MacRumors

Apple’s Mac sales are down seven percent year over year for the full September quarter, according to a new report from Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster who looked at September data from market research firm NPD.

Based on the data, Munster suggests that U.S. Mac sales in the month of September were down 14 percent year over year, as during the July to August period, sales were down just three percent but dropped to seven percent down for the overall quarter.

We have analyzed domestic NPD retail data for the full September quarter which suggests Mac sales are tracking down 7% y/y. We note that the September data suggested the last month of the quarter was down 14%, which brought the average down from down 3% through the first to months to down 7% for the full quarter.

As with his previous reports, Munster notes that it remains difficult to extrapolate NPD data to Apple’s global sales performance, but he views the September quarter data point as "likely a neutral" due to the introduction of new MacBook Airs in June.

Overall, we believe the September quarter data point is likely a neutral given that Macs should have a slight tailwind from updated Macbooks in June. We remain comfortable with our down 5% y/y estimate for Macs in the September quarter.

Despite the fact that Apple is expected to debut Mavericks, updated Retina MacBook Pros, and the Mac Pro in October, Munster believes that Mac sales will continue to decline as Apple customers shift to iPads, with Macs representing a smaller part of Apple's overall business. Currently, Macs represent less than 15 percent of Apple’s total revenue.

iPod sales continue to decline too, with NPD data suggesting that domestic units are down 36 percent year over year (up slightly from 41% in the August data) in the full third quarter, with a 20 percent year over year drop in September. Because iPods now represent just 2% of all Apple’s revenue, the overall impact of this sales decline is minor.

Five months after it was initially announced, and after an unplanned delay due to unexpected demand, BlackBerry Messenger is finally launching on iOS. The app, which is similar to Apple’s own iMessage, was first announced back in May. It should launch on the App Store later today.

Back in September, the BBM for Android and iOS apps were delayed after an unreleased version of BBM was leaked that "caused issues" with the BBM servers.

To avoid similar issues with strong demand this time around, BlackBerry is using a staggered queue system to handle the demand. Users will install the app, enter their email address to hold their spot in line, and then will receive an email when they can start using BBM.

According to BlackBerry, there are still more than 60 million BBM users worldwide exchanging more than 10 billion messages per day. Though the BBM platform remains popular, it will need to compete with several other messaging services on iOS and Android, including WhatsApp and WeChat. WhatsApp alone has more than 300 million active users, sending 27 billion messages daily.

BlackBerry Messenger offers basic text chats, multi-person group chats, voice messaging (via push-to-talk), and image sharing. Contacts can be added via BBM PIN, SMS, email, or QR code. Users are asked to set up a profile, which includes an image, nickname, and status.

Update: The app is live: BBM is available free from the App Store. [Direct Link]

As Apple prepares to launch its radically redesigned fifth-generation iPad, multiple case makers are gearing up to release cases to fit the thinner, slimmer tablet. Because Apple does not provide case makers with specifications, accessory manufacturers gamble on case design by utilizing rumors and product leaks to create their cases, as noted by ABC News.

For example, Gumdrop Cases (also responsible for the Hard Candy brand) has developed a line of fifth-generation iPad cases that it had already begun manufacturing back in June, in anticipation of a WWDC launch for the redesigned tablet. Since then, the company has gone on to create several additional cases for the iPad 5, all without a glimpse of the product.

According to Gumdrop CEO Tim Hickman, Gumdrop has worked with the Chinese factories that produce the iPad in order to acquire dimensions and computer-aided designs to make the cases, communicating back and forth with the factories to make sure the cases will fit the final product.

"I'm pretty confident that our cases will fit the new iPads," Hickman told ABC News. "We work with the factories really closely. We aren’t going to be really far off."

In addition to Gumdrop, multiple other companies have begun manufacturing cases for the iPad 5, including well-known brands like Kensington, hoping to get an edge on the competition. MacRumors has received several reports of iPad 5 cases showing up in stores and online, and Amazon is also offering a number of pre-designed cases for the tablet. Fifth-generation cases first started appearing in February, with additional models being displayed in April.

M-Edge, another popular case maker, also spoke with ABC News on the trial and error behind creating early iPad cases. The company utilizes several data sources for its design, according to CTO Adam Ashley, including leaked photos and rumors.

"We analyze the data – the rumors and the photographs – we compile this information and we meet with our product team to assess the confidence level," Ashley told ABC News.

