Apple (AAPL) announced Wednesday night that it will no longer help law enforcement unlock iPhone, iPad and other devices running its new mobile operating system, iOS8. In fact, the tech titan says it can’t. “On devices running iOS 8, your personal data such as photos, messages (including attachments), email, contacts, call history, iTunes content, notes, and reminders is placed under the protection of your passcode,” Apple said on its Web site.
With the Apple Watch, Apple (AAPL) is moving from “affordable luxury” to “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” Apple introduced its smartwatch on Sept. 9, saying it will start at $349 when it becomes available in early 2015. But that’s for the plain vanilla model. The smartwatch comes in three collections: the Apple Watch, with a stainless steel case; the Apple Watch Sport, with an anodized aluminum case; and Apple Watch Edition, with an 18-karat rose or yellow gold case. John Gruber of Daring Fireball estimates that the Sport version will start at $349, the stainless steel version will start at $999 and the luxury Edition version will start at $4,999. And the gold Edition version could cost $10,000 or more, he said. “The lowest conceivable price I could see for the Edition models is $1,999 — but the gold alone, just as scrap metal, might in fact…
Apple’s (AAPL) mobile app store revenue will jump 32% to $15.1 billion in 2014 while Google Play sales soar 66% to $8.5 billion, forecasts Citigroup in its “App Economy” report. Google (GOOGL) shares 70% of gross bookings in Google Play, its app store for Android devices, with app developers, similar to Apple, says Citigroup. Unlike Apple, Google shares the remaining 30% with distribution partners that include device makers and wireless carriers.