Will Apple Sell Millions Of Cheap iPhones To China Mobile Customers?

Posted by Michael Harper in Applesauce, Technology

Those who consider themselves ?in the know? claim Apple ?needs to? or ?will begin to? sell a cheap iPhone because some parts of the world simply don?t want to pay full price for a beautifully designed product.

They?re not entirely wrong; but it may be hard for your typical American to understand just how much a regular iPhone costs elsewhere.

So, if the point of making a cheap plastic iPhone is to sell it to as many people as possible, wouldn?t it make sense to offer it to a mobile carrier with, say, 715 million subscribers?

Apparently, Tim Cook is already on it and, according to Reuters, he?s been talking with the head of China Mobile Ltd., the world?s largest mobile carrier.

Just like poor ol? T-Mobile before they were finally given the privilege to sell the iPhone, China Mobile already has some 15 million unofficial unlocked iPhones running on their network.

This could be a huge boon for both companies, especially if pure, unadulterated numbers will be the name of the game for Apple?s alleged ?iPhone 5C.?

(Apparently it stands for iPhone 5 Color and not iPhone 5 Cheap, but I?ll never see it that way.)

The two have reportedly been in talks for quite some time. They were rumored to be cranking out a deal last May and once again last January.

Also like T-Mobile, China Mobile has been working to build out a proper 4G network that will support the iPhone.

Apple?s been working with them, as well, and rumors have it that the new LTE chips in the iPhone 5S could be truly global and work on a number of networks.

Yes, it seems the two are really trying to make this thing work.

You know, for the kids.

And it?s hard to say which company needs the other the most. Apple sure would like to sell to an additional 715 million customers and China Mobile wants to make sure these customers don?t leave them for some other, prettier company.

Last year, when rumors were flying that the two could finally be approaching a deal, I said it would be the biggest announcement Apple would make during the iPhone 5 debut event.

If they do decide to come down from their perch and offer the rest of the world a cheap, plasticky version of the phone they?ve sold millions of, a partnership with China Mobile could be even more important.

Because it?s not as if China Mobile customers don?t want to spend money on an iPhone (15 million already have), but a good percentage of those people might be looking for an entry-level phone, something cheap that works and will get them by.

I?ve never been a huge fan of the idea of a cheap iPhone, but when thinking about it in this way?an additional 10-20 million people (assumedly) who might get to pick up their first iPhone; this has to be particularly exciting for Apple developers and investors alike.

Image Credit: leungchopan / Shutterstock

About Michael Harper

Michael is a fan of All things alphabetical, The Beatles, his MacBook Pro, the Oxford Comma, and Vinyl LPs. When he isn?t forcing metaphors into tech stories, he?s usually brewing craft beer, following the Texas Rangers, and reliving his youth in a 90s cover band. He and his wife let a cat live with them, rent free, and escape to the mountains as often as possible. Michael is also an NPR listener and long-time vegetarian. For Twitter fun-times, follow @Oh_Okay.

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Source: http://blogs.redorbit.com/will-apple-sell-millions-of-cheap-iphones-to-china-mobile-customers/

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Syria limits foreign currency use, threatens traders with jail

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian traders who price goods in foreign currency will face up to 10 years in jail, the government announced on Sunday in a move aimed at stemming the increasing dollarization of an economy crippled by two years of civil war.

A decree issued by President Bashar al-Assad "forbids the use of anything other than the Syrian pound as payment for any type of commercial transaction or cash settlement".

Traders who violate the law face up to three years in jail and a fine equivalent to double the value of the payment. If the sum involved is over $5,000, punishment could rise to 10 years with hard labor, according to the decree published by state media.

Bankers said Sunday's move reinforced existing prohibitions on pricing goods in dollars - a law which has been increasingly flouted after sharp falls and wild fluctuation in the Syrian pound - and said the penalties had been stiffened.

"It's to prevent people from fleeing to the dollar," said one Damascus banker, adding the decree would not have an impact on banking operations.

"It does not in any way affect the banking sector - the country needs foreign currency transfers," he said. "The idea is that people don't all think in dollar terms as if there is no local currency. It's more a psychological move with the currency crumbling."

Sharp falls and fluctuations in the Syrian pound have led to increasing use of the U.S. dollar in all walks of life, by food sellers and manufacturers, taxi drivers and importers.

