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Apple removes EPEAT green certification, could lose government customers
Apple has done an increasingly good job of creating environmentally-friendly products, but the company did something the other day that probably has both environmentalists and some customers scratching their heads. The company has removed the EPEAT green electronics certification from its products, and won't be submitting products to the global registry for rating in the future. Reporter Joel Schectman at the Wall Street Journal says that Apple asked to have all 39 EPEAT certified devices pulled from the registry. EPEAT's CEO, Robert Frisbee, told Schectman that "They (Apple) said their design direction was no longer consistent with the EPEAT requirements." This is visible in the new MacBook Pro with Retina display, which uses parts that are glued into the case for space considerations. This makes the device almost impossible to fully disassemble for recycling. Some government agencies and school districts make recycling of electronics a criteria for purchasing, although it's not known what effect the EPEAT pullback could have on sales of the devices. Sarah O'Brien, director of outreach for EPEAT, said that corporations such as Ford and Kaiser Permanente require CIOs for purchase EPEAT certified sources, and the U.S. government requires 95% of all electronics purchased carry EPEAT certification.
Apple's employee hardware discount program officially begins
Apple employees can now take part in a new Employee Purchase Plan which started on Wednesday, says a report by MacNN. The discount offers employees $500 off select Mac computers and $250 off iPads. It does not include the low-price Mac mini or the Retina MacBook Pro. The discount also is separate from the employee's current 25 percent discount. Employees who have passed the 90-day probationary period can take advantage of the offer, and they can use their discount once every three years. Besides this extra discount, Apple also gave retail employees a well-deserved pay raise that could be as high as 25 percent, depending on the store and employee performance.
Rating Tim Cook's performance as Steve Jobs's replacement
All eyes have been on Tim Cook since he took over as CEO of Apple. Most early reports have been favorable, including this latest one from Don Reisinger who is writing for eWeek. Reisinger presents ten reasons why Tim Cook is considered a topnotch CEO. Contributing greatly to his success is the way Cook inherited Apple. He stepped immediately into the CEO position and took over the company seamlessly. There was no downtime or uncertainty when Jobs stepped down. Cook was ready and rearing to take over. Now that Cook is in the driver's seat, he's been adept at handling controversy in China, while still keeping investors happy with outstanding financial performance and dividends. Employees are also pleased with their leader and have given him a 97 out of 100 rating on Glassdoor.com. Besides these points above, Reisinger presents several more reasons why Tim Cook is an excellent CEO. You can read the remaining points on eWeek's website.
Apple's VP of Europe steps down after 12 years
French newspaper Le Figaro is reporting that Pascal Cagni is stepping down from his position as Apple's vice president of Europe. Cagni was hired by Steve Jobs in 2000 and has served as Apple's European VP for 12 years. He was responsible for Apple's explosive growth in the EMEA region, which saw revenue grow from US$1 billion to $19 billion per year under his leadership. This resignation hasn't been confirmed by Apple or Cagni and, as pointed out by The Next Web, Cagni's LinkedIn account has not been updated. Given the newness of this change, this radio silence is expected. [Via The Next Web]
Apple, Foxconn to share cost of factory improvement
Foxconn chief Terry Gou said that his company and Apple will share the costs of improving labor conditions at the Chinese factory that assembles many of Apple's products. Gou did not reveal the amount to be spent or how it would be divided between Apple and Foxconn. Last February, Foxconn agreed to raise wages for some of its factory workers. In March, the company began recruiting for positions created to oversee safety and lifestyle issues at its facilities. Gou did not say if the cost of these initiatives would be shared with Apple.
Apple VP of iOS Scott Forstall cashes in $38.7 million of Apple shares
Tim Cook's salary came up in the news last month when he was awarded a million shares of Apple stock, and cashed out a few, in addition to his many other forms of compensation. And here's another Apple manager who's taking advantage of Apple's soaring stock price when he can. Vice President of iOS Scott Forstall reportedly cashed out over 64,000 Apple shares last week, earning US$38.7 million from the sale. Forstall picked up those shares in 2008. He got 120,000 shares back then as part of a bonus, and as those just vested (minus about half for taxes), he went ahead and cashed them out. But this doesn't leave Forstall without an investment in the company. He's still got 250,000 shares set to vest at different times in the next few years, in addition to 2,988 shares currently held, and that's in addition to an annual salary of $700,000. What did Forstall do to earn all this money? Oh, just run the iOS division, which picked up $29 billion for Apple in just the last quarter. Just that.
Travis County Commission OK's Apple's Austin, Texas expansion plans
As expected, the Travis County (TX) Commission has approved an economic development package for Apple to spur the development of jobs in Austin. The package was approved last night by a 4-to-1 vote, and is expected to bring new jobs to Austin in return for US$5.4 to $6.4 million in tax rebates. In return, Apple will make an expected $282.5 million investment in Austin. The company has also received an $8.6 million economic development grant from the city of Austin, as well as a similar $21 million grant from the Texas Enterprise Fund. The incentives were key to Apple basing its Americas Operation Center in Austin, which is expected to add about 3,600 new jobs to the existing 3,100 who currently work at the Northwest Austin campus. Apple state and local governmental affairs manager Jason Lundgaard, who attended the Commissioners Court meeting last night, said that the company plans to work with the county to hire economically challenged individuals.
