allthingsd
Latest
Apple's Bob Mansfield: influenced to stay by Scott Forstall's departure?
In the latest episode of the soap opera known as "Apple: As The Revolving Door Turns", we saw Senior Vice President of Technologies Bob Mansfield being persuaded somehow to stay on with the company for at least another two years while former iOS software VP Scott Forstall was quietly ushered out the door. Now AllThingsD is positing that apparently Mansfield stayed on because he knew that Forstall would be leaving. AllThingsD's John Paczkowski notes that a source close to Apple told the site that "the timing of Bob's return is not coincidental." Mansfield apparently disliked Forstall's confrontational style and avoided him at all costs. A Bloomberg post from last year quoted former Apple software engineer Mike Lee as referring to Forstall as "Apple's chief a-hole" as a compliment. That same post pointed out that other executives, including Mansfield and Industrial Design Senior VP Jony Ive, would not attend meetings with Forstall unless Tim Cook was present. Forstall was, according to the year-old Bloomberg post, "a striver who was better at managing up than down -- that is, making sure his accomplishments were noticed first, and blaming others for mistakes." The iOS 6 Maps debacle appears to have been one mistake too many for Apple CEO Tim Cook to ignore, and served as an easy way to show Forstall the door. In retrospect, the year-old Bloomberg post appears to have been a roadmap for the reorganization that occurred this week.
Ballmer: Apple has not produced a product that customers use
Someone in Redmond, WA needs to call the folks with the straitjackets, as it appears that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has gone certifiably bonkers. AllThingsD's John Paczkowski notes that in a recent interview with CNBC, Ballmer went on record as saying that "I don't think anybody has done a product that is the product that I see customers wanting. You can go through the products from all those guys ... and none of them has a product that you can really use. Not Apple. Not Google. Not Amazon." Okaayyyyy, Steve. Just put down the Microsoft Surface and sit down, and let's talk about this. What about the 100 million iPads that Apple has sold in a little over two years? How about the Amazon Kindle Fire, which (despite the company refusing to release actual sales figures) is supposedly the best-selling Amazon product ever? Ballmer is maintaining that everyone wants the Surface, which he touts as the product that can be both PC and tablet, at play and at work. Perhaps it's the stress of last week's product launch of Windows 8 and Surface, or maybe the fact that the company is spending an estimated $1.5 billion to launch those products that's causing him to lose sight of reality. Paczkowski ends his post by saying that "Maybe Microsoft will change users' expectations for tablets. But after two and half years and 100 million iPads sold, it's not going to be easy."
iPhone 5 supply still stretched
To those of us who are waiting ... patiently, I might add ... for our iPhone 5s to ship from Apple, it's obvious that the supply of the newest iPhone is constrained. John Paczkowski at AllThingsD reports that many Apple Stores are reporting low inventory of the iPhone 5, and that the online store is still showing a three- to four-week delivery time. While the supply constraint is just an inconvenience to those of us who had to order the phone after the first day, Wall Street analysts are now lowering their forecasted sales of iPhones as a result. Yesterday, Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster lopped 2.2 million iPhones off of his sales forecast for September of 2012, moving from 27.2 million units down to 25 million. The news isn't all bad, though. Munster thinks the supply situation should be balanced with demand by the all-important holiday season, so he's keeping with his 49 million unit estimate for the October - December quarter. Another analyst, Peter Misek from Jefferies, was quoted by AllThingsD as saying "Remember, there are 170 million post paid subscribers coming off contract. That's overwhelming all supply ramps. The demand here is unprecedented."
AllThingsD: 'iPad Mini' to get its own event in October after new iPhone reveal
After refreshing its computer range, Apple's gearing up for two events for its new phone and tablet hardware, according to sources at AllThingsD. Given the excitement welling up behind its next iPhone, many have noted (including Daring Fireball's John Gruber) that it would make a whole lot of sense to furnish both the phone and the heavily rumored smaller tablet with individual events -- and that is, apparently, what's going to happen. Unfortunately, the anonymous sources weren't revealing anything further -- Apple's yet to confirm that posited September 12th event date, let alone any secondary event. But when it does, be assured that we'll be there to cover both of them.
