Apple Enters Busy Field of Streaming Radio

Apple’s Maps app for iPhones was initially so bad the company apologized. Ping, Apple’s social network for discovering songs, was killed because hardly anyone used it. And iCloud, its service for synchronizing user data across devices, has been criticized for being unreliable, though it has not had as many glitches as its predecessor MobileMe, which had an e-mail blackout that disconnected thousands of customers for days.

Now, Apple is giving online services another try, in an area where it has long been the leader: music. On Monday, at the opening of its annual developers conference in San Francisco, the company is expected to unveil an Internet radio service that will stream songs over a data connection instead of storing them on a device, according to people briefed on the negotiations. The service is expected to be free, but supported by ads.

With its Internet radio service, Apple will be following other online music services, like Pandora, Spotify and Rdio. But it could spread this type of music consumption further into the mainstream, some analysts say.

“The genius of iTunes 10 years ago was that they made the mainstream consumer understand what digital music was, and how it all worked,” said Russ Crupnik, an analyst at NPD Group who studies the digital music market. He said Pandora was mainstream, with 200 million registered users, but it was not a dominant global player, and that a similar service from Apple would expose more people to online radio.

The company is also expected to introduce new Mac notebooks and a redesign of iOS, its software operating system for iPhones and iPads, at the four-day developers conference. The conference includes seminars where software developers can get training on the latest Apple software development tools so they can start making apps.

The new operating system will be the first mobile software system made under the company’s lead hardware designer, Jony Ive. Mr. Ive was put in charge of software design after the company fired Scott Forstall, the former head of mobile software development, amid the flurry of negative news reports surrounding Apple’s mapping software.

Before taking over software design, Mr. Ive made it known in the company that he did not like some of the visual ornamentation s in Apple’s mobile software, particularly the use of textures representing physical materials. Under his direction, elements like the yellow-notepad inspired Notes app and the leather borders in the Calendar app for the iPad are expected to be removed from the software. The overall look will be smoother and less ostentatious, according to a person briefed on the company’s plans, who asked not to be named.

For Apple, the expansion into streaming music underscores a competitive issue: one of its chief rivals, Google, has long had robust Internet services, like Gmail and Google Apps, while over the years it has gotten better at designing the software and hardware for its phones and tablets.

But while Apple struggles with Internet services, its stock is down about 37 percent after peaking at a little more than $700 in the fall. The company is still selling tens of millions of iPhones and iPads, but investors are concerned about its growth slowing and profit margins getting tighter. A shift into services like Internet radio could present new opportunities to make money.

But James McQuivey, an analyst at Forrester Research, says he thinks Apple is too late in this game. The company has to present an Internet radio service that is better than what is out there, he said, or people will continue to just buy its hardware and use other companies’ services.

“It’s going to have to innovate,” Mr. McQuivey said. “It can’t just be Pandora with an ‘i’ in front of it or Spotify with an ‘i’ in front of it.”

In the late 1990s, the music industry was in turmoil because many Internet users quickly learned they could download their favorite songs for free instead of paying for albums. Steven P. Jobs, Apple’s late chief, approached the music labels with the idea of a store offering the ability to download songs a la carte for 99 cents a download.

“When we first approached the labels, the online music business was a disaster,” Mr. Jobs was quoted as saying in the book “The Perfect Thing: How the iPod Shuffles Commerce, Culture and Coolness.” “Nobody had ever sold a song for 99 cents. Nobody really ever sold a song. And we walked in, and we said: ‘We want to sell songs à la carte. We want to sell albums, too, but we want to sell songs individually.’ They thought that would be the death of the album.”

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: June 9, 2013

An earlier version of this article misstated how long the Pandora service has been available. It was introduced eight years ago, not 13.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Is Apple starting to lose its bite?

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AppId is over the quota
Apple's flagship store in Beijing, China. Apple started selling the iPhone 5 on the Chinese mainland on December 17.Apple's share price has fallen 25% since record high of $702.10 set three months agoUBS, Citibank & Mizuho analysts all cut share price targets for Apple in past few daysMorgan Stanley: Record 19 million iPhone 5's forecast to have been sold in Q4 2012iPhone 5S, 6 & rumored "iTV' may pull up Apple's share price in 2013, say analysts

Hong Kong (CNN) -- Apple's share price has fallen more than 25% since its record high set three months ago -- no less than five analysts have lowered their price targets for the U.S. technology giant in the past few days.

To make matters worse for Apple, Android smartphones continue to reign supreme in global market share: for every one such device running on Apple's iOS, about seven smartphones running Android's operating system are computing away.

Is Apple losing its bite? In the short-term, investors and analysts seem to think so. But in the medium-term, they believe milestones exist that can put the shine back on Apple's share price and image.

Apples do fall

On September 19, Apple's share price closed at a historic high of $702.10, exactly one week after the debut of the iPhone 5. But as the freshness of the device's latest iteration wore off, so did the bullishness for Apple's stock. On December 17, it fell below the psychological $500-mark, to slide below $497 in pre-market trading. The company's share price quickly climbed above that threshold that day but still sits at lows not seen since mid-February.

