Here are your Apple rumors and news items for Friday:
One-Third in Five Months: A study by research group Localystics had good news for Verizon (NYSE:VZ). The telecom’s network accounted for 32% of all current-model Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhone usage in the country, catching up handily with competitor AT&T (NYSE:T). However, Localystics’ study didn’t compare Verizon iPhone use to all models, which goes back to the original iPhone released in 2007, operating exclusively on AT&T’s network. The gap between the two should continue to narrow, and even more quickly when Apple eventually switches to a 4G network standard for the device.
Lion in July: The update to Apple’s PC operating system will be available for purchase sometime next week according to a Thursday report at Apple Insider. OS X Lion, the seventh iteration of the operating system, will be available as a $30 download through the Mac app store. Lion will also act as a Trojan horse for Apple’s new iCloud services that will allow users to store documents and other media on Apple’s servers. Although Apple still hasn’t officially announced it, the company is expected to deliver new models of its MacBook Air laptops following the release of Lion.
iPad HD: The website This is my next… (via Mac Rumors) reignited rumors that Apple would release yet another model of the iPad before the end of the year. Recalling industry rumblings that preceded the March release of the second generation iPad, this story suggests that Apple will deliver a new iPad with an improved screen. The so-called “iPad HD” will be positioned as a professional grade tablet for photographers, filmmakers, and illustrators underserved by the current iPad’s resolution and utility in image manipulation. This iPad would likely not be labeled the iPad 3 since it will use the same internal design as the current iPad 2 model.
As of this writing, Anthony John Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named here. Follow him on Twitter at @ajohnagnello and become a fan of InvestorPlace on Facebook.
