Here is your daily Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) stock news and rumors for November 10, 2010. A new study by third-party warranty provider Square Trade has found that the iPhone 4 is the most reliable smartphone in the American mobile market right now, though it also happens to be the most fragile device as well. Apple enthusiasts anxious for new updates to the both iOS and Mac OS X will be pleased to hear that rumors point to a release for both in the next couple of days, with a new update for iTunes in tow as well. Finally, it appears that Apple has quietly acquired the wireless Bluetooth headphone maker Wi-Gear.
iPhone Most Fragile, Most Reliable Smartphone on the Market: A new study from Square Trade, a third-party warranty provider, has determined that the iPhone 4 is the most reliable smartphones on the market, with just 2.1% of owners reporting non-accident malfunctions in the device after 12 months of ownership. The study looked at some 50,000 smartphones covered by Square Trade’s warranties.
The sampling included Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) Android phones like HTC’s Nexus One, Evo, and Droid Incredilbe as well as Motorola‘s (NYSE: MOT) Cliq, Droid, and Droid X phones in addition to Apple’s most recent phones. The study also included phones from Sony Ericsson (NYSE: SNE), Nokia (NYSE: NOK), Samsung, Palm, LG Electronics, and Research in Motion‘s (NASDAQ: RIMM) BlackBerry Curve, Storm, and Bold. The iPhone 3GS and Motorola’s phones came tied for second place with just 2.3% of owners reporting non-accidental trouble with their phones inside of twelve months. The iPhone 4, however, is also the least durable smartphone of the market, with 13.8% of owners claiming accidental damages within 12 months. Apple’s own warranties do not cover dropped phones, meaning that overall, the iPhone 4’s internal warranty costs are kept impressively low.
AAPL Rumored to Release Major Software Updates for OS X, iOS, and iTunes This Week: MacStories reported yesterday evening that, according to sources inside AT&T (NYSE: T), the long awaited iOS 4.2 update for the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, and iPad will be released this Friday. The update will improve stability for iOS 4 on the iPhone 3GS, and bring greater functionality parity between the iPhone 4 and iPad. iOS 4.2 will also bring AirPlay to Apple’s mobile devices, allowing for music and video streaming from a user’s handheld to other connected devices like the new Apple TV. The update also introduces AirPrint for wireless printing support. Mac desktop and laptop users will also be able to use AirPrint with the Mac OS X 10.6.5 update, which is also rumored to be releasing this week. Apple is also reportedly bringing the first software update to iTunes 10 this week. iTunes 10.1 will be a required installation on iOS devices alongside the iOS 4.2 update.
Bluetooth Headphone Maker Wi-Gear Acquired By Apple?: Wi-Gear, a manufacturer of wireless Bluetooth adapters and headphones for Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch product lines has potentially been acquired by Apple according to 9to5Mac. The iMuff headphone maker posted a note on their official website that Wi-Gear have “ceased operations and is no longer in business.” Wi-Gear co-founder Michael Kim, however, has since become an employee of Apple Inc, where he works as an iOS Bluetooth Engineer. It is likely that Apple has acquired Wi-Gear’s wireless Bluetooth headset technology, in addition to the tech’s creator, to create their own line of wireless headphones for iOS devices.
As of this writing, Anthony Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named here.