Here are your Apple rumors and AAPL news items for today:
Preference: Consumers who waited on line in front of Apple (AAPL) Stores last week overwhelming bought the company’s flagship iPhone, bypassing a lower-priced model, AppleInsider notes. Apple announced yesterday that it sold 9 million iPhones over the launch weekend, but did not breakdown the sales by model. According to an analysis by Localytics, iPhone 5s activations over the weekend were 3.4 times higher than iPhone 5c activations in the U.S. That trend was more pronounced overseas, with international iPhone 5s activations 3.7 times greater than those for the iPhone 5c. In Japan, the iPhone 5s was 5 times more popular than the colorful iPhone 5c. An analyst with the market research firm noted that the data was reasonable since launch weekend sales mostly represented early-adopters who were more likely to opt for the more advanced model. The iPhone 5s includes a 64-bit A7 processor and fingerprint sensor, while the iPhone 5c is essentially the iPhone 5 in a colorful plastic case. Localytics also noted that AT&T (T) was the wireless carrier chosen by the most new iPhone purchasers.
Tuning In: Apple is drawing a large number of listeners to its new Internet radio service, Bloomberg notes. The iPhone-maker launched iTunes radio last week. The service is included in recent software updates to its popular iTunes app for computers and iOS 7, which was released for iPhones and iPads on Sept. 20. Apple says that since its launch, iTunes Radio has been listened to by more than 11 million unique users. While that is only a fraction of rival Internet radio provider Pandora‘s (P) active audience, Pandora’s shares fell 10% in Monday trading on the heels of the announcement.
Refresh: Apple has introduced updated iMac desktop computers, offering faster processors and WiFi connectivity, CNET notes. The new iMacs were unveiled on Tuesday. Among the internal changes to the sleek all-in-one machines are quad-core Haswell processors from Intel (INTC), more flash storage options and super-fast 802.11ac Wi-Fi capability. Base model pricing for the iMacs ranges from $1,299 to $1,499 for the 21.5-inch iMac and between $1,799 to $1,999 for the 27-inch iMac. The new iMacs come with a standard 8GB of RAM, expandable up to 32GB, and a 1TB hard drive, which can be upgraded to 3TB. When combined with a 802.11ac base station the new iMacs offer WiFi connections three times faster than current models.
For more about the company, check out our previous Apple Rumors stories.
