Apple Files Patent As First Salvo In War Against UltraBooks
Reports are surfacing that Apple is seeking to patent its MacBook Air, with a new application passing through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today.
The company is asking the Office to grant it a patent for a portable computer which has a “wedge shaped top case” whose lid is on a pivot and connects to the base through a hinge. Apple is claiming the design is the primary basis for consumers impression of the device, providing both lightness and durability.
Other components, including the high speed memory card are specifically designed to snugly fit inside the device which Apple claims is uniquely shaped.
Filing an application for a patent is not unusual for Apple, which does so for all its products, and even its store design. The company however does not always use them as a weapon against rivals, though it is in the midst of a bitter fight with Samsung in the tablet domain.
This application however is a clear signal that the company intends to wage war against an expected onslaught of Ultrabooks that are set to be launched in the market over the course of the next year. Apple currently has nine patents related to its MacBook Air, and if the most recent application is approved, then in theory, the company could effectively block Intel based MacBook Air replicas from ever seeing the light of day.
The other patent Apple filed an application for is its technology which controls OLED display Brightness. This is of particular interest because the company currently does not use OLED displays in any of its products, which still run on backlit LCD displays. OLED displays are not backlit, which makes controlling brightness a problem, and it would appear Apple has developed a solution to the problem, which means its future range of iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks will include the technology.
Apple watchers are anticipating that Apple will refresh its MacBook Pro model in the very near future, though very few believe the latest iteration will make use of the technology.
Apple Drops Number Based Nomenclature From iPad
Last week Apple unveiled the third iteration of its iPad tablet computing device and dropped the number based nomenclature altogether, opting instead to call it the iPad HD to the surprise of Apple watchers everywhere, as the tech giant sought to highlight the device’s high definition screen.
Brand analysts such as Matt Gordon of Landor Associates say that the decision to set the new device apart may lead to consumers becoming confused.
“It does complicate things after the purchase,” he said. “It’s also confusing with the original iPad, down the road, as people have multiple generations of this device.”
Apple’s preference for maintaining the original name does not represent a departure from established tradition. The company updated its iPod range many times without the need to attach a number to each successive version. The same is true for its computer range, with MacBook’s and iMac’s also being updated in the same way.
Phil Schiller who runs global marketing for Apple said that naming the newest version of the iPad as iPad 3 would: “would be so predictable, we’ve had many products where we’ve never used numbers. Sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t.”
Regardless of the name, Apple continues its near total dominance of the tablet category according to Stephen Baker of NPD Group and market analyst. Apple is projected to control two thirds of the entire market, which in 2012 is expected to amount to 103.5 million units.
“It’s more of a thumb in the eye of everyone else, like, ‘We don’t have to put numbers behind our products, because everyone knows what ours is,’” Baker said.
Apple derives roughly 20 per cent of its total sales from its tablet device, which is increasingly popular with both businesses and consumers alike. The latest version comes with a more powerful processor and a sharper screen, which is squarely aimed at helping the company expand its lead over other manufacturers.
“This move sets up an interesting decision in terms of branding when a new iteration comes out and the current model starts to sell at a lower price,” said Bill Kreher, an analyst at Edward Jones
The Tablet Wars
Apple is soon to launch its hotly anticipated third generation tablet the iPad 3. Currently Apple is dominant in the tablet segment of the market, with a 58 per cent market share, down ten per cent from the previous year. This raises the question as to whether there are any potential challenges to Apple’s current dominance in the space.
So far roughly 8 per cent of the adult population in the UK own a tablet, so there is certainly lots of room for the market to grow. Amazon has had great success with its Kindle Fire, and serious competition does certainly seem to be emerging in the tablet space. A number of tablets running the Android operating system are slated for release in 2012, which suggests that rivalry is only going to get more intense.
Tablet Wars
The IdeaPad S2 from Lenovo Computers Australia is a minimalist device that comes with a detachable keyboard docking system, that allows the tablet to double its battery life to a huge 20 hours. The Eee Pad Transformer from Asus is a powerful tablet device featuring a quad core processor, the first of its kind. The Excite X10 from Toshiba is a slim device that will make super models jealous. The device is just 7.7 millimeters thick, weighs in at 535 grams, and has a wide angle HD display made of Gorilla Glass.
Android v Apple
All three devices are being held up as worth rivals to the iPad, but the question remains of how successful they will be at taking market share from Apple, which will be no easy task. The iPad has an incredibly strong brand, and benefits from rave reviews. Additionally Apple has its own dedicated network of retail outlets, making it tough for rivals to compete. Currently the most popular alternative to the iPad is the Android powered Kindle Fire from Amazon. The device was meant to serve as a “loss leader”, what Amazon lost on the sale of the device, it will meant to recover from online content sales. Other Android powered tablets that are soon to be released include the Lenovo IdeaPad S2.
The question remains over whether more sophisticated Android powered devices will erode some of the market share held by Apple. The answer to that question is whether public opinion is in any way at all influenced by the potential benefits of such devices. Market research firm Strategy Analytics suggest that the public is concerned about the increasing fragmentation of the Android operating system, and the effect on the Android app store. Apple’s dominance in the smartphone segment suggest it will be immune in the tablet space, beyond the challenge posed by a large screen Kindle device expected to be rolled out later in the year.