Before protests against Assad's rule erupted in March 2011 the pound stood at 47 to the dollar. After two years of war and economic collapse, it now changes hands for around 200, and briefly fell as low as 300 last month, exchange dealers say.

Devastation to the commercial and industrial cities of Aleppo and Homs, together with the loss of foreign currency earnings as oil exports and tourism dried up, have hit the economy hard. Damage is estimated in the tens of billions of dollars and this year's wheat crop is expected to fall by half.

The weakness and volatility of the local currency has pushed up inflation and left many shopkeepers struggling to price their goods in local currency.

"Having dollars, depositing them and using them as a currency of savings has never been outlawed but even before the crisis, dealing with dollars in domestic commercial transactions was banned," said a chief currency dealer in a Damascus bank.

"This is a law that imposes more penalties," he said. "Syrians can get transfers in dollars and importers can still price their goods in dollar but they cannot put dollar price tags on goods sold," he said.

(Reporting by Dominic Evans and Suleiman al-Khalidi; Editing by Janet Lawrence)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syria-limits-foreign-currency-threatens-traders-jail-121820997.html

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OUYA offers $13.37 store credit as mea culpa to Kickstarter supporters

If you were a die-hard Kickstarter supporter of OUYA, you might have had your feelings hurt to know the Android console was actually available for retail before you got yours in the mail. It looks like OUYA founder and CEO Julie Uhrman is certainly aware of that (along with a few other teething problems) as she has just sent out an email with the above image, offering all Kickstarter supporters a $13.37 credit to its Discover store. While that may not solve all of OUYA's issues, at least early adopters will feel better about it after a hearty round of You Don't Know Jack.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/iqt5_o1RKAA/

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Tunisian forces launch air strikes on Islamist militants

By Tarek Amara and Erika Solomon

TUNIS (Reuters) - Tunisian forces launched air and ground strikes on Islamist militants near the Algerian border on Friday after fierce overnight clashes in the area, which coincided with increased instability and political turmoil in the North African country.

Aircraft bombed caves in the Mount Chaambi area, where the military has been trying to track down Islamist militants since December, witnesses said on Friday.

"A major military operation with the participation of air and ground units began at dawn on Friday," army spokesman Taoufik Rahmouni said, adding that the army had surrounded a "terrorist" group of 15 to 20 militants.

"The army has now imposed a security ring around the area and is searching nearby towns in the region. Until now there are no casualties or arrests (in Mount Chaambi)," he said.

The operation was launched in the same area where militants ambushed and killed eight soldiers on Monday in one of the deadliest attacks on Tunisian security forces in decades. The gunmen slit the throats of some of their victims.

Tunisia's Islamist-led government is grappling with rising instability and a mounting protest movement organized by the secular opposition that is demanding its resignation. Rival rallies to support the ruling coalition have also been growing.

Prime Minister Ali Larayedh, who belongs to the Islamist Ennahda party, will discuss the security situation and the political crisis with opposition parties and other groups on Saturday, his office said. He is then expected to address the public.

An Algerian security source said that the militants in Mount Chaambi include Tunisians, Libyans and Algerians.

"They are heavily armed, likely with weapons from Libya," the source said. "We will do our best to support Tunisia but not intervene on its territory."

POLITICAL CRISIS

While the border fighting raged, pro- and anti-government protesters were preparing for a weekend of rival demonstrations. Protests have been mostly peaceful so far.

Tunisia's powerful union federation has called for the government to bow to opposition demands and create a new government within a week of starting talks with its rivals.

But the 600,000-strong Tunisian General Trade Union has endorsed Ennahda's demand that the transitional Constituent Assembly be allowed to finish drafting a new constitution and an election law, although it says the body must speed up its work.

The opposition, angered by the assassination of one of its leaders last week, wants the assembly dissolved.

Ennahda blames Salafi militants for that assassination and a similar one in February, as well as for two improvised bombs that exploded in Tunis in the past week, the first time such blasts in the capital. No one was hurt in the explosions.

In the town of Kasserine, near Mount Chaambi, security forces raided a mosque and arrested 12 Salafis, a witness said.

The porous border area is known for smuggling, which has flourished since Tunisians toppled autocratic President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.

The Interior Ministry said on Friday security forces had also arrested a Salafi militant who was preparing explosives in Manzel Bourguiba, a town 50 km (30 miles) north of Tunis.

Local media said the man was captured after blowing off his hand experimenting with explosives.