John Browett added to Apple's executive profiles web page
John Browett took over for Ron Johnson as Apple's chief of retail sales last year and, now, after 13 months on the job, the former Dixon's CEO has a profile on Apple's executive webpage. According to his bio, Browett "oversees Apple's retail strategy and the continued expansion of Apple retail stores around the world." You can read Browett's full bio on Apple's website.
Apple's plans for Texas construction delayed due to disagreement with county
Apple's plans to bring 3,600 jobs to Austin, Texas are being delayed due to a disagreement between the company and the Travis County Commissioners Court over the terms of an economic incentive package. Apple is hoping to establish an Americas Operations Center in Austin, which would run most of the company's business operations for North and South America. Key to the deal to invest $304 million in the center is a package which would provide the company with almost $36 million in incentives over the next 10 to 15 years. The sticking point in the negotiations is with the Travis County Commissioners Court, which would provide anywhere from $5.4 to $6.4 million of the incentive. Opponents of the deal raised their objections at a Tuesday meeting of the Court, with Bill Aleshire (an attorney and former Travis County judge) and Ed Wendler (an Austin developer) picking through the details of the contract between the county and Apple. Aleshire said "I'm not sorry that Apple is frustrated ... That's a sorry contract." He felt that Apple "had it rigged so they could not comply with the contract yet end up with county staff basically renegotiating the terms that they would have to comply with." There's hope that the negotiations will end in a positive vote for Apple's expansion plans next Tuesday, May 1, 2012. If not, there are plenty of other cities in the U.S. that would be more than happy to welcome Apple with open arms.
Time magazine explores Apple's success
TIME Business has a short, but poignant article from Sam Gustin about Apple and its business strategy. Unlike similar articles that focused on Steve Jobs and his leadership style, this article looks at Apple as a whole. Gustin says that Apple has a winning combination of innovation, execution and opportunity that combined to propel the company to its lofty financial position. He points out that this is only the beginning and Apple will continue its dominance it if can out-think, out-innovate and out-execute its competitors. You can read the details at TIME's website.
Apple makes a tax deal for Prineville, Oregon data center land
We've heard before that Apple plans to build a data center on land it previously purchased in Oregon, but now the Associated Press reports on part of the cost. The company has reportedly agreed to pay US$150,000 per year to local governments, and has signed off on at least 35 jobs. Those jobs will be paid at a rate that's at least 150% of the average wage in the Oregon county. Finally, according to the AP, Apple will have to invest at least $250 million into the data center building itself. In return for all of that, Apple will be exempt on property tax payments for the next 15 years. Whether that will be worth it or not depends on exactly how much they build there, but odds are Apple's accountants aren't that worried. The company already paid $5.6 million for the land earlier this year, and it's setting up plans to both build up the infrastructure of the local power company to keep the data center running, as well as a green energy site there on the spot. Oregon is apparently a popular place for data centers like this. Google, Amazon, and Facebook all have similar sites in the surrounding area. [via MacRumors]
Apple to create 500 jobs in Cork, Ireland
Apple announced today that it will expand its headquarters in Cork, Ireland. "Apple has been in Cork for over 30 years and we are thrilled to be expanding our presence there," an Apple spokesman told the Irish Times. "Our plans will add over 500 new jobs to support our growing business across Europe." The Cupertino Company is meeting with local officials, the IDA Ireland and the Minister for Jobs Richard Burton who says this expansion "is a huge boost for the country." Apple's current plant in Cork was opened in 1980 and was the first non-US headquarters for the company. The Holyhill location now employs 2,800 people who work in backend, supply chain and distribution operations for Europe.
Greenpeace: Apple falling short of sourcing clean power
Environmental reports can be all over the place these days -- at times, it seems like these reports tend to be more about politics than the environment. But while Apple has always said it's leading the charge on being environmentally friendly, Greenpeace apparently isn't so sure. The group has called out Apple in a recent report for not using environmentally friendly sources to power Apple's North Carolina data center. Google, Yahoo, and Facebook all got good marks from Greenpeace's report, because their buildings are in areas that use "clean" power like wind and solar power. But Apple's center uses mostly coal and nuclear electricity, which Greenpeace looks negatively on. Apple does deserve some credit. It leads the industry in using green power, even if this specific plant, according to this report, isn't doing what Greenpeace wants. Apple also got bad marks for transparency. The company says it uses clean power, but apparently it doesn't always share the specific evidence that Greenpeace wants. At any rate, there's probably fair points on both sides here. Apple does a lot to use "green" energy in all of its work, and of course, as Greenpeace suggests, there's always more that can be done. The North Carolina data center, as you know if you've ever used iCloud or Siri, is nice to have. But it would be even nicer if it was run on power that did not as negatively affect the environment.
