Here are your Apple rumors and AAPL news items for today:
Holiday Arrival: Apple (AAPL) will launch an updated iPad Mini featuring a high resolution Retina display in time for the holiday shopping season, the Wall Street Journal notes. In order to get the new iPad Mini in stores during the fourth quarter, Apple has turned to its arch-rival in the mobile device market, Samsung. The South Korean electronics giant has been tapped — along with Sharp and LG Display (LPL) — to provide the Retina screens for the updated iPad Mini. Apple had initially wanted to use just Sharp and LG, but was forced to include Samsung in order to produce enough Retina screens to meet the expected demand. The new iPad Mini may also feature back covers in multiple colors. The latest rumors contradicts earlier reports that Apple had decided to postpone the launch of a Retina iPad Mini until some time next year. Some recent rumors have suggested that Apple would release a non-Retina update to the iPad Mini during the fall ahead of Retina version launch in the spring.
Facetime: During his trip to China this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook had a personal meeting with the chairman of China Mobile (CHL), Reuters notes. China Mobile has confirmed that Cook met with Xi Guohua on Tuesday in Beijing. While details of the discussions were not disclosed, it is almost certain that the high-level meeting was meant to negotiate terms to bring the iPhone to the world’s largest wireless carrier. Apple has been attempting to persuade China Mobile to offer the iPhone, but the carrier has so far balked at its terms. Reports appeared earlier this week indicating that Cook had met with executives from China Telecom (CHA) and speculating that he may have met with China Unicom (CHU) and China Mobile as well. Apple has been moving to boost its sales in China where it faces significant competition from smartphones made by Samsung and smaller Chinese manufacturers.
Chips: In addition to supplying Retina screens for a new iPad Mini, it appears Samsung may also be furnishing components for Apple’s latest line of microprocessors, 9to5Mac notes. An analysis of the beta version of iOS 7 by Apple developers suggests that the iPad-maker will include Samsung technology in its upcoming A7 processor, which will likely power the iPhone 5S and future versions of the iPad and iPad Mini. Samsung components are found in the A6 and A6X chips in current Apple devices. However, Apple has been reportedly attempting to reduce its reliance on Samsung for mobile device components as the two companies have become competitors in the smartphone and tablet markets. Reports earlier this year suggested that Apple would partner with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM) to produce the A7 chips.
For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors stories.