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Another fear is that the iPhone 5 has not been selling as well as previous versions; however that has now been debunked. A record 19 million iPhone 5 units are estimated to have been sold in the U.S. in the fourth quarter of 2012, according to a survey by Morgan Stanley, which would represent a 33% year-on-year increase. Apple also sold more than two million iPhone 5 units in China when it debuted this past weekend.

"Customer response to iPhone 5 in China has been incredible, setting a new record with the best first weekend sales ever in China," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, in a press release.

"The Company remains on track to launch in 100 countries by the end of the year. In our view, this is a positive," said RBC's Amit Daryanani.

Comparing Apples To Androids

But for all the hope and the hype that surrounds Apple, Android smartphones reign supreme in terms of market share by operating system.

Investment research firm Morningstar says Apple has much work to do in 2013. "Although Apple has a robust product pipeline and ample opportunity to gain share in its various end markets, short product life cycles and intense competition will prevent the firm from resting on its laurels," it wrote in a statement.

Globally, less than two in ten smartphones that shipped in the third quarter of 2012 sported Apple's iOS operating software. But in that same period, Google's Android platform ran 75% of smartphones around the world. This also represented a 91.5% increase over the same quarter in 2011, according to International Data Corporation.

Three out of four smartphones ran on Android in Q3 of 2011Android smartphones increased 91.5% between 2011 and 2012Less than two in ten smartphones in the world run on Apple iOS RIM's Blackberry and Nokia's Symbian platforms have suffered mostApple's iOS claimed just under a 15% market share in the same period.

Apple's next crop

Despite the recent release of the iPhone 5, analysts are already looking ahead to Apple's potential product releases for 2013 to pull the company's share price up.

"For Apple we believe the sell-off is nearing a bottom but we acknowledge the fears around margins, maps, emerging markets, competition and execution. The company clearly needs to ease these concerns in the near future," said Barclays' Ben Reitzes. "It may take another round of new products and innovations to regain investor confidence and help drive another run."

One analyst from Jefferies predicts an iPhone 5S may ship in the summer of 2013 and that iPhone 6 prototypes already exist.

Speculation is also growing that Apple may debut an Apple television set, a so-called iTV, by the fall of 2013. In a recent Morgan Stanley survey, 47% of 1,568 respondents said they were "somewhat interested" or "extremely interested" in buying an Apple-branded TV set which could translate into 56 million units being sold in the U.S. alone.

The report added a potential iTV rollout represents a new $13 billion opportunity for the world's most valuable company.

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Samsung Ends Bid for European Sales Ban on Apple Products

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Samsung, the South Korean electronics giant, had been seeking injunctions in several countries, including Britain, France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands, contending that Apple, Samsung’s biggest rival in the smartphone market, had infringed Samsung patents.

The move came only a day after a ruling in a related case in San Francisco, where a Federal District Court judge rejected a request by Apple, which is based in California, for an injunction to block sales of certain Samsung devices. The decision followed a previous jury ruling that Samsung had violated Apple patents.

After the latest twist in the European case, Samsung said it had acted “in the interest of protecting consumer choice.” Analysts said other factors might have been in play, including a possible nudge from the European Commission.

In January, the commission opened a formal antitrust investigation into Samsung’s licensing terms for patents covering wireless technologies. Under a previous agreement, Samsung had pledged to make the patents available to competitors on “fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory” terms.

“The scope of what was withdrawn precisely matches the area in which the European Commission has been investigating,” said Florian Müller, a patent consultant in Germering, Germany. “It’s not just that the plot is thickening; in my view, there can be no other plausible view than that there is pressure from Brussels.”

The commission previously said that it was concerned about possible abuse of patents like the ones at issue in the Apple-Samsung injunction request, which cover technologies needed for a device to function. Without some of these “standard essential patents” from Samsung, for example, phones cannot connect to high-speed wireless networks.

“Regulators have been saying, if the patent holders try to abuse these patents, then they are going to get in trouble,” Mr. Müller said.

The commission declined to comment directly on whether there might be a link between Samsung’s announcement on Tuesday and the antitrust case in Brussels. “We take note of this development,” said Antoine Colombani, the spokesman for the European competition commissioner, Joaqu?n Almunia. “Our investigation is ongoing.”

Samsung said that it could not comment on the proceedings but that it was “fully cooperating with the European Commission.”

“Samsung remains committed to licensing our technologies on fair, reasonable and nondiscriminatory terms, and we strongly believe it is better when companies compete fairly in the marketplace, rather than in court,” it said in a statement.

There has been speculation that Samsung and Apple have been in talks to reach a settlement, though the broad scale of the litigation between the two companies, with lawsuits seeking sales bans or damages continuing on several continents, could make that challenging.

“We cannot comment on details of ongoing legal proceedings, but we believe a commercial resolution is achievable,” Samsung said in a statement.

