Apple is now the largest mobile phone manufacturer by revenue

Based on revenue, Apple is now the largest mobile phone provider in the world, surpassing even global leader Nokia. In the winter quarter of 2010, the iPhone and its accessories generated revenue of $10.47 billion for Apple. Nokia's Devices & Services group projects Q4 2010 sales of $11.7 billion, but this figure includes mobile computers, tablets and revenue from Ovi-branded services. Ovi offers email, music, navigation and an app store for Nokia handsets. When you add in just Apple's iTunes revenue of $1.4 billion, Apple jumps ahead of its biggest mobile phone rival.



Apple's mobile phone business is growing at a pace that even exceeds that of the overall smartphone market. Recent IDC estimates suggest the global smartphone market grew 70% in December, while Apple boasts of a 86% year-over-year increase. While its popularity among consumers remains strong, the iPhone' s influence in the corporate world is also growing. Apple chief financial officer Peter Oppenheimer confirmed that "88 of the Fortune 100 companies and almost 60% of the Financial Times Europe 100 companies [are] now testing or deploying iPhones." This expansion in Europe is most damaging to Nokia, which has dominated the European market for the past several years running. Apple's growth is unprecedented already, and it shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.

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Courtesy:http://www.macrumors.com/iphone/

Starbucks Mobile Payments for iPhone and iPod Touch Now Available Nationwide

Starbucks announced that its mobile payments solution for the iPhone, iPod touch, and select BlackBerry devices is now available nationwide, allowing customers to pay for their purchases using the company's mobile app at nearly 6,800 traditional Starbucks locations and over 1,000 Starbucks locations in Target stores across the United States.

To experience mobile payment at Starbucks, customers just need to download the free Starbucks Card Mobile App for select BlackBerry smartphones, iPhone or iPod touch mobile devices. More than one-third of U.S. Starbucks customers use smartphones, of which nearly three quarters use BlackBerry smartphone or iPhone mobile devices. In addition to the mobile payment capability, the app allows customers to manage their Starbucks Card account, check their card balance, reload their card with any major credit card (iPhone users can also use the PayPal feature), check their My Starbucks Rewards status and find a nearby Starbucks store with the store locator feature.

Customers can pay with their smartphone by holding their mobile device in front of a scanner on the countertop and scan the Starbucks Card Mobile App's on-screen barcode to make a purchase.

Starbucks began testing the mobile app payment functionality nearly a year and a half ago in a handful of stores, expanding the trial to Target-based locations in March 2010.

While the Starbucks mobile payment system relies on a scanner being able to read a QR Code displayed on the iPhone's screen, many have been waiting for Apple to embrace more advanced technologies such as near field communications (NFC) that would allow users to make purchases by simply bringing their devices into close proximity with sensors at retail points-of-sale.



Rumors of NFC- or RFID-equipped iPhones have been circulating for some time, and Apple has also filed several patent applications related to the technology while also hiring several employees known to be experts in the field. One such employee, Benjamin Vigier, joined Apple last year, bringing extensive experience in NFC and other mobile payment technologies, including having developed the current Starbucks mobile payment system while working at mFoundry.

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Courtesy:http://www.macrumors.com/iphone/

Apple Preps for Verizon iPhone Launch With New Bumpers, Vacation Blackouts

A YouTube video posted yesterday reveals that Apple has released new bumper models that are compatible with both the existing iPhone 4 and the CDMA iPhone 4 set for release on Verizon next month. With the primary difference in physical features between the two models being the location of the mute switch, Apple has widened the cutout in the bumper to accommodate either switch position.

Apple has also updated its online store with new "B" model numbers for the bumpers, replacing the original "A" models. The company has, however, yet to update its product images to reflect the modified mute switch opening.



Meanwhile, BGR reports that Apple has issued a blackout on vacations for its U.S. retail store employees between February 5th and 18th in order to handle the expected rush generated by the Verizon iPhone when it launches on February 10th. The company is also reportedly planning for extended hours at its store to handle the crush.

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Courtesy:http://www.macrumors.com/iphone/

iPhone App Store Hits Ten Billion Downloads

Apple's App Store today reached 10 billion downloads since its inception in 2008, and along with the milestone comes the end of the company's promotion. The winner of the promotion, who is yet to be announced, will be awarded a $10,000 iTunes Store gift card.



App Store download growth since launch 
The App Store took only a little over two and a half years to reach the ten-billion milestone, while Apple's iTunes Store took almost seven years from its 2003 launch to hit the same milestone for music downloads.
 

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Courtesy:http://www.macrumors.com/iphone/