MacRumors

According to a tipster who spoke to AppleInsider, Apple may be planning to hire Paul Deneve, who recently left his post as CEO of French luxury label Yves Saint Laurent to "pursue a career in the technology industry."

Deneve, who has worked for a number of luxury labels including Courreges, Nina Ricci, and Lanvin, was previously employed at Apple Europe from 1990 to 1997, where he held several sales and marketing positions.

While no information was given on Deneve's possible role at Apple, his past experience suggests that he could be a potential replacement for former retail head John Browett, who was ousted from Apple in October of 2012.

Apple may want to draw upon Deneve's expertise in the luxury goods sector to help launch new products, including the rumored iWatch. The mere mention of Apple trademarking “iWatch” has driven up the company's stock by 6 percent across the last two days.

Recruiting an established member of the fashion and luxury goods sector could be a move to propel Apple's brand internationally, building upon the success and cachet of the iPhone, which dramatically opened up new demand for the company's products outside the United States.

Both Apple and YSL have declined to comment on the possible hire and no further information is available at this time.

Update: According to Bloomberg reporter Adam Satariano, Apple has confirmed that it has hired Paul Deneve, but not as the SVP of retail. Instead, Deneve will work on "special projects" and will report directly to Tim Cook.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Paul Deneve to Apple,” the Cupertino, California-based company said in a statement yesterday. “He’ll be working on special projects as a vice president reporting directly to Tim Cook.”

While Apple has been rumored for some time to be planning to launch a lower-cost iPhone available in multiple colors with a plastic shell, reports have been picking up steam in recent weeks, led in part by a claim that Apple will be adopting the bright colors it used for its iPhone 4/4S bumpers. That report was followed by leaked design drawings from a case maker showing the expected measurements and physical features of the device.

And just this past weekend, several new images were posted to Chinese forum site WeiPhone showing what may be rear shells from the lower-cost iPhone in yellow, red, and green.

Based on all of this recent information, we once again commissioned Ciccarese Design to produce some high-quality mockups intended to capture the lower-cost iPhone's size, shape, and texture given that it will mark a departure from the nearly all metal and glass bodies of recent iPhone models.

The renderings show a slightly thicker device than the iPhone 5, measuring at 8.5 mm thick compared to 7.6 mm for the iPhone 5. The lower-cost iPhone is also slightly taller and wider than the iPhone 5 to account for the thicker plastic shell.

Physical features are very similar to those of the iPhone 5, although the volume buttons appear to be shifting from the round design seen on recent iPhone models to pill-shaped, and the speaker and microphone holes along the bottom edge will also see a simpler design compared to the iPhone 5.

Apple is expected to launch its iPhone 5S flagship device later this year, most likely around the same September-October timeframe seen the past two years. The company's lower-cost iPhone is likely to make its debut at around the same time, offering an updated more affordable option for consumers, particularly in markets where carrier subsidies are uncommon.

Last year, we reported on a Dutch proposal to launch so-called "Steve Jobs schools" for children, offering a peek at of Jobs' vision of how the iPad could help remake the educational experience.

Spiegel now follows up (via AppleInsider) with a new report discussing the country's plans to open 11 such schools this August.

Some 1,000 children aged four to 12 will attend the schools, without notebooks, books or backpacks. Each of them, however, will have his or her own iPad.

There will be no blackboards, chalk or classrooms, homeroom teachers, formal classes, lesson plans, seating charts, pens, teachers teaching from the front of the room, schedules, parent-teacher meetings, grades, recess bells, fixed school days and school vacations. If a child would rather play on his or her iPad instead of learning, it'll be okay. And the children will choose what they wish to learn based on what they happen to be curious about.

The article highlights the flexible nature of the schools with a look at an upcoming school being prepared in the city of Breda. The school building itself will be open from 7:30 AM to 6:30 PM every day of the year except Christmas and New Year's Day, with children free to come and go as they please as long as they are present during the core school day that runs from 10:30 AM to 3:00 PM.

