Apple has reportedly begun quality testing displays from Samsung and LG, the world’s two largest manufacturers of LCD panels, with the view to securing a deal to include advanced display technologies in its next-generation iPad, reportsThe Korea Times. According to sources, Samsung and LG were required to produce screens with better picture quality and density so Apple would be able to quality test the screens at one of its laboratories in China....

According to a report byReuters, Apple has finished work on an online music storage service and is going to beat Google to the punch in the race to get to the cloud. Sources close to the matter indidcate that Apple’s plans will allow iTunes customers to store their songs on a remote server, and then access them from wherever they have an Internet connection. Music labels are hoping to secure deals before the service is launched, three of the sources said....

Apple may lose Richard Lutton Jr., its chief patent counsel, at a time when the company is engaged in numerous patent battles and acquisitions,Reuters is reporting. Lutton Jr. currently manages Apple’s patent portfolio and is expected to leave the company in the coming months, with BJ Watrous – a former deputy counsel from Hewlett-Packard (HP) – already stepping in as Vice President & Chief IP Counsel at the Cupertino-based company, according to hisLinkedIn page....

Reports that Apple is working on a cheaper iPhone have been given a massive boost after it emerged that Asian suppliers have already begun manufacturing a lower-priced version of the iPhone 4, a device that will feature a smaller 8GB flash drive, reportsReuters. If true, the report would reinforce rumours that Apple is to simultaneously release two iPhone devices, the iPhone 4S and the iPhone 5. The iPhone 4S would possibly see Apple make a dedicated push into the mid-range smartphone market, attempting to appeal to consumers that have been tempted by the huge increase in low to mid-range handsets running Google’s Android operating system....

Apple has reportedly secured permission from officials within the city of Madrid and is to occupy a landmark building in the center of the city on the Puerta del Sol to open a new Apple Store, which could also serve as a hub for the company’s operations in the area. Spanish newspaperEl Pais reportsMadrid’s mayor has announced that Apple will occupy all seven floors of the famous building, which is known for its large neon sign showcasing Tio Pepe sherry, a space of 6,000 square metres....