Apple Shares Sky Rocket On The Back Of Record Earnings
Cupertino California based Apple computers saw its stock price rally beyond US$500 a share for the first time ever, after the stock rallied on the back of its first quarter earnings, which jumped 20 per cent.
Shares in the iPhone and iPad maker closed at a record $501.94 a share, having touched a high of $503.83 a share during intra day trading.
The value of Apple has surged by almost 25 per cent during 2012, with the company currently valued at US$468 billion, far exceeding Exxon, which is the second most valuable company is the world at US$400 billion.
“It reminds us all of the amazing transformation of Apple over the past eight years.We think the stock has higher to go, $US600 is next,” said Timothy Ghriskey of the Solaris Group, which owns shares in the company.
“It’s still an inexpensive stock for a company that is executing at the very highest level and continues to innovate.”
In the last two weeks, Apple shares have risen on 11 days since it reported its most recent breathtaking earnings results. The company’s earnings are growing so fast, even with the most recent rally, the company still trades at less than half of its median valuation during the 1990’s.
Apple’s share price since it reported has resulted in a gain which is quadruple the advance in the broader Nasdaq 100 index.
Apple is now the largest company in the world measured by market capitalization. Last month the company announced its most recent quarterly results ending 31 December, in which it made $13.1 billion, which was as much as 36 per cent higher than the median analyst predictions.
Apple single handedly helped the S&P 500 earnings erase a decline for the final quarter of 2011, converting what should have been a 4.2 per cent fall into a 4.4 per cent gain.
Shares in Apple have increased by 17 per cent in February alone, which is the biggest ever gain since August 2009. So far this year, Apple shares have risen by 22 per cent, compared against a 12 per cent increase for technology stocks included in the broader S&P index.
According to a survey by Bloomberg, Apple shares are expected to continue climbing, with the average price estimated at US$575.56 a share.
Apple May Unveil iPad 3 Next Month
According to a report in AllthingsD, Cupertino California based Apple may unveil the third iteration of its wildly popular iPad tablet during an even which will take place in the first week of March.
The newest version of the iPad is expected to be announced at an Apple event to be held in San Francisco.
Rumours usually abound that Apple will use its March even to unveil a new marquee products, however AllthingsD is one of the more credible sources to do so.
Presumably the device will be called the iPad 3, with Apple looking to build on the momentum it has established with the blockbuster success of the earlier two versions of the iPad. The second generation device was also first introduced last year, and despite a slew of rival devices launched by competitors, Apple remains the dominant vendor in the tablet segment of the industry.
This year Apple is likely to face greater competition, particularly in the low cost segment of the tablet market, from makers such as Asus and Amazon.
According to AllthingsD, the iPad 3 will be similar to the iPad 2 as far as its design goes, but will come with much faster processors, enabling better resolution. Citing unnamed sources AllthingsD suggested that the new tablet may also come with the 2048 x 1536 pixel Retina Display, bringing its resolution up to par with the iPhone 4.
In 2011, the second generation iPad went on sale as early as a week after it was initially announced, which may well be the case next month. So far Apple has refused to comment on the speculation.
Apple Australia Black Friday Sale – Starts 25-11-11
Apple Australia occasionally sneak in a quick sale when no one is looking, and this year is no exception! Luckily we here at Computer Coupons are on the case when it comes to reporting the best deals that are available for you, and again we have come up trumps.
Be sure to put this Friday 25th November 2011 in the diary to check out savings across a whole host of Apple products for one day only. This 24 hour sale will be done and gone in a flash, so be sure to click on the link below first thing on Friday to unveil these perfect pre Christmas savings.
Apple only do one sale day a year, and YOU now know when it is, so be sure to make the most of it folks!
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Steve Jobs Expected To Unveil iCloud Service Next Week
Steve Jobs, the iconic chief executive of Apple Computers which trades in the country as Apple Computers Australia , is expected to make a rare appearance next week as an event intended to unveil a new online media storage and streaming service.
The service which is being dubbed the iCloud, will according to Apple, provide computing power and data streaming over the internet. Mr. Jobs will also be showing of a number of software upgrades during the conference, including Lion, the Mac OSX operating system, as well as its next generation mobile operating system iOS 5.
Speculation however remains firmly centred on the launch of the company’s cloud based multimedia offering that will be pitting the company against both Amazon and Google as all company’s seek to capture the market for consumers wanting to store and stream their media over the internet.
So far Apple Computers Australia has reached agreements with three of the four major record labels, and its move to provide a cloud offering is critical to the company staying competitive, as open source software such as Android becomes increasingly popular.
It would be very characteristic of Apple to enter an established market late and find itself dominant using its own proprietary technology. When the company launched the iPod in 2001 it quickly came to dominate the market for MP3 players, and it would be hard to argue that the iPhone was the first smartphone.
An aggressive move in the potentially lucrative market for cloud computing could enable the technology icon sustain its torrid growth, which many investors see as being defensive.