Under the model of individualized instruction, students will learn through iPad apps at their own pace, with teachers serving as coaches to help them reach goals and advance to subsequent levels.

As such, the school day never really ends. Pupils are welcome to keep working on their iPads at home, on weekends or on vacation. But as much as the program offers freedom and continuity, it also comes with a substantial monitoring component. The iPad keeps teachers and parents constantly informed about what children are doing, what they have learned and how they are progressing.

Teachers, children, and parents meet to discuss goals for each six-week period, setting up standards to help students gain the knowledge and skills to move on to the next level.

Dutch researcher Maurice de Hond, the man behind the initiative, believes that the number of schools should grow to at least forty next year, with the schools being publicly funded and open to all children and subsidies available to families unable to afford an iPad.

In line with a rumor from yesterday, Apple today launched its annual Back to School promotion offering qualified educational purchasers iTunes Store/App Store/iBookstore gift cards of up to $100 with the purchase of a new Mac, iPad, or iPhone. The program begins today and runs through September 6.

Buy a Mac for college, get a $100 App Store Gift Card - and also save with education pricing. Or buy an iPad or iPhone and get a $50 card.

As in past years, the Mac mini is excluded from the promotion, while all iPad (fourth-generation, iPad 2, and iPad mini) and iPhone (5, 4S, and 4) are eligible. Full requirements for eligibility are outlined in the terms and conditions (PDF).

The offer is available in the following countries, with gift card amounts varying based on local currency: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States.

Update: Photos of new window displays for Apple's retail stores:

Update 2: Photo of Back to School brochure:

In addition to filing for a trademark on the term "iWatch" in Russia and Japan on June 3, we have discovered that Apple filed for a trademark in Taiwan, which follows a report from 9to5Mac that Apple filed in Mexico as well, bringing the total number of trademark filings to four.

In both iWatch trademark filings discovered today, Apple Inc. is listed as the company behind the requests and the company’s Infinite Loop address in Cupertino, California is included on the applications. The filing in Mexico was submitted via Mexico-based law firm Arochi, Marroquín, & Linder, S.C, which has worked with Apple on other product trademarks.

News of the iWatch, which is one possible name for Apple's rumored smart watch, first surfaced in late 2012 and was followed by a patent application for a wraparound-style “wearable video device” in February.

According to reports, Apple has a team of 100 product designers working on the watch, which may include a 1.5–2.0 inch OLED display along with biometrics, iPod nano touch technology, and the ability to interact with existing iOS devices.

While it has been suggested that Apple's smart watch could launch later this year, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has instead targeted a late 2014 release date for the iWatch, suggesting that Apple is not quite ready to ramp up production for a 2013 debut.

Update: Apple also appears to have filed for an iWatch trademark in Turkey through Pinar Arikan, an attorney who has worked with the company in the past. While the filing does not list Apple as the applicant, it was filed on the same June 3 date as the other applications.

Update 2: Apple has also filed for the mark in Colombia and Chile.

Update 3: A tipster has also pointed us to a filing in India, bringing the total number of international filings discovered so far to nine, including the original December 2012 application in Jamaica that Apple is using to establish priority.

Apple is planning to work with Nevada utility company NV Energy to build a solar panel farm next to its Reno data center, reports GigaOM. Like the company's two other solar farms located in North Carolina, the Reno solar farm will provide between 18 and 20 MW of power and will be built by solar company SunPower.

The Reno site will incorporate the SunPower Oasis C7 system, which includes a set of parabolic mirrors to reflect sunlight onto solar cell receivers, "concentrating the sun’s energy by 7 times."

Apple's solar farm plans were approved on June 12 by the Nevada state utility commission, and under the terms, Apple has the option to expand the solar farm in the future. While the farm is under construction, Apple will use local geothermal power to run its Reno data center, continuing its commitment to clean energy.

