Apple has been on a financial tear lately, racking up record quarters one after another. Mac market share is at an all-time high, the iPad has consumed almost the entire market for tablets and the iPhone 4 still sold more units last quarter than any other single phone despite the fact that it’s an 18 month old device. But now, as the company enters a new era under the reign of freshly mintedCEO Tim Cook, it is preparing to expand its markets in the US and abroad with the release of the iPhone 5....

Apple has used its massive cash reserves and manufacturing investment to block other manufacturers from sourcing the best parts for their devices, creating frustration in its rivals like HP and widening the gap between the iPad and its competition, a source with knowledge of the matter has informed The Next Web. We know that the HP TouchPad has beendiscontinuedand that the future ofwebOS is now in doubt.We also know that HP’sanemic hardware saleshad a lot to do with this....

China is one of the biggest markets in the world for Apple’s products. In its recent quarterly results, the company registereda whopping $17.7 billion in iPhone salesin the region. However, this stellar business performance comes at a cost of user privacy and ceding control over its own ecosystem. According to a new report fromThe New York Times, Apple gave in to China’s multiple demands, including custom hardware for iCloud and app removals....

Apple finally unveiled its much-awaited item-trackers AirTag. The $29 device helps you find your key through its U1 chipusing Ultra-Wideband technology and Bluetooth. The Find My app will show you the direction and distance of your item attached to the AirTag, so you can look for it in that specific area. If you can’t find your items in U1 or Bluetooth range,you can see its last known location on Apple Maps....

Apple is known for its strict code of secrecy, there aren’t many companies that have such control over new products and services they are about to unveil. The Cupertino company refuses to engage with blogs, barely interacting with mainstream media publications, it doesn’t provide an insight into the company via its website, a Twitter stream or various other forms of online marketing like many other major corporations do. Employees face an instant dismissal if news is leaked to a publication, leading industry rivals and suppliers tosource executives within the companyto provide inside information on Apple’s trade deals....