MacRumors

Apple's storefront went offline last night and returned with a new Valentine's Day theme featuring accents of red and a handpicked shopping guide for gift buyers. Holiday graphics replace the standard stock product photos and updated captions like "Love is in the Air" promote Apple's top products for the Valentine's Day shoppers.

Perhaps the most important update is the new promotion of the Apple TV at the top of the Online Store, giving it similar prominence to Apple's Mac, iPad, iPhone and iPod lines. The new placement for the Apple TV suggests that it's moving out of the "hobby" status that Apple executives have long assigned it.

Previously, the Apple TV was relegated to the iPod section. Last week, it was rumored that Apple was considering adding game support with Bluetooth controllers and a new App Store to the Apple TV, possibly as soon as March.

This advertising campaign extends to the company's Apple Store app (iTunes link), which was updated with similar holiday graphics and a curated list of the "Top Valentine's Gifts." The Apple TV gets prominent placement in the app as well, appearing on the home screen just below the iPhone 5s and 5c.

Update: Apple is testing a much improved version of the Apple TV that would utilize existing iOS devices as game controllers, according to a report from 9to5Mac, and the company is also considering combining the Apple TV and AirPort Express products, testing a combined Apple TV and 802.11ac wireless router in order to ensure higher-quality streaming.

The site also says Apple is testing an Apple TV device that can control users' existing cable boxes with an Apple user interface overlaying their existing content. It was reported last year that Apple was in negotiations with cable companies and TV networks to allow customers to skip commercials on recorded shows and Apple would compensate programmers for the lost revenue. The company has also been looking to "erase the distinction" between live and on-demand video content.

Apple has long been rumored to have an improved Apple TV in the works, though there have been a number of conflicting reports over what the device will include. Apple has repeatedly said that it has has a number of new products in the works for 2014, most recently during its quarterly earnings call with analysts yesterday.

Thanks Alan!

A Monday report from Japanese business newspaper Nikkei claimed Nintendo is planning unveil an iOS app to market content for its Wii U and 3DS, with the app allegedly featuring information about new games from Nintendo and the mobile initiative potentially also including playable demos of console and handheld games. In a statement provided to Engadget today, however, Nintendo has denied it is planning to offer such minigames on smartphone platforms.

"Nikkei's article contains information previously stated by Mr Iwata during past press conferences, including statements which relate to Nintendo's willingness to make use of smart devices to promote our products.

However during such past announcements Mr Iwata has also stated that Nintendo's intention is not to make Nintendo software available on smart devices and as such, we can confirm that there are no plans to offer minigames on smartphone devices."

Nintendo is at a crossroads as mobile gaming makes gains on both the console and handheld market. The Japanese game maker reported its third consecutive annual loss and adjusted its forecast to reflect a 35 billion yen ($335.76 million) operating loss, instead of the previously projected profit of 100 billion yen. The company also slashed it sales forecasts for the Wii U from 9 million to 2.8 million units and cut its estimates for the 3DS from 18 million to 13.5 million units.

Many investors and Nintendo fans have called for the legendary game company to embrace mobile platforms, but the company's executives have so far remained steadfast in focusing their valuable game franchises only on Nintendo-branded hardware.

Apple today expanded the lineup for its Apple TV set-top box, adding a new Red Bull TV channel with free action sports content carrying branding from the energy drink company. As noted by Variety, the channel includes coverage of live events, as well as curated playlists and on-demand content.

Red Bull TV live programming, films, shows and clips are now available to Apple TV users worldwide for free. Launched in 2010, Red Bull TV features “inspirational entertainment programming” designed to promote the beverage and its high-action brand image. Content includes live global events and sports, music and lifestyle entertainment.

Red Bull TV has also been available as an iOS app for several years.

Red Bull TV is just the latest in a long line of channel additions for the Apple TV over the last six months, with the most recent major expansion coming last month with the addition of Watch ABC, Bloomberg, Crackle, and KORTV.

Last week, app developer Steven Troughton-Smith shared a series of screenshots of what seemed to be Apple's "iOS in the Car" feature announced by Apple as "coming soon" to iOS 7 devices. The feature is intended to allow an iOS device to take over the in-dash display of a car, providing access to navigation, phone functions, messages, and music.

Troughton-Smith has now posted a video showing iOS in the Car in action, via a barebones implementation that is actually present in the already released iOS 7.0.3 but not accessible by default. The video shows the feature being run in the iOS Simulator software for developers, with the in-dash display represented by a separate 800x480 window.

- Supports Multiple Resolutions
- Supports touchscreens (presumably single-touch?), hardware buttons, wheels and touchpads
- Does not support multitasking - car display will always show same current on-screen app as iPhone (which can be locked/asleep)
- Whitelisted to specific Apple apps - no public API for developers [yet?]
- Has no keyboard UI - voice recognition as input
- UI clearly subject to change
- Missing functionality in video is due to iOS Simulator not containing all the stock iOS apps

Apple has been awarded a patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (via AppleInsider) detailing an "electronic device display module" for a laptop that would include the ability to act as a secondary rear display featuring touch controls. The patent also details a photovoltaic system located in the display unit which could power the device with solar energy.

