Apple had a blockbuster year . New iPhones , young iPads , a mobile payment solution that might actually exchange the way we pay , and an entirely fresh product category in Apple Watch .
That ’s not to say there were n’t misstep : iOS 8.0.1 , anyone ?
We recap the year in Apple , from the high of record - breaking iPhone order to the low of legal struggle , and all the heartwarming and uproarious moments in between .
Few were surprised when Appleintroduced a bigger iPhonethis capitulation , but not many expected the troupe to have two super - sized machine on hand . The 4.7 - column inch iPhone 6 and 5.5 - in 6 Plus were immediate hits , selling more than 10 million units in one weekend and then selling out across the country . chief executive officer Tim Cook said the phones broke records for most orders taken — and by a high security deposit . “ We ’re selling everything that we ’re making,”he saidin the party ’s fourth - quarter earnings call .
Other smartphone manufacturer have been making supersized phones for awhile now , so it was indecipherable whether Apple ’s attempt to go big so belatedly in the plot would be a success . It ’s pretty clean now .
Apple never uses the term “ smartwatch ” to discover theforthcoming Apple Watch , due this spring , a purposeful decision that break up the company ’s wearable from its competition . Just like Apple was n’t the first to set in motion a mobile requital solution or release a supersized smartphone , the fellowship is far from the first to debut a smartwatch , but from what we ’ve look so far , Apple Watch wo n’t be like other wearable .
There ’s the digital crown that helps you navigate , tactual feedback for notifications , Apple Pay , and hopefully some amazing apps built just for your radiocarpal joint , not to cite the variety of editions designed for every modus vivendi . Apple is n’t competing against other smartwatches with Apple Watch — it ’s deal heading at other watch .
Image byDevin Pitcher
When a few users report their brand fresh iPhone 6 Plus units had flex under the press of being in a pant pocket , the ensue arguing spiraled so far out of control that Apple anticipate in newsperson to see therigorous examination its phones endurebefore being released .
Bendgate was n’t as serious an issue as Antennagate ( we might scat out of words to affix -gate to ) , which prompted Steve Jobs to cut shortly a family vacation to return and do right by the slew of iPhone 4 purchaser whose cellular connectivity was compromised by the phone ’s alloy band . Apple said only nine peopleofficially sound off to the companyabout their new gadget being dented . It ’s ill-defined how many people convert a bended phone for a new one , but the debris apace settled .
Photo course credit : Devin Pitcher
iOS 8 rolled out with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus , but it was neglect something : all the HealthKit - integrated apps that were one of the new operating system ’s call card . Apple quickly pushed out an Io update the following week to add HealthKit support , butwithin moment of iOS 8.0.1 ’s release , users reported problems . Serious problems . The update rendered cellular connectivity and Touch ID on the iPhone 6 Plus completely unusable . Apple pulled the update and offer an iTunes workaround for people whose phones were turn into mini iPads . The bad insistency from # Bendgate and the botched iOS update culminated inone very bad calendar week for Apple , but , as usual , the company easily rally .
This class , Apple finally nailed down a liquidation agreement to compensate out ebook user affected by its pricing agreements with the country ’s five tumid book newspaper publisher . A New York judge rein last year that Apple conspired with publishers to prove ebook terms and this twelvemonth approved a$450 million settlement . This was a bounteous hit for Apple , which maintain throughout the legal proceedings that Amazon had a monopoly on ebook pricing until Apple entered the grocery store .
But now the fellowship is getting another opportunity to make its display case in the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals , and grant to arecent Reuters report , the party ’s claim appear to be falling on more good-hearted ears . If Apple wins the appeal , the company wo n’t have to compensate the settlement .
Image byTriller / Flickr
Apple is no stranger to effectual tangles — between patent of invention wars with Samsung and an ebook pricing struggle , the troupe ’s executive have visit plenty of court machination over the last few long time . But Apple ’s in style legal battle was also one of its weirdest : A class - action suit of clothes that accused the party of go against antitrust natural law by blocking rival music services ’ songs from playing on iPods . The class - action condition covered people who purchased iPods between September 2006 and March 2009 , a definition that covered 8 million people . But in the end , the fount fell apart after lawyer discovered that the suit of clothes ’s two plaintiffsweren’t members of the course — they did n’t bribe iPods during the brood time period . A last - minute complainant was find , but did n’t have time to take the tie-up , and thejury reign in Apple ’s favour .
Photo credit : Triller / Flickr Creative Commons
Apple ’s game - changing product of the year was n’t a bigger iPhone , or even the self-aggrandising iPhone — it was Apple Pay . The ability to brandish an iPhone near a terminal to ante up for poppycock is an example of the kind of seamlessness and rest of use Apple strives for , and in a10 - day bicoastal test , we reveal Apple Pay is the wanton fashion to pay for just about anything .
Of course , there are limitation : If you do n’t have an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus with build - in NFC capability , you ca n’t use Apple Pay in stores . The fellowship also needsmore retailers on boardto give Apple Pay more compelling use cases beyond Whole Foods and Walgreens ( although those are outstanding , too ) .
When rumors that Apple was making a play for Dr. Dre ’s earpiece company , Beats Audio , first began swirling last May , it was kind of a head - scratcher . Apple has long been in the music business enterprise , but it was ill-defined why the companionship needed to add headphone to its accessories lineup . But the deal rick out to be legit : Appleshelled out $ 3 billionfor Jimmy Iovine and Dre ’s company , and the two joined Apple .
More than four months after the accomplishment was finalized , the understanding for Apple ’s interest is still fuzzy , butbecoming more clear . Apple revolutionized the medicine industry with iTunes , but now downloads are dwindling and streaming is on the rising . Apple might have been after the headphone maker ’s other Cartesian product : Beats Music , a unique stream app that Apple can marry to iTunes tocreate a Spotify competition .
2014 was a class wedge full of new Apple product , but it will also be remembered as theend of an earned run average for the iPod classic . It was n’t really a surprise when the company quietly removed the classic click - wheel MP3 histrion from the Apple Store . Apple had sell the gadget for years without updates , but it was seldom note and lack the bells and whistles of new - model iPods . ( Though with 160 GB of storage , music collector could care less about gong and whistles . )
“ We could n’t get the contribution anymore , ” Apple CEO Tim Cook explicate at October ’s WSJD Live conference .
Now that the classic has vaporize from store shelf , it ’s becomeincredibly popular on eBay . One “ vintage ” 160 GB classic sold for $ 900 on the pop reselling site , and 1000 of others are up for sale .
range byMartyn Williams
One morn toward the end of October , after the common fall blitz of Apple news insurance coverage had drop dead down , Apple CEO Tim Cook published adeeply personal essayin which he in public say for the first meter thathe is gay .
Many Apple fans greet the word with a resounding , “ Meh . Who cares ? ” Sure , Cook is still the same CEO tax with the same responsibilities . But as the first openly sunny chief executive officer of a Fortune 500 society , asThe Vergereporter Casey Newton note in his ownpersonal essay , Cook ’s in high spirits - profile declaration means a great great deal to young gay people looking for a role fashion model .
pic credit : Martyn Williams
