"Can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen"

Looking into Apple's past, it seems as though there is a high amount of material concerning lawsuits that it has imposed against bloggers; a famous incident is the "Think Secret" case, but it looks as if Apple can't take the criticism from frequent Apple bloggers.  


An example of this petty behaviour can be seen across various platforms, including a comment from Apple Critic, Michael Arrington, "I think this is all complete nonsense. If Apple wants to go after the guy that made the Windows Mobile skin that looks like the iPhone, fine. But to bully bloggers who are simply reporting on this is another matter".  I completely agree with this; why would a company even bother trying to reach high status, if it wasn't prepared for the bloggers re-using their material, and placing their own opinions on the products?  Not to mention the criticism it gets from various areas of the media - It's a factor that comes with being a hugely popular conglomerate, and Apple need to get to grips with this issue and think differently about how they react to bloggers.  These people take the time out of their day to evaluate Apple's products and news events, and give constructive criticism, so why can't Apple see the plus side in this, as a free form of criticism, one that they don't have to fork out more money to instigate. Bloggers

iPhone 5

Apple have released the news that the highly anticipated gadget of the year will be launched in March 2012; and will hopefully be the cheaper version, for the people who can't afford to spend hundreds on a gadget that gets updated multiple times a year.  I can't help but think that Apple should have brought this out sooner, rather than try to grasp the public in its talons, knowing that they have hold of them, before releasing a product that is accessible to everyone; after all, their advert targets people of all ages, so why aren't they changing the prices to match this? iPhone 5

Where's Our Money Going?

With the deadline of Christmas gift buying looming, there's a constant thought in my head saying, 'remember to budget, remember to save your money', no matter what I'm buying or where I am; in the corner shop, I'll go for the cheapest option possible, doing the weekly shop, I'll pick up the value for money items... but it leaves me wondering, where has my money gone? Why should I have to do this?  
As a huge fan of Apple's technology (I've had multiple iPod's, currently have an iPhone 4 on a 24-month-contract, and consistently looking up upcoming gadgets), I've began thinking that Apple is charging extortionate prices for their devices;no wonder its received so much criticism in the past.  A perfect example of this can be seen in 2008, when Apple released 'Netbooks', which the public presumed wouldn't have the stereotypical sky-high price tag that the other products include; however the following video proves otherwise;

Fortunately, the fruity conglomerate is releasing a supposedly cheaper product, the iPhone 5, which shouldn't break the bank too much...But why wait now to start making affordable devices, when one of their target audiences is the younger public, who can't afford expensive things?

Apple American 'Black Friday' Scam

It seems as though with Apple finally gaining its balance after its recent falls - Steve Jobs' passing, Siri crashing and burning, iPhone 4S bad response - another scandal has hit the technology conglomerate.  

According to various newspapers and Apple video bloggers, online criminals have been infecting people's PC's and Macs with malware disguised as an iTunes gift card.  Although hard to tackle, I personally believe that this won't be a tricky problem for Apple to fix - although if they don't act quickly, they could lose out on a lot of revenue; the malware virus is disguised as their iTunes gift card, and with this scam now available for the public to read up about, it will make potential customers wary when buying anything with the Apple logo online.  Although Apple has a huge reputation for the fashionable and trendy, (Yet extortionately priced), technology that they reveal to the world multiple times a year, it does leave us with questions like 'Should an issue like this be such a hard task for the brand?'.  Only time will tell. Apple Scam 

Apple Back On Top

Regardless of the few bumps in the road that has recently disturbed Apple, the company iPass - who produce a list of the most used mobile and smartphones four times a year - has announced that the Apple iPhone has reached the top spot, with the poll stating mobile workers use Apple more than Blackberry. 

This looks like Apple needed the Blackberry glitches of the past few weeks to happen, to put themselves back on top once again! But the key question is, what makes Apple so appealing to audiences? Why do they prefer the Apple iPhone to all of the other available Smartphones? They all have a shiny, sleek design, apps available for download, they all play music, have internet access, and basically the same functions... but why does Apple come out on top?  This looks like it is a fashion trend that people are following because Apple is the 'cool' piece of technology to have, so that you can brag to all your friends about... yet again the thought that people don't actually care about the technology itself, just the fashion trend it holds, springs to mind.

