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  • iPad Market Share Falling, Samsung & Amazon Rising

    iPad Market Share Falling, Samsung & Amazon Rising

    New shipment data from IDC shows that Apple’s share of the overall tablet market has fallen to just over 50%. Meanwhile, Samsung, Amazon, and Asus have seen their shares of the tablet market explode. The entire market for tablets grew 49.5% since the third quarter of 2012.

    “After a very strong second quarter, Apple saw growth slow as both consumer and commercial (including education) shipments declined, and rumors of a forthcoming iPad mini began to heat up,” said Tom Mainelli, research director for tablets at IDC. “We believe a sizable percentage of consumers interested in buying an Apple tablet sat out the third quarter in anticipation of an announcement about the new iPad mini. Now that the new mini, and a fourth-generation full-sized iPad, are both shipping we expect Apple to have a very good quarter. However, we believe the mini’s relatively high $329 starting price leaves plenty of room for Android vendors to build upon the success they achieved in the third quarter.”

    Apple just today announced that it has sold three million new iPads (iPad 4) during its first three days of availability. The iPad Mini has failed to garner the same excitement other Apple product have seen. Android tablet makers have capitalized on this fact, with Amazon even running an aggressive homepage comparison between the iPad Mini and its Kindle Fire HD.

    Still, Apple is shipping over half of all tablets. Samsung is racing to catch up and currently has an 18.4% share of the tablet market. This is up from 6.5% just one year ago. Amazon’s Kindle Fire tablets account for a full 9% of tablets shipped, with Asus, the makers of Google’s Nexus 7 tablet, close behind with 8.6%.

    It’s clear that the low-priced mini-tablet market is going to become a big part of the overall tablet market in the coming year. It’s also clear that Apple was late to the mini-tablet game, and that it may have priced itself too high for that particular market.

  • New iPad Sales Double Those Of Last iPad For First 3 Days

    New iPad Sales Double Those Of Last iPad For First 3 Days

    Apple announced this morning that it sold a total of three million of its new iPad models – the iPad mini and 4th generation iPad – in their first three days of availability. That is twice as many sales as the company saw for third-generation iPads when that model launched.

    Apple CEO Tim Cook said, “Customers around the world love the new iPad mini and fourth generation iPad. “We set a new launch weekend record and practically sold out of iPad minis. We’re working hard to build more quickly to meet the incredible demand.”

    The company notes that demand for the iPad mini exceeded its initial supply. Many of the pre-orders have been shipped to customers, but won’t be shipped until later this month.

    So far, only the Wi-Fi version has been available for the new models, and the Wi-Fi + Cellular versions of the iPad mini and fourth generation iPad will ship in a few weeks in the U.S. They’ll come to other countries later this year.

    The Wi-Fi versions are currently available in 34 countries, and will also be available in others (including China) later this year.

    Meanwhile, new data from IDC shows that Apple’s share of the overall tablet market has fallen to just over 50%, with Samsung, Amazon, and Asus making significant ground. The entire tablet market has grown 49.5% since the third quarter.

  • Apple Publishes Revised Samsung Statement

    Apple Publishes Revised Samsung Statement

    It’s rare for Apple to admit any wrongdoing. It’s even more rare when it comes to its competition as it took a court order for Apple to say that Samsung did not copy the iPad. The first public statement, however, was quickly pulled as the court deemed it inaccurate. Now Apple is back with a revised statement that’s free of any snark found in the original statement.

    When you visit Apple’s UK Web site now, you’re greeted by a much larger statement at the bottom of the page. It’s no longer a small link, but a mini-statement in and of itself with a prominent link pointing the user to the statement.

    Apple Publishes Revised Samsung Statement

    If you recall, the original statement contained a lengthy quote from the judge who ruled in the Apple/Samsung case in the UK. The judge said that Samsung’s tablets were not as cool, and Apple emphasized this point in its original statement. It also pointed out the other patent trials that Apple has won around the world.

    The revised statement gets rid of that in favor of something more straightforward that just contains the facts. It’s not as fun or funny as the original, but the courts should be content with the statement:

    On 9 July 2012 the High Court of Justice of England and Wales ruled that Samsung Electronic (UK) Limited’s Galaxy Tablet Computers, namely the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9 and Tab 7.7 do not infringe Apple’s Community registered design No. 0000181607-0001. A copy of the full judgment of
    the High Court is available from www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Patents/2012/1882.html.

