its bid for a permanent injunction on sales of a number of Samsung products after an appeals court decision last month cleared the way for a new hearing on the matter.

In the latest filing dated Thursday, Apple's attorneys wrote that the court "previously concluded that Samsung's sale of infringing products has irreparably harmed Apple."

The document added that the appeals court decision "makes clear that the record evidence... collectively demonstrates a sufficient 'causal nexus' between Samsung's infringement and the irreparable harm to Apple."

Apple added that "money damages are not an adequate remedy for Samsung's infringement of these patents."

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Apple, China Mobile strike deal to bring iPhone to China in January

Apple and China Mobile announced their long-awaited deal Sunday night, with the Chinese mobile carrier launching the iPhone across the country next month.

China Mobile bills itself as the world's largest mobile company, with 760 million subscribers. Access to its network has been seen as a crucial next step for Apple.

"Apple has enormous respect for China Mobile and we are excited to begin working together. China is an extremely important market for Apple and our partnership with China Mobile presents us the opportunity to bring iPhone to the customers of the world's largest network," Tim Cook, Apple CEO said according to a press release.

"iPhone customers in China are an enthusiastic and rapidly growing group, and we can't think of a better way to welcome in the Chinese New Year than getting an iPhone into the hands of every China Mobile customer who wants one," Cook added. 

"Apple's iPhone is very much loved by millions of customers around the world. We know there are many China Mobile customers and potential new customers who are anxiously awaiting the incredible combination of iPhone on China Mobile's leading network," Xi Guohua, China Mobile Chairman said according to the same press release.

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Apple reaches iPhone deal with China's largest carrier

Apple says it has reached a deal to bring the iPhone to China Mobile, the world's biggest phone carrier.

The deal ends a lengthy courtship and could boost sales of the iPhone in China. The iPhone, once hugely popular in China, has been eclipsed by the rise of lower-priced rival smartphones from Samsung and Chinese companies.

The iPhone 5S and 5C will go on sale in Apple stores and China Mobile stores beginning Friday, Jan. 17. China Mobile customers can register for phones starting Wednesday.

The companies didn't announce pricing or the terms of the agreement.

The iPhone, while popular around the world, has faced tough competition in recent years from cheaper smartphones running Google's Android software. Collectively, Android phones far outsell Apple's iPhone.

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