Nokia Launches Free Mapping Alternative for iOS: 'HERE Maps'

Last week, Nokia announced that they would be launching extending its mapping service to iOS with a new free app. Nokia's new HERE Maps app for iOS launched last night, promising offline mode, transit and walking directions:

HERE Maps helps you feel like a local anywhere you go. See where you are, search and discover nearby places, and get a feel for the place. Collect places to remember or for later discovery. Explore new destinations and know instantly how to get there on foot, by car or on public transport. HERE Maps is based on the world-class NAVTEQ mapping data used in 90% of in-car navigation systems in the world.

Features include: 

• Map views – Pick the map you need from map view, live traffic view, public transport line view or satellite view 
• Save map areas & wander without data coverage 
• Maps, search and place coverage for nearly 200 countries 
• Step-by-Step voice-guided walk navigation 
• Walk navigation through pedestrian routes, parks, alleyways, and more 
• Public transportation and driving directions 

The Verge spent some time with the new app, and came away with mixed impressions.

Obviously this is Nokia's first stab at an iOS client for its new mapping service, and in many ways it's more functional than Apple's native Maps client, but for now, many of the additional features don't work as well as they ought to.

Nokia's iOS map launch is significant due to the issues many users have had with Apple's Map application that ships with iOS 6. Apple's solution has drawn considerable criticismdue to incomplete data and poor coverage in many areas. 

Apple Television, iPad Mini, MacBook Air Speculation for 2013

BusinessInsider relays a report from analyst Gene Munster. Munster has been one of the most vocal proponents of an Apple television set with multiple claims that Apple is indeed working on such a device. 


In the latest report, Munster pushes back his own predictions for the delivery of an Apple television set to November 2013. This comes shortly after flip flopping claims that the Apple television is not launching imminently. 

Business Insider outlines Munster's other predictions for Apple releases in 2013.

- March 2013: iPad Mini with Retina display, update the little Apple TV box, allowing to do accept apps from developers, and some sort of iTunes radio product. 
- June 2013: WWDC brings us previews of iOS 7, and OSX, as well as MacBook Airs with Retina displays. Look for Jony Ive's influence over iOS to start showing up here. 
- September 2013: iPhone 5S, a "modest upgrade" from the iPhone 5. The iPad Mini gets a specs bump, and we get a new iPad, which is totally redesigned to look more like the iPhone 5 and iPad Mini. 
- November 2013: An Apple TV comes out. It should cost $1,500-$2,000 and come in sizes from 42-inches to 55-inches

We see these predictions as simply educated guessing on Munster's part, and don't place much faith into the specifics, but it does serve as an interesting discussion for what Apple might offer in 2013.

Apple Job Listing Suggests Siri Coming in 9 More Languages

Apple is looking for interns fluent in a number of different languages to work on Siri internationalization, according to a job listing first spotted byBelgian site Apple Nieuws Vlaanderen (via 9to5Mac).

The job listing, for Cloud Services Engineering Interns, asks for interns native or fluent in Arabic, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, Korean, Norwegian, and Swedish to work on "delivering Siri in different parts of the world." Languages where Siri is currently unavailable on that list include Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish.


Siri is currently available in English (US, UK, Australia, Canada), Spanish (US, Spain, Mexico), Chinese (China-Mandarin, Hong Kong-Cantonese, Taiwan-Mandarin), French (France, Canada, Switzerland), German (Germany, Switzerland), Japanese (Japan), Italian (Italy, Switzerland), and Korean (Korea).

Kids and Adults Want iPads More Than Anything Else This Holiday Season

According to a survey done by Nielsen, U.S. consumers aged 6-12 are significantly more interested in purchasing Apple's iOS products over the next 6 months. The new Nintendo Wii U took the #2 spot, but lagged well behind the iPad. Meanwhile, the iPod Touch, iPad Mini and the iPhone rounded out the rest of the top 5 most wanted products for this age group. 

Approximately half the children surveyed expressed interest in the full-sized iPad (up from 44% last year), and 36 percent in the new iPad Mini. The iPod Touch and iPhone are also coveted devices among these young consumers (36% and 33%, respectively). Kids are also likely to ask for dedicated gaming hardware this holiday, with 39 percent excited to own Nintendo’s just-released console offering, Wii U, and 29 percent indicating they want a device from that company’s portable DS family. Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s PlayStation 3 also proved appealing, with approximately one-quarter of kids 6-12 saying they want these high definition consoles.