All of Apple's data centers use 100 percent renewable energy, and we are on track to meet that goal in our new Reno data center using the latest in high-efficiency concentrating solar panels. This project will not only supply renewable energy for our data center but also provide clean energy to the local power grid, through a first-of-its-kind partnership with NV Energy. When completed, the 137 acre solar array will generate approximately 43.5 million kilowatt hours of clean energy, equivalent to taking 6,400 passenger vehicles off the road per year.

Apple first announced that all of its data centers run on 100% renewable energy back in March, with its corporate facilities running on 75% clean energy. According to Apple's environmental policy pages, the company has decreased its greenhouse gas emissions by 21.5 percent since 2008 and estimated itself to be responsible for 30.9 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in 2012.

Apple updated its investor relations page today to note that it will announce its earnings for the third fiscal quarter (second calendar quarter) of 2013 on Tuesday, July 23. The earnings release typically occurs just after 4:30 PM Eastern Time following the close of regular stock trading, and the conference call is scheduled to follow at 5:00 PM Eastern / 2:00 PM Pacific.

MacRumors will provide running coverage of the earnings release and conference call.

The release will provide a look into the strength of iPhone 5 and iPad mini sales into their third quarter of availability, and perhaps updates on the new products announced at WWDC. Apple's stock price is down some 23 percent year-to-date and roughly 300 points off its highs of last year. Analysts have continuing concerns about Apple's ability to innovate without Steve Jobs, though the current price is up slightly from the previous earnings call.

In the past two July earnings calls, Apple has announced the imminent launch of OS X Lion and Mountain Lion, though there is no indication yet that Mavericks will launch the day after the call.

Apple reported strong results three months ago when it announced a dramatic increase in its share repurchase authorization and a larger dividend payment. Apple should update investors on the progress of its share repurchase program.

Apple provided guidance for the third quarter of fiscal 2013 for revenue of between $33.5 and $35.5 billion and gross margin between 36% and 37%.

9to5Mac reports that Apple is likely to launch its annual "Back to School" promotion in the United States and other countries this week, perhaps as soon as tomorrow. The program offers iTunes Store/App Store gift cards to students who purchase a Mac or iPad, and for the first time the program will also include iPhone purchases this year.

The promotion will give eligible students an iTunes/App Store gift card with the purchase of a Mac, iPad, and for the first time, an iPhone. The gift cards that come with Mac purchases will be worth 100$ while the cards accompanying the iOS Devices will be worth $50.

MacRumors had heard over the weekend that Apple retail stores will be performing an "overnight" tonight to adjust signage and other aspects of store layouts. Our source indicated that tonight's changes are likely to be in support of the Back to School promotion, suggesting that it will indeed launch tomorrow.

Apple runs the Back to School promotion at different times throughout the year in different countries to correspond to the various educational calendars, but the program launching this week will be the company's largest as it will likely include the United States, Canada, and Europe.

Apple is carefully monitoring the way that its retail workers are using iOS 7, reports 9to5Mac. Both retail store managers and Apple's Human Resources team have been contacting employees that are found using iOS 7 to ensure that the beta software was installed through official Developer channels.

Apple's retail workers are only authorized to install iOS 7 if they are members of the iOS Developer Program or part of an internal testing project. Employees are not allowed to sign up for a developer account and share the iOS 7 beta with coworkers, as noted in a warning letter that Apple sent out to some retail employees.

Am I allowed to load and use iOS beta software on my devices? Not unless you are a member of the iOS Developer Program, or have been explicitly authorized by management to participate in the development or testing of internal Apple applications as part of an official Apple project.

You may not load iOS beta software onto any other person's iOS device. Employees are not authorized to receive iOS beta software from any third parties, even if those third parties are iOS Developer Program members.

