Well well well. It has been quite the busy few weeks in Cupertino. Apple has been picking up properties like a game of Monopoly, no legal inferences implied. They’re all over the telecommunications and software programming world, acquiring companies big and small like the corporate giant that they are. Quattro Wireless and Siri are two of the more significant properties that are now under the Apple umbrella, and it seems that Apple’s position in the business world right now will grow these companies exponentially; there are rumors that Apple may be exploring other wide-scope media acquisitions soon. It seems only a matter of time before they have a radio and television presence as well. Maybe eventually you can have your very own robot Steve Jobs in your home. Creepy and awesome.
In December Apple also acquired Lala Media, owners of lala.com. This is a move we here at iResQ have mixed feelings about. First, it seems that Apple will release a web-based version of iTunes that functions like Lala at some point in the relatively near future, which is awesome. Unfortunately in the meantime, however, Lala is shutting down at the end of this month, which is sad. If you’re not familiar with how Lala works, sorry. You can’t check it out now because they’re not taking any new users. In essence it stores your iTunes library online so you don’t have to. And the tracks are cheaper. And you can listen to anything once for free before you buy it. So you see why this is disappointing. That is, until iTunes goes live online. Keep your fingers crossed.
Bigger news yet: Apple already sold 1 million iPads. They announced it Monday. Pow. And the biggest news of all: Apple is now officially the largest manufacturer of mobile phones in the U.S., surpassing Motorola for the first time this last quarter. And if those photos of the lost gen4 iPhone are legit, they won’t be losing their place this year.
Well, friends, stay tuned for more news as we get closer and closer to next month’s WWDC. Until then.