A new Apple store in California demonstrates the painstakingly careful design of the iPhone maker's retail outlets, in another example of the company's dedication to detail.
Apple's designers for the Berkeley, Calif.-based store ensured that both outward-facing glass panes and the edges of the sidewalk were lined up with the floor tiles laid inside the store -- ensuring a symmetrical design that is in perfect alignment, according to a report from ifoAppleStore.
In order to achieve this design standard, nearly universal in Apple's retail locations, workers tore the existing sidewalk apart and replaced it with a new one whose contraction lines matched the interior stone tiles, exhibiting a close attention to detail characteristic of the tech giant.
Passersby will more likely "feel" than see the change, though it took a lot of time and effort to achieve.
This intense attention to detail that gives Apple stores their iconic look may be part of the bigger business practice that propelled Apple to become the fastest-growing retailer in the U.S. It now represents 20 percent of total U.S. retail sales growth, according to recent sales figures.
Apple's first-quarter sales of $4.6 billion marked an 80 percent increase from the same period last year and was largely attributed to Apple's retail outlets, according to analyst David Berman. Apple Stores pulled in $3.2 billion in sales, mostly from its U.S. locations, nearly doubling from the same quarter last year.
The Cupertino, Calif.-based company recently revamped its stores to mark their 10th anniversary, and will likely continue to make its retail presence a cornerstone of Apple's business.
Apple visionary Steve Jobs himself had a strong hand in the design of the retail stores, designing the glass staircases in many of the spaces, among other elements.
This retail growth is based, of course, on its products and services, demonstrating the strength of a tightly knit, controlled product line. But the intangible Apple experience, which extends to the spaces outside its stores, cannot be underestimated.
Samsung plans to spend $9.3 billion on research and development this year, as it looks to expand both its business and portfolio to fend off competitors.
The Korean manufacturer has already spent half this amount on R&D to date, exploring mobile devices, semiconductors, displays, and even software development.
By comparison, rival Apple last year spent $7 billion less on R&D than Samsung's planned expenditure. If Samsung can surge ahead of Apple in this respect, it may have a greater chance of beating its arch-enemy in the innovation department.
Software especially may be key, as rumors are circulating that Samsung plans to buy HP's discarded WebOS. After HP ditched its mobile platform, slashed prices on its TouchPad and even declared intentions to scrap its PC business, WebOS appears to be up for grabs, and Samsung may benefit from the purchase.
WebOS may grant Samsung an outlet to further develop its Bada software and decrease its need to rely on outside software. The company today announced four Bada phones it likely hopes will give its OS a boost: the Wave 3, Wave M and Wave Y are all set to run Bada 2.0 OS.
Purchasing WebOS and spending R&D dollars on Bada may ultimately better position Samsung against Google, too. The company currently borrows the Android OS for its smartphones and tablets, but since Google bought Motorola, Samsung may find itself slowly squeezed out of the picture as a leading Android manufacturer.
In addition to shoring up its position against Google by becoming more autonomous in the smartphone and tablet market, Samsung's planned R&D shopping spree could help it secure more patents, which will insulate it against the onslaught of lawsuits and trade injunctions that threaten to hobble the company.
Patents would help Samsung repel Apple in courts around the world, where Apple is currently attacking its Korean counterpart. Apple alleges Samsung's Galaxy line "slavishly" copies the "look and feel" of iPhones and iPads, and is seeking injunctions against all Galaxy products in Australia, Germany, the Netherlands and in the U.S.
But Samsung could fight back if it spends money to acquire more patents. The company already owns 100,542 patents from this year alone, putting it in second place behind IBM in the U.S.
If Samsung can acquire more patents under its new $9.3 billion budget, it may challenge Apple's court cases and reverse standing bans on its Galaxy Tab and smartphones.
Although $9.3 billion is no mean sum, but Samsung could eat into that amount quickly purchasing expensive patents, expanding Bada and possibly purchasing WebOS as a means to remain a strong contender in the mobile market. But it may be money well spent as the company consolidates its position against aggressive rivals.
Sprint is holding an event to outline its plans for the future, as the company looks to reassure investors and customers that it will continue to be a major player in the wireless market.
