Apple says it’s officially sold 1 billion iPhone models since 2007

Apple doesn’t want you to notice all those headlines about weak iPhone sales.

One day after posting its third quarter results, in which it revealed iPhone sales have continued to decline, Apple announced that it recently sold its one-billionth iPhone. Apple CEO Tim Cook said this about the major milestone:

“iPhone has become one of the most important, world-changing and successful products in history. It’s become more than a constant companion. iPhone is truly an essential part of our daily life and enables much of what we do throughout the day. Last week we passed another major milestone when we sold the billionth iPhone. We never set out to make the most, but we’ve always set out to make the best products that make a difference. Thank you to everyone at Apple for helping change the world every day.”

Despite this news, research firm Consumer Intelligence Research Partners said people are waiting longer to upgrade to the newest iPhone. Nearly half of iPhone owners now wait until their device is two years or older to upgrade. But in 2013, only 34 per cent of iPhone owners would wait.

This is clearly affecting Apple, as iPhone sales have been falling. It even led to the company posting its first quarterly revenue drop in 13 years last quarter. Then, on 26 July, Apple posted third quarter results, revealing that iPhones sales dipped again — 15 per cent from the year-ago quarter.

The iPhone debuted in 2007. Apple has released nine models of the device since then, and it will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the iPhone next year. It’s rumoured to have something significant planned for that year’s iPhone, including maybe a dramatic design change with a glass body, edge-to-edge display, among other things. It might even ditch the home button.

Paramount axes its exclusivity clauses with Sky TV

Paramount Studios has went back on its proposed exclusivity clauses with its Sky TV contract.

Last July, Paramount was a part of a group of movie studios including Disney, NBCUniversal and Sony that were warned about a potential breach in EU competition rules thanks to special clauses in their licensing contracts with UK broadcasting company Sky.

Paramount previously took actions to stop including special clauses that kept Sky from allowing customers outside the UK and Ireland to view Paramount’s movies online or by satellite, and promised in April to remove them from contracts fror the next five years. It also agreed to take no action on the current clauses in place. These alterations have been accpeted and are now legally binding. If Paramount happens to go back on the sanctions it has proposed, it will be fined up to 10 percent of its annual revenue.

The other studios are still involved in ongoing investigations.

Via: Ars Technica

Dolly the sheep’s clones are healthy, thank you

When Dolly the cloned sheep fell victim to premature aging, lung disease and osteoarthritis, that triggered many fears. Is cloning safe? Would her fellow clones also meet an early end? Apparently, you can relax. A University of Nottingham study shows that four of Dolly’s genomic clones (Daisy, Debbie, Denise and Dianna) are healthy, with no conditions that suggest they’re aging too quickly. Some showed early signs of osteoarthritis, but that’s normal for their advanced age. In short: cloning, if all goes well, is safe.

This doesn’t mean that the cloning floodgates are flinging wide open. As the New York Times observes, very few cloned embryos make it to adulthood. Many fail before they’re even born, and those that do frequently die while they’re very young. Also, the data isn’t going to eliminate ethical objections to cloning, especially for humans.

However, the findings might dispel some of the preconceptions that helped fuel blanket bans on cloning animals (or selling the meat from those animals) in countries like Australia and Canada. It shows that clones aren’t automatically defective — for scientists, the biggest challenge is refining the technique so that survival rates are comparable to what you’d normally see.

Via: New York Times, The Verge

Source: University of Nottingham, Nature

Tor confirms sexual harassment claims against former developer

Jacob Appelbaum isn’t going to get any sympathy from the Tor Project over allegations of sexual harassment. An internal investigation at Tor has determined that the claims against Appelbaum, who’s accused of humiliating and intimidating women, are accurate. This doesn’t mean that charges are forthcoming, but it makes Appelbaum’s own denials (he portrays this as a conspiracy to slander his name) less plausible. Appelbaum quit Tor in May, right as the harassment accusations were coming to light.

Appelbaum hasn’t commented on the results of the investigation so far, but a New York Times source says he’s preparing a response.

The investigation may also be useful for shedding light on broader problems within Tor, at least until very recently. Two community members also played a part in Appelbaum’s incidents, for example, and aren’t part of the flock any longer. Tor has already taken some dramatic steps to mend its image, including replacing its board and hiring new directors for administration and human resources, but it may learn a few extra lessons about creating a welcoming environment for women.

Source: New York Times