Nielsen also surveyed persons aged 13+ and found the iPad also topped that list. The remainder of the 13+ year old list was less dramatically in favor of Apple than the 6-12 year old group. 

In a separate survey of (presumably) adults, Reuters found that one third of U.S. consumers were thinking of buying a tablet this holiday season. Amongst those who wanted a tablet, the iPad was again the most popular with 25% of respondents planning to purchase one. Second and third place went to the Kindle (15%) and Samsung (15%) tablets. Finally, Apple's new iPad mini came in at 8% amongst respondents.

iOS 6 Fixes iMessage "Bug" that Sends Texts to Stolen iPhones

Last December, an apparent bug appeared in Apple's iMessage service that caused iMessages to continue to be linked to a stolen iPhone. The customer's messages would continue to arrive and be sent from the stolen phone even after changing passwords, a remote wipe, and a SIM card deactivation. Apple initially denied it was a bug, but did later compensate at least one affected user for her trouble. 

TheNextWeb now reports that that iOS 6 resolves this issue by forcing all devices to re-enter credentials if your Apple ID settings change.

According to a source with knowledge of Apple’s steps to correct the matter, the issue has been fixed in iOS 6 through a variety of checks placed on iMessage. The most important of these is that Apple now uses its push systems to force a user to re-enter a password to use iMessage once your Apple ID credentials have been changed.

Now, if your iPhone is stolen, simply changing the password of your Apple ID will force the stolen device to prompt for a password in order to continue receiving and sending iMessages from your account. In addition, wiping your iPhone remotely using Find My iPhone will now disable the stolen device from receiving iMessages.

Apple Posts Two New iPhone 5 Television Ads, 'Orchestra' and 'Turkey'

Apple just posted two new iPhone 5 television ads. The ads are entitled 'Orchestra' and 'Turkey'. Orchestra focuses on the microphones that Apple uses to reduce background noise during calls. Turkey shows off the Shared Photo Stream feature of iOS 6. 

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3qBaTYNKluM?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Excuse me, maestro? Bring it down please! 
Better. 
That's what happens to background noise when you're making a call on this. 
This microphone here picks up the sounds around you and helps turn them down. 
So when the world gets noisy, calls sound better.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2xHquhlr45w?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Well, it's that time of year again. 
You know, picture taking season? 
And, with Photo Stream, you can share all the photos you want. 
With just the people you want. 
It's as easy as pie. Mmmm… pie.

OS X 10.9 to Include Siri and Maps Integration

Earlier this month, MacRumors had reportedthat early logs have indicated that Apple is already testing early builds of OS X 10.9. 

With OS X 10.9, Apple appears to be continuing the theme of bringing iOS features into OS X. According to 9to5Mac, early builds are showing that both Siri and Maps are being integrated into the newest version of the Mac operating system.

Early builds in testing of the next-generation Mac operating system, OS X 10.9, point to Siri and Maps integration coming to Mac computers next year, according to our reliable sources.

Apple already offers Dictation and Text-to-Speech, but Siri integration would presumably offer Mac users voice-command and search functionality to Mac users. 

Meanwhile, Maps integration indicates that Apple will offer the service to developers to incorporate into their own Mac apps. Its not clear whether or not Apple would offer its own stand-alone mapping app for the Mac. 

A release date for OS X 10.9 is currently unknown, but Apple has stated that is moving toward a more rapid development cycle on OS X. If Apple follows their pattern for OS X 10.8's launch, we could see early OS X 10.9 developer previews in early 2013 and a final release in the middle of the year.

New iMacs Still Expected to Ship in November-December

Last week, a report from french site MacBidouille claimed that Apple may not be shipping their new iMac until early 2013, despite Apple's official promises that the new iMac models would ship before year's end. 


9to5Mac now reassures us that Apple's original plans are still intact for the iMac. The new 21.5" iMacs are said to already be shipping to distribution centers, while the 27" iMacs are due in December. Supplies, however, are likely to be very short through the rest of the year. 

Apple continues to list November and December availability dates for the new iMacs in their online store. Pre-orders are not yet available but are expected by the end of November.

Apple Posts Black Friday 'One-Day Shopping Event' Teaser

Apple has posted a teaser page on their Australian online Apple Store for a "one-day Apple shopping event" on Friday, November 23rd.

The one-day Apple shopping event is Friday, 23 November. 

Get ready to give. Shop online or visit your favourite Apple Retail Store. 
We'll help you make the most of the day, no matter how you shop.

This Friday represents Black Friday in the United States. Black Friday is the day afterThanksgiving that marks the start of the Christmas shopping season. Traditionally, retailers offer major sales on that day. 