Another Salafist blew himself as he was trying to build a bomb at his home, the ministry said. The man's wife was wounded in the explosion in the suburb of Manouba, 10 km outside the capital, and was taken to hospital.

(Reporting by Erika Solomon; Editing by Alistair Lyon and Sonya Hepinstall)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/tunisian-forces-launch-air-strikes-islamist-militants-193416520.html

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Wall St Week Ahead: Market to shift into lower gear as earnings, data fade

By Angela Moon

NEW YORK (Reuters) - With earnings season winding down and the employment report out of the way, the U.S. stock market is likely to shift into a lower gear next week.

The earnings season so far has been largely positive with more than half of the companies that have reported beating estimates. But cuts in outlooks from a number of bellwethers, including Intel and Caterpillar , mainly due to increasing concerns over China's growth, have raised fears about the third and fourth quarters.

"It has sort of become a trend now to go into earnings season with low expectations, so beating those expectations is not a big deal," said Tim Ghriskey, chief investment officer of Solaris Group in Bedford Hills, New York.

"The market is starting to really look at outlook cuts and guidance more than earnings itself."

The market is also likely to trade sideways next week after the Dow and the S&P 500 marked record closing highs for a second day on Friday.

For the year, both the Dow and the S&P 500 are up more than 19 percent.

The S&P 500 index has passed through two century marks this year - 1,600 and 1,700. The last time the broad market index covered more round numbers in a year was in 1998 when it touched 1,000, 1,100 and 1,200, according to Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices.

Of the 391 companies in the S&P 500 that have reported earnings for the second quarter, 67.8 percent have topped analyst expectations, in line with the average beat over the past four quarters, data from Thomson Reuters showed. About 55 percent have reported revenue above estimates, more than in the past four quarters but below the historical average.

Negative outlooks for the third quarter from S&P companies have outpaced positive outlooks by 3.7 to 1 so far in this earnings season, according to Thomson Reuters data. Last quarter, the ratio was 6.3 to 1, but on average since 1996, the ratio stands at 2.1 to 1.

So far this earnings season, just 75 companies have given guidance and about 50 more companies are expected to give their outlook in the coming weeks. During last quarter's earnings season, 127 S&P companies gave guidance.

FED CONCERNS

The market will be closely watching remarks by U.S. Federal Reserve policymakers next week for more clues on when the U.S. central bank might begin to reduce bond-buying stimulus , despite mixed signals from the jobs market.

The latest jobs report on Friday showed non-farm payrolls rose by 162,000 in July, below expectations, but the unemployment rate fell to 7.4 percent, its lowest since December 2008.

On Tuesday, the president of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank, Charles Evans, is scheduled to speak at a press breakfast, while Richard Fisher, head of the Dallas Federal Reserve Bank, is to deliver a speech on the economy in Portland, Oregon, on Monday.

Elsewhere, the Bank of Japan holds its monetary policy board meeting on Wednesday and Thursday. The BoJ is expected to keep monetary policy on hold as its unprecedented quantitative easing and government stimulus gradually spread through the economy.

Among companies due to report earnings next week, CVS Caremark posts second-quarter results on Tuesday. McDonald's Corp is to report July restaurant sales on Thursday. Also on Thursday, Dean Foods Co , the top U.S. dairy company, posts quarterly results.

In economic news, weekly jobless claims on Thursday could offer clues about the labor market conditions following Friday's mixed jobs report. Institute for Supply Management (ISM) report on the services sector is due on Monday, and June trade data is due on Tuesday.

(Reporting By Angela Moon; Editing by Leslie Adler)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wall-st-week-ahead-market-shift-lower-gear-223604365.html

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Here?s How Republicans Can Take Over the Senate

One difference between professional athletes and fans, and between coaches and cheerleaders, is that while all of them see opportunities for their teams, the athletes and coaches are more likely to also see, and at least privately acknowledge, potential pitfalls. The 2014 Senate races, which are really a fight over who will hold the majority in the chamber, provide plenty of pitfalls for political professionals in both parties to worry about.