    That Judgment has effect throughout the European Union and was upheld by the Court of Appeal of England and Wales on 18 October 2012. A copy of the Court of Appeal’s judgment is available from www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2012/1339.html. There is no injunction in respect of the Community registered design in force anywhere in Europe.

    The revised statement has to remain on Apple’s UK site throughout December. The company was also ordered to take out print ads saying that Samsung did not copy the iPad in popular newspapers and magazines across the UK. Those ads are reportedly showing up now.

  • Don’t Break Your iPad Mini: iFixit Finds That It’s Hard To Repair

    The iPad Mini launched today and has already been put through its paces in a drop test. The iPad Mini came out like a champ, but it still suffered a cracked screen. That may happen to somebody’s iPad Mini this weekend though and they’ll need to fix it. That’s where iFixit comes in.

    Punctual as always, iFixit has posted its teardown of the iPad Mini today. The team found the iPad Mini to not be easily repairable. It’s a bit unfortunate considering the iPhone 5 was given a score of seven out of 10 on the repairability scale. It seems that Apple wants to make the iPad Mini like the new MacBook Pro – annoyingly hard to repair.

    The folks at iFixit gave the iPad Mini a score of two out of 10. They note that the iPad Mini does get some things right, like the glass and LCD are not fused together which makes replacing the screen an easy task. The problems come in when you get to taking the entire device apart. All of the components are attached via “copious amounts of adhesive” which makes any repair extremely difficult.

    If anything, iFixit’s teardown should convince all iPad Mini owners to be very careful with their new device. It should survive a few falls without much damage, but you might not want to push your luck.

  • iPad Mini, 4th-Generation iPad Go On Sale, Fewer Buyers Show Up

    Apple Stores aren’t seeing quite the lines they typically see for new devices now that the iPad Mini and fourth-generation iPad have been released, according to numerous reports.

    The iPad mini with Wi-Fi models (in black & slate or white & silver) debuted for $329 for the 16GB model, $429 for the 32GB model and $529 for the 64GB model. The fourth generation iPad with Wi-Fi models became available in black or white for $499 for the 16GB model, $599 for the 32GB model and $699 for the 64GB model.

    The iPad mini and the fourth generation iPad are also being sold through the Apple Online Store and various resellers in the US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

    Some consumers are no doubt waiting for the Wi-Fi + Cellular version of either device. These will ship in a couple weeks, beginning in the U.S. on AT&T, Sprint and Verizon. iPad mini with Wi-Fi + Cellular will cost $459 for the 16GB model, $559 for the 32GB model and $659 for the 64GB model. The Fourth generation iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular for AT&T, Sprint and Verizon will be offered for $629 for the 16GB model, $729 for the 32GB model and $829 for the 64GB model.

    Apple also has a lot more competition to deal with this time around thanks to Android devices (including those from Amazon) and Windows 8.

    Apple shares are at $591.17 (-5.37‎, -0.90%‎) as of the time of this writing.

  • UK Court Orders Apple To Rewrite Its Samsung Statement

    UK Court Orders Apple To Rewrite Its Samsung Statement

    Last week, Apple published a statement on its Web site saying that Samsung did not copy the iPad. The statement was ordered by a UK court after Apple lost its patent battle against Samsung. Now the courts are saying that Apple’s statement isn’t good enough.

    Bloomberg reports that the UK Court of Appeals has told Apple that its statement is “non-compliant” with the original order. Now the judges are telling the company to put a simpler statement on its page within 48 hours. The order also says that Apple can not hide the statement in a tiny link at the bottom of its store page.

    Apple is arguing that posting an updated statement would take the company up to 14 days. One of the judges, Jacob Robin, expressed disbelief at Apple’s request for 14 days to amend the statement. He said that he would “like to see the head of Apple make an affidavit setting out the technical difficulties” in regards to updating a statement on the company’s Web site. In the end, the court rejected Apple’s request for extension.

