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Schools complain that upgrading student iPads to iOS 7 removes security filters
When Apple announced iOS 7, it made a big deal about how good the operating system would be for educators looking to manage iPads in their classroom. There's a whole page set up making that claim. But a new report from AllThingsD shows that while iOS 7 has some great tools for educators, its initial installation may be opening up some security flaws. Several school districts have discovered installing iOS 7 accidentally removed the supervision profiles administrators have placed on district-provided iPads. These profiles allowed the schools to put content blocks, web filters and app blocks on the iPads to ensure they were used for purely educational activities. In a memo from the Manituou Springs School District in Colorado obtained by AllThingsD, parents were warned of the district iPad's compromised security. Apple did not realize that installing iOS 7 would remove our (and thousands of organizations across the country) safety protection measure, which now makes the iPad devices unfiltered when accessing the internet away from school. The district announced it would be collecting iPad's at the end of each school day until they have time to reinstall the safety measures on the devices. It was a difficult task; schools had to collect hundreds of iPads, manually wipe them, then reinstall the OS, apps and school content they originally contained. When AllThingsD reached out to Apple for a comment, the company said they were aware of the issue and would have a fix up within the month. Of course there are problems for school administrators trying to control iPads beyond the unintended effects of new software updates. Sometimes, as we've seen recently in the LA school system where students found workarounds to installed content blocks, the kids are simply smarter than the security.
Carriers: iPhone 5s inventory on Friday will be low
AllThingsD blogger Ina Fried is reporting that sources at multiple US mobile carriers are giving her the word that the inventory of the iPhone 5s will be surprisingly low on Friday, September 20. One carrier source even went so far as to say that, "We will have grotesquely unavailable inventory." Another carrier complained of "extremely disappointing shipments from Apple," but thought that demand for the iPhone 5s might not be as high as originally anticipated. Boy Genius Report had originally reported on "severely constrained" supplies, citing "multiple sources." Although we usually take BGR's advice with a large grain of salt, the concurrence of AllThingsD's sources seems to bear out the fact that demand for the iPhone 5s may far exceed the initial supply. The constrained supply is probably the reason why Apple and its partners have decided not to provide pre-orders for the device until Friday, opting to have as many devices as possible available in physical storefronts around the world. According to AllThingsD, and given Apple's history of reticence, "an Apple representative declined to comment." It appears that if you wish to get your hands on an iPhone 5s on Friday, it will be a very good idea to be at your local Apple or carrier store as early as you can.
Apple TV refresh expected next week with tweaked AirPlay function
Yesterday the spotlight was shining on Apple's iPhone lineup, but next week, expect to see a refresh of the company's "hobby" -- the Apple TV. Peter Kafka at AllThingsD reports that Apple TV will gain new capabilities with an update scheduled for September 18. That's the same day that iOS 7 is released to the public. In particular, Kafka says that AirPlay will receive a significant change, allowing content purchased from the iTunes store to play on any TV capable of working with AirPlay. Kafka explains, "they will be able to tell an Apple TV box they don't own to stream the media they do own, directly from the cloud. That's a change from the current system, which requires users to download stuff to their iPhones and iPads and fling it to the TV from there." Kafka thought it was odd that Apple didn't even mention Apple TV or the update, but notes that they focused strictly on the new products. iTunes Radio -- a significant new way of accessing music from Apple devices -- received just passing mention by Craig Federighi during the presentation.
AllThingsD: Apple's next iPhone event slated for September 10th
September 10th, folks -- that's when Apple will unveil its next iPhone according to AllThingsD. We've received no official word yet, but recent leaks (and past form) suggest a refreshed iPhone 5 (possibly with a larger screen?) and possibly a low-cost model clad in plastic. It's a safe bet that the release version of iOS 7 will also make an appearance at the event, which is shaping up to be an iPhone- and iOS-focused affair, according to ATD. Feeling a sense of déjà vu? As always, we'll keep you informed when more concrete info makes its way to us.
AllThingsD: All three music labels on board for Apple
In the music industry, there are three major labels: Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group and Sony Music. According to Peter Kafka at All Things D, Apple has now signed agreements with all three labels, opening the way to a possible Apple announcement of the iRadio streaming service during the WWDC 2013 Keynote on Monday. "iRadio" may not be the actual name of the service, but has caught on as speculation has grown about Apple's music streaming plans. Apple still has to sign up Sony/ATV, the music publishing part of Sony, but is apparently quite close in negotiations. Kafka expects that Apple won't actually launch iRadio on Monday, but will tell developers -- and the rest of us -- about the service. The service is expected to be free and supported by audio iAds, providing more control over what songs you wish to listen to than standard Web radio stations. If it's announced on Monday, iRadio -- or whatever it's going to be called -- will be a win-win for Apple fans and the major record labels.