Ashley said there are also a few tricks to making sure the case will fit without the exact measurements. The product designers will leave some room for error in the size of the case and also leave room for button adjustment. For instance, they may leave a larger opening for the buttons on the edge in case Apple decides to make adjustments.

Manufacturing cases based on rumor can be a major risk, as some highly-rumored Apple products never make it to market. For example, in 2011 rumors suggested that the next iPhone would utilize a tapered design, which never reached fruition. Given the number of fifth-generation iPad part leaks, however, it is likely that early case production will prove to be successful for many companies.

According to Gumdrop, the company has spent a quarter of a million dollars pre-preparing cases, and both M-Edge and Gumdrop claimed the risk was worth it, as not having cases at launch would cause a bigger fiscal impact.

"If we are wrong we lose a bunch of money, but if we are right, we can make a lot of money," Hickman said. "It is still a gamble, but in this world, it is the game that is being played."

Apple's fifth-generation iPad will be announced tomorrow, on Tuesday, October 22 at a San Francisco event. The iPad will take on an iPad-mini style design, with narrower side bezels and a smaller, lighter form factor. It is expected to feature an upgraded A7X processor and an improved camera.

Alongside the iPad, Apple is also expected to debut a Retina iPad mini, Haswell MacBook Pros, the redesigned Mac Pro, Mavericks, and revamped versions of its iLife and iWork software.

Boost Mobile will begin offering the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c on November 8, according to a press release issued by the company this morning. Boost Mobile is a prepaid subsidiary of Sprint and will begin offering the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c with its standard monthly unlimited plan and “Shrinking Payments” service offer with no annual contracts, which allows a customer to take $5 off of their monthly payment for every 6 on-time service payments.

Aside from a release date and plan details, Boost Mobile has not offered pricing info for either phone, but it is likely that the device prices will be competitive with other prepaid carriers. The November 8 launch on Boost Mobile also coincides with U.S. Cellular's iPhone launch. For both U.S. Cellular and Boost, this will be the first time they have officially carried any iPhone models.

The iPhone has long been rumored to come to Boost Mobile, with TechnoBuffalo inaccurately projecting earlier this year that the iPhone was to arrive on Boost Mobile in September, followed by a rumor in June stating that the iPhone would come to Boost Mobile in Q3 2013.

Supplies of Apple’s iPhone 5s remain constrained, with estimated shipping times from the Apple Store remaining at 2 to 3 weeks in the United States. iPhone 5c supplies remain plentiful, with all models and capacities shipping within 24 hours.

According to ex-Apple Developer Relations employee and industry analyst Jamie Ryan (via Gizmodo UK), Apple has been testing a first-party keyboard case to be potentially released alongside the upcoming fifth-generation iPad. The case itself would reportedly be similar in nature to Microsoft's Touch Cover, which is made for the Surface line of tablets.

I’ve been speaking to a couple of people at Apple for the last few days and they have told me that a case for the full size iPad that mimics Microsofts touch cover has been prototyped. It’s not clear whether the process is far enough along to make this Tuesdays event but they did say a few different styles had been in testing for a while.

Ryan also adds that the primary motivation behind the development of the case is that Apple's current Bluetooth keyboard is not as integrated as Microsoft's Touch Cover, and that Apple is interested to create a better keyboard solution for the full-size iPad in order to distinguish it from the iPad mini. The analyst also adds that other cover-like accessories are also being looked at for release.

However, Ryan stresses that the covers being tested are prototypes that may not be released at all, as it is expected for Apple to disregard various mock-ups during the development of a product. Apple's ideas for enhanced Smart Covers including not only keyboard functionality but also solar cells or secondary displays have previously surfaced in patent applications.

Currently, Apple sells the Smart Cover and the Smart Case for the full-sized iPad, which both emphasize the ability to act as stands and protective covers, but do not include other features such as keyboard integration.

Apple will hold a media event this Tuesday, October 22 where it is expected to announce a number of hardware and software products, including the fifth-generation iPad and the second-generation iPad mini, as well as Haswell MacBook Pros, Mavericks, revamped versions of iLife and iWork for both Mac and iOS, the redesigned Mac Pro, and possibly a new display to go with it. A minor update to the Apple TV may also be included, with an update to the Mac mini also possible.

Apple will introduce a high resolution Retina iPad mini and a thinner, lighter version of the standard 9.7-inch iPad during its Tuesday event, reports The Wall Street Journal, confirming months of product leaks and rumors.