The Overland Park, Kan.-based carrier will hold its "Strategy Update" event on October 7. Sprint did not reveal what exactly it will discuss at the meeting, but it's likely the carrier is looking to gather some momentum as it heads into holiday season and the Federal Communication Commission's decision on the AT&T/T-Mobile merger approaches.
Sprint's event may bring a cluster of announcements rather than a single big one. For example, the carrier may reveal its 4G network plans going forward. Sprint jumped to an early lead in the 4G battle with its WiMAX service, but many analysts believe the provider will have to transition to an LTE network to compete with Verizon and AT&T.
Sprint came to an agreement with LightSquared last month that would enable the carrier to buy half of the company's LTE network. But the FCC expressed concerns LightSquared's network could affect aviation GPS systems, throwing a wrench into Sprint's plans. It's possible the carrier may address these issues and reveal more details on its intentions with LightSquared at the event.
However, Sprint's 4G plans aren't the only thing it may announce during the company's strategy update. The Wall Street Journal last week reported the carrier may begin offering the iPhone 5 when it releases this fall. Sprint would not confirm the report, but it may be waiting for a future event such as this one to do so.
Carrying the iPhone 5 would likely be a tremendous boost for a company that still struggles to lure customers away from wireless giants Verizon and AT&T. If Sprint announced the iPhone as part of its long-term plans, it would give customers another mobile alternative on a network that offers primarily Android-based devices.
No matter what Sprint unveils on October 7, the carrier can't afford to disappoint customers and investors. The AT&T/T-Mobile merger is threatening to put Sprint in a distant third place in the U.S. wireless market, and the carrier needs to show it has a solid game plan in place to compete.
Americans talk over an hour less per month on their cell phones than in 2009, as texting, video chatting and mobile-based instant messaging rise in prominence.
Fewer calls are being made or received on mobile devices, with wireless customers using an average of 450 minutes a month, down 77 minutes from 527 in 2009, according to a new report by research firm J.D. Power.
But that doesn't mean mobile users are communicating less with their mobile devices. The decline is offset by the growing use of text messaging, instant messaging, emailing, and video chatting. The study found wireless customers sent and or received an average of more than 500 texts in a given month, a figure that varies widely depending on age.
The rise in texting, which has been beating out talking on smartphones since 2009, is becoming well documented and presents its own challenges.
For example, the new documentary "Thumbs," gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at nearly a dozen competitors through a grueling national texting championship, tracing a set of local speed texting champs as they make their way to final rounds in Manhattan and showing a new generation of phone users accustomed to heavy texting.
In addition, the fact that more people now need chiropractors because of strains created from chronic texting or "text neck," underscores the growing populatity of texting over talking.
Increased texting also creates challenges when users continue to text on mobile phones while doing other activities, most notably, driving a car. Cell phone use while driving increases the chance of crashing, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association, or GHSA, which studied more than 350 scientific papers about the connection between cell phone use and car crashes last month. Their research found a link between texting and higher risks while driving.
While texting is currently the most favored smartphone activity, mobile-based instant messaging services, similar to BlackBerry Messenger, are beginning to ramp up and may further pull away emphasis from voice.
Companies like Apple and Samsung are rolling out their own mobile messaging apps and services, and Facebook also released a standalone messaging app for smartphones and tablets that allows users to communicate beyond voice.
However, the shift away from voice may pose more problems for carriers as they attempt to find new sources of revenue. Data plans have grown in emphasis with carriers, and if mobile-based messenging apps take off, pricing may go up to accommodate increased network traffic. Users may be talking less, but carriers will likely find a way for consumers to pay more as phones expand to other uses.
Samsung may purchase HP's WebOS, in a move that would help the phone maker differentiate itself from other Android phone makers in the wake of Google's Motorola acquisition.
HP recently announced it will spin off its consumer PC division and discontinue its WebOS operations, essentially exiting the smartphone and tablet business despite its software's good reviews. Samsung, which earlier debunked rumors of acquiring HP's PC division, may be investigating WebOS instead, according to website Digitimes.
