Here are your Apple rumors and AAPL news items for today:
New Curves: Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is developing a high-tech wristwatch that will take advantage of its technology for manufacturing curved glass, the New York Times notes. Inside sources told the Times that Apple is testing a number of wrist-worn devices made with the specially curved glass at its headquarters in California. An Apple wristwatch would run on iOS, offering some of the features found in its iPhones and iPods, possibly including its Siri voice assistant. Rumors of an Apple wristwatch have been circulating for some time. Last year, a Chinese website said that the company was developing a watch with a 1.5-inch screen and Bluetooth connectivity, allowing it to work with other iOS devices. The company has also been recruiting designers and engineers for wearable computing devices. Some technology experts speculate that an iWatch could replace smartphones over time.
Litigation Doubts: Prior to becoming CEO, Tim Cook opposed the company’s plans to sue electronics rival Samsung over patent infringement claims, Reuters notes. Apple sued Samsung for infringing on its design and technology patents in a number of smartphones and tablets in 2011, and won a $1 billion California jury verdict against the South Korean company in August 2012. As Apple’s chief operating officer, in charge of managing the company’s supply chain, Cook worried that the lawsuit would endanger its critical component purchasing relationship with Samsung. However, Steve Jobs was infuriated with what he considered blatant copying by Samsung and went forward with the lawsuit. As CEO, Cook has continued to press Apple’s patent infringement claims even as Samsung emerged as a serious rival in the smartphone and tablet market.
Another Defection: Even the debut of the much-anticipated Blackberry 10 couldn’t keep Home Depot (NYSE:HD) with Blackberry (NASDAQ:BBRY), AppleInsider notes. The home improvement chain announced last week that it was ditching the struggling Canadian smartphone maker’s devices in favor of Apple’s iPhones and iOS devices. Home Depot has already begun switching its store managers and corporate employees to Apple products. The chain will replace about 10,000 Blackberry devices in the move. Home Depot becomes just the latest organization to drop Blackberry devices. Over the past year, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agency and Australia’s Treasury Department have dropped Blackberry devices in favor of iPhones.
For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors stories.
