MacRumors

Research firms Gartner and IDC today both released preliminary reports detailing U.S. and worldwide PC shipments for the third quarter of 2009, revealing modest growth by Apple amid an uncertain market.

According to Gartner's report, Apple once again maintained its fourth place ranking for U.S. shipments with an 8.8% market share on unit growth of 6.8% over the year-ago quarter. Apple's market share was up slightly from the previous quarter's 8.7% share and its 8.6% share in the year-ago quarter.

Overall, Gartner saw a 3.9% increase in U.S. PC shipments over the year-ago quarter, although average selling prices for the quarter dropped approximately 20% compared to a year ago. As was the case last quarter, a significant drop by market share leader Dell was offset by continuing tremendous growth from Acer and Toshiba.

IDC's report shows Apple regaining the fourth place position that it ceded to Toshiba last quarter with a U.S. market share of 9.4% on unit sales growth of 11.8%, an even healthier gain than that reported by Gartner. IDC also saw a much larger decline from Dell, holding growth in the overall U.S. market versus the third quarter of 2008 to 2.5% and allowing HP to claim the top spot in U.S. sales.

9 to 5 Mac reports that it has received a note from an AT&T spokesperson asking the site to remove a reference suggesting that the company would support Internet tethering via the iPhone by the end of 2009.

We believed it was coming later this year, until we got a note from an AT&T spokeman. He told us to correct a post that said AT&T will be delivering tethering in 2009. Specifically, he said (his font color, not ours):

"Just reading again - where did anyone promise tethering by EOY? Where did you see that? We promised MMS by end of summer and ended up being a few days late for that..."

The confusion seems to stem from a November 2008 interview with AT&T Mobility CEO Ralph de la Vega in which he claimed support for tethering on the iPhone was coming "soon". In re-reporting the conversation, CNET appears to have construed the comment as meaning some time in 2009, but AT&T is apparently now trying to temper any such expectations.

AT&T's comment comes just a week after the company reiterated its position that further network "fine tuning" is required before it can support tethering via the iPhone.

The Wi-Fi Alliance, a consortium of companies that includes Apple, yesterday announced that it has developed a new specification that will facilitate direct peer-to-peer connections via Wi-Fi between devices without the need for an intervening base station. The specification, to be made available on new products and via software updates to existing products beginning in mid-2010, would compete with Bluetooth and allow for significantly faster data transfer speeds, although at a cost of increased power consumption.

The specification, previously code-named "Wi-Fi peer-to-peer," can be implemented in any Wi-Fi device, from mobile phones, cameras, printers, and notebook computers, to human interface devices such as keyboards and headphones. Significantly, devices that have been certified to the new specification will also be able to create connections with hundreds of millions of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED legacy devices already in use. Devices will be able to make a one-to-one connection, or a group of several devices can connect simultaneously.

"Wi-Fi Direct represents a leap forward for our industry. Wi-Fi users worldwide will benefit from a single-technology solution to transfer content and share applications quickly and easily among devices, even when a Wi-Fi access point isn't available," said Wi-Fi Alliance executive director Edgar Figueroa. "The impact is that Wi-Fi will become even more pervasive and useful for consumers and across the enterprise."

While some Wi-Fi devices are already able to support ad hoc wireless networks, the practice is limited in security and other features and is not officially part of the certified Wi-Fi standards. Wi-Fi Direct will include all of the features of standard Wi-Fi networks without the need to connect via a wireless base station.

iClarified reports that Apple has apparently recently made a slight update to its shipping iPhone 3GS models, deploying an updated boot ROM that does not allow the exploit typically used to jailbreak the devices to be employed.

The iBoot-359.3.2 started to ship last week. A screenshot posted by Mathieulh shows the new version number.

MuscleNerd from the iPhone Dev-Team has confirmed that the loss of the 24kpwn exploit would mean a normal jailbreak would be impossible for the time being.

While previous iPhone hardware and software updates have temporarily squashed jailbreaking tools, this apparently marks the first time that Apple has quietly changed the boot ROM on devices in production to address the issue.

Jailbreaking iPhones and iPod touches allows them to run applications and access features that have not been authorized by Apple, and has also allowed users to pirate iPhone applications. Recent data from mobile advertising firm Pinch Media reveals that it has seen nearly four million jailbroken devices on its ad network, with 38% of those using at least one pirated application. Among iPhone applications that have been cracked and made available for pirating, Pinch Media notes that about a third of the total installations of those applications are pirated copies.

