Here are your Apple news items and rumors for Monday:
No More 99-Cent Rentals: Viacom (NYSE:VIA), News Corp. (NASDAQ:NWS) and Disney (NYSE:DIS) were among those television companies that fumed and roared when Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) introduced 99-cent TV show rentals to the iTunes store in 2010. Those companies and others threatened to yank their wares off of Apple’s digital distribution outlet, claiming the Cupertino, Calif.-based company was devaluing television content on the Internet even further than it already had been. Almost one year later, and Apple has yanked the 99-cent rentals from iTunes of its own accord. Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told All Things Digital on Friday, “iTunes customers have shown they overwhelmingly prefer buying TV shows.” It is more likely that the low-cost rentals were ended not because customers were more intent on purchasing, but because of Apple’s steady preparation for opening a streaming video service to compete with Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX).
Samsung Bobs, Weaves With New Smartphone, Tablet: Refusing to go down for the count after receiving numerous litigation-based body blows from reigning champ Apple, Samsung (PINK:SSNLF) swung back on Sunday by announcing two new products in its Galaxy line of mobile products. The Korean company announced the Galaxy S II smartphone for LTE 4G networks — the kind used by Verizon (NYSE:VZ) and AT&T (NYSE:T) — and the new Galaxy Tab 8.9. New to both is a beefy new dual-core processor and, for the smartphone, a bigger, 4.5-inch screen. While cosmetically similar to existing Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab models, it will be interesting to see if these new devices are different enough to protect Samsung from Apple’s relentless patent infringement claims.
iPhone 5 Only Looks Bigger: A new report at DigiTimes (via MacRumors) comes with new details on the look at and design of the upcoming iPhone remodel. The article called out a new video that appeared on a Swiss Apple website purportedly leaking the look of the iPhone 5. In calling the video a fake, DigiTimes‘ report said its sources indicate the new iPhone will have a screen that is the same size as the one in current iPhones but that the case itself will have thinner bezels that effectively “make the screen look larger.” The report also said the glass backing on the iPhone will be replaced with a metal casing.
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.
