Eric Slivka
Eric is the Editor-in-Chief of MacRumors and has been writing for the site since 2008.
An avid swimmer and former biophysicist, Eric has been using Apple products for over 35 years and has been interviewed for pieces by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Reuters, BBC, CNBC, and other publications.
Eric's current primary role involves day-to-day oversight of the editorial operations at MacRumors, but he also contributes occasional news and review articles while handling various other duties related to the site's operation.
An avid swimmer and former biophysicist, Eric has been using Apple products for over 35 years and has been interviewed for pieces by The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Reuters, BBC, CNBC, and other publications.
Eric's current primary role involves day-to-day oversight of the editorial operations at MacRumors, but he also contributes occasional news and review articles while handling various other duties related to the site's operation.
Eric Slivka's Articles
No NFC in Next-Generation iPhone
With Apple having announced its new Passbook digital wallet for iOS 6, speculation regarding the potential for the incorporation of near field communications (NFC) in the next-generation iPhone has ramped up. The technology would allow for contactless payments that could be closely incorporated into the Passbook functionality. Rumors of NFC capabilities for the next-generation iPhone received...
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T-Mobile USA Focused on 'Selling Against the iPhone' Starting September 21
TmoNews reports (via Engadget) that it has received a pair of photos from T-Mobile USA's internal news system announcing that the carrier will be rolling out new training programs focused on "selling against the iPhone". The new training modules are being deployed on September 21, the rumored launch day for the next-generation iPhone in the United States. Perhaps it’s coincidental that the...
Apple Retail's Emphasis on Profits Continues, Tied to Operational Perspective of Cook and Browett
Earlier this month, we reported on several changes at Apple retail stores that were reportedly seeing some employees being laid off or seeing recent promotions being retracted, while other part-time employees were seeing their hours reduced significantly, in some cases to zero. Our report was followed several days later by an acknowledgement from Apple that the company had "messed up" in...
iTunes Festival 2012 Live Streaming App Appears on Apple TV
Back in May, Apple announced that its annual iTunes Festival in London would be moving to September for 2012, with the event once again offering 30 days of free concerts at The Roundhouse. While tickets to the shows have been awarded on a lottery basis, Apple this year is offering access to the concerts with a number of live streaming options including through the iTunes Festival website,...
OS X Lion 10.7.5 Build 11G45 Seeded to Developers
Apple today seeded a new version of OS X Lio 10.7.5 to developers for testing. The new version, Build 11G45, arrives less than two weeks after the previous seed, and the build increment of nine suggests that Apple has been continuing to make a number of tweaks to the update in preparation for a public launch.
Apple continues to list no known issues with the update and is asking developers...
Craig Federighi and Dan Riccio Named Senior Executives, Bob Mansfield to Remain at Apple
Apple today announced that Craig Federighi and Dan Riccio will be joining the company's senior executive team, receiving promotions to the Senior Vice President level.
Craig Federighi (left) and Dan Riccio (right)
Federighi succeeded Bertrand Serlet as head of Mac Software Engineering in early 2011, but was not elevated to the senior executive team at that time. Riccio is currently transiti...
Apple Seeks Sales Bans on Eight Samsung Smartphones
In the wake of Apple's $1 billion victory over Samsung in its high-profile lawsuit over patent and trade dress issues, The Verge reports that the company has officially requested U.S. sales bans on eight Samsung smartphones found by the jury to infringe upon Apple's intellectual property.- Galaxy S 4G
- Galaxy S2 (AT&T)
- Galaxy S2 (Skyrocket)
- Galaxy S2 (T-Mobile)
- Galaxy S2 Epic 4G
-...
Samsung Working to Keep Design Dispute Separate from Component Contracts
Yesterday, we pointed to a report from The Korea Times quoting a senior Samsung executive as saying the $1 billion judgment against the firm in its patent and design dispute with Apple was the "worst scenario" for Samsung. Several senior executives were reportedly holding an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss Samsung's next moves in the case.
Reuters now notes that Samsung CEO Kwon...
AT&T Denies Rumor of Company-Wide Vacation Blackout at End of September
Yesterday, TechCrunch reported that AT&T had issued a vacation blackout for September 21-30 ahead of an "iconic release", coinciding exactly with a similar blackout at Verizon.
9to5Mac now reports that AT&T has specifically denied that a company-wide blackout is in effect for that time period. Anecdotal reports from store staff do, however, suggest that the carrier may be increasing its...
