Let’s Talk Apple – Ep. 14 (October 2014)

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Panel:

The show starts with a quick run-down of some Apple-related numbers released in October, followed by an updated on some of the legal cases Apple is involved in. The four main topics for the show are Apple’s October iPod and Mac event, the release of OS X Yosemite, the roll out of Apple Pay, and Tim Cook’s coming out letter. The show finishes with a quick rundown of some other Apple related stories that made the news in October.

You’ll find detailed show notes below the fold, and if you enjoy this free show, please consider clicking on the donate button at the top of the left side bar – the show is free for you to listen to, but not for Bart to Produce!

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Links:

Noteworthy Numbers:
  • Apple released their Q4 2014 earnings report this month: www.apple.com/…
    • The raw numbers:
    • Revenue: $42Bn ($37.5Bn YAQ)
    • Profit: $8.5Bn ($7.5Bn YAQ)
    • Gross Margin: 38% (37% YAQ)
    • iPhone Sales: 39M (34M YAQ)
    • iPad Sales: 12M (14M YAQ)
    • Mac Sales: 5.5M – up 21% (4.5M YAQ)
    • It’s another record quarter! – http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/apple-posts-a-record-september-quarter-42.1-billion-revenue-8.5-billion-ear
  • Samsung Also Release Earnings:
    • Early in the month Samsung warned earnings would be below expectations – recode.net/…
    • When they released their earnings later in the month, they hit a 3 year low, profits down 61% year on year – www.nytimes.com/…
    • RELATED – A scathing take-down of ‘the church of market share’ – techpinions.com/…
Legal Latest:
  • As weird as it sounds, an anti trust case over iPod DRM will go to trial – arstechnica.com/…
  • Apple win summary judgement against LTE patent claims by WiLAN – www.macobserver.com/…
  • Apple win GPNE patent case, call company a Patent Troll (they tried to assert their Pager patents were infringed on by iPhones because they allow 2-way communication) – www.macobserver.com/…
Main Stories:
  1. Apple Event
  2. OS X 10.10 Yosemite is released – arstechnica.com/…
    • This release now allows Apple’s Continuity to work between iOS and OS X
    • Nice article explaining how to enable SMS Relay (letting your Mac or iPad send and receive SMS messages on behalf of your iPhone) – www.macobserver.com/…
    • This release makes iCloud Drive available to Mac users
    • Yosemite was accompanied by updates to iWork – www.macobserver.com/…
    • The WSJ trigger some controversy with some very poor reporting on the new Spotlight
    • A good rebuttal to the original WSJ piece – www.theverge.com/…
    • A good, clear description of what Spotlight does from Security Researcher Rich Mogul – tidbits.com/…
    • Bart’s take in the whole thing – www.bartbusschots.ie/…
    • USEFUL – instructions for making a bootable USB installer for Yosemite – arstechnica.com/…
    • USEFUL – list of Macs that can run Yosemite – www.macobserver.com/…
  3. Apple Pay Launches
    • A nice comprehensive review of Apple Pay – arstechnica.com/…
    • A good description of how Apple Pay (and Google Wallet) work – arstechnica.com/…
    • Just days after launching Apple Pay becomes the leader in contactless payments – daringfireball.net/…
    • An un-expected battle between Apple Pay and CurrentC kicks off:
    • A nice description of CurrentC – techcrunch.com/…
    • Walmart explain why they don’t support Apple Pay – www.businessinsider.com/…
    • A blogger explains that unlike CurrentC, Apple Pay is accessible – stevensblog.org/…
    • CVS & Rite Aid move to kill NFC to prevent Apple Pay being used in their stores. Point to the coming of CurrentC next year – daringfireball.net/…
    • CVS say they “can’t” take Apple Pay – www.macobserver.com/…
    • Not all CurrentC members do the same – Meijer defies the trend – www.macobserver.com/…
    • Anti-trust lawyers express concern that depending on the communications between currentC and its merchants, there could be anti-trust problems for CurrentC – www.loopinsight.com/…
    • Rather embarrassingly, a flaw in the CurrentC API lets hackers steam customer email addresses – arstechnica.com/…
    • Wells Fargo bank enticing customers to use Apple Pay with $10-20 Credits – www.macrumors.com/…
    • RELATED – Apple published an updated iOS Security Guide which contains details on how Apple Pay works – images.apple.com/… (PDF)
  4. Tim Cook Comes Out
Quick Stories:
  • The Techno Watch space continues to hot up:
  • After MUCH drama, Apple and bankrupt Sapphire manufacturer GTAT agree to part ways ‘amicably’ – arstechnica.com/…
  • Apple release online iPhone Activation Lock Status Checker to make it easier to avoid buying stolen iPhones – www.macobserver.com/…
  • Ireland to phase-out “Double Irish” tax loophole used by US multinationals like Apple (will keep corporate tax rate low) – www.nytimes.com/…
  • HP to split into two companies – a business oriented one selling networking equipment, servers, software, and services; and one selling printers and PCs – www.nytimes.com/…
  • Christian Bale has been cast as Jobs in the up-coming Sorkin movie

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