Judge Lucy Koh prompts Apple, Samsung CEOs to meet again
Ina Fried has been covering the Apple-Samsung patent trial for AllThingsD, and this morning she reported that Judge Lucy Koh has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook and Samsung executives Choi Gee-sung and Shin Jong-kyn to meet in an effort to strike a deal before the trial goes to jury. Koh is quoted as saying "I see risk here for both sides if we go to a verdict." She went on to say that if Samsung and Apple have intellectual property positions in the smartphone and tablet worlds, then "message delivered." Koh's message to both parties? "It's time for peace." The Apple and Samsung attorneys have agreed to arrange at least a phone meeting between the two parties, although previous meetings of the big wheels has resulted in no resolution. At this point, Samsung is delivering technical testimony about its patents covering core wireless technologies that it is accusing Apple of infringing. To quote Fried, "the jury has heard about such riveting topics as 'E-DPDCH transmit power gains." Testimony in the case is expected to finish tomorrow or Monday, with closing arguments scheduled for Tuesday.
Sprint: iPhone worth the huge financial commitment
Sprint CEO Dan Hesse told Ina Fried of AllthingsD and other reporters who are touring Sprint's headquarters in Kansas that the iPhone is worth the billions that the carrier is spending on the device. According to Hesse, Sprint considered Apple's offer and "saw no reason to bet against Apple." In the end, the wireless carrier agreed to buy US$15.5 billion worth of iPhones over the next four years. Agreeing to buy the iPhone is painful now for Sprint as the carrier tries to balance paying Apple and building out its LTE network at the same time. Hesse, though, believes this gamble will pay off as more and more customers decide to stick with carrier because they can get the iPhone.
IDC: Apple tops in mobile revenue, operating profits
AllThingsD's John Paczkowski, reporting on some of the numbers released by IDC last week, notes that although Samsung shipped almost double the number of smartphones that Apple did, it makes absolutely no difference because Apple "far outshines its rivals in both revenue and operating profits." Apple shipped only 6 percent of the industry total of smartphones and tablets, yet thanks to its immense gross margins the company pulled in 43 percent of the industry's revenues (above) and 77 percent of the operating profits (below). Raymond James analyst Tavis McCourt said it best -- "Ultimately, profits are the feedstock of innovation; and, innovation drives profits. Until Samsung starts generating more profits than Apple, we would not be overly concerned with who has the unit share lead. Remember, HP and Dell still sell a lot more PCs than Apple sells Macs, but does it matter?" That sound you hear is Apple laughing all the way to the bank... #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Apple's components spending increasing dramatically
Statements made by Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Peter Oppenheimer during the recent 3Q 2012 earnings call are beginning to make sense in light of news from AllThingsD's John Paczkowski that shows that Apple's prepayments for inventory components are ramping up in a big way. The Apple executives had noted that the 4Q 2012 earnings guidance would be down due to a "product transition," basically a way of saying that they'd be spending more on building inventory for a new product coming down the pike. Cook and Oppenheimer also repeatedly referred to "confidence in the new product pipeline," meaning that something big is coming from the company. (Chris referenced this in passing in yesterday's Rumor Roundup.) Paczkowski pointed out a chart in Apple's latest 10-Q filing (at the top of this post), which shows prepayment for inventory components in the June quarter rising US$1.15 billion over the previous quarter. That's a huge buildup, and Wells Fargo Securities analyst Maynard Um is cited as saying that "Historically, such increases have been followed by a solid ramp-up in revenue in the following 2-3 quarters. In our view, an increase in inventory component prepayment may suggest that Apple is securing supply for potential new product launches." As reported by several sites yesterday, the anticipation is building for a rumored Apple event in mid-September. There's a good chance that one of those products is the next-generation iPhone, but perhaps we'll also see other products getting a refresh. What updated or new Apple products do you want to see? I'm holding out for a new iMac, while several of the other TUAW bloggers want a new Mac mini. Tell us your wishes for new products in the comments. #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; } #next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Distro Issue 49: a visit to the craft and hackerspace at Artisan's Asylum
While Yahoo was busy hiring its new CEO away from Google, we were hard at work crankin' out this week's edition of Distro to help feed your slate reading desires. Let's just say that if a CNC gantry router that implements a Wiimote piques your interest, you're in for quite the treat this time around. We head north to Massachusetts to visit Artisan's Asylum for a glimpse of the craftiness and general hackery that takes place in an old office supply warehouse. We throw down the review gauntlet for the Nintendo 3DS XL, LG Optimus 4X HD and Sony VAIO T13 and offer some detailed reactions on said trio. AllThingsD's Mike Isaac has a go at the Q&A, "Switched On" discusses the next Office, Steam's annual sale occupies "Reaction Time" and "IRL" returns. As you might expect, all of the requisite download links await your clicks below. Update: Make sure you're downloading the newest versions of the Distro app when they're made available. This will allow you to keep tabs on all of the content and functionality packed into each issue. Distro Issue 49 PDF Distro in the iTunes App Store Distro in the Google Play Store Distro APK (for sideloading) Like Distro on Facebook Follow Distro on Twitter
MacBook refresh giving overall Mac sales a boost
The new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models that appeared on June 11, 2012 helped overall Mac sales during the remainder of the month, according to NPD sales data reported by John Paczkowski at AllThingsD. During the month of June, Mac sales grew 1 percent year over year. While that doesn't sound like much, sales had fallen 13 percent in April and 23 percent in May. For Apple's complete 3rd quarter ending June 30, 2012, Mac sales are still down 10 percent from a year ago. However, Paczkowski believes that the recovery from the 23 percent decline in May is a positive sign. Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster agrees, saying that "the refreshed Macs will enable Apple to sustain a better growth profile in the U.S. through the back-to-school season." Munster is expecting Apple to ship 4.1 million Macs for the quarter as well as 16 million iPads, both of which are in line with the expectations of other Wall Street analysts. However, Munster's bullish on the iPhone, expecting sales of 28-29 million units for the quarter. The rest of the Street is expecting sales in the 25-27 million unit range. Be sure to join TUAW for our 3rd quarter earnings call liveblog on July 24.