Apple is now readying a revamped iPad Mini with a high-resolution "retina" display. It’s also working on a thinner, lighter version of its standard 9.7-inch iPad, using a thin film instead of the glass found in existing models, based on information from the company’s parts suppliers.

While a fifth-generation iPad with thinner side bezels and an overall smaller size has been widely expected, the release of the Retina iPad mini has been less certain, given multiple reports in the last few weeks suggesting serious supply chain issues.

It was unclear whether the Retina iPad mini would be ready for Tuesday’s announcements, but in addition to The Wall Street Journal, two reliable sources, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and AllThingsD, have also indicated that the Retina iPad mini will make its debut on October 22.

Alongside a Retina screen, the iPad mini is expected to include an A7 processor, while the full-sized iPad will offer an A7X processor. Both iPads will include upgraded cameras, and could also offer Apple’s new M7 motion tracking chip. AllThingsD has also indicated that Haswell MacBook Pros will be unveiled during the event.

Finally, I’m told we’re likely to see a slate of new MacBook Pros upgraded with Intel’s latest Haswell processors. Apple brought Haswell to its MacBook Airs earlier this year, giving them a nice boost in battery life and graphics. It has been expected to do the same for its professional laptops ever since. Tuesday should see the announcement of that move.

Aside from the iPads and the Haswell MacBook Pros, Apple is expected to announce a number of other hardware and software products, including Mavericks, revamped versions of iLife and iWork for both Mac and iOS, the redesigned Mac Pro, and possibly a new display to go with it. A minor update to the Apple TV may also be included, and it’s possible that the Mac mini could be updated as well.

Following a Tweet last month in which he hinted at an updated Apple TV arriving sometime this month, former TechCrunch writer MG Siegler is now "pouring a small amount of water" on his own claim, suggesting that major changes to Apple's television-related hardware are not yet ready to be shown.

Well, now I feel the need to pour a little — just a little, mind you — cold water on the rumor fire. While I still haven’t heard anything concrete, the most recent whispers I have heard is that the Apple TV project has been delayed a bit.

That doesn’t mean we won’t see an Apple TV update at the event — we could see an updated unit with a spec bump or something. But the thing to be more excited about, the device with some sort of newfangled control system, doesn’t seem like it’s ready just yet.

Siegler notes that he had originally heard about a new Apple TV hardware (not a television set) targeted for a November launch, but that the information was not concrete enough to warrant a full article at the time. Given the publicity his original Tweet garnered, however, he has felt the need to address the issue now that it appears his original information is unlikely to pan out on that timetable.

Last month, 9to5Mac separately reported that Apple has been testing Xbox Kinect-like motion control for televisions, though it was unclear if that would make its way to the Apple TV set-top box or was being held for a standalone Apple television set farther in the future.

Apple will hold a media event this Tuesday, October 22 where it is expected to unveil both the fifth-generation iPad and the second-generation iPad mini, along with other Apple products such as OS X Mavericks, the new Mac Pro, and updated Retina MacBook Pros.

Ahead of Tuesday's media event, Apple has revised its Built-in Apps page for the iPhone 5s to reveal the full set of new iOS 7-themed icons for the six iLife and iWork apps offered for iOS. The new GarageBand and iPhoto icons had appeared in the Settings app on some users' devices last week.

Aside from the new icons, the updated page also reveals in a footnote that GarageBand will become a free basic download for all iOS 7 devices, joining the other five iLife and iWork apps that became free alongside the release of iOS 7.

GarageBand will, however, include in-app purchase content from Apple, with additional instruments and sounds available for a fee. Licensing fees associated with some of those sounds had been the presumed reason why GarageBand was left out the original move to make Apple's iLife and iWork apps for iOS free of charge, and it appears that the company has settled on in-app purchases as a way around this issue, offering basic functionality for free and then premium content through the paid upgrade options.

GarageBand is free on the App Store for all iOS 7 compatible devices; additional GarageBand instruments and sounds are available with an in-app purchase. iPhoto, iMovie, Pages, Numbers, and Keynote are free on the App Store for qualifying iOS 7 compatible devices activated on or after September 1, 2013.

Each of the new entries for the iLife and iWork apps contains a link to a dedicated page that will give full details on the new versions of the apps, but those pages are not yet live. The brief blurbs for each app do, however, point to new features such as photo books and prints for iPhoto and new "iMovie Theater" functionality for iMovie.