The patent, which was originally filed in 2012, details a portable computer that would encompass both upper and lower housings, consisting of materials such as metal, ceramic, carbon fiber, and glass. The rear housing of the computer would feature a logo similar to Apple's current line of MacBooks, but would be made of a patterned ink layer instead of a plastic material.

The electrochromic glass that could be integrated into the rear display is also detailed, as the glass would receive signals from light sources with the ability make itself opaque or translucent depending on user input. In theory, this would allow the rear display to remain hidden from view when not in use, which would assist in preserving battery life and privacy.

The display may be controlled using timing and control circuitry on a display driver board. The driver board may be mounted within a clutch barrel that contains the hinges. The driver board may be mounted within the clutch barrel so that it lies perpendicular to the plane of the display or may be oriented at other orientations such as orientations that are within plus or minus 10.degree. or 20.degree. from perpendicular, orientations that are parallel to the plane of the display, or other orientations.

Furthermore, Apple also proposes that the computer include photovoltaic cells located under the rear panel, with the cells producing power when activated by an external light source. The cells could also have the option to store the power or use it immediately, and would receive energy from light when the display and electrochromic glass are in the translucent mode.
Lastly, the touch controls found on the rear display would allow the user to do a number of things, including the ability to input passcodes, control media playback, and unlock the magnetic latch of the computer by touching a certain region. The patent also states that the touch sensors may include capacitive, acoustic, optical, or pressure-sensitive properties to allow different methods of input, and could be located on a centralized rear structure.

It is unknown whether Apple plans to create such a product or not, but the company has researched similar technology before. A patent in August 2012 detailed significantly enhanced iPad Smart Covers with secondary displays and solar cells, and a patent in 2008 showed the company's interest in producing solar LCD powered iPods, iPhones, and laptops.

Other reports on Apple's interest in solar-powered devices have also popped up on numerous occasion throughout the years, though it is unclear as to whether Apple is ready to make a serious attempt at integrating the technology into its products or is still focused solely on researching methods.

Apple plans to launch new products in categories where it doesn't currently operate, according to comments from CEO Tim Cook. During today's earnings call, Cook said that innovation is "deeply embedded" in everyone at Apple and that the company has "no issue" coming up with new projects to work on.

There's so much of the world that is full of very complex products. We have zero issue coming up with things we want to do. We must focus on the very few that deserve all our energy. We’ve always done that and we continue to do that.

Since the introduction of the iPod, Apple has concentrated on launching new products in markets where it sees significant room for improvement. With its touch-focused design, the iPhone was a significant departure from its competitors when it was introduced in 2007, and the iPad, introduced in 2010, dominated the tablet market from launch.

Currently, Apple is rumored to be working in the wearables category, which Tim Cook previously suggested was "ripe for exploration" as there are no significantly popular products in that market. Apple is researching a host of possible features for its much-rumored smart watch that would set it apart from existing products on the market, including a range of biometric sensors.

Apple has also expressed interest in the television, with Steve Jobs claiming to have "finally cracked" the design for a simple integrated television set that's simple to use.

While reports have suggested that the iWatch could make an initial appearance in 2014, Apple's television plans are somewhat more nebulous and may have been put on hold in order for the company to work on wearables, which would be in line with today's comments on focus.

During the call, Apple Corporate Controller Luca Maestri also confirmed the company is heavily investing in areas that will generate new products and services and Peter Oppenheimer said that Apple "remains confident in the new product pipeline."

Today’s earnings call revealed that Apple saw lower than expected iPhone 5c sales in the United States, primarily because iPhone 5s sales exceeded Apple’s projections.

While Apple did not break down sales between individual iPhone models, the company did indicate that the iPhone 5c ended up representing a smaller mix of iPhone sales than anticipated.

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the company's iPhone sales growth in North America was not as high as that seen in other countries partially because Apple underestimated demand for the iPhone 5s, with the iPhone mix being "different than we thought." He also mentioned changes to domestic carrier upgrade plans as a partial reason for weaker-than-expected iPhone sales in the U.S.

The company expected a more balanced demand between the flagship iPhone 5s and the mid-tier plastic iPhone 5c, but actually saw a stronger preference than projected for the 5s, possibly due to a high interest in Touch ID.

It took us some time in order to build the mix that customers were demanding. As a result, we lost some units for part of the quarter in North America.

Cook said that it took Apple the better part of the quarter to get the iPhone into supply/demand balance as a result of the unexpected demand for the iPhone 5s, which was in short supply for several months following its release.

While Apple has not revealed how many iPhone 5c devices it has sold, multiple reports suggested that the phone was seeing poor sales compared to the iPhone 5s, with the 5s outselling the 5c by a two-to-one margin. Shortly after the phones were introduced, Apple cut iPhone 5c production while ramping up iPhone 5s production to meet customer demand.

Apple today reported record sales of 51 million iPhones in the quarter, up from 47.8 million in the same time period last year.

During Apple's earnings call today, CEO Tim Cook indicated that mobile payments were one of the driving forces behind the company’s decision to introduce Touch ID with the iPhone 5s.