The iCloud service is expected to include a redesigned version of the Apple’s virtually unknown MobileMe storage service, and comes at a time when rivals including Google and Amazon are all vying to be the online hub for consumers wanting access to their media.
>>Click here to order online with Apple Australia
iPad and iPhone Looking Increasingly Dominant In Enterprise Segment
Whilst Android may be the dominant consumer mobile operating system, Apple continues its upward trajectory in the enterprise segment with its iOS operating system according to Intermedia a hosting provider of Microsoft Exchange.
According to the company 61 per cent of the smartphones owned by its 320,000 enterprise customers are iPhones, 17 per cent of devices used by the company’s customers ran Android. The iPad however is the clear dominant device in the tablet segment of the market.
The remaining 22 per cent of devices were from the “others” category which includes Palm, Symbian, and Windows Phone devices. The iPhone saw its share of all activations increase to 64 per cent during April, whilst Android experienced an increase of 33 per cent in terms of all new devices that were purchases online during the same month.
Statistics from Intermedia do not include BlackBerry devices, since those devices do not make use of ActiveSync.
iPads account for 99.8 percent of all new tablet activations, with the tiny fraction that remains split between the Samsung Galaxy Tab, Motorola Xoom, and Huawei S7.
iPad adoption in the enterprise segment is indeed quite impressive, and according to Apple which trades in the country as Apple Computers Australia nearly 75 per cent of Fortune 500 companies are either already actively using the device or testing it for deployment. Apple said that nearly 88 per cent of Fortune 500 companies are doing the same with the iPhone.
The success of the iPad in the enterprise segment of the market is due to Apple’s ability to execute, bringing a tablet to market as a fully finished product that has both a smooth and dependable user experience, something Google has been unable to replicate with Android.
IT managers are far less likely to take risks with unproven platforms than consumers are, and whilst Android maybe highly successful with the latter, it has yet to prove itself to be comparable to iOS in terms of stability, regardless of whether one is comparing tablets or smartphones.
The other thing working in Apple’s favour is that Android is said to be much less secure than iOS, which is likely to drive a stake of fear through any IT manager who is already dealing with the risks that come with integrating consumer devices into the enterprise segment. Finally, Android OS fragmentation is a considerable issue when it comes to being able to provide comprehensive IT support.
Whilst Android is clearly dominant in the consumer segment of the market, it would appear that Apple is making ever increasing inroads into the highly prized enterprise segment in large part due to the iPad, which may even result in iOS one day becoming the dominant operating system for the business world.
>> Click here to order online with Apple Australia
Apple Is The World’s Most Valuable Brand
Apple Inc, which trades in the country as Apple Computers Australia, maker of the iMac, iPhone and iPad, has overtaken Google and according to global advertising agency WPP, is now the world’s most valuable brand.
WPP says that the value of Apple’s brand grew by 84 per cent over the last year and estimates its value at $153.3 billion, compared with Google, whose brand value fell by 2 per cent and is valued at $111.5 billion. Rounding out the top four brands are IBM, whose brand value rose by 17 per cent helping it leapfrog last year’s number 3 McDonald’s
Refreshed versions of the iMac and iPhone as well as the successful launch of its iPad tablet device has helped Cupertino California based Apple generate an astonishing near doubling in sales and profits during its most recent quarter. In May last year Apple reached another milestone when it overtook Microsoft to become the most valuable technology company as measured by market capitalisation.
“It’s clear that every single Apple employee, from Steve Jobs and Tim Cook to the summer interns, see protecting and nurturing that brand as a top priority,” Millward Brown Chief Executive Officer Eileen Campbell wrote in the report. “Tablet computing also drove value growth not just for Apple, but also for the providers who support yet another networked device.”
>> Click here to order online with Apple Australia
Apple Unveil New Improved iMac
Apple Australia are as pleased as punch with the latest reincarnation of the iMac that hits stores across the country, and trust me, this one is an absolute beauty. As an avid Mac head myself, I have become quite accustomed to my old school G5 tower and Macbook Pro as my standard computers of choice for both work, play, and creating music (which is a bit of both).But having now had a look at the configurations and screen size of this truly remarkable feat of ingenuity, I’m thinking maybe it’s time for me to upgrade. After all, who wants to live forever!
There was a time when the iMac wouldn’t really be considered as a ‘hardcore’ computer for things such as music production and video editing, but from looking at the latest specs, this monster will give any tower a run for its money. Plus, look at the size of that screen!
An Apple spokesperson said -
These next-generation processors feature an integrated memory controller for an amazingly responsive experience and a powerful new media engine for high-performance video encoding and decoding.
The 27inch model needs to be in my life, and I’ve already started looking at the calendar to work out how and when I get get the pennies together to sample it’s delights. With a 1TB hard drive fitted as standard, the larger of the two machines is definitely the one to keep your eye on. I know I will be, and with a new copy of Logic Pro alongside this bad boy, you may not see me again till next year, or MTV, whichever comes first.
Well, you’ve heard enough from me, I love it and I want one more than I want world peace. That may mean I never make the Miss World finals, but I may compose the theme tune!
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