Apple is expected to unveil the new apps at Tuesday's media event as part of a broad set of updates to iLife and iWork for both Mac and iOS, as well as new web-based iWork for iCloud offerings. Other announcements should include updated iPad and iPad mini lineups, new Retina MacBook Pros, and the official introduction of Apple's redesigned Mac Pro, as well as a final look at OS X Mavericks before its public launch in the coming days.

Update: Apple has reverted the changes to the page, removing the new text and icons.

(Thanks, Julien!)

Apple has seeded a new build of the OS X Mavericks Golden Master to developers, a little more than two weeks after the first GM seed. According to 9to5Mac, the build is only available for users performing a fresh install of Mavericks, with some users having luck re-installing the new GM over the prior version.

The prior GM had a build number of 13A598, while the new release is build 13A603. Apple is reportedly targeting a late October launch for Mavericks and it's possible the company will give a final release date at Tuesday's media event.

Apple premiered a new ad called "Metal Mastered" during NFL games this afternoon, showcasing the new gold iPhone 5s. The ad, which features the song "Ooh La La" by Goldfrapp [iTunes] and no dialogue, depicts golden liquid metal morphing into the iPhone 5s.

Earlier this week, Apple launched the first magazine ads for the iPhone 5s, also featuring the gold model.

The new ad is very similar to the Plastic Perfected spot for the iPhone 5c that debuted in September.

Apple has been heavily advertising the iPhone 5c on television in recent weeks, but we have seen relatively little about the 5s, likely because of tight supplies. The new television spot, in fact, includes a "subject to availability" disclaimer at the end.

High-profile KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released a new research report outlining some of his expectations for Apple October 22 media event, focusing on the company's iPad and Retina MacBook Pro lineups.

In line with our previously summarized expectations, Kuo believes that Apple will be introducing a thinner and lighter fifth-generation iPad, as well as a new iPad mini with Retina display. The latter has been the subject of considerable debate, with some sources believing that Apple is not yet ready to bring Retina displays to the iPad mini, but while Kuo believes that Apple will indeed be able to introduce a Retina iPad mini, supplies will be highly constrained at first.

Kuo also weighs in on several other rumored additions for the iPad and iPad mini, claiming that "probably" neither a Touch ID fingerprint sensor nor a gold color option will be available in either line. He believes that production of components related to those features are still being prioritized for the iPhone 5s, which remains in very tight supply, and thus will not yet be able to make their way into the iPad lineup.

As for other upgrades, Kuo believes that the fifth-generation iPad will adopt a new A7X chip while the new iPad mini will be equipped with a slightly less powerful A7 chip like the one found in the iPhone 5s. Kuo also reiterates his earlier claim that the rear camera on Apple's new iPads will be upgraded to 8 megapixels. Finally, Kuo believes that both the fifth-generation iPad and the second-generation iPad mini will include Apple's new "M7" chip that debuted in the iPhone 5s, offering significant improvements for motion tracking.

Alongside the iPad updates, Kuo also believes that Apple will be introducing its Retina MacBook Pro on Tuesday, moving to Intel's latest Haswell chips for improved performance and battery life while also upgrading the FaceTime camera to 1080p quality, a claim he has made in the past.

Overall, Kuo unsurprisingly believes that the new fifth-generation iPad will drive a significant increase in sales for Apple's full-size iPad, while the new iPad mini will result in a more modest bump due to the very tight initial supplies. He also predicts a very strong bump for the Retina MacBook Pro, as pent-up demand for new Haswell models should lead to strong sales heading into the holidays.

Unaddressed is Apple's Mac Pro, which is expected to be given its full introduction on Tuesday in advance of a launch before the end of the year, but Kuo has generally not covered Apple's Mac Pro line in his report.

Kuo has been fairly accurate with his claims over the past several years, earning him significant attention from the rumor community. He has, however, had some misses, as seen with his prediction that the Retina MacBook Pro would be updated at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference back in June. That update had been widely expected, but did not come to pass and customers are still waiting for the new models to appear over four months later.

Apple is cutting iPhone 5c orders from its suppliers by 35 percent according to analysts at NPD DisplaySearch (via AllThingsD), echoing prior reports from The Wall Street Journal and Reuters.

However, the new report goes further, claiming that iPhone 5s production has been boosted by 75 percent. This would seem to be promising news for Apple because increased sales of the 5s would lift its average revenue per iPhone sold.