Apple's international online and retail stores also participate in these sales, though Apple's discounts tend to be very modest. Last year's discounts for Apple's core products were as follows (in USD): 

iPad 2 - $41 to $61 Off 
iPod nano - $11 off 
iPod Touch - $21 to $41 off 
MacBook Air - $101 off 
MacBook Pro - $101 off 
iMac - $101 off 

For absolute savings, customers will have better luck with 3rd party merchants that tend to offer steeper discounts on Apple products on Black Friday.

Next iPad and iPhone Due in "Middle of 2013"?

Digitimes reports that Apple's suppliers will enjoy a particularly strong 1st Quarter of 2013. The reason cited is due to new iPad and iPhone products "around the middle of 2013".

Apple is expected to introduce its next-generation iPad and iPhone series around the middle of 2013, which will boost demand for ICs in particular communications related chips during the latter half of the first quarter, according to the observers. Component orders placed by Apple, which climbed to high levels prior to the iPhone 5 rollout, will rise again between March and April, the observers indicated.

The "middle of 2013" claim is offered very matter-of-factly despite Apple's recent history of offering fall releases for the iPhone and now the iPad. For example, the iPhone 5 and iPad 4 launched in September and October, respectively. 

The claim is somewhat consistent with another report that reported that Apple is already starting trial production of the iPhone 5S with volume production planned for early 2013. 

Still, we are hesitant to read too much into this report just yet. Digitimes has had a mixed record in the past with its share of both hits and misses. If the iPhone and iPad launch will indeed be accelerated, we are certain to hear more in the coming months.

Facebook Rolling Out New iOS Photo Sync Feature

Facebook is slowly rolling out a new Photo Sync feature to its iOS users that automatically uploads all photos taken on the iPhone to a private photo album on Facebook. The idea is to make it easier and faster for users to share photos with their friends.TechCrunch has more on how it works:

Here’s how Facebook Photo Sync works, at least for those lucky enough to be in the test. You go to the Photos app in the Facebook For iOS app’s sidebar navigation or the photos section of your Timeline and scroll to the bottom. There you may find an option to check out Photo Sync and then enable it, as seen in this photo sent in by tipster YoloFahad (an Instagrammer-extraordinaire).

Facebook will then automatically upload photos you shoot to an unpublished album only you can see. From there you can authorize which photos you want posted.

Facebook's support site has much more about Photo Sync, as well. Facebook is using background uploads within the Facebook iOS app to move the photos, not anything special with location APIs or Apple's iOS 6 Facebook integration.

The app is very clear that all photos uploaded automatically are marked as private and cannot be viewed by others until specifically shared by the user. Users get 2 GB of complimentary photo storage.

iPad Mini Keyboard Cases Hitting the Market

Belkin and iPadMiniMod have each released iPad mini cases with integrated keyboards, adding to the collection of accessories for the new tablet.

Belkin's $80 case connects to the iPad via Bluetooth and features a removable keyboard with shortcut keys to play or pause music, as well as change tracks.


iPad Mini Mod's $40 aluminum case also connects via Bluetooth and uses Smart Cover magnets to turn the iPad on when the case is opened. It comes in both black and silver to match the iPad mini.
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4XY4Uc-qp-g?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

$1.5 Million Worth of iPad Minis Stolen from Airport Warehouse

The New York Post reports that thieves managed to steal $1.5 million worth of iPad minis from a warehouse at Kennedy Airport in New York City on Monday night. The heist, which appears to have been an inside job, netted the criminals two pallets containing 3,600 iPad minis.

The crooks arrived at Building 261 around 11 p.m. in a white tractor trailer marked with the name CEVA on the side, according to the sources. They pulled up to the side of the airport building that faces onto a street and has less security than the other side, which is accessible from the airport tarmac. 

Sources believe someone let them into the area and then let them out after they grabbed the iPads. 

They grabbed about 3,600 of the minis that were being shipped by a company called Cargo Airport Services, which said the iPads had just arrived from China and were destined for locations around the US.

Three other pallets were left behind when the thieves fled after being approached by a warehouse worker. 

The report does not specifically identify which types of iPad minis were stolen in the heist, but with pre-orders of the new cellular-capable models on their way to customers over the next several days, it seems possible that the units were LTE models in the process of being distributed for launch-day sales.

Twelve South's BookBook for iPhone 5 Ships Monday

Twelve South's popular BookBook iPhone case has been updated for the iPhone 5 and will launch on Monday November 19th, MacRumors has learned. We don't have any details about pricing, but the new BookBook should begin shipping on Monday as well. 