    Now Apple has 48 hours to remove the four paragraphs that detail the court cases that Apple has won against Samsung. The UK court says that Apple’s statements makes it appear that the UK justice system “is out of step with other courts” when the reality is that Apple has lost a number of its court battles around the world.

    As of now, the original statement is still present on Apple’s Web site. The company must pull the original statement within 24 hours. We’ll bring you the updated statement when and if it’s made available. One of Apple’s lawyers, Michael Beloff, is not very happy with the ruling as he told the court that the statement “is not designed to punish” or “make us grovel.” It’s obvious the company is going to fight this.

  • Borderlands Legends Out For iPhone, iPad

    It’s Halloween, and that means Gearbox and 2K Games have released the mobile version of the Borderlands franchise. Borderlands Legends is now available for iOS devices, and costs $5 for the iPhone or $7 for the iPad.

    The game features the cast of vault hunters from the original Borderlands – Roland, Mordecai, Brick, and Lilith. Those who purchase Borderlands Legends can expect to battle waves of bandits, skags, spider ants, and more while leveling up the individual characters, gaining new abilities, and loot cash to buy “thousands” of guns (down, sadly, from Borderlands 2‘s 87 bazillion). The game takes place from a top-down, isometric point of view and features a cover mechanic

    Unfortunately, early reviews for Borderlands Legends aren’t spectacular. Still, take a look at the launch trailer below and see if it sparks your interest. It could be worth five bucks to be able to get a Borderlands fix while on the go.

  • Is The Nexus 10 Better Than The Fourth Generation iPad?

    Is The Nexus 10 Better Than The Fourth Generation iPad?

    Apple fired a shot across Google’s bow last week with the reveal of the iPad Mini. The company even went as far as directly comparing its new mini-tablet to Google’s Nexus 7 tablet. Google fired right back on Monday with the Nexus 10, a new 10-inch tablet that just might beat the recently upgraded fourth generation iPad at its own game.

    Droid Life created a handy comparison chart between the two devices that stacks up each device’s respective specs side-by-side. There are some differences that shoppers will need to take into account as we head into the holiday shopping season.

    Nexus 10 Better Than Retina Display iPad

    Let’s start with the Nexus 10’s main selling point – the display. The Nexus 10 has a resolution of 2560×1600 which puts it a hair above the iPad’s 2048×1536 retina display. Both displays are going to look gorgeous no matter how you look at it. Android and Apple fans will tell you one is better than the other for a variety of reasons, but know that you’re getting a quality display out of either device.

    Beyond display, performance is where things really matter. The new iPad features an A6X dual-core processor that Apple claims is twice as fast as the A5X that powered the third generation iPad. The Nexus 10 is powered by Samsung’s top of the line Exynos 5 A15 processor. Both of these processors are extremely powerful, but we’ll have to wait until benchmark tests come out to declare a definitive winner.

    For now, many iPad games and other applications may run better since they are built specifically for the iPad. A lot of Android apps are built specifically for smartphones and upscaled for tablets. Google needs to get Android developers to start making apps specifically for tablets if they want to compete on a fair level with the iPad.

    Everything else is pretty similar across both tablets except for price and network abilities. The Nexus 10 will only have a Wi-Fi option at launch whereas the fourth generation iPad can take advantage of LTE networks for mobile communications. Of course, going the LTE route jacks up the iPad price to $629 for the 16GB model.

    Going with Wi-Fi alone, the Nexus 10 also presents the better deal. A 16GB Nexus 10 will run you $399 whereas the Wi-Fi 16GB fourth generation iPad costs $499. At that price, you could get the 32GB Nexus 10.

    Chances are you’re going to be shopping for a tablet this holiday season. As far as 10-inch tablets go, the iPad 4 and Nexus 10 are the best you can get. You can’t go wrong with either one. It’s either going to come down to price or the quality of apps when deciding between the two. Go with the Nexus 10 if you want a cheaper tablet that has the potential to outperform the fourth generation iPad. On the other hand, you should go with the iPad if you want a large collection of apps that are built with the retina display in mind.

  • iPad 3 Resales Jump After New iPad Announcement

    Following Tuesday’s announcement of the iPad Mini and new new iPad (iPad 4), it appears that Apple fans are cashing in their current new iPads (iPad 3) in anticipation of purchasing the latest and greatest version.