Nuance a "fundamental provider" to Siri
Rumors have long suggested Apple is working with Nuance on the voice recognition technology that powers Siri, but neither company has confirmed this partnership until now. Speaking during AllThingsD's D11 conference, Nuance CEO Paul Ricci officially confirmed that his company is a "fundamental provider" for Siri. Ricci didn't provide any details on what it means to be a "fundamental provider," but at least we now know for certain that the two companies are collaborating on Siri. You can listen to Ricci's entire interview on AllThingsD's website.
Musk: $35,000 Teslas might be three years away, will be 20 percent smaller
We can't argue that the Tesla Model S is not only a great achievement in the EV industry and a looker as well, but there are still a lot of people unconvinced by the $70,000 sticker price ($60k, if you count the tax credits). CEO Elon Musk is definitely aware of that particular concern, and stated tonight at D11 that there's a very good chance we'll see Teslas in three years for half the price -- and 20 percent smaller, to boot. Speaking with Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg, Musk mentioned he started the company with a three-step strategy to get to mass market, with the Roadster and Model S being the first two steps. The third step, naturally, would be to offer options that are more affordable: according to Musk, "I think every major product needs at least three iterations to get to the mass market -- I know cellphones have had much more than that." While we wait for 2016-17, we'll start saving some of our pennies, but fortunately we may not have to pinch all of them.
Tim Cook explains why Apple only makes one iPhone [Video]
During yesterday's All Things D kickoff interview, Walt Mossberg asked Tim Cook why Apple hasn't yet released different iPhone models for a range of demographics and regions. If a varied product lineup worked so successfully for the iPod, Mossberg wondered, why not implement a similar strategy for the iPhone. In short, amidst a sea of increasingly popular Android handsets with large screens, Mossberg wanted to know why Apple has continued to stick with a one-size-fits-all iPhone strategy. Cook first responded that while Apple hasn't yet released an iPhone with a bigger screen, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they won't in the future. Cook continued: It takes a lot of work, a lot of really detailed work to do a phone right when you manage the hardware, the software and the services around it. We've chosen to put our energies into getting those right, and have made the choices in order to do that so we haven't become de-focused working multiple lines. Cook also pointed out that Apple's varied selection of iPods wasn't done haphazardly, explaining that each distinct iPod model served a different role and addressed different needs. "And so on the phone, that is the question," Cook continued. "Are we now at a point to serve enough people that we need to do that?" Pressing forward, Mossberg asked if a large screen is different enough of an experience that it's now worth pursuing, especially in light of the fact that consumers seem to enjoy devices with larger screens. Cook responded: At a macro level, it might. A large screen today comes with a lot of trade-offs. Customers clearly are looking at size, but they are also looking at things like, do the photos show the proper color, the white balance, reflectivity, battery life, brightness, the longevity of the display. So there are a whole bunch of things that are very important to the display. So what our customers want is for us to weigh those and come out with a decision. And at this point, we felt that the Retina display that we're shipping is overwhelmingly the best. In a hypothetical world where trade-offs don't exist, you could see that screen size would be a differentiation. It's certainly an interesting take, but I don't quite buy into Cook's notion that average consumers are making extremely informed decisions about screen size when picking out a smartphone. On the contrary, I think consumers are easily lured into purchasing a device with a big screen and vibrant colors and don't give much, if any, thought to metrics such as white balance and the longevity of the display. You can check out Cook's full answer below.
Full video from Tim Cook's D11 appearance now available
Our staff has been pushing out articles about Tim Cook's D11 appearance last night, and now the complete video is available courtesy of AllThingsD. The one-hour, 21-minute video is fascinating, not for any announcements that were made or not made by Cook, but for the constant pressure from hosts Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher to get him to spill the beans. For details, check out the following posts: Executive change-up at Apple has been great; Jony has been "really key" to iOS 7 design Apple has already acquired nine companies in 2013 More breakout posts will be forthcoming later today.
Tim Cook: Apple has no issue porting its apps to Android
While it may seem far-fetched that Apple would consider following BlackBerry Messenger's footsteps and bring some of its apps to Android, it turns out that such a move isn't out of the question. "We have no religious issue with porting an Apple app to Android," said Cook in response to whether iCloud should branch out to other platforms. "If it made sense for us to do that, we would do that. You could apply that to every area of Apple." That's far from a guarantee that apps coded by Cupertino will turn up on Google's mobile OS, but the fact that we could see iMessage make a Google+ Hangouts-like pilgrimage to rival territory is tantalizing. Update: We now have the full interview with Tim Cook right after the break. Follow along with our D11 liveblog right here.