Alan Hely, a spokesman for Apple, declined to comment.

The announcement by Samsung did not end litigation between the two companies in Europe. Samsung said it planned to pursue lawsuits seeking damages from Apple for what it contends is patent infringement.

Apple and Samsung have also been battling over other patents, covering nonessential features of their devices, like design.

Apple, too, has previously secured bans on the sale of certain Samsung products. Last year, for example, a court in Düsseldorf ruled that Samsung could not sell one of its Galaxy tablet devices in Germany because it bore too close a resemblance to the iPad 2 from Apple.

While some analysts cited regulatory pressure as a possible reason for Samsung’s decision on Tuesday, others said the company might have decided that the lawsuits were simply a distraction. Samsung’s phones, especially its Galaxy S3, have been selling well.

In the third quarter, the S3 surpassed the iPhone 4S to become the world’s best-selling smartphone, according to Strategy Analytics, a research firm.

“Maybe the market was telling them that they were succeeding and their time was better spent promoting sales of their product,” said Charles Golvin, an analyst at Forrester Research.

James Kanter contributed reporting.

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Apple overtakes Microsoft

Say? I was surprised when I read this today, too. This is a major news network in all media. But the Almighty Microsoft technology dominates the world forever. Apple is now the largest and the most valuable technology company in the world.

Because they were the world's largest technology company, just all the recent hype their latest product. IPad, iPhone, and they are many in the past few weeks, more investors are attracted to the hype of new products, such as Macintosh computers, and continue on. A huge amount of Apple products to stimulate the growth of SMEs, and also has given customers the full add-in with their product a lot more options. May 26, 2007 Apple's market value to $ 219.2 billion 222.1 has just passed by Microsoft. They are the second largest United States stock was second only to Exxon Mobil and. On the verge of bankruptcy, the company has been steadily moving at once, they have since Steve Jobs came back to the company and the iPod has been released, this is impressive.

Microsoft has for some time now has been a slow decline. Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer to further their stock occurs in Europe, a recent comment about their problems. Investors just haven't been thrilled with them anymore and is not at all new and exciting products because these days. Zune and some other mundane products investors disappointed. Microsoft software is still the most so in the PC world, the company is still in good shape, most of the people they will come here for a long time.

How long will stay on top of Apple? Microsoft will be bounce back? Nobody knows for sure, but Microsoft is an impressive company. Apple just is the hottest product out there at the moment.

Apple overtakes Microsoft

Say? I was surprised when I read this today, too. This is a major news network in all media. But the Almighty Microsoft technology dominates the world forever. Apple is now the largest and the most valuable technology company in the world.
Because they were the world's largest technology company, just all the recent hype their latest product. IPad, iPhone, and they are many in the past few weeks, more investors are attracted to the hype of new products, such as Macintosh computers, and continue on. A huge amount of Apple products to stimulate the growth of SMEs, and also has given customers the full add-in with their product a lot more options. May 26, 2007 Apple's market value to $ 219.2 billion 222.1 has just passed by Microsoft. They are the second largest United States stock was second only to Exxon Mobil and. On the verge of bankruptcy, the company has been steadily moving at once, they have since Steve Jobs came back to the company and the iPod has been released, this is impressive.
Microsoft has for some time now has been a slow decline. Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer to further their stock occurs in Europe, a recent comment about their problems. Investors just haven't been thrilled with them anymore and is not at all new and exciting products because these days. Zune and some other mundane products investors disappointed. Microsoft software is still the most so in the PC world, the company is still in good shape, most of the people they will come here for a long time.
How long will stay on top of Apple? Microsoft will be bounce back? Nobody knows for sure, but Microsoft is an impressive company. Apple just is the hottest product out there at the moment.

Outsell Apple Microsoft

Say what? Today I was surprised when I read it, too. This is the major news media all network. Dominate the world of technology forever not the Almighty Microsoft. Apple is largest and most valuable technology company in the world right now.

They have all the hype of the latest products came from the world's largest technology company recently. Are we hype about new products, such as Macintosh computers are attracting many more investors in the last couple of weeks of the iPad, iPhone and they. Has stimulated a growing small business app products because a huge amount of it, giving customers a whole, and many of its products to add more options. 5/26 Apple's market value 222.1 was a has passed Microsoft's $219.2 billion dollars. Second United States co., Ltd. became Exxon Mobil during the second only to them. This is impressive because Steve jobs is back company is on the verge of bankruptcy, they at one time, since the iPod has been released has been moved to the company steadily.

Microsoft is a gradual decline for a while is now. About the trouble Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's recent comments generation European fall inventory. Recently, all of a new exciting product release is not excited more investors only not. Investors are disappointed in the Zune and a few other mediocre products. Is in the form of company is still good in most of the world of Microsoft software, PC, like most people here seems to be long.

How to stay on top of the long Apple? Or would bounce back Microsoft? Certainly, who is an impressive company Microsoft. Apple is at the moment, the hottest products.