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Apple Inc.

6/18/2013, 11:33 PM ET

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Tuesday, June 18, 7:54 AM The rumored iWatch will be more "hobby" than major product line for Apple (AAPL), says Jefferies' Peter Misek. Likely not having a cellular chip, the iWatch would need to be paired with an iPhone for full functionality. Starting with some pricing assumptions and then slapping a 5% penetration on the installed iPhone base of 250M would move the EPS needle by only about 1%. 14 Comments [Tech]
Monday, June 17, 5:26 PM A week after it was reported iOS 7 (AAPL) will add game controller support, gaming site Kotaku has leaked a picture of a Logitech (LOGI) iPhone controller. Once an iPhone is placed in the middle of the controller, the device strongly resembles a PlayStation Vita. The leak comes in a month that has already seen Logitech grow its mobile exposure by acquiring iPhone accessories startup TT Design Labs. Comment! [Tech]
Monday, June 17, 7:28 AM Apple (AAPL) comments on government data inquiries, saying it received 4K-5K requests from law enforcement over the 6 months ended May 1, with most stemming from local police matters. "Regardless of the circumstances, our legal team conducts an evaluation ... only if appropriate, we retrieve and deliver the narrowest possible set of information to the authorities." Also noted: Conversations over iMesssage and FaceTime are encrypted and not even Apple can decrypt the data. 3 Comments
Friday, June 14, 5:21 PM iOS 7 (AAPL) comes with specs enabling game controllers to interact with iDevices, according to a developer doc seen by the WSJ. Though the doc says controllers "must not be required" for a game to work, it's still likely music to the ears of game developers (EA, ATVI, TTWO, GLUU), who have both been trying to profit from tremendous mobile gameplay growth, and struggling to get users to pay up-front (as opposed to downloading free-to-play titles). The report comes a month after Tim Cook said Apple will give developers more options to customize iOS, and days after IDC and App Annie predicted mobile game revenue will top $12B this year. Nvidia (NVDA) is trying to kick-start controller-based Android gaming via its Shield console. 9 Comments [Tech]
Friday, June 14, 2:16 PM "I can say sales of the Galaxy S4 smartphone are fine," says Samsung (SSNLF.PK) co-CEO Shin Jong-kyun in response to a JPMorgan report that did a number on Samsung shares. But he doesn't appear to refute the report's claim (based on checks) that Samsung has significantly cut S4 build orders; others have issued similar reports since. Jong-kyun also reiterates (previous) Samsung has no intention of joining HTC in settling with Apple (AAPL -1.5%). "Patent disputes against Apple will be [continued]." 10 Comments [Tech]
Friday, June 14, 1:09 PM Apple (AAPL -1.3%) roundup: 1) Digitimes reports Pegatron will start low-cost iPhone and next-gen (retina?) iPad Mini shipments in August. The WSJ recently reported Pegatron had taken iOrders from Foxconn, and the Commrcial Times just reported parts shipments for a cheaper iPhone are underway. 2) Horace Dediu estimates Apple has been adding an average of 500K iTunes accounts/day (180M+/year) since '09, and puts Apple's annual revenue/account at ~$300 (down from $400+ in 2010). 3) Apple's Japanese smartphone share has fallen to 25% from 40% over the last 4 weeks, per local research firm BCN. Sony's (SNE) share is believed to have more than doubled to 36%, thanks in part to the Xperia Z. IDC gave Apple a 40% share for Q1 as well. 8 Comments [Tech]
Thursday, June 13, 6:28 PM More Apple (AAPL) news: 1) The USPTO has reaffirmed the validity of a claim in Apple's "rubber-banding" patent (used against Samsung and others), after invalidating the claim in an initial ruling. Also the ITC's staff has recommended an import ban against Samsung products ruled ruled to be infringing by an administrative judge. The commission's ruling is due by Aug. 1. 2) Engadget's review of the new 13" MacBook Air praises its "phenomenal battery life" and fast PCIe SSD. But it thinks a lack of a retina display is turning into a "handicap," given how rivals are embracing high-res displays. 3) iOS 7 features much better Bluetooth support for smartwatches, fitness trackers, and other peripherals. iWatch preparation? 11 Comments [Tech]
Thursday, June 13, 2:37 PM Apple (AAPL +0.4%) roundup: 1) Suppliers are shipping a "large number" of parts for a cheaper iPhone, says Taiwan's Commercial Times. A 28nm app processor made by TSMC (TSM) is said to be among them. 2) iBookstore chief Keith Moerer says Apple's e-book sales doubled last year, and thinks its e-book share is at ~20%. John Paczkowski notes Amazon (AMZN) and Barnes & Noble (BKS) have been assigned shares of 65% and 25% in the past. 3) The minimum purchase needed for an iAd campaign is now only $50. It once stood at $1M. 4) Reuters' report about Apple mulling a $99 price for its low-cost iPhone is raising eyebrows, given the cheapest iPhone now goes for $450 unsubsidized. Was a subsidized price being discussed? 15 Comments [Tech]