 Apple Passes Blackberry

Google Fights Back!

It seems as though Apple have a new competitor to keep an eye on - Google. A new plan from the search engine conglomerate has Apple quaking at the core; a rival 
music service. 

Set to launch on Wednesday, the music store will provide songs from EMI, Sony and Universal. This shows that Apple is beginning to lose its hold on the technology throne, as there are now others who are challenging its reign; but why has it taken so long for the companies to build themselves up to taking Apple on? Clive Rich, who writes a blog of his own, also comments on Apple's "bullying" behaviour, by pushing the other companies around, and I think this is a valid point to make; Apple needs to stop its bullying tactics, otherwise can it really call itself the ruler of the world of technology, if it hasn't been involved in a fair competition? Although it will take a long time for Apple to lose its stronghold over the technology industry, at least those who long for the day where smaller businesses can emerge and grow, can now see the process in motion; let's see how Apple deals with its throne under attack! Clive Rich

iPhone 4S Release in Hong Kong

Thousands of technology-hungry residents of Hong Kong waited for hours in front of Apple stores for the release of the iPhone 4S in Asia.


Within 10-15 minutes of the highly anticipated launch, the iPhone stock was exhausted leaving many customers happy to finally own the keenly awaited product.  Apple seems to have recovered from the malfunctions of the product in earlier weeks.  This fascination with Apple leads to thoughts like 'Why is it so popular'.  For some reason, Apple has been able to manipulate people into believing that although it has a high price, they believe they're getting high quality devices for their purchases, along with the trendiness that comes with it.   Apple hits Hong Kong

Easter Egg

An iPhone hacker has unlocked a secret "Easter egg" feature of the new iOS 5 update for the camera; a panoramic setting has been hidden within the software, as 
Apple have said it is not completely reliable, and is still undergoing tests.
  

This shows that Apple are continuously making technological advances, although it does appear to be quite sneaky hiding a feature - which will definitely be popular - within a device that they've only now released.  This isn't fair for customers, because it seems as though they are teasing them, leaving them pondering the fact whether the conglomerate is fully concerned with what is best for the customer - as they portray in their ads - or if they are concerned with the revenue of it all.  Surely this will make Apple's reputation drop slightly? Perhaps the public will feel betrayed by the fact that Apple thinks it can deceive them?  However, this news can be viewed in different ways; this could simply be a genuine hacker who has unexpectedly stumbled across the feature, or Apple could have initiated this and set up a publicity stunt up to advertise their next device. Sky News

Google Under Attack!

According to "Apple Holic" Jonny Evans, Google has announced that the iPhone 4S's 'Siri' feature, threatens the future of the internet search engine.

Chairman Eric Schmidt says, "Apple has launched an entirely new approach to search technology with Siri, its voice-activated search and task-completion service built into the iPhone 4S,” However, he then elaborates and states that social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook also pose a threat; personally, I believe Apple is a huge competitor in the technology business - even with the recent hiccups after Jobs' death, the company seem to have gained the self-esteem they needed to regain their position on top.  Although Apple has given off the impression that they are constantly researching ways to create different features for the customers to enjoy, I believe that the ulterior, underling motive behind Apple, is not their supposed "care" for their customers, but the profitability aspect; after all, businesses want money, and will do anything to get it. Threatening

Siri Malfunction

Although the iPhone 4S had a disappointing launch a few weeks ago, it wasn't long until the conglomerate was faced with more devastating news following the death of Steve Jobs; the Siri voice control service crashed for multiple hours - not good news for Apple.

It really does seem as though Apple's success is beginning to fade away with the loss of Jobs. For the past few weeks, the communication system had been working perfectly fine up until a sudden Apple server crash.  Although the problem has been solved, the system is still apparently reluctant to communicate properly with Aussies and the Scots. Siri Crash & Burn  Perhaps the conglomerate should have fully thought through its new advanced system, instead of rushing it out? And perhaps Apple won’t include Siri on future devices, because of the bad publicity it’s been getting within weeks of its release?  I don't think this will affect Apple's sales in any way; the brand is a fashion trend, and regardless of the features of the phone, I think the public will still purchase their devices - a worrying thought, because it appears that people only care about the aesthetics of the device, not the features.