The mobile payments area in general is one that we’ve been intrigued with. It was one of the thoughts behind Touch ID.

Cook went on to say that people love being able to buy digital content from their iPhones using Touch ID, because it's "incredibly simple and easy and elegant."

He added that while Apple is not planning on limiting Touch ID to digital purchases, the company had nothing specific to announce today, mobile payments are an opportunity that Apple has been "intrigued with" and there is a "big opportunity on the platform."

Tim Cook's comments on mobile payments follow a report last week that suggested Apple is currently working on developing a new mobile payment service that will allow the company to handle payments for physical goods and services in the future.

While Apple currently limits iTunes account holders to using their stored credit card information for purchases on Apple's online and retail stores through the Apple Store app, iTunes, and the App Store, stored information could be used in the future for other types of payments with Touch ID technology used to speed up and authenticate real world purchases.

The United States Department of Justice today reached a tentative deal with Apple and other technology companies on data requests to allow the companies to provide more detailed disclosures on information requests from the NSA Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.

As indicated in the Justice Department’s filing with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the administration is acting to allow more detailed disclosures about the number of national security orders and requests issued to communications providers, and the number of customer accounts targeted under those orders and requests including the underlying legal authorities. Through these new reporting methods, communications providers will be permitted to disclose more information than ever before to their customers.

The relaxed restrictions on data disclosures come following a concerted effort by Apple and other technology companies to achieve greater NSA transparency. In July, Apple teamed up with multiple firms to request that the government allow them to offer regular reports on security related requests. Apple CEO Tim Cook also met with President Obama and several other tech executives to discuss NSA surveillance methods in December.

The new disclosure terms will allow companies to give out general figures on how often they receive demands for data from National Security Letters or the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance court, according to The Wall Street Journal. Companies are allowed to report each individual category in ranges of 1,000, so if a company receives 2,400 requests, they are able to report that they received between 2,000 and 3,000 requests.

Alternatively, companies are able to report in more specific number ranges in increments of 250 but must lump National Security Letters and FISA requests together.

Companies are also allowed to report in general numbers how many customer accounts have been affected by the requests. While National Security Letter requests from the FBI can be reported in real time, there is a six-month delay in reporting the number of FISA court requests.

Following today’s agreement, Apple posted an update [PDF] on its website with new information on Account Information Requests the company has received. Between January 1, 2013 and June 30, 2013 Apple received a total of 927 account requests in the United States and disclosed data for 747 accounts, Apple objected to 102 requests and disclosed no data in 254 requests, for a total disclosure rate of 81 percent.

Apple also received between 0 and 249 National Security Orders.

Apple has been working closely with the White House, the U.S. Attorney General, congressional leaders, and the Department of Justice to advocate for greater transparency with regard to the national security orders we receive. We believe strongly that our customers have the right to understand how their personal information is being handled, and we are pleased the government has developed new rules that allow us to more accurately report law enforcement orders and national security orders in the U.S.

In June of last year, NSA program PRISM was revealed to be giving U.S. National Security Agency direct access to user data on corporate servers across a wide spectrum of Internet companies, including Apple, Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, and more.

Following the reveal, Apple quickly published a statement of "Commitment to Customer Privacy" denying its participation in the NSA program. Last week, Cook told David Muir in an ABC interview that the government does not have direct access to Apple’s servers and that "they would have to cart us out in a box" for that to happen.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple today announced financial results for the fourth calendar quarter of 2013 and first fiscal quarter of 2014.

For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $57.6 billion and net quarterly profit of $13.1 billion, or $14.50 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $54.5 billion and net quarterly profit of $13.1 billion, or $13.87 per diluted share in the year-ago quarter.

Gross margin was 37.9 percent compared to 38.6 percent in the year-ago quarter, with international sales accounting for 63 percent of revenue. Apple also declared a dividend payment of $3.05 per share, payable on February 13 to shareholders as of the close of trading on February 10. The company currently holds $158.8 billion in cash and marketable securities.

Apple had previously issued guidance for the quarter of revenues between $55-58 billion, with gross margin between 36.5 and 37.5 percent.

Apple sold a record 51 million iPhones in the quarter, up from 47.8 million in the same time period last year, and the company has now sold 472.3 million smartphones in total. It sold 26 million iPads, a new record, up from 22.86 million last year. Apple has now sold 195 million tablets. It sold 4.8 million Macs during the quarter, compared to 4.06 million in the year-ago period.

“We are really happy with our record iPhone and iPad sales, the strong performance of our Mac products and the continued growth of iTunes, Software and Services,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We love having the most satisfied, loyal and engaged customers, and are continuing to invest heavily in our future to make their experiences with our products and services even better.”

Apple's guidance for the second quarter of fiscal 2014 includes expected revenue of $42-44 billion and gross margin between 37 and 38 percent. This guidance reflects an expectation for near zero growth from Q2 of fiscal 2013.

Apple will provide live streaming of its Q1 2014 financial results conference call at 2:00 PM Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights.

Conference Call and Q&A Highlights are available in reverse chronological order after the jump.

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