Author: Juli Clover

Apple is beefing up its online retail team with the addition of former Delta Air Lines Vice President of Marketing Bob Kupbens, reports AdAge. According to his LinkedIn profile, Kupbens is now serving as Apple’s Vice President of Online Retail after leaving Delta earlier this month.

Kupbens originally jointed Delta in 2010 and before that, he spent eight years transitioning through several roles at Target, last serving as a vice president. During a 2013 AdAge conference, Kupbens spoke on the importance of “love brands” noting that every consumer has five brands “they really love.”

“I used to work at Target and when you went to a cocktail party and you told people that you worked at Target, you know what they’d say?” he asked. “‘I love Target! I’ll give you a big hug!’ You know what people say when you tell them at a cocktail party that you work at Delta? ‘I hate you! You lost my bag! You had me on the tarmac for seven hours. I’m going to kill you!’ It’s different when you work for a love brand.”

Like Target, Apple is undoubtedly a “love brand” for millions of people, inspiring its fans to wait in line for hours and even days for new products. Many companies even parody consumer dedication to the brand, with Samsung, for example, mocking Apple fans in an array of anti-iPhone commercials.

Bob Kupbens will presumably work under Angela Ahrendts, who will begin her role a Senior Vice President at Apple in the coming months, leading both the company’s retail and online teams. Ahrendts, who is currently transitioning out of her role as Burberry’s CEO, will report directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook.

With the addition of Kupbens and Ahrendts, Apple will finally have strong leadership for its retail division. The company has been without a leader since John Browett was fired in October of 2012 during a significant management restructuring.

Cathy Edwards, who works as a Director of Evaluation and Quality on Apple Maps, is planning to leave Apple in April, reports TechCrunch. Edwards initially co-founded and served as chief technical officer at app discovery platform Chomp, joining Apple a…

Turkey’s first Apple Store is nearing completion, as seen in new photos posted by Turkish Apple blog ElmaDergisi (via AppleToolbox). Taken on March 24 and 25, the images show the progress on the upcoming Istanbul location.

Located in the heart of Istanbul’s multi-use Zorlu Center, the store is said to feature a concept that includes a design with a cubic glass ceiling. As can be seen in the photos, the wooden frame covering the building has been removed, but the structure itself, said to be entirely glass, remains under wraps.

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the Istanbul store will be unique among Apple retail locations, spanning more than 20,000 square feet with a portion of the store located underground.

The Istanbul Apple Store is rumored to open on Friday, April 4. Both Tim Cook and Turkish president Abdullah Gül are both expected to attend the opening.

Apple is preparing an update to fix an issue that causes 11 and 13-inch 2013 MacBook Airs to crash when they are wakened from sleep, according to information from an Apple Authorized Service Provider. According to multiple lengthy threads on the Appl…

Apple’s unwillingness to share large amounts of consumer data is hurting its iAd business, according to Madison Avenue media buyers that spoke with AdAge. The company is said to be “downright stingy” with the information it shares, too slow at developing ad products, and “too reticent to foster relationships.”

According to one executive, Apple doesn’t have official sales targets for its iAd business, nor does the company operate a large sales team as advertising is viewed as more of an “afterthought.”

Perhaps the biggest issue hindering their ad growth is that advertising is an afterthought, a blip on the balance sheet. It’s still viewed by some as immaterial and potentially detrimental to the cash cows — an ad is an impediment if it distracts a consumer from the “buy” button or mucks up a beautiful mobile app.

First introduced in 2010, Apple’s iAd has never enjoyed much success. The service was initially designed to help developers earn money on the iOS platform, but it failed to attract developer interest and thus never garnered a significant amount of revenue.

With the launch of iTunes Radio, Apple revamped its iAd program, refocusing on the new music service. Apple’s iAd team is now in charge of securing deals with major advertisers to support iTunes Radio, which is a much better money-earning opportunity for the company.

Still, advertising firms that work with Apple find it highly frustrating the company won’t share information on consumer preference with advertising partners, preventing more targeted ad campaigns. Apple has a huge amount of customer data, including addresses, geographic preferences and app and music purchases, but because Apple does not use cookie-based tracking and ad targeting, advertisers must rely on Apple to deliver ads to a desired audience.

The lack of data both companies deliver is frustrating for marketers because these notoriously opaque giants sit atop incredible troves of information about what consumers actually buy and like, as well as who they are and where they live. One person familiar with the situation exec said Apple’s refusal to share data makes it the best-looking girl at the party, forced to wear a bag over her head.

Though companies would like for Apple to share additional information, the company has still managed to score major advertising partners that are willing to take whatever they can get. When iTunes Radio debuted, it included advertisements from Macy’s, McDonald’s, Nissan, and Procter & Gamble.

Apple earned $258 million in U.S. mobile-ad revenue in 2013, an amount dwarfed by the advertising revenue taken in by companies like Google and Facebook. In 2013, Google generated $3.98 billion in mobile ad revenue, while Facebook garnered $1.53 billion, but the company will likely see growth in ad revenue as iTunes Radio gains popularity despite its unwillingness to cooperate fully with advertisers.

