iPod

Apple's fiscal 2012 in numbers: 125M iPhones, 58.31M iPads

With Apple's fourth-quarter earnings in the bag, we now have a full picture of how the company has done during its entire fiscal year.

Though Apple's last quarter was a disappointment on the profit side, and soft on iPad sales, the company surprised with stronger-than-expected iPhone sales.

The company's current quarter, during which Apple expects to bring in $52 billion in sales, kicked off last month.

Here's some of Apple's 2012 by the numbers:

$156.5 billion. Apple's total sales for the year. The biggest chunk of that came during the first quarter, when … Read more

Apple earnings: $36B revenue, $8.2B profit, 26.9M iPhones, 14M iPads

Apple's knack for surprises held up in its quarterly earnings today.

The company narrowly beat expectations on revenue, but missed on profits.

Buoyed by sales of the iPhone and iPad, the company reported revenue of $36 billion and profits of $8.2 billion, or $8.67 per share, for the quarter ended September 29.

Wall Street expected Apple to report $35.80 billion in sales, with earnings per share of $8.75. Apple's own forecast for the quarter was $34 billion, with earnings per share of $7.65.

"We're very proud to end a fantastic fiscal … Read more

How Steve Jobs' 7-inch flip-flop worked to Apple's advantage

It doesn't rise to the level of "read my lips, no new taxes." Still.

With the announcement of a "mini" iPad with a 7.9-inch screen, Apple trotted out a smaller version of its best-selling iPad to help it compete more directly with rival 7-inch tablets offered by Google and Amazon as well as an 8.9-inch tablet computer sold by Barnes & Noble.

It also contradicted everything that Steve Jobs ever said publicly about smaller-sized tablet computers as Apple embraces a category that its former CEO told us was a loser from the get-go. … Read more

Fed agency dumps BlackBerry for iPhones

After eight years, the United States Immigration and Customers Enforcement agency has bought its last BlackBerry.

Saying that BlackBerry maker Research In Motion "can no longer meet the mobile technology needs of the agency," the agency said in a published document that it intends to buy iPhones for more than 17,600 employees. Although the $2.1 million amount of the purchases is relatively insignificant, it's the sort of publicity that RIM can do without.

"Of course, we are disappointed by this decision," Paul Lucier, VP, Government Solutions said in a statement. "I'm … Read more

Apple may spend $200 to make each iPad Mini, says analyst

The price of the iPad Mini to consumers remains a mystery, but one analyst believes that Apple spends around $200 apiece to make the entry-level model.

In a note to investors picked up by AppleInsider, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo estimated that the BOM (bill of materials) and manufacturing costs come to about $195 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model.

The priciest single part is the screen at $56.50. The logic board costs a fair amount -- $54 for the Wi-Fi version and $80 for the 4G LTE model, AppleInsider noted.

Of course, Kuo's component list is based on … Read more

Fanboi fruit: Real apples with Apple logos

It's such a delicious idea for a meme, I can't believe I haven't seen it before. An apple orchard in Japan has taken to "tan-tooing" its sweet fruit with Apple images and logos.

Apparently the fruit growers put stickers on the apples before they were fully ripe, allowing them to darken around the insignia of the company that has most definitely stolen the actual apple's thunder of late.… Read more

A look back: 36 years of Apple products

A little over 36 years ago, Apple launched the Apple I, a hobbyist 1MHz computer often remembered for the classic picture of it housed in a humble wooden computer case with a carved "Apple Computer" logo.

Apple's designs slowly evolved from bulky plastic towers to rounded and colorful products, then solidified themselves in a place where ultrathin components and catchy colors co-exist.

In the below gallery by our friends at CBSNews.com highlighting Apple designs over the years, you may be able to spot when the collaboration between Steve Jobs and Jonathan Ive really kicked off. … Read more

Rumor Has It: Is Apple's next bright idea a colorful iPad Mini?

The best news about Apple sending out invites to a (probable) iPad Mini event next week, is that we can finally stop talking about iPad Mini rumors. Finally.

What we don't know yet, however, are any specifics. Will it be 7 inches? Will it come in a rainbow of colors? How much will it cost? All our questions will be answered next week.

Remember that we have a big bet riding on this one -- if Apple in fact announces the iPad Mini next week, Emily has to do something embarrassing! -- so leave us a comment and give … Read more

New iPod Nano not so easy to fix, finds iFixit

Apple's latest iPod Nano will pose challenges to anyone who needs to repair one.

Roaming around the innards of the new Nano, iFixit discovered that the battery, Lightning connector, button cable, and headphone jack are all soldered to the logic board. The battery is also attached to the back of the display assembly using a strong adhesive. All of that means a fair amount of work for anyone who needs to replace one of those components.

On the plus side, the DIY repair site found the case easy to pop open by loosening two standard Phillips screws and using … Read more