Apple Inc.

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More speculative news on next iPhone model...

Apple iPhone C will be scratch-resistant, reports say

SAN FRANCISCO - The iPhone C, a budget version of the Apple smartphone, will be made of scratch-resistant materials, according to reports.

And the iPhone 5S, expected to be unveiled next month, will come with a dual LED flash to improve photo quality, according to the same article on the Chinese fan site Apple Daily.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/gadgets/...eports-say
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Indeed, one of good barometer is the available of 3rd parties accessory. The accessory makers are very sensitive to customers' preference...Big Grin

Apple slump in China has case makers turning focus to Samsung

BEIJING -- Apple’s falling market share in China is prompting thousands of local accessory makers to give more attention to products that fit mobile phones and tablet computers made by Samsung Electronics and domestic rivals, the Bloomberg news agency reported.

A shift to devices from Samsung, Lenovo Group and a widening array of Chinese makers offering cheaper handsets is pushing up costs for those that previously relied on the iPad and iPhone, said Mr Vincent Kwok, chief executive officer of Guangzhou-based Magic Kingdom, a maker of protective cases.

http://www.todayonline.com/business/appl...us-samsung
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Competitor product launch... I am interest to know more on the smartwatch, but not anticipate any surprise by the preliminary info given below...

Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch launch date revealed

SEOUL - The hotly-anticipated Galaxy Gear smartwatch will be unveiled at the IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin on Sept 4, along with the Galaxy Note III, Samsung mobile executive vice president Lee Young Hee revealed in an interview with The Korea Times.

But she gave few concrete details about the forthcoming gadgets, saying only that the smartwatch would run on Android and would not have a flexible display.

“We will be introducing a new wearable concept device called Galaxy Gear at our own event in Berlin on Sept 4,” she told the newspaper.

“The Gear won’t have a flexible display. The new device will enhance and enrich the current smart mobile experience in many ways. It will lead a new trend in smart mobile communications. We are confident that the Gear will add meaningful momentum to the mobile industry.”

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/gadgets/...e-revealed
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Apple to ship over 63 million iWatches next year: Reports

TAIPEI — Two suppliers in Taiwan have received orders to build Apple’s highly anticipated iWatch for release next year, according to local reports.

Taiwan’s Apple Daily newspaper reported that Quanta Computer will split the iWatch orders with Inventec on a 60-40 basis, citing unnamed sources.

Meanwhile, CIMB Securities analyst Wanli Wang projected in a report that Apple might ship 63.4 million units in the first year after its launch, with an average price of around US$199 (S$254).

Wearable computing devices such as Google’s Glass eyewear are widely seen as the next big thing in consumer electronics, following the huge popularity of smartphones.

In May, Apple CEO Tim Cook did not rule out the possibility of Apple developing a wearable product when he spoke at AllThingsD conference.

He said: “It’s an area that’s ripe for exploration, it’s ripe for us to get excited about. Lots of companies will play in this space.”

Apple has not indicated whether it is working on a smartwatch, but in July the company filed an application to register “iWatch” as a trademark in Japan, under product category for a computer or watch device, the Daily Telegraph reported.

A smartwatch could either operate autonomously or connect to a user’s smartphone and provide updates or information without needing them to consult their phone directly.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/gadgets/...ar-reports
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A boost to 2nd hand market, and a way to maintain its market share...

Apple rolls out iPhone trade-in programme in US stores

SAN FRANCISCO- Apple has launched a trade-in programme in its United States retail stores for older models of its iPhone as it gears up for the launch of a new version of the smartphone, it said yesterday (Aug 30).

Apple will give customers a credit for their old phones to be used toward the purchase of a new model, an Apple spokeswoman said.

A thriving industry exists for older versions of smartphones, especially the iPhone, on websites such as eBay and Gazelle. Even broken iPhones can fetch as much as US$125 (S$159) from vendors, who resell them in the United States and internationally.

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/gadgets/...-us-stores
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Well, if the expectation is right, then no more "wow" factor from Apple product launches... It is definitely not going to brighten Apple-fans' day, imo...

New Apple iPhone expected in less than a week: Reports

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple yesterday (Sept 3) sent official invitations to a Sept 10 event at which it is expected to unveil the latest version of the iPhone, possibly in colors other than its trademark black and white.

“This should brighten everyone’s day,” the typically cryptic invitation read, under a graphic depicting pastel-colored circles surrounding a stark white Apple logo.

The company, which is making a focused effort to win over consumers in Asia where rivals Samsung Electronics and other Android manufacturers dominate, said in the invitation it will host a breakfast and presentation at its Cupertino, California headquarters.

The company did not specify as to what the presentation will be about.

But supply chain sources told Reuters in June that Apple is expected to launch two new models this year - widely referred to as the iPhone 5S - with new fingerprint technology, as well as a cheaper version in a plastic casing.
...

http://www.todayonline.com/tech/new-appl...ek-reports
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Apple's competitor, Samsung, launches wearable watch, before Apple's "iWatch"...

Samsung, Qualcomm unveil first smartwatches

BERLIN/SEOUL — Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Qualcomm Inc unveiled smartwatches on Wednesday, tapping a potential “wearables” market worth an estimated US$50 billion (S$63.8 billion) as the high-end mobile phone market becomes saturated.