    A Wall Street Journal MarketWatch report shows that tech device resale websites Gazelle and NextWorth reported huge surges in listings in the run-up to Apple’s event. Gazelle stated that it saw a 700% spike in devices put up for sale on Tuesday, with half of those listings coming in the hours leading up to the event. It also stated that the 32GB Wi-Fi model of the iPad 3 is the most traded-in device on its site. NextWorth told MarketWatch that trade-ins for iPads increased 1,000% on Tuesday.

    Though it appears many consumers will be upgrading to the new new iPad, that doesn’t mean they are happy about it. Tuesday’s announcement came only seven months after the release of the iPad 3, which upset customers who assumed they would have the best version of the iPad for at least one year. A survey released this week showed that nearly half (45%) of current U.S. iPad owners are “disgruntled” with the timing of the new new iPad announcement.

    It’s fairly amazing that Apple now has a large number of people hooked on a yearly upgrade cycle for multiple, very expensive devices. It’s almost unfathomable that the company could make a twice-yearly upgrade cycle work and keep its fans happy.

  • Apple Acknowledges That Samsung Didn’t Copy The iPad… Kind Of

    Apple Acknowledges That Samsung Didn’t Copy The iPad… Kind Of

    Earlier this year, a UK court ruled that Samsung didn’t infringe upon Apple’s patents in regards to the company’s Galaxy Tab devices. Normally, it would have ended there, but the judge also ruled that Apple must put a notice on its Web site acknowledging that Samsung didn’t copy the iPad. The notice was supposed to go up today and Apple didn’t disappoint.

    If you head over to Apple’s UK Web site, you’ll see a small link at the bottom of the page that says, “Samsung/Apple UK Judgment.” The link takes you to a white page with the following statement:

    On 9th July 2012 the High Court of Justice of England and Wales ruled that Samsung Electronic (UK) Limited’s Galaxy Tablet Computer, namely the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9 and Tab 7.7 do not infringe Apple’s registered design No. 0000181607-0001. A copy of the full judgment of the High court is available on the following link www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Patents/2012/1882.html.

    In the ruling, the judge made several important points comparing the designs of the Apple and Samsung products:

    “The extreme simplicity of the Apple design is striking. Overall it has undecorated flat surfaces with a plate of glass on the front all the way out to a very thin rim and a blank back. There is a crisp edge around the rim and a combination of curves, both at the corners and the sides. The design looks like an object the informed user would want to pick up and hold. It is an understated, smooth and simple product. It is a cool design.”

    “The informed user’s overall impression of each of the Samsung Galaxy Tablets is the following. From the front they belong to the family which includes the Apple design; but the Samsung products are very thin, almost insubstantial members of that family with unusual details on the back. They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design. They are not as cool.”

    That Judgment has effect throughout the European Union and was upheld by the Court of Appeal on 18 October 2012. A copy of the Court of Appeal’s judgment is available on the following link www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2012/1339.html. There is no injunction in respect of the registered design in force anywhere in Europe.

    However, in a case tried in Germany regarding the same patent, the court found that Samsung engaged in unfair competition by copying the iPad design. A U.S. jury also found Samsung guilty of infringing on Apple’s design and utility patents, awarding over one billion U.S. dollars in damages to Apple Inc. So while the U.K. court did not find Samsung guilty of infringement, other courts have recognized that in the course of creating its Galaxy tablet, Samsung willfully copied Apple’s far more popular iPad.

    At this point, Apple is being the bratty kid you knew in first grade. They apologize after being called out for it, but it’s not much of an apology. It’s the kind of passive-agressive stance that’s more funny than anything.

    Apple has hidden away the above statement on its Web site, but the statement is also to be published in newspapers and magazines across the UK. It will be interesting to see if Apple changes its tune in the print version.

    [h/t: iMore]

  • iPad Owners “Disgruntled” Over iPad 4 Release, Says Survey

    According to a new survey, 45% of current U.S. iPad owners are “disgruntled” with the timing of the new new iPad (iPad 4) Announcement. Coming just seven months after the release of the new iPad (iPad) in March of this year, the new new iPad (iPad 4) features an A6 processor that Apple has stated will far outperform previous iPad generations.