Tim Cook on Android market share: winning has never been about having the most (update: video)
Apple's head honcho Tim Cook is chatting up Android's growth explosion, and it turns out he's not flustered. "Do I look at that? Of course, I don't have my head stuck in the sand," said Cook." But for us, winning has never been about having the most." Instead, he stands by the old Apple line of quality versus quantity. "Arguably, we make the best PC, but we don't make the most," he added. "We made the best music player, and we wound up making the most -- but we didn't initially." Rather than focus on install base, Cupertino's chief turned to usage stats to illustrate their supremacy, noting that their slates are the most popular for browsing the web. "You can look at tablet web market share in North America," Cook said. "Almost every study I see has the iPad in the 80s (percentage)." Before even broaching the subject of Google's mobile OS, Cook cited NetApp figures that show 59 percent of worldwide web traffic from smartphones and tablets comes from iOS devices. We're sure the folks in Mountain View are content with quantity, though we'd hazard a guess they enjoy quality as well. Update: We've slotted in a video clip of Tim Cook responding to the ballooning Android market share after the break. Follow along with our D11 liveblog right here.
Apple CEO Tim Cook interview at D11: the liveblog
Just a year after Tim Cook sat down for his first non-financial interview as CEO of Apple, the man himself is back for yet another round. He'll be seated in Rancho Palos Verdes, California this evening at the D11 conference, taking questions from hosts Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg, and we'll be liveblogging every moment of it. The interview is taking place with under a fortnight to go until Apple's WWDC, where we're expecting to see details on iOS 7, the Mac lineup and perhaps a glimpse at whatever the company is cooking up in the wearables department. If you've arrived here prior to 6PM PT on May 28th, feel free to bookmark this link and return at the time listed below. Tues May 28 06:00:00 PM PDT 2013
Tim Cook to speak at All Things D conference tonight
Fresh off of his recent trip to Washington D.C., Apple CEO Tim Cook will kick off the 11th annual All Things D conference later today when he sits down for an interview with Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg. The interview is slated to begin at 9 PM ET. The interviews at All Things D are always informative and typically address a number of issues. In previous years, Steve Jobs participated in several All Things D interviews where he would often divulge a variety of interesting factoids about Apple products and opine on the state of the tech industry at large. During the 2010 All Things D conference, for example, Jobs revealed for the first time that Apple's iPhone initiative initially began as a tablet project. While it goes without saying that Cook won't shed any light on future Apple products, the interview will undoubtedly offer an interesting glimpse into Cook's view of the tech industry.
Apple CEO Tim Cook's interview at D11 is tomorrow, get your liveblog here!
Just a year after Tim Cook sat down for his first non-financial interview as CEO of Apple, the man himself is back for yet another round. He'll be seated in Rancho Palos Verdes, California tomorrow evening at the D11 conference, taking questions from hosts Kara Swisher and Walt Mossberg, and we'll be liveblogging every moment of it. The interview is taking place with under a fortnight to go until Apple's WWDC, where we're expecting to see details on iOS 7, the Mac lineup and perhaps a glimpse at whatever the company is (presumably) cooking up in the wearables department. The action begins at 6PM PT (9PM ET) tomorrow, so feel free to bookmark this link and return at the time listed below. Tues May 28 06:00:00 PM PDT 2013
Tim Cook will headline All Things D conference next month
The Wall Street Journal's AllThingsD blog has announced the lineup for its 11th AllThingsD conference happening later this month, and the lead draw is Apple's CEO. Yes, an interview with Tim Cook will headline the show. He appeared at the conference last year to talk about Apple's present and future, and he's planning to do the same again this year. New products will definitely be a subject. Apple hasn't revealed anything new in quite a while, so the second half of 2013 could be a big one for Apple. And it'll be nice to just hear what Cook has to say -- these talks are generally pretty open, and Cook always reveals one or two good tidbits about life on the Apple campus. Sony's Kaz Hirai, Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg, and a number of other tech-related executives are also set to take the stage at the 11th All Things D show as well. It'll be held from May 28 to 30 later on this year.
