Apple

A federal judge on Thursday told Google it needs to hand over documentation about how it's searching for information it's required to provide as part of a lawsuit between Apple and Samsung.

Apple earlier this week had requested the court require Google to disclose its methodology, adding that the search giant was not doing "a full search" for documents related to its Android operating system, which Apple wants to use as evidence in its patent lawsuit against Samsung.

In a court order, U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal said that Google has two days to provide … Read more

Apple is getting closer to rolling out its free Internet radio service.

The company has reached a licensing deal with the world's largest music label, Universal Music Group, according to people familiar with the situation. Apple is still in deep negotiations with Warner Music Group on some specifics. It also still needs an agreement with Sony Music, which has been tougher for Apple to get on board.

Apple spokesperson Tom Neumayr declined to comment.

The deal with Universal, which the Financial Times reported Thursday, could become very lucrative.

After much back and forth about the terms, the deal reached … Read more

In the next step of the Apple v. Samsung battle, Apple has asked a judge to make Google hand over documents related to the Android operating system.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul S. Grewal in San Jose, Calif., was told by the tech giant earlier this week that Google is inappropriately withholding information related to the Android operating system. The iPad and iPhone maker argues that as Google's Android is used in all of the devices that allegedly infringe on patents and "provides much of the accused functionality," Google should be forced to hand over documents related … Read more

A boost in hiring from one of Apple's key suppliers could be yet another sign of a low-cost iPhone.

Pegatron, which makes the iPhone and iPad, said that it will build up its workforce in China by up to 40 percent during the second half of the year, Reuters reported Thursday. Such a huge increase suggests that the company could be equipping its factories to produce the much-rumored low-cost iPhone, which could launch sometime in the third quarter.

Certain suppliers have already told Reuters that Apple is prepping a less-expensive model of its smartphone geared toward developing markets. Several … Read more

A Morgan Stanley note to investors adds to the mounting evidence of new iPhones coming in the fall.

In a research note on Wednesday titled, "Systems and PC Hardware Asia Trip Takeaways Part I," Katy Huberty of Morgan Stanley said new iPhones appear to be on the way.

"Multiple new iPhone SKUs begin production in Jun/Jul, on track with the Sept launch we model," she wrote in a note sent to investors and obtained by CNET.

That's not exactly breaking news -- as speculation of new iPhones has been rife -- but the fact … Read more

Apple's got about 429 million more app downloads to go before it tops 50 billion, and two companies are putting money down if their apps are the 50 billionth.

Addappt, a social address book service that launched last June and was created by former Microsoft and LinkedIn employees, says it will give the person who wins Apple's 50 billion app download giveaway a $10,000 Apple store gift card if the app they downloaded was -- you guessed it -- Addappt.

That prize would be on top of the $10,000 App Store gift card Apple says it … Read more

Apple's next mobile operating system is showing up increasingly in Web traffic logs ahead of its public debut.

That's according to Onswipe, a startup that makes Web sites more touch-friendly for tablets and smartphones. The company tells TechCrunch the testers running the yet-to-be-released version of the software made up nearly a quarter of people visiting sites that used Onswipe's technology last week.

In a follow-up report, Macrumors says it too has noticed a bump in devices running iOS 7 that are visiting its site.

It's not unusual for future versions of Apple's software to get … Read more

The iPhone could one day come with buttons and controls that blend right into the background, effectively making them invisible.

Granted to Apple on Tuesday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, a patent dubbed "Disappearing button or slider" describes how various controls on the iPhone and other devices would normally stay hidden and fully appear only when needed.

A button would be made of the same material as the housing of the phone, so it would blend in seamlessly. But it could be selectively backlit through small holes to pinpoint its location, or the backlight itself … Read more

A Japan-based report indicates that production of at least one key component for the next iPhone will begin next month.

Sharp will begin volume production in June of the display "panel" for the "next" iPhone model at its Kameyama plant in Mie prefecture, according to a report in Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, a major Japanese industrial newspaper.

Sharp's Kameyama plant has not been operating at anywhere near full capacity but production of the next iPhone's display is expected to bring the plant to "full production," the report said.

The specifications for next iPhone … Read more