    The survey, conducted by Toluna QuickSurveys, polled 2,000 U.S. online consumers about their feelings toward Apple’s recent announcements. From the results, it appears that Apple’s brand may have diminished slightly in the eyes of U.S. consumers over the past year.

    More than a quarter of survey respondents (26%) said they “believe Apple’s reputation has been tarnished by the iMaps fiasco.” Apple recently removed Google Maps as the default map app for iOS and replaced it with its own, inaccurate and incomplete, software. 45% of survey respondents also “believe Apple is an inferior company since current CEO Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs.”

    U.S. consumers’ reactions to the iPad Mini weren’t stellar either. Only 14% of survey respondents stated that they will definitely buy an iPad Mini, and 32% said they would “probably” buy one. When consumers were asked which out of the iPad Mini, Kindle Fire, and Nexus 7 they would prefer, 46% said the Kindle Fire to only 40% that preferred the iPad Mini. The Nexus 7 was far behind with only 14% of survey respondents stating they would prefer the Google-branded device.

  • iPad Mini Too Expensive? Apple’s Phil Schiller Says No Way

    If you watched yesterday’s iPad Mini launch event, you probably remember the time Phil Schiller took to compare the new device to various other tablets on the market (mostly targeting Google Android tablets). Aluminum, not plastic; bigger screen but also thinner and lighter, etc. Now, he’s pushing the Apple quality argument to defend something that some have pointed to as a mistake from Apple.

    That $329 price tag.

    The base iPad Mini, with 16GB of memory and Wi-Fi only will run customers about $80 more than the Google Nexus 7 and $130 more than the Kindle Fire HD, its two biggest competitors. After the event, Apple share prices dropped 3.26%, a shift that some analysts blamed on the iPad Mini price being too high. One such analyst said that he “had hoped Apple would step on the throats of Amazon and Google with its pricing,” but they failed.

    Apple’s Phil Schiller defended the $329 price point to Reuters, basically employing the “they’ve paid for iPads that were more expensive in the past, why not this time?” argument.

    Here’s what he had to say:

    “The iPad is far and away the most successful product in its category. The most affordable product we’ve made so far was $399 and people were choosing that over those devices. And now you can get a device that’s even more affordable at $329 in this great new form, and I think a lot of customers are going to be very excited about that.”

    Fair point, I guess. Plenty of people have paid more for iPads when there were cheaper tablets on the market in the past, what’s to think Apple’s venture into 7-inch tablets will be any different? Schiller obviously thinks that the Apple quality argument is plenty enough to justify the higher-than-expected price point.

    Despite some backlash about the price, some analysts believe that customers will in fact pay the “premium price” for the new Apple tablet. Reuters quotes an FBN Securities analyst who says:

    “In spite of concerns about the price…we would be buyers of the stock even in front of earnings this Thursday as we do believe that customers will pay a premium for an Apple tablet.”

    What do you think about the price? Is $329 too high?

  • Apple Shares Down After iPad Mini Announcement

    Apple fans rejoiced as the iPad Mini was announced today. The company also announced new iterations of the MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac Mini, iPad and iBooks. The audience in attendance at the event were obviously excited with each and every announcement. The stock market, however, was not as enthused.

    On the heels of the iPad Mini announcement, Apple’s shares have dropped 20 points, or 3.26 percent, to $613 per share. Since then, the share price has been in a constant state of fluctuation.

    Apple Shares Down iPad Mini Announcement

    So what caused the drop? The Wall Street Journal suggests the drop was due to a bad first impression from the iPad Mini. Some analysts were expecting the iPad Mini to be priced lower than its announced price tag of $329.

    Bill Kreher, senior technology analyst at Edward Jones, said that investors “had hoped Apple would step on the throats of Amazon and Google with its pricing.” Instead, he feels that Apple will be relying on its brand power once again to main margins.

    Other analysts have even said the high price may allow competitors to sneak in lower priced alternatives. Google will be holding an announcement next week in which they are expected to announce a 10-inch tablet with Samsung. The tablet, if priced at $300, could be devastating to Apple’s continued success in the holiday season.

