Corporate

Following record Q4, TSMC migrates to finer 10nm tech and allegedly picks up A9X orders in 2015

Christian Zibreg ∙ January 15, 2015

Apple supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) on Thursday announced record profits in the fourth quarter of 2014 buoyed by its lucrative chip-making deal with Apple for the new iPhones.

In addition, the firm announced migrating to a much finer 10-nanometer process technology this year after being among the first to adopt 20-nanometer chip-making technology in 2014.

According to KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi-Kuo, TSMC would not only pick up 100 percent of orders for Apple's “A9X” chip, which should be used in an iPad refresh this Fall, but also get to produce an “S2” processor for a second-generation Apple Watch and an “A10” chip that should power a 2016 iPhone model, likely to be called “iPhone 7”.

Apple hires former HP exec to boost corporate sales

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Apple has hired former HP senior vice president John Solomon, according to a new report from Recode. A spokesperson for the handset-maker has confirmed the hire, but would not specify what Solomon's title or role would be with the company.

Recode's Arik Hesseldahl is hearing, though, that Solomon will be "central to Apple’s push to boost sales to big companies and government agencies with large technology budgets." He may also play a part in international sales of the Apple Watch.

AAPL passes 700 billion in market value

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 25, 2014

Apple's market capitalization has hit a new milestone, going up 0.8 percent shortly after the market opened Tuesday morning and reaching a market value of nearly $702 billion, higher than any U.S. company in history. By comparison, its previous record market capitalization hit $658 billion in September 2012.

The stock has been rising steadily over the past few months and has picked up speed after the company posted record opening weekend sales for the new iPhones in September and investors reacted positively to the Apple Watch and other new products Tim Cook & Co. unloaded as part of the massive Fall product refresh.

High-def drone footage shows iSpaceship progress

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 30, 2018

Apple's Campus 2 (aka iSpaceship), a 2.8 million square foot, ring-shaped future home to some 12,000 Apple employees, is going to complement Apple’s current Cupertino, California headquarters. Slated for completion by 2016, the massive project has been photographed from every angle and filmed from the air since Apple broke ground a year ago.

The most recent video that YouTuber 'Myithz' shot in 1080p using a DJI Phantom 2 Vision Plus treats us to an aerial view of the upcoming campus as of this past Saturday, November 8.

If the clip is anything to go by, Apple has made quite a bit of progress at the 176-acre site. Preliminary work on the underpinnings of the structure that will actually be built on top is clearly visible, with bits of the actual building beginning to take shape following completion of the foundation a month ago.

Apple ‘surprised’ by GT Advanced bankruptcy filing, company spokesperson says

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 8, 2014

In its first public comment Wednesday following a totally unepxected bankruptcy filing of its supplier GT Advanced Technology earlier this week, Apple now says it was taken aback by such turn of events while confirming its priority going forward will be preserving jobs at the Mesa, Arizona plant that GT had agreed to run on Apple's behalf.

Company spokesman Chris Gaither said in a written statement to Reuters, The Wall Street Journal and other major outlets that “we are focussed on preserving jobs in Arizona following GT's surprising decision and we will continue to work with state and local officials as we consider our next steps”.

Apple issues invites for October 16 media event: ‘it’s been way too long’

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 8, 2014

Following claims by ReCode's well-informed John Paczkowski that Apple's been prepping to hold an iPad-focused media event on October 16, the Cupertino company on Wednesday morning confirmed the report by issuing invites to select members of the press, The Loop first reported.

Featuring a colorful Apple logo outline adorned by the the tagline “It's been way too long,“ the invite prompts the media to attend the event which begins at 10:00am Pacific / 1pm Eastern at the firm's Town Hall Auditorium in Cupertino, California.

AnandTech founder joins Apple for undisclosed role

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 1, 2014

Revered technology journalist Anand Lal Shimpi, who founded the well-regarded hardware review website AnandTech seventeen years ago, will be joining Apple to work on undisclosed projects.