Apple, Chinese environmental group will audit factory for pollution concerns
ComputerWorld notes that Apple and a Chinese environmental group plan to jointly audit one of its factories in China. The audit, which is just a pilot project for the time being, will be completed by the end of April. It will be done at one of the factories that manufacture printed circuit boards for the company. The goal of the audit is to identify and pollution concerns. The joint audit will be done by Apple and The Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE), a Beijing environmental group. The IPE told ComputerWorld that Apple held talks with the organization last year after it criticized the company's suppliers and their effects on the environment. Apple has come under pressure in recent years to help make its suppliers' factories as environmentally friendly as possible. The company recently overhauled the Environmental section of its website and began publishing environment reports for the sake of transparency.
Apple plans nation's biggest private fuel cell energy project
Apple has made several moves lately that point to it becoming one of the nation's leaders in terms of adopting clean energy technology. First, the company announced that is installing a 20-megawatt solar farm across from the Maiden, North Carolina data center. Now the Greenboro, N.C. News & Record reports that the company plans to install the largest private fuel cell energy project in America near Maiden. The project, which should be producing energy by the end of the year, will use large modular fuel cells from Bloom Energy of Sunnyvale, California. The company's "Bloom Boxes" (see photo above) are in use in a number of other fuel cell projects throughout the country, primarily in California. Fuel cells produce electrical energy from hydrogen gas through an electro-chemical process, with water being the only byproduct. They've been used on NASA spacecraft for years, and have only recently made an impact on electrical power generation. The technology is rather expensive, which is why most fuel cell installations have been made in California where the state provides incentives equal to about half of the installation cost. Apparently, the hydrogen fuel will be produced from natural gas feedstocks, with Apple hoping to offset the use of natural gas with landfill methane gas or other biogas. Bloom Boxes are being used for clean energy production by a number of other large tech firms, including Adobe, eBay, and Google.
How America benefits from Apple
Apple has gone from near death in the 1990s to the pinnacle of success two decades later. TIME tech journalist Ben Bajarin notes in a post today that the company is a highly important and necessary part of the American economy and says that "America needs Apple to keep doing what it's doing." Probably the biggest point Bajarin makes is that Apple now drives economic growth in the country. During a deep recession, the company showed record growth and revenues. Apple didn't stay stagnant during this recession or the previous dot-com bust; instead, the company invested in retail stores and completely new product lines (iPod in the early 2000s, iPad in the 2010s). Apple's impact on the S&P 500 was remarkable in the last quarter; if Apple had been taken out of the picture, the S&P 500 growth rate would have been only half (around 3 percent) of the figure with the company. Bajarin also points out the positive impact of the iOS app economy, which by Apple's own measures has created about 210,000 jobs. Add to that the huge number of accessory manufacturers that have sprung up in the U.S. (think of DODOcase and Pen & Quill, for example), and the impact is even greater. Apple has made America technologically competitive again, with the most wildly popular consumer electronics products not coming from Asia or Europe but from the U.S. Bajarin also postulates that American cell phone companies wouldn't have invested as much in 3G and 4G networks if the iPhone hadn't been around to create the need for those networks. It's time to take the "pie" out of the old saying and just say "It's as American as Apple."
Apple workers quite fond of CEO Tim Cook
Apple employees were happy when Steve Jobs was at the helm and now his successor is receiving the same adoration. According to Glassdoor's March 2012 list of the top 25 highest rated CEOs, Tim Cook takes the top spot with a 97 percent approval rating. This matches Steve Jobs's rating when he resigned from the CEO position last August. It also beat Job's 2011 rating (March 2010 to March 2011) which was 95 percent. [Via AllThingsD]
Tim Cook meets with China's Vice Premier
Apple CEO Tim Cook met with Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing yesterday to discuss intellectual property rights and, most likely, the ongoing iPad trademark dispute with beleaguered monitor manufacturer Proview. According to M.I.C. Gadget, which provided footage from Chinese TV of the meeting between Cook and the Vice Premier, Li "is a vice commerce minister and official of the National Development and Reform Commission, and will almost certainly be preparing to become China's prime minister." Chinese news agency Xinhua said that the Vice Premier promised Cook that China would boost intellectual property rights protection. In return, Cook assured Li that Apple would strengthen its cooperation with the Chinese and conduct business "in a law-abiding and honest manner." Li also called on multinational companies like Apple to "pay more attention to caring for workers in China," something the company has made a priority in 2012. Video of the meeting is included below.
Tim Cook meets with mayor of Beijing
Tim Cook was spotted in a Beijing Apple store on Monday and a report from a Chinese newspaper says the Apple CEO also met with Guo Jinlong, mayor of Beijing, later that day. Details about the meeting are not known, but it is thought he talked about market expansion and working more closely in the future with the Chinese city. Apple spokesperson Carolyn Wu confirmed Cook's trip to China and said, "Tim is in China meeting with government officials. China is very important to us and we look forward to greater investment and growth here." [Via Computerworld]
Apple prepping web images for iPad Retina display
AppleInsider is reporting that portions of Apple.com have been upgraded to take advantage of the new iPad's Retina display and HiDPI screens. So far, the changes have been made to the home page and iPad portions of the site. AppleInsider has several comparison shots made in normal version, the bottom screenshot above, and with HiDPI, enabled in OS X 10.7.3.