The companies launched the devices at nearly simultaneous events in Berlin and San Diego, and some analysts immediately questioned whether the devices were too costly, with expected prices near US$300.

Samsung’s Galaxy Gear smartwatch works as an accessory to its market-leading Galaxy smartphone, with a small screen offering basic functions such as photos, hands-free calls and instant messaging.

Qualcomm’s “Toq” smartwatch can play music and handle phone calls and messages. It will be the first smartwatch with a touch-enabled “Mirasol” color screen that can be viewed easily in bright sunlight.

The launch by Qualcomm, which dominates the global market for applications processors for smartphones and tablets, is seen not so much as a hot seller but as a “reference” design or device to show off the Mirasol screens, in hopes the display technology will be more widely adopted as wearables of all types take off.

Samsung, which is the world’s top handset maker, hopes the Galaxy Gear will boost the appeal of its range of Android-powered smartphones, as it battles to maintain supremacy against arch rival Apple.
...
http://www.todayonline.com/tech/gadgets/...artwatches
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(05-09-2013, 09:59 AM)CityFarmer Wrote: Apple's competitor, Samsung, launches wearable watch, before Apple's "iWatch"...


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Apple faces thorny memory future as a non-Samsung customer, says IHS

Press release; Jessie Shen, DIGITIMES [Monday 9 September 2013]

Apple may be the most influential technology company in the world, but even its formidable status may not help as it tries to out-innovate Samsung, its primary competitor. That's because any major innovation would likely demand greater memory capabilities - and Apple has no memory making capabilities, while Samsung is the memory market leader, according to IHS.

Samsung is the leading supplier of both DRAM as well as NAND flash, both of which are essential components in nearly all of today's consumer electronics, including smartphones and tablets where Apple enjoys great success via its best-selling iPhone and iPad devices.

Samsung's revenues of US$4.6 billion accounted for 36% of the total DRAM and NAND memory market of US$12.8 billion in the first quarter of 2013, IHS said. To put into perspective Samsung's gigantic heft, its output exceeded that of No. 2 SK Hynix and No. 3 Toshiba combined. Samsung was also bigger than the accumulated totals of Toshiba, No. 4 Micron Technology and fifth-ranked Elpida Memory.

"While the argument can be made that Apple sees some benefits by not sharing critical prototype design information with Samsung, the fact remains that Apple limits its options by not doing business with Samsung, which places Apple at a disadvantage," said Mike Howard, senior principal analyst, DRAM & Memory, for IHS. "The difficulties presented by this challenge become even more acute considering that the memory industry continues to consolidate, especially in DRAM. The recent closing of Micron's acquisition of bankrupt Elpida means there are now just three major DRAM developers and four NAND developers left. As Apple's memory suppliers get bigger because of consolidation, they are likely to gain more bargaining leverage. This is a trend all memory buyers will face, and Apple - even with its heft - is not exempt."

Another obstacle for Apple could be that its memory suppliers are reluctant to develop custom products for Apple, IHS indicated. Custom parts are risky, and Apple's aggressive procurement tactics - negotiating by offering to buy at some of the lowest pricing - begets no love from the industry. Without custom products, Apple is forced to use off-the-shelf products that make innovation and differentiation more difficult.

But perhaps the most significant risk for Apple is that Samsung has complete control over its memory future, IHS said. The South Korean electronics giant controls all of the major components that go into a smartphone or a tablet, such as the screen, the applications processor and the memory. Moreover, Samsung's robust smartphone market share means it enjoys the requisite demand for designing and building fully custom products that it may choose not to make available to the market at large.

Apple, in contrast, has no such powers at its disposal, and remains at the mercy of its suppliers. One reason Apple has multiple sources for memory components is precisely because it can ill afford to be dependent on any single provider, IHS noted.

Apple's options to address its memory challenge fall roughly into one of three categories: greenfield, partnership or acquisition. In effect, this means it could buy a memory design company to develop its own custom memory products; it can partner with memory companies; or it can acquire a large existing memory producer, according to IHS.

For the last option, Samsung is clearly not a candidate, while Toshiba and SanDisk seem unlikely because they only make NAND and are already in a partnership, IHS said. SK Hynix has the appropriate product mix, but national concerns would likely make the deal difficult to swallow for South Koreans, IHS observed.

The only US-based memory producer, Micron, could be a logical candidate, IHS said. However, Apple's requirements would strain its capabilities severely - unless the additional capacity brought by Micron's purchase of Elpida were included, which may then give it too much excess capacity if solely devoted to Apple's concerns.

All told, Apple faces significant memory challenges down the road, IHS believes. And while numerous paths are available for the maker to strengthen its handicap, it's impossible to overlook the importance of memory as a critical component for years to come in the devices that Apple makes. To this end, a competitive strategy in memory would go a long way in helping the company reinforce its status the electronic industry's leading innovator.

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20130906PR200.html
Research, research and research - Please do your own due diligence (DYODD) before you invest - Any reliance on my analysis is SOLELY at your own risk.
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Apple Unveils Two iPhones
Company Continues to Fight Rivals in Smartphone Market; the 5C, in Five Colors, Is Priced at $99

Apple’s “cheap” iPhone 5C will cost $735 in China
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