O'Grady's PowerPage

Category: Business

  • Apple to hold Q3 2020 financial conference call on Thursday, July 30th

    Apple will announce its Q3 2020 financial results on Thursday, July 30, starting at 14:00 Pacific (17:00 ET). The highly anticipated event will illustrate how well Apple has weathered the coronavirus pandemic.

    For the first time in over two decades, Apple did not issue any guidance for its forthcoming Q3 results. Traditionally, it issues such guidance for the next quarter during its call announcing the current ones, but this changed in 2020 and did so entirely because of COVID-19.

    On average, analysts tracking Apple’s sales might expect the company to report $52.47 billion in this call. That compares to $58.3 billion in the second fiscal quarter of 2020, although traditionally Apple’s third fiscal quarter is the company’s weakest time in the year. 

    While the impact of COVID-19 and Apple’s efforts to reopen its Stores will the major factor affecting results overall, some of this is expected to be positive. What had been thought to be a temporary rise in MacBook Pro sales due to people beginning to work from home, has reportedly continued. 

    The call will also help provide an indication as to the success of Apple’snew iPhone SE.

    “I have seen a strong customer response to iPhone SE, which is our most affordable iPhone,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook, while answering analysts’ questions. “[It] appears that those customers are primarily coming from wanting a smaller form factor with the lates technology, or coming over for it from Android.”

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider

  • Los Angeles Metro TAP card to support Apple Pay later this year

    If you live in and around Los Angeles, this should come in handy.

    The Los Angeles Metro on Tuesday confirmed that TAP cards used for public transit throughout the city will work with Apple Pay later this year. The card can then be added to the Wallet app for the iPhone and Apple Watch for quick access to buses and trains throughout LA.

    The LA Metro announced last year that it had been working with Apple to add support by the end of 2019, although the work ran long.

    Los Angeles has been working to overhaul its TAP system, introducing upgraded fare boxes with real-time data about fares purchased online and developing a new TAP mobile app that allows for payments and TAP account management. The TAP network currently works with 25 transit systems across Los Angeles county.

    The full list of transit systems that offer Apple Pay support can be found via the link below, and currently includes Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, London, New York City, Portland, and more.

    Via MacRumors and support.apple.com

  • Regulatory filings note potential 20W charger, smaller “iPhone 12” batteries

    Sometimes it’s the regulatory filings that offer the best hint as to what’s coming down the pipe.

    Apple’s rumored-and-anticipated 20-Watt charger has surfaced in new regulatory filings, even though rumors have surfaced that the next-gen iPhone, or “iPhone 12,” may ship without a charger.

    Apple has been rumored to be working on a 20W USB-C charger that would be a major upgrade from the standard 5W version included with the iPhone 11 and earlier models. While there is some debate over whether or not Apple will be including a charger at all with its updated iPhone lineup, the existence of the 20W charger itself is slowly being proved by regulatory filings from Denmark, South Korea, and China. 

    The filings reference a new charger produced by Flextronic Power described as a “USB-C Power Adapter,” with the model number A2244. This model differs from the A2305 and !2247 models, which were discovered in late June by regulators in Norway and Australia.

    Speculation has also surfaced that Apple could omit the standard pair of earbuds from the next-gen iPhone as well. To this end, noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has stated that such an action may help promote more sales of its AirPods and AirPods Pro. 

    The same report also noted that the battery capacities for the next-gen iPhone may be reduced from what was observed for the iPhone 11, or at least for a few models. Based on data from the regulatory filings, the batteries used in the 2020 range could have capacities of 2,227mAh, 2,775mAh, and 3,687mAh, depending on the size. Even so, one battery was noted as being upgrade to 3,687mAH, which is higher in capacity than the 3,500mAh version used in the iPhone 11 Pro Max. 

    Though smaller, it is still plausible the “iPhone 12” models will have a battery life comparable to the iPhone 11 range. Apple does typically introduce various power-saving measures as part of its annual refresh, which help prolong the battery life further into the day. 

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and MySmartPrice

  • Apple to re-close four Apple Store locations in Victoria, Australia due to COVID-19 resurgence

    Apple has announced that it will re-close at least four Apple Store retail locations in Victoria, Australia, as a result of a COVID-19 resurgence in the region.

    The company announced on tits Australian retail website that, following limited operating hours on Wednesday, Apple Chadstone, Apple Southland, Apple Doncaster and Apple Fountain Gate will re-shutter their doors in compliance with “stage 3” lockdown protocols enforced by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. 

    The four mall locations join a fifth Victoria outlet, Apple Highpoint, which was listed as temporarily closed last week.

    Over the last two weeks, the Victoria region has experienced a spike in reported COVID-19 cases, positive tests reaching a new peak of 1919 cases on Tuesday. The upward trend prompted the local government to reinstitute a strict six-week lockdown scheduled to take effect at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, July 8. 

    Citizens in the capital of Melbourne, as well as other densely populated areas, face a stay-at-home order

    that restricts public exposure to shopping for food and essential items, caregiving, daily exercise, and work and study. Shopping centers and select retailers can remain open if they follow occupancy guidelines.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider, The Guardian, and 9to5Mac

  • Apple expands Independent Repair Provider Program to firms in Europe and Canada

    If you’re a techie in Europe or Canada, this will come in handy.

    Apple on Wednesday announced that it is expanding its Independent Repair Provider Program. The new contract allows businesses in Europe and Canada to sign up to offer customers iPhone repairs using genuine Apple components.

    Since the iPhone repair program launched last fall, 700 locations have been added by 140 businesses, including uBreakiFix. Firms in 32 European countries, as well as Canada, can now apply to join the Independent Repair Provider Program. Training is free, but firms need to have an Apple-certified technician performing repairs to qualify.

    Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams offered the following comment:

    We are thrilled to expand our independent repair program to more locations across the US and to businesses across Europe and Canada. When a customer needs a repair, we want them to have a range of options that not only suits their needs but also guarantees safety and quality so their iPhone can be used for as long as possible.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via The Mac Observer