Interested users can sign up for a notification list to learn when the BookBook for iPhone 5 launches. The current BookBook for the iPhone 4 and 4S is $59.99 and is available in both brown and black. 

Update: Twelve South has now posted an information page on the BookBook for iPhone 5, noting that it does indeed launch on Monday and is priced at $59.99. 

iPad Shipments Rise 80% in China Following Trademark Settlement

IDG News Service reports on comments from research firm IDC indicating that Apple's iPad shipments to China have risen 80% quarter-over-quarter, with the significant increase said to be related to increased distribution enabled by a settlement of a dispute with Proview Technology over the "iPad" trademark.

Shipments of the tablet in the third quarter reached 2.07 million units, up from 1.15 million in the previous quarter, according to Dickie Chang, an analyst with research firm IDC. [...] 

Apple's third-generation iPad went on sale in China on July 20, four months after it was made available in the U.S. The launch was delayed as Apple got embroiled in a legal battle with Chinese firm Proview, which had registered for the "IPAD" trademark in China years before.

With the trademark issue resolved and the third-generation iPad able to enter the market, Apple undoubtedly hopes to continue tapping into the booming Chinese market that has contributed significantly to Apple's revenue growth over the past several years.

Apple Indeed Talking with Cable Operators Ab

Following up on yesterday's report suggesting that a launch of a new Apple television product may be "imminent" based on cable operators assessing infrastructure needs to support such a device, AllThingsD notes that Apple is indeed talking with cable operators but that characterizing any launch as "imminent" would be premature.

For starters, Apple has already steered analysts away from the notion that it will have something to say about a TV solution soon. More important: If Apple were close to launching a new service, it would almost certainly be in touch with TV programmers about new arrangements, and we haven’t heard anything along those lines. 

In other words, there are still a lot of missing pieces here, and while a major cable provider running what-if scenarios on a rumored Apple product is certainly interesting, it’s not necessarily a trumpet fanfare announcing its imminent arrival.

Apple continues to refer to its existing Apple TV set-top box business as a "hobby", even as sales doubled year-over-year to 5 million units in fiscal 2012. More ambitious plans for either a new set-top box supporting live television or an Internet-connected television set are reportedly being slowed by difficult content negotiations.

Apple's Major U.S. Carrier Partners Officially Launch LTE iPad Mini and Fourth-Generation iPad

Following yesterday's delivery of some early pre-orders of the LTE versions of the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad to U.S. customers, Apple's three major U.S. carrier partnersAT&T, Verizon, and Sprint have all announced that they are beginning sales of the devices today. 


Apple has not made any official announcement about availability of the LTE models, and users in our forums are so far reporting scant availability of the devices, particularly the iPad mini, at the company's own retail stores. We did hear from one reader who was able to purchase an LTE fourth-generation iPad at an Apple store late yesterday, but many others are not having luck so far. 

Most of Apple's retail stores do not open until 10:00 AM, but some readers have received reports from employees already on-site indicating that availability is very limited, and one reader reports that the company's 24-hour flagship store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan does not have any LTE iPad mini models at the moment.

Bloomberg reports that a new court filing in the ongoing patent dispute between Apple and Google's Motorola Mobility unit reveals that both sides are interested in using binding arbitration in order to resolve the issues related to standards-essential patents at a minimum, if not the entire dispute.

The companies have been exchanging proposals on using binding arbitration to reach a licensing agreement over patents that are essential to comply with industry standards on how phones operate. Such an agreement could lead to a global settlement of all of their patent disputes, Apple said in a filing yesterday. 

“Apple is also interested in resolving its dispute with Motorola completely and agrees that arbitration may be the best vehicle to resolve the parties’ dispute,” Apple said in the filing.

Arbitration would avoid the need for a further protraction of the ongoing court cases, moving the dispute out of the courts and into the hands of a neutral third third party who would review evidence and render a decision that both parties would be legally obligated to accept. 



The willingness to engage in arbitration is another sign that the mobile companies involved in a vast web of lawsuits may be seeking to wind down their confrontations, with Apple and HTC having announced a settlement in their dispute over the weekend. Apple's major foe is, however, still Samsung and it appears that there may be no settlement in sight for that dispute.

Apple Indeed Talking with Cable Operators About New TV Product, But Launch Not Imminent

Following up on yesterday's report suggesting that a launch of a new Apple television product may be "imminent" based on cable operators assessing infrastructure needs to support such a device, AllThingsD notes that Apple is indeed talking with cable operators but that characterizing any launch as "imminent" would be premature.