While the fate of the iPhone 5c is still to be determined, the iPhone 5s is doing quite well, indicating that Apple still has a strong hardcore base for its premium devices. It is worth mentioning that iPhone 5 production is scheduled to end Q3 2013; iPhone 4s’s end of life is still to be determined, as it still receives orders of 1 to 2 million units per month and only recently started selling in Indonesia.

The iPhone 5s has been in somewhat short supply with shipping lead times of 2-3 weeks from the Apple Online Store.

Apple recently began a new print ad campaign for the iPhone 5s, the first advertisements we've seen for that device after several weeks of a sustained and prominent television campaign for the iPhone 5c.

Apple CEO Tim Cook warned earlier this year about looking at any particular rumor out of the company's supply chain because, even if one is accurate, they do not paint a full picture of Apple's operations.

U.S. Cellular, will begin offering the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c on November 8, according to an email the company sent out on Friday afternoon. U.S. Cellular, the fifth largest carrier in the United States, first announced that it would begin carrying Apple products back in May, but did not give a timeline on when the products might appear.

Aside from a release date, U.S. Cellular has not given additional information on plan details, such as pricing, but the company’s current plans offer unlimited talk and text with 300MB to 75GB of data starting at $40 per month and it is likely that device prices will be competitive with other retailers.

While Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile offered the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c at launch, many smaller, regional carriers did not begin selling the device until October 1.

Supplies of Apple’s iPhone 5s remain constrained, with estimated shipping times from the Apple Store remaining at 2 to 3 weeks in the United States. iPhone 5c supplies remain plentiful, with all models and capacities shipping within 24 hours.

After iOS 7 was released, some iOS 6 users discovered that as much as 3GB of storage was being used up by an automated over-the-air download of iOS 7.

For many users, this was handy because they didn't need to wait for a large download to complete before updating -- but for those who wish to remain with iOS 6, they have found multiple gigabytes of storage used up by a software update that they will never use, with no way to free up that space.

One user, Mark Menacher of Poway, California, has filed suit in small-claims court against Apple CEO Tim Cook, alleging in a statement that "Apple's disregard for customer preferences in relation to iOS 7 is corporate thuggery".

Steve Jobs was reportedly rough on company employees in pursuit of happy customers, but Tim Cook apparently cultivates a culture of contempt for customer satisfaction in pursuit of corporate profits. It is a policy that will eventually fail.

According to CNET, Menacher asks for a way to delete the iOS 7 installer from his iOS 6 device, plus an additional $50. He has filed a similar complaint with the Better Business Bureau.

Apple's iOS 7 adoption rates may have been slower than previously thought, according to a new report from mobile advertising firm Millennial Media, which suggests that iOS 6 adoption happened more rapidly than iOS 7 adoption.

According to the report, iOS 7 impressions on Millennial Media's advertising platform climbed an average of 185 percent each day during the seven days following the September 18 launch of iOS 7. One week after launch, 16 percent of total iOS traffic came from devices running iOS 7.

Comparatively, Millennial Media saw an average of 264 percent growth per day following the seven day release period after iOS 6 was launched on September 19, 2012. A week after launch, 35 percent of total iOS traffic came from devices running iOS 6, suggesting users adopted iOS 6 more rapidly than they adopted iOS 7.

Millennial Media hypothesizes that some consumers may have been hesitant to download iOS 7, given the major interface changes associated with the update.

What’s behind these patterns? We can’t say for certain, but we have a couple hunches. When comparing iOS 7 to iOS 6, we think that it is very telling that impressions were the same on Day 1, and iOS 7 slowed down significantly after that. Because iOS 7 was such a major update, it seems likely that early adopters downloaded it as soon as possible, but for other consumers, there may have been hesitation after reading about how radical the changes were. The internet was abuzz with iOS 7 reviews, and people may have decided to wait some time before adopting the new OS.

Millennial Media’s data seems to directly contradict earlier reports on iOS 7 adoption, which indicated users were downloading and installing iOS 7 much more rapidly than iOS 6. Back in September, just a day after iOS 7 was released, mobile analytics firm Mixpanel reported that 36 percent of active iOS devices were already running iOS 7, while ad network Chitika estimated iOS 7 adoption at 18 percent, putting both estimates far ahead of Millennial Media’s own estimates.

As of today, Mixpanel's data suggests that iOS 7 is now installed on approximately 72.5 percent of devices, with adoption continuing to climb steadily. In the past, Apple has emphasized the rapid adoption of its newest operating system upgrades as a major strength of the iOS platform comparative to competing platforms such as Android, which is plagued by fragmentation.