Waze CEO reacts to Apple Maps
Waze CEO Noam Bardin told the audience at AllThingsD's D:Dive Into Mobile conference that he expected Apple Maps to be mediocre, but he was surprised by the vehement consumer backlash to the product. "We assumed Apple's Maps product wouldn't be that good, but we thought it would be good enough for consumers," he said. "What surprised us was that it came out and consumers were upset." It reinforced to him that apps have a minimum standard of quality that people expect. If you don't meet that standard, then customers are going to respond negatively. Bardin also said that Apple Maps, in his opinion, is improving, but the Cupertino company is limited by the quality and quantity of data provided by GPS partners like TomTom. Waze has an advantage over its competitors because the crowdsource nature of its service allows it to constantly update and validate its maps.
HTC One headed to Verizon after all, says AllThingsD
If you read the comments on our HTC One review, you'll find a lot of cheesed-off Verizon customers wondering why Big Red isn't planning on selling it. Turns out, you guys might be getting yourselves a pretty 4.7-inch flagship after all. AllThingsD is reporting that Verizon is indeed planning to offer the phone, right alongside AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile. The only catch is that the VZW model might arrive a month or two after the others, thanks to Verizon's notoriously long testing process. The keyword, of course, is "might" -- so far, neither Verizon or HTC has made a comment, which means all our angry Verizon-bound readers might have reason to be mad after all. Needless to say, we hope you don't.
Apple's hunt for a new retail chief continues
Remember when Apple fired retail head John Browett at the end of October? Well, his job is still open in the company, and as AllThingsD's John Paczkowski notes, Apple may be taking its time to replace Browett because they can't afford to make another mistake hiring a senior VP for this critical position. The retail stores are a key to Apple's success; in the fourth quarter alone, the 390 worldwide Apple Stores generated an average of $6,050 per square foot. That's huge -- Tiffany & Company stores only earn about half that amount. Paczkowski's article lists five candidates whose names have been bandied about, including Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts, Victor Luis of Coach, Jeanne Jackson of Nike, John Culver of Starbucks (China and Asia Pacific) and Paul Gainer, executive VP of Global Disney Store. They're all definitely qualified, but it's entirely possible that one of three internal candidates would fit the bill much better. Steve Cano is Apple's manager of retail stores; Bob Bridger is the current VP for retail real estate and development; and Jerry McDougal is the existing VP of retail. Many industry sources who talked with Paczkowski seem to think that Cano is the best Apple-internal candidate. He started as the manager of Apple's first Soho store, saw the Tokyo Ginza store through its opening, transferred to London to head international retail operations and is now head of all Apple Stores. Unlike Browett, he understands the culture at the stores. The man Browett replaced, JCPenney CEO Ron Johnson, says that "I think Tim (Cook) will take his time with this. The internal team is very strong and capable of running well until he finds the right person."
Instagram and Twitter aren't friends anymore
Remember the good old days when Instagram and Twitter (both free apps) were good buddies, playing together nicely and sharing their toys? Well, those days are long past. In an article on AllThingsD, blogger Mike Isaac details the deteriorating relationship between the two companies. Twitter blogged this morning that Instagram has disabled integration with Twitter cards, which is how Twitter displays multimedia inside of tweets. By doing so, Instagram photos are going to appear cropped. Isaac says this is "Instagram giving Twitter the middle finger," and Instagram boss Kevin Systrom concurs. At the LeWeb conference in Paris today, Systrom said "We want to direct users to where the content lives originally. Where do you go to interact with [an Instagram] image? We want that to be instagram.com because that's a better user experience." Instagram, which is now part of Twitter competitor Facebook, is responding to Twitter's move last summer to turn off the "find my Twitter friends" feature on Instagram. Twitter has been reading the writing on the wall, and is working on providing its own set of photo filters to turn perfectly good photos into dark, scratchy and weirdly-tinted images. Does this mean that the two companies won't be exchanging cards this holiday season? Probably.
Apple investors 'return to senses' with big rally today
A massive sell-off in Apple shares that's been going on for about eight weeks now appears to have been nipped in the bud with a rally from Friday's close of US$527.68 to a high around $560. While the news out of Washington, DC about possible action on the upcoming "fiscal cliff" appears to be driving a broader market rally today, John Paczkowski at AllThingsD points out the real driver behind the AAPL rally -- Wall Street analysts are pointing out the stock slide as "unmerited". This morning, Topeka Capital Markets' Brian White sent a note to clients stating that "The sell-off in Apple's stock over the past eight weeks has gotten to the point of being 'insanely insane' given the depressed valuation, new blockbuster products for the holiday season, the attractive long-term growth opportunities that lie ahead and the company's ability to distribute significant cash flow to investors." Over the weekend, Paczkowski pointed out that the pre-holiday decline in Apple share price is a "historical pattern ... Apple shares slip late in the year amid profit-taking and some irrationality or other. And then the company reports monster first-quarter earnings in January and they spike."