Apple today released iMovie 8.0.5, bringing several compatibility improvements and bug fixes to the company's consumer-level video editing application.

This update improves compatibility with a number of devices and fixes other minor issues, including:

- Improved compatibility with camcorders using the iFrame video format
- Improved compatibility with importing video captured on the iPod nano
- Fixed problems with resizing the iMovie window during playback

CNET offers additional detail on the new iFrame video format for which support is included in the update, noting that it brings smaller file sizes and faster importing speeds, as well as simplifying editing of footage.

Dubbed iFrame, the new video format is based on industry standard technologies like H.264 video and AAC audio. As expected with H.264, iFrame produces much smaller file sizes than traditional video formats, while maintaining its high-quality video. Of course, the smaller file size increases import speed and helps with editing video files.

The iFrame format, developed by Apple, is currently limited to two Sanyo camera models unveiled earlier today.

iFrame is a computer-friendly video format that has been specifically designed to simplify the process of working with video recorded from a camera. With iFrame, the video recorded in the camera is in the same format that will be used for editing, which means that importing video is fast and file sizes are small. This translates to quick and easy editing and sharing of movies across multiple platforms and devices. This new format can also be used with both Mac and PC compatible applications due to the use of standards-based technologies such as H.264, AAC, MP4 and MOV.

iMovie 8.0.5 weighs in at 35.56 MB and requires OS X 10.5.6 or later.

9 to 5 Mac reports that it has received a tip claiming that Apple is in the process of developing an application to bring FM radio functionality to the iPhone and iPod touch. The functionality would reportedly be similar to that found in the fifth-generation iPod nano, which offers the ability pause radio and tag songs for use in iTunes.

The FM radio application will reportedly be able to function in the background to allow user to listen to radio stations while other tasks are being performed, although it remains unclear whether the radio functionality will be a standalone application or integrated into the existing "iPod" music application. The application will also reportedly extend song tagging capabilities to integrate direct iTunes Store purchasing.

The holdup on this app is that Apple is trying to integrate the Mobile iTunes Store purchases into the functionality of the program. For instance, if you like a song you are listening to on the radio (and that station supports tagging and you are in the US), you will be able to push a button and see the song (and all of the information around it) in the iTunes Mobile store.

The Broadcom combination Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chips used in the iPhone and iPod touch have long also had the technical capacity for FM radio reception, with the chip found in the latest iPod touch theoretically also capable of FM radio transmission, although Apple has not as yet taken advantage of these capabilities.

There has been a fair amount of discussion about Apple's plans for its iTunes LP [iTunes link] line of enhanced album content in recent days after Gizmodo reported on a small indie record label owner who claimed that an Apple representative had notified his distributor that iTunes LP releases require a $10,000 production fee from the label, effectively limiting the feature to larger labels able to afford such costs.

I contacted the digital distribution manager at my label's distributor. He had a conference call with an iTunes rep and asked how we go about putting an LP together. He was told that LPs aren't being offered to indies and that there are only about 12 LPs being offered right now. They also said that iTunes charges a $10,000 production fee for them as well. So that pretty much edges out the indie market completely.

Apple, however, has recently responded to these claims to deny that there is any production fee involved and to reveal that the company plans to open up the format to all labels in the near future to allow for rapid expansion beyond the dozen or so offerings currently available in the iTunes LP format.

We're releasing the open specs for iTunes LP soon, allowing both major and indie labels to create their own. There is no production fee charged by Apple.

While the iTunes LP format appears to be rather simple to duplicate and has even led to several non-Apple projects and do-it-yourself tutorials popping up, the expected release of authorized Apple specs for the format to allow for official distribution through the iTunes Store will certainly come as good news for artists and labels looking for ways to enhance their products.

The New York Times reports that The Walt Disney Company is planning a ground-up revival of its retail stores using a high-tech "Imagination Park" concept and has turned to Steve Jobs and the retail store team at Apple for assistance with the project. Jobs became a member of Disney's Board of Directors and the largest individual Disney shareholder when the company acquired Pixar in early 2006.

The involvement of Mr. Jobs, the Apple chief executive who joined the Disney board with the 2006 acquisition of Pixar, is particularly notable. For the first time, Mr. Jobs's fingerprints can be seen on Disney strategy, in the same way that he influenced the look and feel of Apple's own immensely popular retail chain. While Mr. Jobs did not personally toil on the Imagination Park concept, he pushed Disney to move far past a refurbishment.