Samsung Promises to Fight on in Internal Memo, Seeks to Overturn Galaxy Tab Injunction
With Samsung having already issued a public statement following the $1 billion verdict against the company in its patent and trade dress dispute with Apple, the company has now published its internal memo to employees about the issue, noting that it will continue to fight on through all available means until it wins its case.Certainly, we are very disappointed by the verdict at the US District...
Apple Prepares to Open First Swedish Retail Stores
We've been following Apple's efforts to open retail store locations in Sweden for some time, noting last November that the company had filed for a business registration certificate. The company began hiring for its new stores in February, although the locations for those stores were not disclosed at the time.
Over this past weekend, 99mac reported [Google translation] that a new location...
Google Looks to Distance Android from Apple vs. Samsung Ruling
The Verge reports that Google has officially responded to Friday's ruling in the Apple vs. Samsung case that saw a jury award Apple over $1 billion in deciding that Samsung had infringed upon Apple's patents and trade dress.
In its statement, Google attempts to distance itself from the controversy somewhat, indicating that most of the issues addressed in the trial do not relate to Android...
Photos of Assembled 'iPhone 5' Front Panel with Home Button, Front Camera and Shielding Installed [Update: NFC?]
Part leaks claimed to be for the next-generation iPhone continue to surface as the all-but-confirmed September 12 media event introduction approaches, with the latest batch of photos showing what appears to be the most completely assembled front panel seen yet. The new photos, which were highlighted by Apple.pro [Google translation], were posted to a Photobucket account that previously posted...
Displays for 13-Inch Retina MacBook Pro Now in Production
CNET reports that production has begun on 13.3-inch, 2560x1600 displays that will be incorporated into Apple's forthcoming smaller Retina MacBook Pro.Production has begun of a 2,560-by-1,600 pixel density display that will land on a 13.3-inch MacBook Pro, NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim told CNET.
"The supply chain indications are that it's for a MacBook Pro 13.3 -- not a MacBook Air," ...
Samsung Executive Calls Apple vs. Samsung Ruling 'Worst Scenario for Us'
While Samsung has already issued an official statement vowing to fight on against Apple in court cases and to innovate with its products following the $1 billion judgment against the company, The Korea Times reports that executives at the company are "reeling in shock" at the decision.Samsung executives were still reeling in shock Sunday, but provided no clear hint on the company's next move in...
AT&T's Vacation Blackout Pinned Down to September 21-30 for iPhone Launch
Two weeks ago, BGR reported that AT&T was planning for a launch of the next-generation iPhone in late September, instituting an "all-hands-on-deck policy" for the last two weeks of the month and into October.
That news was followed last week with word that Verizon had instituted its own vacation blackout for September 21-30, bolstering claims that the new iPhone will launch in the United...
Apple Online Stores Nearing Immediate Availability of Retina MacBook Pro Models
Some ten weeks after the launch of the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro, Apple is just now catching up with demand, as evidenced by shipping estimates for new orders in many countries' Apple Online Stores moving to "in stock" status for standard configurations. The major exception to this status is in the Americas, where estimates have moved to 2-4 business days. These new estimates are improvements...
Apple's 'iPad Mini' Media Event Planned for October
Following a hint from The Loop's Jim Dalrymple suggesting that Apple's "iPad mini" will be introduced at a second media event following the next-generation iPhone event all but confirmed for September 12, AllThingsD now backs up the claim with its own sources saying that Apple is planning for an iPad mini introduction in October.Apple’s next generation iPhone and its so-called “iPad mini”...
Claimed Next-Generation iPod Touch Case Points to Significant Redesign
While part leaks for the next-generation iPhone have been plentiful, similar leaks for an updated iPod touch have been harder to locate, with a front panel showing an opening for a larger 4-inch display having been the only known leak so far.
Back in late July, Mac Otakara reported that the device would adopt the A5 system-on-a-chip found in the iPhone 4S, as well as a buffed aluminum shell....
Apple Seeds Safari 6.0.1 for OS X Lion to Developers
Apple today seeded a developer build of Safari 6.0.1 for OS X Lion for testing, giving developers a chance to test out the next minor standalone update to Apple's Internet browser. Safari 6.0.1 is included in the OS X 10.8.2 developer build seeded yesterday, but Apple will also be releasing the update for users still running OS X Lion.
The Safari update comes on top of larger developer...