AllThingsD: New Kindle Fire will feature 1,280 x 800 resolution, ship in Q3 2012
Rumors and scuttlebutt are already afoot: Amazon is ramping up to release a Kindle Fire successor later this year. It certainly seems reasonable enough; come November the original $200 slate will be a year old, outpaced by the young Nexus 7. According to AllThingsD, however, Amazon aims to keep things fresh -- updating the tablet with a thinner profile, a 1,280 x 800 resolution display and a built-in camera. According to sources "familiar with Amazon's plans," the tablet is slated for a late Q3 launch, agreeing with its previously rumored July / August debut. The finer details -- like the unit's price and internal specs -- are still MIA, but we'll let you know if the rumor mill churns out anything new. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
WWDC 2012 by the numbers
AllThingsD has a nice breakdown of the numbers presented at Monday's WWDC 2012 keynote. Besides the iTunes sales figures we covered yesterday, AllThingsD also parsed out the smaller figures that were weaved into the different sections of the keynote. This often-overlooked trivia includes tidbits like the fact that iOS users send around one billion iMessages per day and the revelation that Mac users now total 66 million -- a number that has tripled in the past five years. You can read the full list, which covers both OS X and iOS, on AllThingsD's website.
Complete video of Tim Cook's AllThingsD appearance now available
As a warm up to WWDC, AllThingsD released an interview with Tim Cook that was recorded during the recent D10 conference. The casual talk with Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher covers everything from Apple's relationship with Facebook to the challenges the company faces in China. Though its been covered extensively in a live blog, words can't capture Cook's personality which shines in this video. You can watch the 200-minute talk on AllThingsD's website. And when you are done, join us for even more Tim Cook who is expected to headline today's WWDC keynote that'll kickoff at 10 am PT (1 pm ET).
Pixar president Dr. Ed Catmull, Oracle's Larry Ellison discuss Steve Jobs
Over the years, Steve Jobs was a big part of the annual D:All Things Digital conference and his presence at the recent D10 was sorely missed. In one long sit-down session, both Pixar President Dr. Ed Catmull and Oracle CEO Larry Ellison talk candidly about their interactions with Jobs and his influence on technology. In one part of the interview, Ellison focuses on Jobs's cutting personality and how that led to his removal from Apple in the early days of the company. Ellison called this removal "an incredible mistake" and said it influences how young CEOs do business today. In another clip from the interview, Catmull, who worked with Jobs at Pixar, and Ellison reflect on their 25+ years of friendship with the Apple founder. This clip is filled with insight into Job's personality and leadership skills.
Archive of Jobs videos makes iTunes go all things Steve
The mark that Steve Jobs left on the industry is a deep one, indeed. But aside from regular product announcements, we didn't see all that much of the Apple founder. Jobs's appearances at the All Things Digital conference certainly do a little to remedy the late-executive's notoriously private nature, and now you can watch them all from the comfort of your own Apple-branded media player. All Things D has released Jobs's six lengthy interviews in video and audio format via iTunes.