    For comparison’s sake, Google’s share price has been up by about three points today for an individual share price of $681.

    Apple’s earnings report will be going out Thursday so we’ll know then how successful Apple has been in the third quarter. We’ll also get our first look at how successful the iPhone 5 has been since its explosive launch.

  • iPad Mini Release Date Is November 2nd (For Wi-Fi Models)

    As you may have heard, Apple released the iPad Mini (among other things) today, after months of anticipation. The device will be available on Friday, November 2nd in black & slate and white & silver models in the U.S.

    A 16GB version will cost you $329. A 32GB model will set you back $429. The 64GB model is $529. The devices will be sold through the Apple Online Store, Apple’s retail stores, and select Apple Authorized Resellers in the following countries: US, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

    The iPad mini with Wi-Fi + Cellular models will start shipping a couple weeks later, beginning in the U.S. on AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon. Pricing for these models are as follows: $459 for the 16GB model, $559 for the 32GB model and $659 (US) for the 64GB model.

    “iPad mini is every inch an iPad. With its gorgeous 7.9-inch display, iPad mini features the same number of pixels as the original iPad and iPad 2, so you can run more than 275,000 apps designed specifically for iPad,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPad mini is as thin as a pencil and as light as a pad of paper, yet packs a fast A5 chip, FaceTime HD and 5 megapixel iSight cameras and ultrafast wireless―all while delivering up to 10 hours of battery life.”

    Pre-orders begin this Friday, October 26.

    More on the iPad Mini and the new 4th-generation iPad here.

  • Apple Announces Fourth Generation iPad and iPad Mini

    It was rumored that the iPad Mini would be the major highlight of the Apple event. I don’t think anybody expected them to announce a new iPad, but he we are with the fourth generation iPad with a faster processor and graphics. Oh, and the iPad Mini is real.

    Phil Schiller announced a fourth generation iPad only a little over half a year since the launch of the new third generation iPad. Schiller says that the new fourth generation iPad will feature an A6X processor that’s much faster than the previous generation. It will also feature a faster graphics processor than the previous generation for even better games. It will also feature the new lighting connector.

    The fourth generation iPad will cost the same as the current third generation iPad. That means the base model will only run you about $499.

    The true star of the show, however, is the iPad Mini. Schiller busted out the iPad Mini (that’s the actual name) and confirmed pretty much everything the rumors have suggested thus far. The iPad Mini is only 7.2 mm thin and weighs only 0.68 lbs. The display is 7.9 inches diagonally with a resolution of 1024×768.

    The iPad Mini is powered by most of the specs that you’ll find in the iPad 2. It sports an A5 processor and an HD Facetime camera. It also has a 5MP iSight backside camera. The Wi-Fi if faster with b/g/n connectivity and a lighting connector that’s now standard among Apple’s products.

    Schiller stressed the point that the iPad Mini is a much better choice than other Android tablets. He used Google’s Nexus 7 as a comparison. The screen size is technically larger than that of the Nexus 7 which means that there’s more screen real estate for Web browsing. All the iPad specific apps on the App Store will run natively on the iPad Mini as well.

    The base model iPad Mini will come with 16GB of memory for $329. Pre-orders for the Wi-Fi iPad Mini will start this Friday and begin shipping on November 2. The cellular versions will begin shipping two weeks later.

    Check out the rest of the major announcements from our Apple event coverage.

  • Apple Event: iPad is a Huge Success, iBooks Author Updated

    After Phil Schiller announced the new, thinner iMacs Tim Cook once again took the stage at today’s Apple Event. Teasing an audience impatient for the announcement of the iPad Mini, Cook began to talk about the success of Apple’s iPad lineup.

    “Two weeks ago, we sold our 100 millionth iPad,” said Cook. He stated that this level of unit sales, in just two years is “unprecedented” for a product in a new category.

    Cook stated that more iPads were sold in the June quarter of 2012 than any other PC manufacturer sold of its entire lineup. Also, over 90% of web traffic comes from iPad devices. The new iPad is the fastest-selling iPad and top-selling tablet of all time.