The Korean company staked a claim for itself in the smartphone market with Android devices, like the growing Galaxy line, and has already developed its proprietary Bada platform, designed for newer smartphone users.
However, Google's recently announced acquisition of phone maker Motorola is anticipated to change dynamics in the Android phone ecosystem as the company shifts from software into the hardware business. If Google becomes a probable rival, phone makers previously reliant on Android may choose to diversify their software options.
Many companies have already been doing this. HTC is set to launch a group of phones running Microsoft's Windows Phone Mango release, and Samsung today announced it will roll out a line of Wave smartphones powered by Bada.
Acquiring WebOS would be another option for Samsung, as recent fire sales of HP's discontinued TouchPad device illuminate the software, which has garnered strong reviews. With TouchPad stock nearly sold out, whoever owns the software may have a strong base of users that buys apps and attracts advertisers.
The OS already increased its market share in mobile advertising on the strength of the recent fire sale, one of many signs of a strange, surprising second life for the tablet and its platform. But HP may choose to retain its rights to WebOS and license the platform, as previously hinted.
However, because Samsung already has Bada, some believe HTC may be a more probable buyer of WebOS. The company uses third-party software on all of its phones, but may choose to increase its options as the Google-Motorola acquisition's effects play out in the longer term.
WebOS was considered a moribund product when it initially launched with HP's TouchPad a few weeks ago, but the surprisingly brisk fire sales may have given the OS at least a new lease. A new user base now exists for the software, and HP itself today promised software updates to cater to this new audience.
As the fate of Android after Google's Motorola acquisition -- as well as its increasing legal vulnerabilities in patent lawsuits -- begins to loom over Android makers, many companies may eye WebOS in a new, favorable light.
Apple hired infamous 19-year-old iPhone hacker, Nicholas Allegra, turning a longtime headache into a useful asset as companies and governments bolster device security.
Allegra, who goes by the online handle Comex, tweeted about his new position at the Cupertino, Calif.-based company.
"It's been really, really fun, but it's also been a while and I've been getting bored," he wrote. "So, the week after next I will be starting an internship with Apple."
Comex boasts an impressive resume, as he created jailbreakme.com to let people unlock their iPhones with ease. Unlocked phones work on any wireless carrier and can also download apps outside of Apple's App Store, giving the handset owners more freedom in how they use the device.
Apple declined to comment on Comex' reported role at the company, but the decision may likely help Apple bolster its device security.
"Apple, by taking the carrot instead of stick approach, has saved itself that massive PR headache," said tech writer Andy Greenberg in Forbes. "And by hiring someone who actually understands its products' security weaknesses, it may just be making its users safer, too."
The Cupertino company may be angling for Comex to help identify and patch security holes before other hackers use them to exploit iOS devices.
Apple isn't the only tech company adopting the "If you can't beat 'em, hire 'em" motto. Facebook this spring hired hacker George Hotz, known as Geohot, after Sony sued him for posting instructions on how to root PS3's and install Linux software on the consoles.
Although the case is now settled, Sony's decision to attack rather than hire Geohot spurred a massive hacking spree that left the Japanese company crippled.
As hackers become more sophisticated, more tech companies may want to follow Apple and Facebook's example in snatching up even black hat talent rather than see it turned against them. The government as well is looking to bolster its ranks with hacking talent in light of high-profile data breaches, recently recruiting at hacker gatherings like DefCon.
However, working with hackers has its limits, as the recent arrests of Anonymous and LulzSec hacktivists indicate, but businesses and government officials may have no other choice as data breaches and hacks become more prevalent.
Samsung today announced three new smartphones that will run on its Bada operating system, as the company looks to move into software.
The South Korean-based company's new devices come after its previous Wave phone. The new Wave 3, Wave M and Wave Y follow Samsung's new naming system and will all run the company's Bada 2.0 OS.
The Wave 3 will have a 4-inch WVGA Super AMOLED screen, 1.4-gigahertz processor and 5-megapixel camera, representing the high-end offering in the Wave series.
The Wave M will be a mid-range device with 832-megahertz processor, 3.65-inch screen and a 5-megapixel camera. The Wave Y will have the same processor as the M, but sport a smaller 3.2-inch screen and 2-megapixel camera to cater to younger users.