Employees have also been forbidden from showing the iOS 7 beta to Apple Store customers. According to retail workers who spoke to 9to5Mac, Apple is "super strict" about all iOS 7 usage in store. "We could get fired for showing a customer iOS 7 on our phones because of the Apple Developer NDA agreement," said one employee.

Customers who bring in malfunctioning phones running iOS 7 will not be able to have them serviced in store either, as Apple has implemented guidelines preventing Geniuses from working on phones running the beta software.

Apple routinely uses its retail employees to test and improve software. Last year, Apple relied on its workers to help improve its Maps app, and this year, certain employees have been given access to OS X Mavericks for beta testing purposes.

iOS 7, which offers a radical design overhaul along with a number of performance enhancements, is currently only available to developers. The final version of the software is expected to be released this fall alongside the next generation iPhone.

The Korea Times reports (via Engadget) that Apple and South Korean carrier SK Telecom are in talks regarding a future iPhone that would support faster LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) data networks. Just last week, the carrier announced the launch of the world's first publicly accessible LTE-A network.

“SK Telecom is approaching Apple to put our LTE-A technology on the upcoming iPhone 5S. We are in the middle of negotiations,” said an SK Telecom executive, requesting anonymity. [...]

Because Korea has recently seen a huge demand for devices supporting high-speed networks, Apple intends to use Korea as the litmus test to gauge the marketability of LTE-A technology before making inroads into China, according to industry sources.

LTE-A supports a theoretical maximum download speed of 150 Mbps, twice as fast as the LTE standard used on the iPhone 5, although real-world speeds are in general significantly slower than theoretical maximums.

The report suggests that Apple could release an LTE-A iPhone "in the coming months" on the iPhone 5S, but it seems fairly unlikely that Apple would be prepared to support the standard so soon after beginning negotiations with SK Telecom, even if the company has already been working on the technology.

Bloomberg reports that Apple has filed for a trademark for the term 'iWatch' in Japan:

The maker of iPhones is seeking protection for the name which is categorized as being for products including a handheld computer or watch device, according to a June 3 filing with the Japan Patent Office that was made public last week.

'iWatch' is one of the possible names for the long-rumored Apple wristwatch that has generated increasing buzz over the past year.

The filing actually represents the second 'iWatch' trademark filing discovered from Apple. The first report of the 'iWatch' trademark came from Russia, also on June 3rd.

Bloomberg repeats its February claim that Apple has a team of about 100 product designers working on a wristwatch computer. The most recent reports have suggested we won't see the Apple watch until late 2014 and that the watch will feature biometrics as a key feature, allowing for increased security and opening the door to broader health-related applications.

Last week, it was reported that a growing number of owners of Apple's new MacBook Air were experiencing Wi-Fi issues, with users reporting problems such as dropped connections that require a restart in order to reconnect. It was reported earlier this week that Apple has been replacing affected machines and collecting the defective units in order to examine them as part of the company's investigation into the issue.

As noted by AppleInsider, Apple is now sending out invitations to certain MacBook Air owners asking if they wish to participate in the company's AppleSeed customer software seeding program for the purposes of testing a new "MacBook Air WiFi Update 1.0". While Apple does not specify in its invitation exactly what problem the software update is designed to address, it presumably focuses on the connection issues being reported by users.

You have been selected to join our AppleSeed program. If you accept, we will provide you with a pre-release version of the MacBookAir WiFi Update 1.0 to install and use.

While trying out MacBookAir WiFi Update 1.0, we ask that you provide us with your feedback. Our program includes a bug reporting system for our participants. If you wish to be a seed volunteer and help Apple release high-quality software, follow the instructions below.

Beyond the connection issues, Apple's OS X 10.8.4 public release and OS X Mavericks beta also appear to have a software issue that prevents machines supporting the new 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard from taking advantage of the faster speeds for file transfers. It is, however, unclear whether Apple will address this issue for current MacBook Air owners through this software update in testing or through a separate update such as the upcoming OS X 10.8.5 update.