    The Apple CEO then stated why the company believes its iPad devices are so successful: “People love their iPads.” No kidding. Luckily, Cook expounded upon that statement, saying the iPad’s display, responsiveness, front and rear cameras, connectivity, and “legendary all-day battery life” are factors in that love.

    Cook went on to point out that the iPad has been embraced in both the education and business realms. He stated that textbooks on the iPad are now available for 80% of u.s. high school core curriculum. Also, iPads are now available in 2500 schools across the U.S., though in what capacity they were available wasn’t adressed. With respect to business, Cook stated that 94% of fortune 500 companies are now “testing or deploying an iPad.”

    Cook then announced that iBooks Author has gotten an update. The new iBooks Author will enable embedded fonts, as well as mathematical expressions that can be inserted directly into books. Multi-touch widgets are also now available, and Cook stated that “publishers can now easily update their books.” It was stated that Apple is trying to re-invent the textbook with multimedia and interactive options.

    The new iBooks Author will be available today, for free, in the Mac App Store.

  • iPad Mini Event Will Focus On Education

    iPad Mini Event Will Focus On Education

    Education is obviously important to Apple. The company took time out in January to devote an entire press conference to iBooks 2 and interactive textbooks. Since then, schools around the world have ditched books in favor of giving every student an iPad. The company may be putting the focus back on education again according to a recent report.

    Bloomberg reports that Apple’s iPad Mini event set for tomorrow will focus on education. The iPad Mini is set to be a much cheaper device with some reports saying it will only cost $250 for the standard model. It would be much easier for schools to outfit their student body with tablets.

    Apple’s iPad has already proven to be a leader in education, but it’s starting to face some stiff competition. Just last week, Amazon revealed Whispersync, a new software that allows schools to send out course materials to all Kindle owners across its network. A cheaper Kindle Fire and Whispersync could draw educators away from the iPad. The iPad Mini, with its rumored low price, could bring those educators back.

    Consumer technology is still the battleground in which all three companies – Apple, Google and Amazon – will be fighting over this holiday season. Education doesn’t have the long term year-after-year success like the consumer market, but educators are big upfront buyers. Where else is Apple going to sell thousands of tablets to a single party?

    Apple and Amazon will now be competing for educators’ dollars, but what about Google? Google’s main platform is the Web with hardware being just one mean to that end. I still wouldn’t be surprised, however, if Google were to announce some new education incentives of their own in the near future. That probably won’t happen at next Monday’s Android event, but there could be something early next year.

    Besides education and the iPad Mini, Apple will probably show off a few more things of interest at its last big press event of the year. We’ll be bringing you all the news as it happens. Be sure to check out our extensive iPad Mini coverage to catch up on all the rumors and leaks.

  • iPad Mini Release Date Will Be November 2nd [RUMOR]

    We know for a fact that Apple will be holding a press event next Tuesday, October 23rd. The company just sent out their official invitations, which features the top of the famous apple logo set on a multi-colored background. “We’ve got a little more to show you,” it says.

    Of course, it’s widely understood that the “little” more refers to the iPad Mini, Apple’s 7.85-inch version of their popular iPad tablet. According to other rumors, we may see a new 13 inch MacBook Pro with a Retina display, as well as a new Mac Mini (which would go nicely with the “little” theme). If the iPad Mini is in fact a part of the October 23rd event, it will probably go down as one of the most unsurprising Apple product launches ever as purported leaked images of the device have been floating around for quite some time.

    Now, a rumor serves as the final piece in the iPad Mini puzzle. According to Geeky Gadgets, the smaller iPad will hit the shelves on Friday, November 2nd following the October 23rd launch. They quote sources that correctly identified the iPhone 5 release date last month. According to these sources the pre-order date will be next week, possibly the Friday after the launch.

    Yesterday, we heard that the iPad Mini will come in 24 different models – four different storage capacities, three different connectivity options, and two colors. For more on the iPad Mini, check out our previous coverage.

  • iPad Mini Event To Be Held On October 23

    We know almost everything there is to know about the iPad Mini. We’ve seen its design, we know that it’s coming in 12 models, and that it will launch at some point in late October or early November. Now we just need an actual date for the announcement and we’ll be set.

