Here are your daily Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) news items and rumors for Friday:
Mac App Store Opens Big: Apple’s new digital storefront opened Thursday and has already passed one significant milestone: more than 1 million applications were downloaded in the first 24 hours. Although it has a limited number of software options –the service opened with just 1,000 available apps, while the iPhone and iPad app stores host hundreds of thousands — the service seems to already be a success. It should be noted, of course, that users of previously released software that is now available through the Mac App Store, like Apple’s iLife suite, get their updates through the App Store — this could account for some purchases. According to the website Brand Republic, though, the No. 1 app is Rovio’s video game Angry Birds, the same game that has become a multiplatinum seller on the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad. Angry Birds‘ success demonstrates that there is great potential in putting entertainment apps on both Apple stores.
And Then Came the Hackers: Many outlets reported that, as of Friday morning, numerous hacker groups had already cracked the security on the new Mac App Store, meaning that less scrupulous users can play pirated versions of software available in the digital storefront without raising an alarm. Hackulous, a group well-known for its iOS piracy tools, announced a Mac App Store hacking method called “Kickback,” though one member said told news site Torrent Freak that the tool won’t be released until February so as not to “frustrate developers.”
New iPhone Design?: Website Tw.Apple.Pro published a set of drawings Friday it claims are designs of the next iPhone. The site didn’t specify whether the drawings are of a GSM/HSPDA iPhone 5 or the long-rumored CDMA iPhone. While the drawings don’t give many hints as to new features in the upcoming iPhone, their authenticity is reinforced by a YouTube video that Apple had removed earlier this week, which purportedly showed off new parts for the iPhone, including a casing that moves the setting of the iPhone’s two antennas. It wouldn’t be surprising to hear that there has been a significant overhauling of antenna design given the uproar in July 2010 surrounding the iPhone 4’s delicate antenna.
Black iTunes Market: Chinese newspaper Global Times reported Friday that an online store Taobao.com is selling hacked iTunes accounts linked with active stolen credit card numbers, many of which are legitimate user accounts that have been stolen by hackers. The accounts are incredibly cheap, ranging in price from 1 yuan to 200 yuan, or approximately $30. “Potential buyers are promised access to music and movies through iTunes amounting to seven times more than the amount paid. “The only restriction is that all downloads should be made within 24 hours of the transaction being completed at Taobao,” said the report. This is the second time in the past year that reports have said that iTunes account information had been pilfered by hackers. Last July, Apple encouraged users to keep an eye out for unauthorized transactions, then released a new security update for the service in August.
As of this writing, Anthony John Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named here.