Thursday, June 13, 7:39 AM Feeling the pressure from Samsung, Apple (AAPL) is mulling the launch over the next year of so-called phablets - iPhones with 4.7" and 5.7" screens - reports Reuters, whose sources include those in the Asian supply chain. Also on the agenda are cheaper iPhone models, perhaps in the $99 range. "They constantly change product specifications almost to the final moment," cautions one of the sources. 21 Comments [Tech]
Thursday, June 13, 1:15 AM Many of iOS 7's new icons were designed by Apple's (AAPL) marketing and communications unit rather than app design teams, and "there wasn’t a whole lot of communication between the various [app design] teams" The Next Web reports, while adding design work is still very much in progress. The report comes as software designers keep taking aim at iOS 7 - a parody blog titled Jony Ive Redesigns Things is one notable example. Many of those defending the revamp, such as Wired's Cliff Kuang and Quora's David Cole, argue iOS 7's "flatness" makes it well-suited for an era of interconnected apps, services, and devices, where what's going on behind the scenes matters as much as what's on a display at a given moment. (previous) 10 Comments [Tech]
Tuesday, June 11, 6:56 PM Apple (AAPL) roundup: 1) Apple and ad partner TBWA are reportedly set to launch a new campaign meant to create buzz. The report comes as Apple launches a TV ad likened to a manifesto. 2) After filing a patent application for a mobile payments system, Apple has been granted a patent for an e-wallet, and BI reports Apple execs have been telling analysts it "has some ideas about payments." 3) Jay Yarow notes Apple seems to be abandoning Steve Jobs' software tastes. John Gruber doesn't mind. "Jobs’ taste in hardware was nearly perfect, but his taste in software had a weakness for the saccharine." 4) Many observers (I, II, III, IV) point out iOS 7 and its apps borrowed liberally from Android, iOS developers, and others. 16 Comments [Tech]
Tuesday, June 11, 11:36 AM UBS suggests 11 dividend growing stocks to buy for income; each has a dividend yield of at least 2.5%, has increased its payout ratio by more than 5% during the past year, and has positive consensus EPS growth over the next 12 months: WMB, ESV, NUE, JNJ, CAG, KLAC, CSCO, BBT, AAPL, BAX, F. 2 Comments [Quick Ideas]
Tuesday, June 11, 11:09 AM iOS 7 is "better and worse all at once," says The Verge's Joshua Topolsky after getting a first-hand look. While granting "there are some extremely beautiful aspects," such as iOS 7's revamped typography and multitasker, he also sees "points of confusion and even missteps," such as varying icon styles and UI issues with notifications and Control Center. Focusing on the app changes, TechCrunch's Ryan Lawler has a more positive take. "Apple (AAPL +0.3%) has updated the core functionality of some default apps just enough that they might start winning users over again ... it looks like Apple has learned from what its third-party ~~competitors~~ app partners are doing." (feature overview) 9 Comments [Tech]
Tuesday, June 11, 7:58 AM Clients were net sellers of stocks in May, according to the TD Ameritrade Investor Movement Index. The gauge declined for a 2nd consecutive month to 5.02 from 5.31 previously. Clients were net buyers across the materials sector (XLB), but reduced exposure elsewhere. After steadily accumulating the stock for months, clients turned net sellers of Apple (AAPL). Other tech names seeing selling: MSFT, CSCO, INTC. Notable buying activity: TSLA, BRK.B, KMP, VALE, LINE. 15 Comments
Monday, June 10, 3:11 PM Apple (AAPL -0.3%) announces iTunes Radio, its expected Pandora (P +3.2%) rival. The service is normally ad-supported, but is ad-free for iTunes Match ($25/year) subs. It supports Pandora-like station building and sharing, is integrated with iOS' Music app, and gives users the option to buy songs. Pandora has turned positive after trading lower earlier. Also: 1) Siri has been overhauled, and now includes Wikipedia/Twitter content, Bing (MSFT) results, and both male and female voices. 2) Apple launches iOS in the Car, a solution that mirrors iPhone content on in-car displays and is supported by 12 automakers. 3) iOS 7 also brings automatic app updates, a Photos app with automatic sorting and Instagram-like filters, and AirDrop file-sharing. (previous) (live blog) 23 Comments [Tech, Breaking News]
Monday, June 10, 2:46 PM iOS 7 (AAPL +0.5%) is unveiled, and Jony Ive's fingerprints are all over it. The OS' fonts, icons, and even color palette have been overhauled to provider a cleaner, "flatter" look, and every built-in app has been redesigned. "We ran out of felt and wood," quips iOS/Mac OS chief Craig Federighi. New features include a Control Center for settings that slides up, 3D icons, an updated Safari browser, and multitasking support for all apps (Android has long supported this, but Apple has held off due to battery life concerns it says are addressed by various tricks). Also: iBooks and Apple Maps apps are coming to Mac OS, and Apple is launching a Google Docs alternative called iWork for iCloud. (previous) (live blog) (webcast) 20 Comments [Tech]

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