    Well, we can finally mark that last one off the list as Apple sent out the invites for the big Apple event today. The multi-colored invitation only says, “We’ve got a little more to show you.” It’s obvious that the “little more” is the iPad Mini.

    iPad Mini Invite October 23

    Either way, the iPad Mini is going to finally be unveiled at this event. Expect to hear every little detail about Apple’s entry into the 7-inch tablet market. We’ll also find out when we can expect to see the device on store shelves. I’m personally betting on a late October release, but an early November release is just as feasible.

    It should be noted that this is Apple’s last big event for the year. The company’s shares are already riding high on the iPhone 5’s impressive performance, but they could take it even further with a great showing for the iPad Mini. A number of consumers are apparently not that excited about the device, but a great show with a lot of hype could turn that around.

    Aside from the iPad Mini, Apple is expected to show off a new 13-inch retina MacBook Pro. The company will probably make some other announcements at the event, but what those other announcements are remains a mystery.

    On a final note, we’ll be bringing you all the news from the October 23 event. In the meantime, you can check out all of our previous iPad Mini coverage to get an idea of what to expect come next Tuesday.

    [h/t: Engadget]

  • There Will Be 12 iPad Mini Models At Launch [Report]

    The iPad Mini is the worst kept secret in tech this year. Leaks and reports have pretty much confirmed the device will be launching sometime this month. Now the question is how many models will be available at launch. A recent report just might have the answer.

    AppleInsider got their hands on a list of iPad Mini SKUs and the results are very surprising. It seems that Apple will be selling 24 different iPad Mini varieties at launch. The models will be a mix and match of various storage capacities, connectivity options and colors.

    The SKUs have four different models listed that seem to indicate storage capacities. It’s suggested that first SKU will be an 8GB model with 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models presumably following afterward.

    Strangely enough, the SKUs are being described as “good,” “better,” and “best.” AppleInsider seems to think that this could relate to the wireless connectivity of the devices with “good’ being Wi-Fi only and “best” being 4G LTE.

    With storage and wireless connectivity, there will be 12 iPad Mini models available at launch. Add in the two different colors available – black and white – and you have 24 flavors to choose from. That’s a pretty impressive number products for an untested device.

    Interestingly enough, the report says that Apple will be shipping more of the entry-level 8GB devices to retailers than any of the other models. This particular model is expected to only cost $249. It would be a little more expensive than the 8GB Nexus 7, but it could still be a huge hit thanks to the iPad name.

    Everything we’ve learned about the iPad Mini indicate that Apple is getting this right. They’re coming out right before the holiday season with a device that will have even broader appeal among those who may be looking to buy their first tablet. The iPad Mini also has the potential to be a big hit among children due to its attractive price and large catalog of games.

    We’re bound to find out more next week as Apple’s event is expected to take place on October 23. The iPad Mini may be the worst kept secret in tech, but there’s still a lot we don’t know. This latest SKU listing only answers a few of the many questions we still have regarding Apple’s 7.85-inch tablet.

  • iPad Mini Announcement Coming October 23 [RUMOR]

    Last week, rumors held that Apple would be sending out invitations to the iPad Mini announcement event on October 10. That date has come and passed with no word from Apple. So, the Apple rumor mill has kicked into action once again, blaming the delay on production issues and searching for another plausible announcement date for the device.

    Today, All Things D reported that the iPad Mini will be announced at an October 23 event. This would put a launch of the tablet close to Halloween or in early November. Whatever the case, it’s likely that the device will be out before that all-important U.S. shopping day – black Friday.

    All Things D also notes that October 23 is just days before the October 26 release of Microsoft’s Surface hybrid tablet. It only makes sense that Apple would want to steal the thunder from its historical rival, which is beginning to adopt the Apple model with regards to creating hardware for its platforms.

    Though a TechBargains survey showed this week that the iPad Mini isn’t highly desired by consumers, Apple is sure to sell millions of the devices, especially if it is able to price the tablet at a price that is competitive to Amazon’s Kindle Fire lineup or Google’s Nexus 7. Even if it does, rumors hold that Google is ready to unveil a new version of the Nexus 7 at the magic price point of $99.

    It’s shaping up to be an interesting, competitive fall for the tablet manufacturers, and one that could shape the future of the tablet market for years to come.