China Unicom, a Chinese mobile network operator, is in negotiations with Apple company regarding introduction of iPhone to China. China Mobile, a competitive operator, is also in talks with Apple and doesn’t want to comment on its rival’s activity. Meanwhile there are many iPhone users in China. Naturally, these devices have been imported in the country unofficially. As for the official appearance of iPhone on the Chinese market, it may not be that welcome because the Apple brand is not very strong in China. Moreover, there are different similar and fake devices available in the market.  

  Tired of contemplating your fingerprints on the glossy iPhone 3G? Well, maybe we are going to meet another iPhone model that will be matte. MacRumors.com has got leaked photos of the next generation iPhone 3G. The pictures were presumably made in China, but this information and authenticity of photos has not been confirmed. The photos show the dark and black backside of a 16GB model with the model number A1303. It is also reported that the new smartphone case will be textured for better gripping.  

  The company remains without its CEO now, when it is well-positioned and ready to new achievements. Yesterday Steve Jobs, who is 53, said that he was taking a medical leave through June and added that his health-related issues were more complex than he originally had thought. Within minutes of the interview, Apple shares dropped 10%. Apple will not be the same company without Steve Jobs. He was kicked out of Apple in 1985 and came back in 1996 when the company was nearly bankrupt, and helped it to improve. Steve Jobs is leaving his duties to Tim Cook, Apple's chief operating officer.    

  Generator Research carried out an analysis showing that Nokia could give the palm to Apple in smartphone manufacturing and delivery of mobile services. Apple is engaged in mobile business for a short time but it is already possible to look into the future of the company. Generator Research explains excellent prospects by the fact that Apple is holding all the aces presented by a fully integrated platform with rich application programming interface (API) open to third party developers on favourable commercial terms. The fact of the matter is that these platforms have become crucial in development of mobile industry. Generator Research has come to a conclusion that iPhone and App Store are very promising and will be developed like Apple’s digital music platform that includes iPod and iTunes Music Store. Andrew Sheehy, head of research, states that with cash reserves exceeding $25 billion, 33% gross margins and iPhone about to enter the phase of the fastest growth, the company has everything to invest in the mobile sector. Moreover, Apple is granted this opportunity when the economic climate is forcing many mobile manufacturers to reduce the pace of development. Apple competitors may suffer a very strong blow. For instance, Nokia’s share

  AlleyInsider reports on a new analyst report from Friedman Billings Ramsey which claims that Apple's iPhone production could fall "more than 40%" in the 4th Quarter of 2008. AlleyInsider points out this may simply represent a surplus of iPhone production from Q3 2008 and the decrease in Q4 is to adjust inventory to match demand. Another contributing factor is believed to be the recent economic downturn: That the firm's iPhone production plans are being revised lower suggests that the global macroecomomic weakness is impacting even high-end consumers, those that are more likely to buy Apple's expensive gadgets, and that no market segment will be spared in this global downturn. This is a negative signal for global demand, in our view. The analyst bases his findings on "recent checks" on the chip industry which supplies parts for Apple's iPhone. The news comes shortly after Apple reported record iPhone earnings capturing 2.3% of the mobile phone market. Source

  ComScore, Inc. reports for the first time the demographics of iPhone owners and reveals that while 43 percent of iPhone owners earn in excess of $100,000 annually, the strongest growth in users is coming from those earning less than the median household income, particularly since the launch of the iPhone 3G. According to a new comScore report, “All about iPhone,” iPhone adoption since June 2008 rose 48 percent among those earning between $25,000 and $50,000 per year and by 46 percent among those earning between $25,000 and $75,000. These growth rates are three times that of those earning more than $100,000 per year. Overall, iPhone penetration grew 21 percent. While the number of consumers in the $25,000 to $50,000 income demographic declined marginally from June to August 2008, their ranks among smartphone owners and mobile content users grew, in most cases above the rate of the overall market. According to comScore Mobile, the number of people earning between $25,000 and $50,000 accessing news and information via their mobile browser grew by five percent since June, while the market overall grew by three percent. comScore also reported seven percent growth in mobile e-mail usage and five percent growth in mobile music consumption among