For starters, Apple has already steered analysts away from the notion that it will have something to say about a TV solution soon. More important: If Apple were close to launching a new service, it would almost certainly be in touch with TV programmers about new arrangements, and we haven’t heard anything along those lines. 

In other words, there are still a lot of missing pieces here, and while a major cable provider running what-if scenarios on a rumored Apple product is certainly interesting, it’s not necessarily a trumpet fanfare announcing its imminent arrival.

Apple continues to refer to its existing Apple TV set-top box business as a "hobby", even as sales doubled year-over-year to 5 million units in fiscal 2012. More ambitious plans for either a new set-top box supporting live television or an Internet-connected television set are reportedly being slowed by difficult content negotiations.

Apple's Major U.S. Carrier Partners Officially Launch LTE iPad Mini and Fourth-Generation iPad

Following yesterday's delivery of some early pre-orders of the LTE versions of the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad to U.S. customers, Apple's three major U.S. carrier partnersAT&T, Verizon, and Sprint have all announced that they are beginning sales of the devices today. 


Apple has not made any official announcement about availability of the LTE models, and users in our forums are so far reporting scant availability of the devices, particularly the iPad mini, at the company's own retail stores. We did hear from one reader who was able to purchase an LTE fourth-generation iPad at an Apple store late yesterday, but many others are not having luck so far. 

Most of Apple's retail stores do not open until 10:00 AM, but some readers have received reports from employees already on-site indicating that availability is very limited, and one reader reports that the company's 24-hour flagship store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan does not have any LTE iPad mini models at the moment.

JBL Launches First Lightning-Compatible Speaker Docks

Harman today announced the launch of the first two Lightning-compatible speaker docks under its JBL brand, offering owners of Apple's latest iOS devices direct support for the new connector standard for the first time. 

 
JBL OnBeat Micro
The two speaker docks include the OnBeat Micro ($99.95) for the iPhone 5 and other small devices, and the larger OnBeat Venue Lightning ($199.95) supporting the full line of Lightning devices including iPad, iPad mini, iPhone 5, iPod touch, and iPod nano. 

 
JBL OnBeat Venue Lightning
Engadget has a brief review of the new speaker docks:

Based on a quick listening session, we can report that the Venue LT sounded very full and clear. Even with the optional bass- or vocal-boosts enabled, it didn't seem like the speakers were having trouble pushing out a high level of volume. The Micro on the other hand sounded decidedly tinny, which we're frankly not surprised about given the size. Both systems are compatible with JBL's MusicFlow app as well, giving you some extended options for tweaking the EQ.

Engadget also noted a couple of issues with the Lightning connector itself on the docks, including the observation that the docks will not work with many common iPhone cases and that flexibility in the connector on the docks feels somewhat wobbly, allowing flexibility while docking to lessen the risk of breakage but leading to concerns about stability. 

JBL was one of the vendors highlighted by Apple during the Lightning connector's introduction in mid-September as having received advance access to the standard. Other vendors included Bose, B&W, and B&O, which should all be announcing their own speaker products shortly.

U.S. Cable Companies Reportedly Assessing Potential Infrastructure Impact of 'Imminent' Apple TV Product

Barron's reports on a new research note from Jefferies & Co. analyst James Kisner noting that he believes the launch of an unspecified Apple television product (presumably either a new set-top box or a connected television) is "imminent". Kisner's belief comes from information he has received indicating that at least one major U.S. cable company is assessing the potential impact on its network infrastructure from such a device.

Our discussions with industry contacts suggest that at least one major N. American MSO is working to estimate how much additional capacity may be needed for a new Apple device on their broadband data network. We believe this potentially suggests an imminent launch of the Apple TV, a positive development for ARRIS, who is directly exposed to data traffic growth from incremental IP video streams on cable networks

Kisner's research note is actually addressing the impact on ARRIS, a major communications technology that handles much of the network infrastructure for U.S. cable companies, most notably Comcast. Kisner believes that a forthcoming Apple television product would bode well for ARRIS, as it would force cable companies to increase their network capacity to handle such demands as on-demand HD streams from users of the new Apple product. 


Rumors of an Apple television set peaked approximately a year ago with Steve Jobs having briefly addressed the topic for Walter Isaacson's authorized biography published shortly after Jobs' death. At the time, follow-up rumors suggested that the set could be announced in late 2012 ahead of an early 2013 launch, but talk of such a product has quieted down in recent months amid reports of difficult content negotiations.