"Dream bigger -- that was Steve's message," said Andy Mooney, chairman of Disney Consumer Products.

Jobs reportedly provided Disney with inside information on Apple's retail store development and operations, as well as allowing Disney executive to visit the Apple campus and convincing the company to build a prototype retail store to aid in refining the customer experience.

Disney's "Imagination Park" concept apparently carries several other Apple-like aspects to it, from in-store theater areas to mobile checkout technology for sales associates. The concept has reportedly been approved by the Disney Board of Directors, and the company is currently negotiating with landlords to secure the high-profile locations necessary for the concept.

Late last week, 9 to 5 Mac noted that a number of users have reported a Mac OS X Snow Leopard bug apparently related to Guest accounts that is resulting in a complete loss of user data. The problem appears to manifest itself on machines which had the Guest account option enabled under Leopard and were subsequently upgraded to Snow Leopard. Users booting their machines have reported that upon start-up, they have been logged into the Guest account. Upon switching to their regular account, the affected users have been finding all of their user data missing and unrecoverable except from a backup.

Further investigation revealed initial reports of the problem in early September, soon after Snow Leopard's launch.

This could be due to a bug in how guest accounts are managed since data and settings are deleted from these accounts upon logout, but also could be from some corruption in the guest account. So far, it does not seem to be a widespread problem.

If this happens to you, immediately restore using your latest Time Machine backup (or other full system backup), and then go to the Accounts system preferences and disable log-in on the guest account.

One suggestion for preventing data deletion is for users who had Guest accounts enabled under Leopard and then upgraded to Snow Leopard to disable the Guest account and then reenable it. This results in fresh Guest account settings created under Snow Leopard, reportedly eliminating the problem.

Several threads on the issue have popped up on Apple's support forums, but Apple has yet to make an official acknowledgement of the problem.

Update: CNET reports that Apple has acknowledged the issue and is working on a solution.

"We are aware of the issue, which occurs only in extremely rare cases, and we are working on a fix," an Apple representative said in a prepared statement Monday.

It's the first time Apple has said it is looking into the issue.

Google today announced that former Genentech CEO Arthur Levinson has stepped down from the company's Board of Directors, effective immediately, after five years in the position. Levinson has also served as a member of Apple's Board of Directors since 2000.

Google CEO and Chairman Eric Schmidt described Levinson as a good friend and valued colleague. "Art has been a key part of Google's success these past five years, offering unvarnished advice and vital counsel on every big issue and opportunity Google has faced," Schmidt said. "Though he leaves as a member of our Board, Art will always have a special place at Google."

"Working with Eric, Larry, Sergey and the whole Google team has been a remarkable experience for me. I greatly admire what they've built and have no doubt that Google has a terrific future," said Levinson.

Levinson's positions on the Apple's and Google's boards gained publicity after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) began investigating corporate ties between the two companies as they began to compete in an increasing number of areas while continuing to share close ties.

Google CEO Eric Schmidt had been a member of Apple's Board of Directors, but resigned in early August due to limitations on his effectiveness as he was forced to recuse himself from Board discussions related to the increasing number of areas of competition. The FTC commended the two companies for recognizing Schmidt's conflict of interest, but indicated that it would continue to investigate ties between the two companies.

Update: The New York Times reports on comments from FTC chairman Jon Leibowitz indicating that the agency may be satisfied with the respective resignations of Schmidt and Levinson and no longer be investigating Apple and Google.

Jon Leibowitz, the chairman of the trade commission, praised the decision by Mr. Levinson and the companies. "Google, Apple, and Mr. Levinson should be commended for recognizing that overlapping board members between competing companies raise serious antitrust issues and for their willingness to resolve our concerns without the need for litigation," Mr. Leibowitz said in a statement. "Beyond this matter, we will continue to monitor companies that share board members and take enforcement actions where appropriate."

Just four days after the first developer build of Mac OS X 10.6.2 was seeded through Apple's developer program, a second build termed 10C519f has been pushed to the community for evaluation and testing. The new update, which weighs in at 456.8 MB, brings several new refinements as Apple continues to press forward on the second maintenance update to Mac OS X Snow Leopard.

Apple reportedly notes approximately a dozen areas of change addressed in the new build, on top of the nearly four dozen changes included in the previous build. Apple also lists nearly 150 specific focus areas upon which developers are asked to place their testing efforts. As for outstanding known issues yet to be addressed, Apple apparently addresses four such items, including issues with video corruption, Core Data output, and System Preferences hanging.