On its face, the math certainly creates opportunities for Republicans. Twenty Democratic seats are up in 2014, compared with only 15 for Republicans, although by the time of the election the numbers will be 21 and 14. (That?s because the New Jersey seat of the late Democrat Frank Lautenberg is now held by appointed Republican Jeffrey Chiesa, and it will almost certainly flip back to the Democrats in October.) As a result, while the current 54-46 partisan split (with independents Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont caucusing with Democrats) means that Republicans need only a five-seat gain to reach a majority, the bar will be raised to six seats after the New Jersey special election. So, for the sake of discussion, let?s assume that Democrats will have 21 seats to defend and that Republicans will need a six-seat gain.

Here is how the math works. Democrats have 34 seats that aren?t up in 2014. Of the 21 that are up, seven are sure bets, meaning that Democrats can count on 41 seats going into the election. Republicans have 31 seats that aren?t up, plus 11 more on the ballot next year that are done deals. That means Republicans can count on 42 seats. Democrats currently have a clear edge in four races: Edward Markey in Massachusetts, Brian Schatz in Hawaii, Jeanne Shaheen in New Hampshire, and Mark Udall in Colorado. Republicans have one analogous incumbent?Susan Collins in Maine. That brings the Democrats up to 45 seats they can feel comfortable about, to the Republicans? 43.

Next, let?s look at the expected-loss category. Republicans don?t have any seats that currently look like goners. In contrast, Democrats have three?the open seats in Montana, South Dakota, and West Virginia. Of course, surprises can occur; that?s what elections are for, but they would be true upsets in these states. Pushing those three into the GOP column puts the new Senate breakdown at 45 Democrats to 46 Republicans.

Then there are the races that are competitive but where the party now holding the seat has a clear advantage, although it?s an advantage that could evaporate if the opposition party fields a strong candidate. Republicans have no seats in this column, while Democrats have three?the Minnesota race featuring incumbent Al Franken, and the open seats in Iowa and Michigan. The real coup would be if Republicans can lure House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp into running in the Motor State. Camp will be term-limited out of his current chairmanship after this Congress, making a Senate race potentially more enticing to him. For now, all three seats tilt Democratic, giving the party a 48-46 edge.

That brings us to the final half-dozen seats, four held by Democrats and two by Republicans. For Democrats to keep their majority with 50 seats (Vice President Joe Biden would break a 50-50 tie), they must win two of the six. In four of the races, Democratic incumbents will face stiff challenges: Mark Begich of Alaska, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, and Mark Pryor of Arkansas. Republicans have two seats in this category?the one held by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell in Kentucky and the open Georgia seat.

Larger version

That Democrats need to win only two of the six most competitive races would suggest that they have a comfortable edge?or that Republicans? path to a majority is very narrow, as they must win five of the six to claim 51 seats. But two potentially offsetting factors could make the Democrats? task more difficult.

First, the six most-competitive contests are in states of varying shades of red. By this measure, Hagan may be in the best shape, since GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney won North Carolina by only 2 points. Romney carried Alaska (Begich) by 14 points, Arkansas (Pryor) by 24 points, and Louisiana (Landrieu) by 17 points, making them tough states for Democrats these days. Romney also won the two states with competitive races for GOP-held seats: Georgia backed Romney by 8 points, while Kentucky gave him a whopping 23-point advantage over President Obama. Keep in mind that even though the Republican Party is suffering from some real ?brand? image problems nationally, it is far better off in these six states.

The final consideration is that the voter groups that were so helpful to Obama in 2008 and 2012?unmarried women, young people, and minorities?are far less likely to turn out in a midterm election when Obama?s name won?t be on the ballot.

The bottom line: While Republicans have a narrow path to the majority, the seats they must win are in friendly states, and turnout will work in their favor because this is a midterm election. It?s going to be a heck of a fight.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/republicans-over-senate-060647046.html

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At least 40 killed in Syrian weapons depot blast

This image posted on the official Facebook page of the Syrian Presidency on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 purports to show Syrian President Bashar Assad shaking hands with a solider during Syrian Arab Army day in Darya, Syria. Syrian state-run TV says Assad has visited a tense Damascus suburb to inspect his troops on the occasion of the country's Army Day. The visit on Thursday is Assad's first known public trip outside the capital, his seat of power, since he visited the Baba Amr district in the central city of Homs after troops seized it from rebels in March 2012. Daraya, just south of Damascus, was held by rebels for a long time and it took the army weeks of heavy fighting to regain control earlier this year. (AP Photo/Syrian Presidency via Facebook)