Previous rumors have indicated the first major update to iOS 7, iOS 7.1, will be released to the public in March after a testing period that initially began in November. AppleInsider today echoed those rumors with a report suggesting the release could …

doubleTwist, the company behind the popular multi-platform iTunes-compatible doubleTwist Media Player, today brought its new AirPlay Recorder app to the Mac, allowing iTunes users to capture and save streaming audio for offline use.

First introduced for Android in January, AirPlay Recorder is designed to record audio, such as streaming songs from iTunes Radio, using AirPlay. After downloading and installing the app, it will appear as an AirPlay device within iTunes and will record audio after being selected from the AirPlay device list.

The app will record any audio or radio stream played within iTunes to a “Recorder” folder within the Music folder for offline playback. Recording audio is done in real time, which means a four minute song will take four minutes to record, and a reliable Internet connection is necessary because the app checks recording quality.

Apps like AirPlay Recorder, such as Audio Hijack Pro have been previously available, but at a higher price. The legality of AirPlay Recorder and similar apps is unclear, but according to doubleTwist co-founder Monique Farantzos, who spoke to Engadget back in January, the company is unconcerned about the app’s legal status.

“Recording has been around for decades, from audio cassettes (remember mix tapes?) to TuneIn radio’s recording feature. Given that Apple built their iPod empire on letting millions of people rip CDs based on fair use, we don’t see how they could object to this app.”

Along with Farantzos, doubleTwist also boasts Jon Lech Johansen as a co-founder, one of the developers behind DeCSS, a computer program able to decrypt content on commercially produced DVDs. Johansen was prosecuted in Norway back in 2002 for developing the software, but was later acquitted.

doubleTwist’s AirPlay Recorder for Mac can be downloaded for free from the doubleTwist website. The free version allows users to record 10 second samples while full recording capability can be unlocked for $9.99.

The Automatic connected car system today received an over-the-air update that allows users to turn their Automatic Link hardware devices into iBeacons, reports TechCrunch. As iBeacons, Automatic devices let users transmit to or receive information from other sensors or devices in the vicinity.

First introduced in March of 2013, the Automatic hardware plugs into a car’s onboard diagnostics (OBD) port and provides detailed data on driving habits and mileage within the Automatic app.

With the addition of iBeacon technology, Automatic could be a far more functional device in the future. While the iBeacon addition has no use at the present time, Automatic co-founder Thejo Kote says that it could be used to enable car-specific applications with a host of potential partners.

Applying iBeacon technology to a vehicle could make it easier for people to pay for things like parking, or gas fill ups, for instance — making the experience much better than it is today.

For right now, those types of applications are still theoretical, but Automatic is interested in seeing where it could go.

iBeacons, which have been growing in popularity over the last several months, use Bluetooth 4.0 to transmit data to nearby devices. This technology has been used within Apple Retail Stores to provide additional information on products, among other things.

In addition to iBeacon support for the Automatic hardware, the Automatic app was also updated today, adding event recording for external APIs and a number of bug fixes and improvements to the software.

Automatic can be purchased from the Automatic website for $99.95. The accompanying Automatic app is a free download from the App Store. [Direct Link]

While developer Steven Troughton-Smith has shared several screenshots and a video of iOS in the Car running on iOS 7.0.3, the iOS 7.1 beta currently available to developers offers even more iOS in the Car functionality, including a redesign. Accordin…

Organizational issues have been plaguing Apple’s development of iOS in the Car, according to The Information’s Jessica E. Lessin (via AppleInsider). Because iOS in the Car did not fit neatly into an existing hardware or software team at Apple, executives reportedly “didn’t quite know what to do” with the program.

iOS in the Car from iOS 7.1 (Source: Denis Stas)

The disconnect is attributed primarily to overarching organizational issues that are said to place pressure on non-hardware products that do not fit within existing teams.

Even in the lead-up to iOS in the Car’s high-profile unveiling at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference last June, executives were reportedly still unsure about the product’s future.

According to Lessin, the team working on iOS in the Car was forced to “lobby hard” for stage time during the Worldwide Developers Conference where the product was first demonstrated.

Since that time, iOS in the Car has been listed as an iOS 7 feature “Coming Soon” on Apple’s website with no update on its availability. The feature is intended to provide enhanced iOS integration in automobiles, offering an iOS-style interface on the car’s touchscreen dash that allows users to make phone calls, access Maps, control music, and more.

Recently, developer Steven Troughton-Smith released both screenshots and a video of iOS in the Car in action, as the software is partially built into iOS 7.0.3 but unaccessible by default.

The iOS in the Car content shared by Troughton-Smith appears to confirm some of Apple’s struggles with the software. While one design is depicted in the video, Troughton-Smith’s screenshots and commentary on Twitter indicate that iOS in the Car has undergone a redesign from its early depiction on Apple’s website and at least one other redesign in iOS 7.1, which is currently available for developers.

Video of iOS in the Car in iOS 7.1 (Source: Denis Stas)
Apple CEO Tim Cook has said that iOS in the Car is a “key focus” for Apple and the company believes that “having something in the automobile is very important,” but it remains unclear when iOS in the Car might make its official debut.

