Here are your Apple rumors and AAPL news items for today:
Eclipse: The number of tablets running Google‘s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android operating system shipped this year is expected to exceed Apple‘s (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPad shipments for the first time, Reuters notes. The prediction comes from industry research firm IDC, which estimates that iPads will comprise 46% of tablets shipped in 2013, down from 51% last year. Android tablet shipments will rise from 42% last year, to 49% this year. Apple has dominated the tablet market since the launch of the iPad in 2010. However, rising competition in the form of Android tablets from a variety of manufacturers, including Samsung, Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Google itself, have eroded Apple’s market share.
Ad Wars: Samsung outspent Apple in U.S. marketing last year, the Wall Street Journal notes. The South Korean electronic giant, which has seen huge sales of its Galaxy S and Galaxy Note smartphones in the U.S., spent $401 million on U.S. advertising in 2012. That compared to $333 million spent by Apple. Samsung is running TV ads and holding media events to raise awareness of its products and compete with rival Apple devices. It hired singer Kanye West to headline the U.S. launch of his large-screen Galaxy Note 2 smartphone in October. The company is expected to unleash a media barrage to promote it upcoming Galaxy S4 flagship smartphone.
French Rules: A court in Paris has awarded about $13,000 in damages to unions that sued Apple over claims it asked employees to work later than 9 p.m. at its Apple Stores, TheVerge notes. French law forbids companies from demanding that non-essential employees work between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Critical company functions that require round-the-clock personnel are exempt from those regulations. Unions claimed that Apple Stores required staff to clean up and shut down the shops after they closed at 9 p.m., with some employees not leaving until 11 p.m. Seven Apple Stores in France are accused with breaching local labor statutes.
For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors stories.