This image posted on the official Facebook page of the Syrian Presidency on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 purports to show Syrian President Bashar Assad shaking hands with a solider during Syrian Arab Army day in Darya, Syria. Syrian state-run TV says Assad has visited a tense Damascus suburb to inspect his troops on the occasion of the country's Army Day. The visit on Thursday is Assad's first known public trip outside the capital, his seat of power, since he visited the Baba Amr district in the central city of Homs after troops seized it from rebels in March 2012. Daraya, just south of Damascus, was held by rebels for a long time and it took the army weeks of heavy fighting to regain control earlier this year. (AP Photo/Syrian Presidency via Facebook)

This undated photo posted on the official Instagram account of the Syrian Presidency purports to show Bashar Assad visiting with soldiers in Baba Armr, Homs province, Syria, in 2012. Amid the carnage from the Syrian civil war, President Bashar Assad has embraced every tool at his disposal including social media to project confidence and transmit his message to dedicated fans, most recently on the popular photo-sharing service Instagram posting pictures of himself and his glamorous wife surrounded by idolizing crowds.(AP Photo/Syrian Presidency via Instagram)

This undated photo posted on the official Instagram account of the Syrian Presidency and purports to show Bashar Assad visiting a patient at a military hospital in Damascus, Syria in 2012. Amid the carnage from the Syrian civil war, President Bashar Assad has embraced every tool at his disposal including social media to project confidence and transmit his message to dedicated fans, most recently on the popular photo-sharing service Instagram posting pictures of himself and his glamorous wife surrounded by idolizing crowds.(AP Photo/Syrian Presidency via Instagram)

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) ? Rocket attacks struck government-held districts in the central Syrian city of Homs on Thursday, setting off successive explosions in a weapons depot that killed at least 40 people and wounded dozens, an opposition group and residents said.

The blasts sent a massive ball of fire into the sky, causing widespread damage and panic among residents, many of whom are supporters of President Bashar Assad.

One resident said the explosions were so strong they cracked the walls of some buildings. Thick smoke and dust could be seen from a distance as explosions shook the ground.

A video posted online by activists showed a huge ball of fire over Homs neighborhoods.

The explosions in Homs reflected the see-saw nature of the conflict. It showed that despite significant advances by Assad's military, rebels could still strike back.

An official at the governor's office in Homs said about 10 rockets slammed into the neighborhood of Zahra and the nearby sports stadium, sparking a large fire and causing several casualties. He said the explosions caused massive destruction and wounded at least 130 people. He didn't offer a number for those killed.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with government regulations. He did not give a casualty figure.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which closely monitors the fighting in Syria, said 40 people were killed and 120 were wounded ? some critically ? when rockets struck an arms depot, igniting the fire.

A resident of Homs corroborated that account, saying he heard blasts for more than an hour after the first explosion. He said they could be heard from the overwhelmingly pro-regime districts of Wadi Dahab and al-Walid, where the regime is known to keep arms depots.

"Rockets were falling on the area ... when the arms depot began to explode but we don't know if the rockets triggered the blasts," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation.

He said the explosions were so strong that "they shook parts of the city." They also shattered all windows in the area and cracked walls, he added.

He said he spoke with Syrian Arab Red Crescent paramedics who told him that at least 22 bodies were taken to hospitals.

The explosions in Homs coincided with a rare trip by President Bashar Assad to a former rebel bastion near the capital, Damascus, to mark Army Day.

Assad's visit to Daraya is his first known public trip outside the capital, his seat of power, in more than a year. He visited the battered Baba Amr district in the central city of Homs after troops seized it from rebels in March 2012.

It also is the latest sign of confidence from Assad, whose troops have been on the offensive and scored significant gains against rebels in recent months. Assad pledged victory over troops fighting to topple him.

More than 100,000 people have been killed since the uprising against the Assad family's four-decade rule began in March 2011. The revolt later escalated into a civil war, which has uprooted millions of people from their homes.

___

Mroue reported from Beirut.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-08-01-ML-Syria/id-6adfe1adc99543dd8b19038e72f1da85

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White House: Russia gave us no heads up on Snowden (Washington Bureau)

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The Real News - Peace Talks Resume Between Israel and the Palestinians, But Little Hope of Imminent Breakthrough

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The Real News - Peace Talks Resume Between Israel and the Palestinians, But Little Hope of Imminent Breakthrough

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Source: http://disquietreservations.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-real-news-peace-talks-resume.html

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