Tag Archives: aapl

Apple Watch debut quiet; 3,000 apps flood online store

The wait is over. Apple (AAPL) fans finally took delivery of the Apple Watch on Friday, its first day of commercial availability. For weeks, the only people wearing the much-hyped smartwatch have been Apple executives and celebrities like Katy Perry, Drake, Pharrell and Beyonce. Now regular schmoes can own one. That is, if they already have an iPhone 5 or 6 series smartphone and are willing to spend at least $349 for the new watch, which wirelessly connects to newer iPhones. Unlike iPhone launches, the retail debut of the Apple Watch was a sedate affair. That’s because Apple isn’t selling the watch to walk-in customers yet. Consumers must either order one online or schedule an in-store appointment. Apple made the change to personalize the customer experience and better manage the limited initial supply of the Apple Watch. The Apple (AAPL) Watch is the first new product category Apple…

Streaming music lags in the car, where AM-FM still rules

S treaming music services are growing fast, but in the car most people still get their music the old fashioned way — via AM-FM radio or CDs, a new study by IHS (IHS) shows. In a survey of U.S. consumers, IHS asked, “What are the top 4 ways you listen to music in your vehicle?” The No. 1 choice was AM-FM radio, which was selected by 74% of respondents. Compact discs was second at 64%, followed by Sirius XM (SIRI) satellite radio at 44% and music stored on a phone or other mobile device at 41%. Streaming music services such as Pandora Media (P), Spotify and Apple’s (AAPL) Beats Music came in a distant fifth at 24%, IHS reported this week. HD Radio, digital terrestrial broadcast radio, was sixth at 22%. Not surprisingly, streaming music services did considerably better with younger drivers. Among millennials (ages 18 to 37), 42%…

Nokia HERE Maps Unit Bidders: Apple, Alibaba, Facebook, Uber?

The Nokia (NOK) HERE Maps unit has drawn interest from Facebook (FB), car sharing site Uber and various German car makers, according to one media report. Meanwhile, the Finnish networking equipment maker is trying to attract bids from the technology “A Team” of Apple (AAPL), Alibaba Group (BABA) and Amazon.com (AMZN), according to another report. Nokia has been trying to sell its money-losing maps unit, reportedly for more 3 billion euros ($3.2