While many car makers have expressed interest in including iOS in the Car in their 2014 models, cars with the feature have yet to materialize. Thus far, in-car integration with Apple devices remains largely limited to Siri Eyes Free and Honda’s HondaLink, which falls well short of full iOS in the Car functionality.

AT&T today announced its 4Q 2013 earnings, revealing the company added 1.2 million postpaid smartphones to its network (both upgrades and new subscribers) and gained 809,000 new subscribers, with 566,000 being postpaid customers with a contract. It is unclear how many of AT&T’s new customers were choosing iPhones, however, as AT&T, like Verizon, no longer reports quarterly iPhone activations or sales.

Smartphones made up 93 percent of total phone sales and 77 percent of the postpaid phone base. The carrier also added 440,000 new tablets during the quarter.

Compared to the year-ago quarter, AT&T gained 300,000 fewer new subscribers, but saw a record low contract churn rate of 1.11 percent and an overall churn rate of 1.43 percent. A company’s churn rate is the percentage of customers that leave the carrier during the quarter. It appears that AT&T is managing to retain most of its subscriber base at this point, but during the next quarter, T-Mobile’s efforts to lure AT&T customers may become more apparent.

AT&T Next, AT&T’s smartphone and tablet upgrade program, has drawn more than 1.5 million customers since it was first launched in July of 2013.

Earlier in January, AT&T competitor Verizon announced smartphone activations of 8.8 million along with 1.7 million new subscribers. Verizon continues to have a bigger postpaid customer base than AT&T at 96.2 million wireless customers compared to AT&T’s 72.6 million.

Overall, AT&T announced a profit of $6.9 billion on $33.2 billion in revenue.

Rap Genius, the site that recently had a run-in with Google for its dubious SEO strategies, today launched an official Genius iOS app that allows users to access the site’s archive of song lyrics. The app includes access to annotated lyrics for milli…

Google today launched Chrome apps for iOS and Android, which will see Chrome-based apps encased in a native application shell that allows them to be distributed through the Apple App Store and Google Play. Currently, Chrome-packaged apps are written in JavaScript, HTML, and CSS, but are able to launch outside the browser, access APIs and work offline.

Developers can access an early developer preview of a toolchain based on Apache Cordova, an open source platform for building native mobile applications with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Using the toolchain, developers can wrap existing Chrome Apps with a native shell, which transforms them into apps that can be sold on the App Store.

Example of a Chrome To-Do app running on OS X and Android

We provide a simple developer workflow for packaging a Chrome App natively for mobile platforms. You can run your Chrome App on a device or emulator using the command-line or an IDE. Alternatively, you can use the Chrome Apps Developer Tool to run your app on an Android device without the need to install an IDE or the mobile platform’s SDK.

Google has made multiple core Chrome APIs available to Chrome apps that are designed to run on mobile devices, including automatic sign-in via OAuth2, push messaging, storage, alarms, file system syncing able to store and retrieve files backed by Google Drive, and more.

In addition to the Chrome APIs, developers are also able to access APIs supported by the Cordova platform.

Chrome mobile apps come following the September launch of Chrome apps that work offline by default and function as native applications. In December, Google brought Chrome apps to the Mac, following a beta testing period that began in May. Chrome apps on the Mac are designed to function like native Mac apps, working offline, updating automatically, and syncing on any computer where a user is signed into Chrome.

Developers have the opportunity to begin working with Apache Cordova and their Chrome apps beginning today, but it may be some time before consumers see Chrome apps in the App Store.

Major tech companies like Apple, Google, and Facebook often use private buses to ferry employees from living areas in San Francisco and the bay area to company campuses in places like Cupertino, Mountain View, and Menlo Park.

Previously, the city was not receiving any income from the campus buses, even though they often used city bus stops. Today that changed as the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) approved a pilot proposal (via The Verge) that will require commuter shuttle buses from companies like Apple to pay $1 for each stop they make every day.

Commuter shuttle buses have been subject to several protests over the course of the last few months, with activists in the area attacking employee buses in protest of rising housing costs in the San Francisco Bay Area.

While the Silicon Valley companies will now be giving back to the city more than they have in the past, a formalized shuttle system won’t answer the concerns that the tech industry is causing class warfare in San Francisco. Housing prices in the city are skyrocketing out of the reach of ordinary citizens, and many are blaming the high-income individuals employed by companies like Facebook, Apple, and Google.

Set to begin in July of 2014, the program is expected to earn the city approximately $1.5 million over the course of 18 months, which will be used to cover enforcement of the program and evaluations on its efficiency. The $1 per stop fee is unlikely to have any significant impact on Apple or its employees, but it could help to ease tensions within the city.

(Image courtesy of The Castro Biscuit)

Blizzard’s newest game, Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft has entered open beta, which means it is now available for all Mac and PC users in North America. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is a free-to-play collectible card game that is set in the Warcraf…

Over the course of the last several years, Apple has begun to take an intense interest in biometrics as a way to improve the security and accessibility of its devices. Apple purchased sensor company AuthenTec in 2012 and quickly incorporated its finger…