Apple

Apple is intentionally prolonging the approval of three DJ applications from three different developers: Touch DJ from Amidio, Sonoasaurus from Pajamahouse Studios, and DJ Player from Musicsoft Arts. In protest, an ongoing online petition was organized, asking Apple to accept the apps for sale.

Multiple sources are all pointing toward the launch of a "concierge" application from Apple geared toward visitors of their many retail stores. The application will provide a similar function as their online reservations system that would allow customers to schedule Genius Bar and One to One appointments from their iPhones or iPod touches.

Our source has informed us that there's no solid release date, although it should be out sometime after Black Friday.

A new advertisement for a job vacancy at Apple HQ leads many to believe that they are starting to take games more seriously than previously thought. Apple's recruiting page on their website advertises a full-time position at their Cupertino headquarters for the title "Game/Media Software Engineer". It describes "a skilled software engineer who wants to work as part of a small highly motivated team to work on interactive multimedia experiences on the iPhone and iPod Touch," and must have shipped at least 1 major title.

Apple has officially dethroned Nokia as the world's most profitable mobile phone maker in this year's third fiscal quarter, according to a report from Strategy Analytics. “We estimate Apple’s operating profit for its iPhone handset division stood at $1.6 billion in the third quarter of 2009,” wrote analyst Alex Spektor. Nokia made $1.1 billion in the same quarter.

Apple has posted a job opening located at their corporate headquarters for the position of "iPhone OS Platform Security Manager." The individual would be responsible for a team of securing the booting, installation, and running of firmware. We're guessing that this lucky individual will be the one responsible for thwarting jailbreaking and unlocking efforts from our heroes in the iPhone Dev Team.

Have you ever wondered how the iPhone and Apple's other devices like the iPod and iMac got the iconic lowercase "i" preceding their name? It all started with the iMac, but why? Who's idea was it? The answer is Ken Segall, and Cult of Mac recently got a chance to sit down with him for an interview about the birth of the "i" and life at working with Apple during the company's rebirth as one of the leaders in consumer gadgetry.

Apple has announced that the App Store has officially reached an inventory of 100,000 available apps for the iPhone and iPod touch. While more than 100,000 have been submitted and approved, not all of them stayed available for long, keeping the number below 100k. Apple issued a statement on their website about what they think this means about their success.

Apple has released version 1.3.2 of Remote [App Store, Free], their app that turns your iPhone into a remote control for iTunes on your computer and for your Apple TV. The update adds compatibility with the Apple TV 3.0 operating system and several compatibility fixes for iTunes 9. Full list of features after the break.

Apple and AT&T get to tackle yet another class action lawsuit regarding delayed MMS support on American iPhone. This time, the case's plaintiff, Alabama resident Clyde Franklin, has charged both Apple and AT&T of misleading the public on MMS availability, with promises that it would become an option on the iPhone 3G and 3GS with the arrival of the v3.0 firmware. It did not, and Franklin notes that only a small disclaimer on the Apple website made mention that AT&T support would only come in "late summer."

It's not terribly exciting or unexpected, but it's part of the due process. In its 10-K annual report (PDF) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and posted yesterday, Apple noted that it plans to "vigorously" defend itself from a lawsuit filed last week by Nokia claiming infringement of multiple cellular and Wi-Fi patents by Apple's iPhone. Nokia's complaint alleges that these patents are essential to one or more of the GSM, UMTS and 802.11 wireless communications standards, and that the Company has the right to license these patents from plaintiff on fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory ("FRAND") terms and conditions