Samsung did not announce any prices or release dates for the new devices, but the company appears to be setting up its Bada-powered Wave phones as an alternative to the Android-based Galaxy series.
Analysts say Bada is capable of high-end features like near-field-communication, voice recognition and direct Wi-Fi sharing, but instead of focusing on advanced users, Samsung is aiming the OS at new smartphone users.
The company is also reportedly hopes to bring in mobile app developers with a full software development kit in the near future.
Samsung's renewed focus on its own mobile platform follows Google's purchase of Motorola Mobility. Much of Samsung's success in the smartphone market is due to the popularity of its Android-based handsets, but some analysts believe Google's new acquisition is leading manufacturers to consider new options as a potential rival.
These new Bada-based phones may be just the start of Samsung's foray into software. The electronics giant is reportedly looking to enhance its software through acquisitions, according company officials.
Many have speculated that the company is exploring the possibility of purchasing HP's well-reviewed, but recently abandoned, WebOS software.
A strong move toward software, like purchasing WebOS would suggest, may make Samsung more of a mobile competitor to Google than a partner. Until the company makes a major acquisition, it will likely try to increase its presence in the software space with the Bada-based Wave phones and possibly make more Bada phones in the future.
HP's successful fire sale of TouchPad renewed discussion of its reappearance, as the device finds a surprising second life.
HP tablets, now priced at $100 for the 16-gigabyte model and $150 for the model with 32 gigabytes, have sold out so quickly and generated so much interest that the company may consider making more of the devices -- and possibly supporting them.
"We have been surprised by the enthusiastic response to the TouchPad price drop, and we understand that many customers were disappointed that HP and our retail partners ran out of supply so fast," wrote HP spokesman Mark Budgell in a blog post Monday.
Customers began snatching up the discounted tablets after HP announced plans to scrap the company's WebOS system, spin off its profitable PC division, and purchase U.K. software maker Autonomy for $10 billion.
The WebOS-run TouchPad, which originally sold for about $400 more than its current sale price, may appeal to those looking to test the tablet waters and those who love affordable gadgets.
The steep discounts moved the device, which, because of its discontinuation, was not expected to get software updates. WebOS is considered essentially a dead platform, although fire-sale shoppers don't seem to mind.
The company today, however, announced it will provide updates that "add functionality" to the WebOS tablet, helping to keep the device alive in spite of its official demise.
HP will "continue to investigate the best ways to leverage WebOS software and grow the applications," said the company in a statement.
Because of brisk sales, the device seems to have found a place in a market dominated by Apple's iPad and garnered largely positive reviews, possibly fueling consumer interest.
Tech savvy segments of consumers are also snatching up the devices to modify them and run Android OS, giving the TouchPad another second life. The website Hack N Mod is offering a reward for anyone who can prove they've modified the tablet to efficiently run Google's Android operating system, effectively creating a tablet with updated software able to run new apps if WebOS runs dry.
The tablet's resurgence even sparked surges in advertising on the WebOS platform. Reportedly, Jumptap, a mobile advertising agency, released statistics that show HP TouchPad apps have already gathered eight percent of the tablet mobile advertising share, comparable to Android's nearly 10 percent.
Not all analysts agree this surprising number represents the big picture, however, since Android tablets have been on sale for some time while the HP Touchpad has been on the market for only a few weeks. Still, the possibility is generating interest in the advertising industry.
While analysts are still debating what the TouchPad buzz means, it does demonstrate consumers respond very favorably to a low-priced tablet. As for what healthy fire sales mean in the longer term future for HP, the surprising second life of the TouchPad may indicate promising directions to come.
AT&T quietly launched its 4G LTE network in the Chicago area, beginning to catch up with rivals in the race for high-speed data capabilities.
The Dallas, Texas-based carrier has yet to announce the availability of LTE service, but according to BGR, speed tests have been impressive. Screenshots from speed tests obtained by the website show download speeds of 13Mbps and upload speeds of 2Mbps.
AT&T 4G LTE service will likely be available only intermittently during testing, though Chicago's network may have been soft-launched following the launch of AT&T's first two 4G LTE devices last week.
