JANUARY
Apple cuts Aussie tax bill despite bumper revenues
Apple Australia has seen revenues rise a smidge to 1.9 percent while its tax bill fell almost 10 percent. The vendor's local business reported revenue of $6.1 billion for the 12 months to 28 September 2013.
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FEBRUARY
Next Byte closes Brisbane store straight after Apple launch
Next Byte will close its Brisbane CBD store, less than three weeks after Apple opened its third store in the city. A closing down sale at the Brisbane store was advertised via the Next Byte Facebook page on 31 January, stating "It is a sad day today with our Brisbane CBD store closing its doors for good.
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MARCH
Apple releases cheaper version of iPhone 5c
Apple is attempting to boost sales of the iPhone 5c by slashing its storage, if not its price. The new model of the iPhone 5c comes with a paltry 8GB of storage - half that of the previous base model - yet still bears a premium price tag of $679, only $60 less than the 16GB model.
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APRIL
Dicker unfazed about letting Apple go
CRN understands major vendor partnerships are expected to remain intact as part of the now-completed Dicker Data acquisition of Express Data - other than Apple. David Dicker confirmed that the distributor's longstanding relationship with HP will continue and while he wouldn’t comment specifically on any other major vendor relationships, CRN understands they are expected to continue.
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MAY
Dr Dre joins Apple in $3bn Beats buyout
Apple has ended the speculation and confirmed its heavily rumoured acquisition of the headphones giant co-founded by hip-hop producer Dr Dre. The iPhone maker will invest US$3 billion to acquire Beats Electronics, which makes the popular Beats headphones, speakers and audio software, as well as subscription streaming music service Beats Music.
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JUNE
Five must-know enterprise features of iOS 8
Apple has unveiled a raft of new enterprise features in iOS 8, in a further sign of the vendor's enterprise aspirations. The new phone and tablet OS includes a raft of new business features, including MDM tools, increased security for third party apps, and extra security for key user data such as mail and contact lists.
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JULY
10 ways the IBM-Apple deal is momentous
IBM is to become an enterprise reseller and ISV for iPads and iPhones, under an unexpected deal announced today by Apple CEO Tim Cook and IBM CEO Ginni Rometty. Under the terms of the deal, IBM’s MobileFirst division will provide enterprise sales and on-site support for iOS devices and applications in time for the release of iOS 8. Big Blue will handle everything from supply of devices to activation and management services for enterprise customers.
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AUGUST
Samsung and Apple call off legal battles outside US
Samsung and Apple have decided to focus on a single front in their patent war, dropping all legal action outside the US. The two companies, which are in the tricky situation of being both partners and rivals, have been embroiled in a war of lawsuits for over three years. Well over ten patent infringement lawsuits were filed, mainly in 2011, as well as a number of sales injunctions. Read more
SEPTEMBER
It's here: new iPhone 6 arrives in two sizes
Calling it the biggest advancement in the history of the iPhone, Apple CEO Tim Cook formally unveiled the new large-screen iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone 6 starts a at $869 inc GST for the 16GB model, $999 inc GST for the 64GB model and a new 128GB model for $1,129 inc GST.
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OCTOBER
Apple overtakes Asus in top five best-selling PC brands
Global PC sales in the third quarter totaled over 78.5 million units, a decline of 1.7 percent from the year-ago quarter, according to the IDC Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker. Apple Apple hopped onto the top five list over Asus by selling 4.982 million units in the third quarter, for a market share of 6.3 percent.
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NOVEMBER
iPad full-year sales tipped to decline for first time
For the first time since its launch in 2010, the iPad market has declined as the overall tablet market has slowed to 7.2 percent year-over-year growth, according to IDC. Describing the 2014 results as a "massive deceleration", IDC reported that the market was at 52.3 percent growth at this point last year.
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DECEMBER
Early Apple computer sells for US$365,000
A fully operational Apple computer that company co-founder Steve Jobs sold out of his parents' garage in 1976 for US$600 sold for US$365,000 at Christie's on Thursday. The Ricketts Apple-1 Personal Computer, named after its original owner Charles Ricketts, is the only known surviving Apple-1 documented as having been sold directly by Jobs to an individual from the Los Altos, California family home, according to the auction house.
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