Apple

Apple is ready to start a new chapter in the history of the iPod with a new leader for that group.

The company's selection of Mark Papermaster as the new head of iPod and iPhone hardware engineering points the way toward a more sophisticated future for Apple's mobile computers, as Apple has been hinting for over a year. The veteran chip and system designer will be tasked with overseeing the transformation of the iPod lineup from relatively simple music players to complex and powerful mobile devices, with the iPod Touch as the first example.

Longtime Apple executive Tony Fadell … Read more

Apple on Tuesday confirmed reports circulating on Monday night that Tony Fadell, a longtime executive in charge of the company's iPod division, is stepping down.

Fadell will be replaced by Mark Papermaster, a vice president at IBM, who will join Apple as senior vice president of devices, responsible for the company's iPod and iPhone hardware-engineering teams, Apple said.

CNET News first reported last week that Papermaster was set to leave IBM for a prominent position at Apple, though the nature of his role was unknown at the time.

Fadell will remain at Apple as an adviser to CEO … Read more

Update 7:25 a.m. PST: Apple confirmed Tuesday morning that Fadell is stepping down, but says he plans to remain with the company as an adviser to CEO Steve Jobs.

One of the fathers of the iPod, Tony Fadell, is leaving Apple after seven years spent inside the division that changed the company's fortunes.

Fadell is to be replaced by former IBM executive Mark Papermaster, according to a report Monday night by The Wall Street Journal. CNET News first reported last week that Papermaster was set to leave IBM for a prominent position at Apple, although the nature … Read more

Apple has quashed the rumor mill's latest obsession, declaring that no new Macs will be released before the holidays.

Earlier Monday, reports surfaced that Apple was getting ready to release an updated version of the iMac and the Mac Mini next week. But a company representative told Macworld, "our holiday lineup is set," in a rare move to dampen the speculation regarding the new products.

As Macworld's Jim Dalrymple points out, the iMac and Mac Mini seem overdue for a hardware update, making it quite plausible that new versions would be along some time soon. But … Read more

Fresh off a blowout quarter for the iPhone, Apple may be cutting back on production of the device heading into what could be a slow holiday season.

Craig Berger of FBR Capital Markets said in a research note Monday that his research indicates Apple has cut back on orders for the iPhone 3G by as much as 40 percent during the fourth calendar quarter of the year, compared with Apple's order for the third quarter. Apple sold 6.9 million iPhone 3Gs during the third quarter, but it's not exactly clear how many it ordered, so there are … Read more

UPDATED 4:20pm: Apple has denied that new systems are on the way. See new story, "Apple debunks Mac Mini, iMac rumor"

Apple may clear up the confusion regarding the future of the Mac Mini a week from Tuesday.

That's what MacNN thinks, reporting Monday that Apple will have refreshed versions of the Mac Mini and iMac desktops to announce next Tuesday, Apple's traditional day of the week for product launches. Both systems could be in line for refreshes with new Intel hardware, but it doesn't sound like any drastic changes will be made to … Read more

Is the MacBook Air overpriced? Competitive offerings from Dell and Toshiba reveal that the MacBook Air may not be so extortionately expensive.

Of course, it all depends on your perspective: $2,499 for a laptop is a lot of money. But put the Air into the context of its product category--ultraportable laptop--and you see that, by comparison, it's not necessarily overpriced.

(Note: Here we're talking about the just-announced update to the MacBook Air.)

Let's start with Dell's recently announced ultraportable laptop (or 'subnotebook," choose your nomenclature). The 12.1-inch Latitude E4200 is priced at $2,… Read more

Microsoft is taking its "I'm a PC" ad campaign directly to the people: the Mac people.

At least, that's the case in the U.K., where an AppleInsider reader spotted a Microsoft-branded video kiosk just outside a Birmingham Apple store. Microsoft employees were asking passersby to come in and record their very own "I'm a PC" video, presumably for use in a future ad.

It's not clear from AppleInsider's report whether this tactic was actually working, but it's certainly become clear this year that Microsoft is determined to hit back … Read more

Apple and AT&T's decision to subsidize the price of the iPhone 3G is paying off with an increase in sales to lower-income folks.

Comscore released data earlier this week indicating that while most iPhone users are in the $100,000-a-year income bracket, those earning between $25,000 a year and $75,000 a year are the fastest-growing segment of new iPhone customers. iPhone adoption among those making $25,000 to $50,000 a year has grown 48 percent since June, according to the report.

"Fastest-growing" is always one of my favorite research terms because it … Read more