Apple

Macs of the near future may be able to tap directly into high-speed 802.11ac networks.

Code for the latest OS X 10.8.4 beta includes a string with the term "802.11ac channel," according to Apple-focused blog 9to5Mac. This appears to be the first reference to 802.11ac in OS X since the term does not show up in the code for OS X 10.8.3, the current version of Apple's OS.

Past rumors have suggested that Apple would be one of the early adopters of 802.11ac, equipping its laptops and tablets with … Read more

The suspense is building. After Samsung and HTC upped the game with their recent Android phones, the Galaxy S4 and the One respectively, the focus is shifting to what comes next from Apple.

Various analysts who track Apple and mine information from its supply chain are predicting an early summer debut for a new flagship iPhone. Brian White of Topeka Capital Markets is expecting more. He is predicting that Apple will offer the new iPhone in at least two and possibly three screen sizes.

His call is underpinned by the growing demand for larger displays, and the belief that Apple … Read more

T-Mobile is cranking up the hype for its iPhone 5 launch on Friday.

The carrier added another incentive to hop on its bandwagon, extending its trade-in program to include older iPhones from other carriers. In exchange, customers can avoid putting money down for a new iPhone 5, as well as get a reduced monthly rate.

It is clear T-Mobile is excited to offer the iPhone, a key product that's been missing from its lineup as virtually every other carrier -- big and small -- began offering it. T-Mobile is hopeful that Apple's iconic device can reverse years of … Read more

Even with recent price cuts, the Retina MacBook Pro is still plagued by inventory problems, according to an Asia-based report.

Component suppliers in Asia have not seen a major increase in orders, forcing Apple to sit on unsold inventory, according to a report in Digitimes.

That won't come as a surprise to U.S. retailers who have already indicated that the 13.3-inch Pro isn't selling as expected. Last week, the base 13.3-inch Retina MacBook Pro model plunged temporarily to $1,299 at MacConnection, a whopping $400 off its original price.

The model debuted at $1,699 … Read more

The enemy of my enemy is my friend. And in the case of Apple and Yahoo, Google is most definitely that company for the two.

So it makes sense that Apple and Yahoo might deepen their partnership, which is just what's happening, says The Wall Street Journal (subscription required).

In a somewhat vague report, the Journal says the two companies have been in talks to bring more of Yahoo's content and services to Apple's devices. That's on top of what's already there, a list that includes weather, sports scores, stock information, and Web search in … Read more

Two of Apple's communication networks, iMessage and FaceTime, are currently experiencing outages for some users.

According to Apple's fancy system status page, the issues for the two services began just after noon PT.

iMessage, of course, is Apple's proprietary messaging platform that works between iOS and OS X users. FaceTime is the company's live video chat service, also for those two platforms. Affected users report being unable to send or receive iMessages or FaceTime video calls.

This is not the first outage for either service, though iMessage has historically experienced more problems. This latest follows one … Read more

AppGratis, an app-giveaway service that Apple removed from its stores last week, posted its side of the story this morning, noting that it has tried vehemently to make its app available again.

"I'm still in absolute shock as to what is happening to us," Simon Dawlat, the company's CEO, wrote in a blog post.

In a missive that breaks down the company's storied communication with Apple, Dawlat noted that AppGratis had dealt with rejections of its app before but was able to make changes to get them approved.

The company's version of the service … Read more

Want to buy a new song or video from iTunes even though you're offline? A new Apple patent envisions a way, at least sometime down the road.

Granted to Apple today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office, the patent appropriately named "On-device offline purchases using credits" describes a system of using credits to purchase iTunes content that's stored on your device but which you don't already own. The goal is to allow you to unlock and play iTunes songs, videos, and other items without having to be online.

You would first buy credits … Read more

iPhone 5S buyers could have their choice of screen size, according to Topeka analyst Brian White.

Citing information from a meeting with a "tech-supply chain company," White said today he believes Apple will unveil the iPhone 5S in at least two or possibly three different screen sizes.

"We believe Apple is coming around to the fact that one size per iPhone release does not work for everyone, and offering consumers an option has the potential to expand the company's market share," White said in an investors note released today.… Read more