Google's Sundar Pichai confirms that offline Google Drive 'coming in five weeks,' hints at ad-supported Chromebook
During the closing session here at D10 in California, Google's on Senior Vice President of Chrome & Apps Sundar Pichai was joined by Susan Wojcicki (SVP of Advertising at Google) at Walt Mossberg. Sundar was able to drive the majority of the conversation in the realm of Chrome and Chrome OS, and quite a few interesting nuggets were dropped. For one, he made an offhand comment that "offline Google Drive [is] coming in five weeks," a clue that it'll be revealed and launched in full at Google I/O next month. On the topic of Chrome's browser market share, he reckoned that around a third of the world's desktop browser use is now done on Chrome, noting that percentages are far, far higher in the consumer realm as compared to enterprise, where lots of companies mandate that employees still use Internet Explorer at work. Oh, and Sundar also stated that it's "not lost on [Google] that it can use advertising to provide better value propositions [for Chromebooks] as well. In other words, Google's at least evaluating an ad-supported Chromebook. Looking for more? A fair amount of the back-and-forth is transcribed after the break.
Skype CEO Tony Bates confirms 250m monthly users, talks Microsoft partnership and future plans
Skype CEO Tony Bates just took the stage here on the final day of D10, and he got right into the news delivery mindset: as of now, there are 250 million monthly connected users. Said Bates, "When we closed [the Microsoft deal], we had 170 million monthly users, so haven't skipped a beat in terms of momentum." Continuing on when asked from Kara Swisher about integration with Microsoft, Bates said: "I'm not going to talk about future products, but I'll steal a line from Tim Cook. We're going to double-down on integration with Windows 8, and we're doing to double-down on secrecy." Specifically, he mentioned that there'd be some "great integration points" with Windows 8, noting that Skype is viewed as an "experience, with most folks viewing it as a Swiss army knife, regardless of where and how it's used." Kara followed up with a question on Kinect, and Bates did his best to dodge the bullet by re-referencing intent on Windows 8 and Windows Phone -- there wasn't a peep mentioned in either direction on if it'd end up there. Kara asked what his most important smartphone platform was, and Bates said: "I wouldn't classify it as one most important. As far as download numbers, it's absolutely iPhone, but Android is gaining momentum. Our top priority is mobile; we made two acquisitions in that space. The Android marketplace -- as many know -- is quite fragmented, and this was a big challenge for us from an engineering standpoint. This team in the Qik acquisition really helped us there. I'm very hopeful -- Windows Phone is very exciting for me because of that people-centric nature." Kara pushed to see if Windows Phone would get a "special" version of Skype, and Bates simply said that he "hopes they can add value." Given that both Windows Phone and Skype now live under the same roof, though, we're guessing that he's underselling things in the effort of "doubling-down on secrecy."
AllThingsD posts video highlights of Tim Cook's conversation
Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher interviewed Tim Cook during the opening event for its D10 Conference which is in full swing this week. Besides archiving the live blog, AllThingsD also posted several video highlights from the talk. There's one 16-minute clip and several short clips that present the best of what Tim said during the event. Though the live blog was informative, the video of Cook is much more engrossing and entertaining to watch. It's definitely well worth your time.
AllThingsD releases all its D Conference interviews with Steve Jobs
Some of Steve Jobs most memorable clips come from the times he has appeared on stage with Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher as part of their annual D: All Things Digital Conference. To honor Jobs's memory, AllThingsD has released all its recorded interviews with Steve Jobs. The six clips span the years between 2003 and 2010 and include one short, but especially candid interview with Bill Gates. There's also a highlight video that shows the best of his appearances. It's a wonderful walk down memory lane that's worth checking out, especially knowing what we know today about Apple and its climb from a struggling company with a hot music player to one of the top companies in the world. The compilation is available on iTunes for free.
Spotify director Sean Parker: Apple tried to keep Spotify out of the United States
Daniel Ek (co-founder of Spotify) and Sean Parker (Director at Spotify) just took the stage here at D10, with Walt Mossberg asking the two about the company's impact in America, negotiations with record labels and -- perhaps surprisingly -- its links with Apple. Outside of confirming that there's still around 10 million Spotify users worldwide (with around three million of those being of the paid variety), the duo also confirmed that it's working daily to improve the catalog. Said Ek: "We're up to 18 million songs, growing at 10,000 or 20,000 songs per day -- it's very much a growing catalog." Walt was curious as to why iTunes had upwards of 30 million tracks, and why all of the services simply don't have the same library, but both players were quick to brush off the topic and pivot directly to the importance of playlists. Ek stated: "If you look at iTunes, the vast majority of songs haven't been purchased by anyone -- it's driven by hits. We see 80 percent of our whole catalog listened to." Following that, Parker contributed: "The playlist is now the CD. It used to be a few songs were wanted by the consumer, and the rest of it was garbage. It's the new mixtape, but accelerated on a massive scale." As it turns out, Spotify actually sells "bundles" (which are glorified playlists) as pay products in Europe, and when Walt asked why these weren't available in America, Parker obliged: "We just haven't released it yet." In other words, they're coming soon.