The rollout of a 4G LTE network marks the carrier's first steps in high-speed wireless service. The company initially promised to launch its LTE network this summer, beginning with Dallas, Houston and San Antonio, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; and Chicago, Illinois.
The move will help the company match speed with rivals that have already begun with rollouts of their own high-speed services. As consumers shift to smartphones like Apple's iPhone and Google's Android devices, these products, which take advantage of online services and apps, require customers to consume increasing amounts of data.
Carriers are in a race for this emerging stream of revenue as data needs heat up, especially as traditional services like voice and text begin to level off.
AT&T's introduction of 4G is part of a larger seven-year roadmap to consolidate voice and data to a more efficient technology. AT&T will shut down its aging slower-speed networks once the high-speed upgrade is finished.
However, the operator has a lot of ground to make up as rivals have already embarked on their own 4G rollouts. Verizon has ramped up the pace in launching its 4G network this year, and now covers about one-half of U.S. subscribers.
Sprint, which already has a higher-speed network in place, will reveal its next-generation 4G plans this fall and may partner with LightSquared.
T-Mobile also recently upgraded its 4G network, although the carrier is being acquired by AT&T, pending approval by regulatory bodies.
AT&T will likely officially announce more cities as it gears up to launch its 4G network, but other carriers will keep up the pace as the race gains momentum.
Nokia will rely on its strengths in innovative phone design and hardware as it gears up to release its first handset running Microsoft's Windows Phone, in hopes of sparking a comeback.
The Espoo, Finland-based company, is set to launch its first Windows Phone device in the fourth quarter, and aims to distinguish itself with cutting-edge hardware and design as it fights for its place in a competitive handset market. It will be the first phone released under its strategic partnership with Microsoft, which will put Windows Phone software on Nokia handsets.
The first Nokia Windows Phone handset has much riding on it, and was developed under the watch of Nokia's head designer for the past 18 months, Marko Ahtisaari.
Ahtisaari is the first head designer to report directly to Nokia CEO Stephen Elop, a sign of the emphasis the company is putting on hardware. Ahtisaari also oversaw the release of the N9, which launched in June as the first smartphone to replace the traditional home button with a swipe of the hand.
Though the N9 runs on MeeGo, which the company has abandoned in favor of Windows Phone, Ahtisaari says it is an indication of where Nokia is headed with future devices.
"We will drive this trend toward reduction and more natural forms. Compare that to the black, grey and metallic rounded-corner rectangles you are seeing in the market," said Ahtisaari to The Wall Street Journal.
The N9 and new Windows Phone handset builds on Nokia's previous hardware success, which distinguishes itself with a use of distinctive materials. The N9 uses polycarbonate, for example, which can render bold, saturated color and is key to the company's current designs.
"The inherent color in the polycarbonate allows us to do color in an interesting way, and that will continue to be important as a simple symbol of choice," he said.
Ahtisaari says Nokia customers can also expect more touch screen phones with physical keyboards from the Finnish manufacturer. "It's a very rich area for Nokia to innovate in years to come, as many people still want keyboards," he added.
Today's touch screen phones are too immersive, according to Ahtisaari, cutting people off from one another. As a result, he is looking to create models that allow users to keep their heads up and maintain eye contact.
"When you look around at a restaurant in Helsinki, you'll see couples having their heads down instead of having eye contact and being aware of the environment they're in," said Ahtisaari. "Designing for true mobility...makes it easier for people to have more eye contact and be aware of their environment, and is an example of what people would not explicitly ask for but love when they get it."
Ahtisaari's design team, which numbers several hundred people and spans Finland, China, the U.K. and the U.S., focuses on designs that emphasize more natural ways to use a phone through careful observation of users in their environments. The team also emphasizes frequent prototypes that whittle away designs to a crucial simplicity and precision.
The results, the company hopes, will be handsets that combine Nokia's tradition of hardware innovation with a new software platform that updates the company with the rest of its competitors. As its rivals gear up to release new models this fall, such as Apple's iPhone 5 and Samsung's new line of Galaxy devices, Nokia will need to build upon whatever strengths it possesses to make a market in an increasingly competitive market.
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