Today’s iPad / iPad mini Retina wallpapers 29/05/2014 Posted: 29 May 2014 08:30 AM PDT     You can download today's iPad/iPad mini Retina Wallpapers from our new iPad / iPad mini Retina gallery. Enjoy!
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New iPhones, iPads, and maybe an iWatch part of ‘best product pipeline’ in 25 years Posted: 29 May 2014 07:54 AM PDT
2014 is a big year for Apple as the company in many ways has to reignite its relationship with the consumer space and once again place itself as the innovative force in tech. Of course, the iPhone is still the best selling smartphone and the iPad the best-selling tablet, but there has been a feeling that Apple has not done enough in recent years to truly change the industry. There are a few pointers that 2014 is the year for Apple to reaffirm its authority over the tech world. To emphasize this point, iTunes chief Eddy Cue has followed CEO Tim Cook by saying this year we will see a number of new product launches from Apple. Cue even called it the best product pipeline Apple has had in 25 years. While Apple still dominates its key product markets, sales are declining and there is a feeling that the iPhone especially needs a revamp. To truly return to its innovative nature though, Apple will have to enter a nascent market and turn it upside down; much like it did with the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. Innovation is not invention, so could this year be the one where we see Apple's first foray into the wearable market? Cook has previously said that Apple would only launch the "iWatch" if it can offer something new in the market. Considering smart watches to date have hardly been stunningly good, Apple has plenty of room to enter the space and create something that defines the wearable trend. The same could be said of an Apple TV set, but that area is seen as a tough market to crack so Apple could be tempted to scrap any TV plans it has. There are of course certainties in line for the fall when Apple will debut at least one new iPhone. However, several sources have made it clear to us that the company is actually gearing as many as three separate iPhones, including one that will be entirely new to the line. Cue called the upcoming line up of products the best in 25 years, so maybe Apple will truly deliver something special in 2014.  |
Today’s iPad 2 / iPad wallpapers 29/05/2014 Posted: 29 May 2014 06:30 AM PDT     You can download today's iPad and iPad2 Wallpapers from our iPad / iPad2 Wallpaper gallery. Enjoy!
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The industry reacts to Apple’s acquisition of Beats Posted: 29 May 2014 05:57 AM PDT
The dust is settling on Apple's newly confirmed deal to buy Beats Electronics for $3 billion, made official by both companies yesterday. After plenty of speculation throughout the month the deal is done, but now the analysis can begin and the hardquestions can be asked. Aside from making Beats newly minted, what does Apple now do with the company and was this a good business move from the most famed tech company of them all? Love them or hate them, those pesky analysts have their various takes on the new Apple/Beats love in, so we decided to gather some of the opinions from industry researchers to see where the future points for the deal. As you may expect, the insiders, just like the wider tech community, seem to be torn over the transaction, although few doubt that it was a good move for Beats. Morgan Stanley for example thinks it was a good deal for Apple, basing its assessment on the low risk for Apple and the potential of high returns.
Those subscription predictions may hold true, but at the moment Beats Music has less than 200,000 paying customers, so it is hard to see it as a lucrative cash cow just yet. The $3 billion price, while being a lot of money, is a drop in the ocean for Apple and only took 2% of the company's available cash. This was echoed by International Strategy & Investment Group, although the company called the deal a "head scratcher". While many see the potential of high growth and margin from Beats Music and headphones, others are less enthused. Wells Fargo Securities on the others hand thinks Apple may be hoping to make money from the brand via advertising, a tactic unlikely to work.
So which is it: a smart move or a purchase that will become a dud in the future? We'll just have to keep listening until we find out.  |
Today’s iPhone 5 / 5C / 5S wallpapers 29/05/2014 Posted: 29 May 2014 04:30 AM PDT     You can download today's iPhone 5 / 5C / 5S Wallpapers from our iPhone 5 / 5C / 5S Wallpaper gallery. Enjoy!
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Today’s iPhone 4S / iPhone 4 wallpapers 29/05/2014 Posted: 29 May 2014 02:30 AM PDT     You can download todays iPhone 4S / iPhone 4 Wallpapers from our iPhone 4 Wallpaper gallery. Enjoy!
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Today’s iPhone wallpapers 29/05/2014 Posted: 29 May 2014 12:30 AM PDT     You can download todays iPhone 3G / 3GS Wallpapers from our iPhone 3GS Wallpaper gallery. Enjoy!
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Apple confirms Beats purchase for $3 billion Posted: 28 May 2014 02:29 PM PDT
Apple has finally confirmed that it is buying Beats Electronics in a deal worth $3 billion. Nearly a month after the Financial Times broke the story that Apple CEO Tim Cook was interested in the audio company, it has been made official. It has been an interesting saga since that leak, with reports this morning even suggesting Apple had cooled its interest. Apple's initial offer for Beats was said to be $3.2 billion, but after seeing a party inspired video in which Beats co-founder and rap superstar Dr Dre proclaimed to be "the first billionaire in hip hop," Apple was said to be unimpressed. That minor bump in the road was brushed aside, but Apple also worried about the fact that the relatively new Beats Music streaming service only had 110,000 paying subscribers. That low number was enough for Apple to apparently lower its offer from $3.2 billion to $3 billion, the final price of the deal. Whether Apple did re-negotiate will probably never be revealed and Cupertino is unlikely to admit it lowered its offer for its shiny new toy. Now that Apple has confirmed the deal, the questions can now start in earnest about exactly what the iPhone maker has planned for Beats. Many have questioned the amount of money Apple had to pay for a company that does not look like it will be a cash cow. However, while $3 billion is no drop in the ocean, it is a number that Apple can ride if the deal does go sour and the Beats brand fails under Apple's stewardship, as it did when HTC owned nearly half the audio company. To ensure that does not happened, Apple has confirmed that Dre and Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine will be brought into the Apple fold, but under what capacity has not been revealed. The company has only revealed that Iovine and Dre will work with Eddy Cue on music products. On headphones alone, Apple won't recoup its $3 billion investment any time soon, no matter how desirable and vogue those cups may be. Apple has said that it will offer Beats Music alongside iTunes Radio as separate entities. This story is of course still developing so we will be giving you more details as they emerge.  |
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