The hire was first reported on by Re/code on Sunday evening after Shimpi announced his departure from AnandTech in a blog post.

Just to clear up any confusion about the hire, a spokesperson for Apple has officially confirmed that Shimpi would be soon on the company's payroll, but stopped short of providing specifics as to what his new role at Apple might entail.

Watch Apple’s boss Tim Cook getting ice bath to benefit ALS research

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 15, 2014

Yesterday, Apple's marketing honcho Phil Schiller undertook the Ice Bucket Challenge. In a tweet accompanied by a series of images showing himself dumping a bucket of ice water on his head at the beaches, Schiller called on Apple CEO Tim Cook to accept the challenge and also get doused, by tagging him in the post.

Sure enough, Cook rose to the occasion and had a bucket of ice water poured over his head by recording artist Michael Franti.

Even better, this all happened in front of company employees who earlier tonight gathered for Apple’s Diversity beer bash at 1 Infinite Loop headquarters. And in an even more peculiar move, the iPhone maker has documented this in a video posted to its official YouTube channel and included for your viewing pleasure right below the fold...

Apple.com pays tribute to Robin Williams

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 12, 2014

Following the tragic death of Robin Williams, Apple has paid tribute to the actor and comedian with a new 'Remembering Robin Williams' webpage on Apple.com, in addition to a similar section on iTunes published earlier today.

Moreover, Apple CEO Tim Cook yesterday published a tweet expressing grief and sorrow caused by Robin's passing.

"Heartbroken by the news of Robin Williams' passing," Tim's tweet reads. "He was an incomparable talent and a great human being. Rest in peace." The company is also honoring the Oscar-winning actor with a special iTunes Store section featuring more than forty movies and stand up comedy routines.

Williams died yesterday at the age of 63. The actor was found unresponsive at his residence in Marin County, California, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The Marin County Sheriff's Office wrote in a statement that Williams died of asphyxiation caused by hanging himself...

NYT sheds light on internal training program for teaching the Apple way

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 11, 2014

In what seems to be a change of heart for The New York Times which notoriously dissed Apple in a nine-part iEconomy series of articles, the newspaper on Monday ran a rather positive frontage piece about the iPhone maker.

The write-up provides interesting details about Apple University, an internal training program at the firm's 1 Infinite Loop headquarters in Cupertino, California that teaches future company leaders the Apple way of doing things.

Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who passed away nearly three years ago, in 2008 hired former Yale business school dean Joel Podolny to run Apple University. After naming Denise Young Smith its new head of human resources earlier this year, Podolny, who is a vice president at Apple, is now focused full time to teaching the Apple culture to employees...

Samsung’s troubles prove Apple knows exactly what it’s doing with its iPhone business

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 14, 2018

Samsung's co-CEO and mobile chief J.K. Shin is in the hot seat as the company posts its third straight quarter of operating-profit declines.

It's fascinating to watch how quickly things are turning for the conglomerate responsible for nearly one-fifth of South Korea's Gross domestic product.

Operating profits were down sharply, decreasing a whopping 25 percent year over year. More importantly, Samsung's favorite business metric - the market share - is under pressure, too: its worldwide share of smartphones slipped to 25 percent in the second quarter from 32 percent a year earlier.

This is bad news considering that 76 percent of the firm's profit comes from smartphones. What gives?

Apple reportedly laying off some Beats staff, transitioning Beats Music to iTunes servers

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 30, 2014

Apple’s $3 billion acquisition of Beats Music, a music-streaming service, and Beats Electronics, a highly lucrative premium headphone business, is nearing its completion.

Monday, the European Commission okayed the deal, saying it won't stifle competition in Europe.

Though still pending regulatory approval in the United States, Apple is expecting to complete the purchase by the end of September.

Analyzing the inner workings of the Cupertino firm in the wake of the Beats acquisition, a reputable publication has shed more light on the transition phase and behind-the-scenes moves...