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Apple reigns as chief U.S. smartphone maker

As Apple appears to be winning the U.S. smartphone race, Google still has a strong hold as the top mobile platform.

New data by ComScore shows that Apple got the rank of "top smartphone manufacturer" by raking in 36.3 percent of the market share, while Google Android was the No. 1 platform with 53.4 percent share. ComScore tallied this data by surveying more than 30,000 U.S. mobile subscribers between September and December 2012.

To date, 125.9 million people in the U.S. now own a smartphone, which is 54 percent of the … Read more

Apple eyes another patent for solar-powered iPhone

The U.S. Patent and Trademark office published a patent application from Apple today for solar-paneled technology designed for devices with small screens, such as iPhones or iPods.

This "integrated touch sensor and solar assembly" would involve integrating social cells into a touch screen by using electrodes that can pull double duty as a solar cell and a touch sensor. Apple envisions this technology for handheld devices, like "a media player or phone," according to the patent application. In addition to images of different size iPods, the patent application also comes with an image of a screen that's sized for an iPad. … Read more

Apple gives developers iOS 6.1.1 to test out

A little more than a week after releasing iOS 6.1, Apple's got a new update in the hopper.

The company today released iOS 6.1.1 to developers to test their apps and sniff out bugs.

Per a private change log posted by 9to5Mac, the crux of the update includes changes to Apple's own mapping software for Japanese users. That includes "improved pronunciation," color tweaks, updated iconography, and directions that "strongly prefer highways over narrower roads."

Those changes strongly suggest that Apple's got some work to do with its maps in the … Read more

ITC decision on Apple v. Samsung spat to come in August

The International Trade Commission's final ruling on a spat between Apple and Samsung is due this August, following a review of an earlier decision.

The judge presiding over the patent case (which was filed by Apple against Samsung in July 2011) last night said he plans to issue a final decision on the case on August 1, following an updated initial determination that's subject to a review.

Last October, the ITC said that Samsung infringed on four of Apple's patents with a handful of its mobile devices. Late last month the U.S.-based group said that decision would be reviewed … Read more

iTunes claims 25B total downloads, 15B since 2010

iTunes music downloads officially outnumber human beings on this planet by 3-to-1.

That's the word today from Apple, which announced that the 25 billionth song has been downloaded from the iTunes store.

Almost a decade after beginning its quest to supposedly save the music industry from the likes of nasty file-sharing meanies such as the original incarnation of Napster, Kazaa, Limewire and others, Apple's little digital music stand now claims a catalog of 26 million songs -- up from 12 million just two years ago -- available in 119 countries, not to mention the billions of dollars it … Read more

Never fear, Europe: Mac Pro likely will get update soon

A Mac Pro update may be in the works for this spring, according to a couple of France-based online publications.

Mac4Ever and MacGeneration say France Systemes, an Apple authorized reseller, sent a newsletter to customers that mentioned the launch of the new Mac Pro to replace older systems that will be banned in the European Union as of March 1. The letter said Apple informed the company that a new Mac Pro line will be released this spring.

Apple last week told retailers and distributors in most European countries that it will stop selling the Mac Pro on March 1 … Read more

Apple, Samsung gobble all 2012 handset profits, and then some

Apple and Samsung are still at it.

The two companies again dominated the handset industry's profits, according to Canaccord Genuity analyst T. Michael Walkley. They generated 101 percent of profits in the fourth quarter, he estimates, and 103 percent in the calendar year.

"Given the current competitive dynamics, we believe Apple and Samsung will maintain dominant value share during Q1/13 with share gains for Samsung versus Apple expected in Q1/13," Walkley noted.

This trend has been going on for quite some time and reflects the struggles of other handset vendors. Many have been posting losses … Read more

iOS evasi0n jailbreak used 1.7 million times in first day

A new jailbreak that targets all of the latest iOS devices has proven a hit with the public.

Launched on Monday, the evasi0n tool is capable of jailbreaking every iOS 6 and 6.1 device on the market, including the iPhone 5, the iPad Mini, the fourth-generation iPad, and the fifth-generation iPod Touch. The tool itself is considered relatively simple to use, certainly in comparison with other jailbreak methods.

As a result, evasi0n had already been used at least 800,000 times in its initial six hours, according to Jay Freeman, who runs the Cydia app store for jailbreakers. Speaking … Read more

Apple warns against jailbreaking following evasi0n hack

Apple has tweaked an online article about the dangers of jailbreaking in the wake of a recent hack of iOS code.

The article shows a last-modified date of Sunday, the same day the evasi0n jailbreak tool for iOS 6.0 through 6.1 was due to reach the public. The tool didn't actually pop up until Monday, but the timing of the modified article certainly points to concern on Apple's part.

Exactly what was updated in Apple's article is difficult to know. But the company cites a range of hazards that it associates with jailbreaking, including instability, … Read more