Apple vs. Google vs. Facebook vs. Amazon

The Lines Between Software and Hardware Continue to Blur

Four big technology fiefs—Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc., Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. have been creeping into each other's turf for years. In 2013, their war is set to escalate around two fronts: hardware and search.

With new products and services expected in 2013, the four big technology giants-Apple, Google, Facebook and Amazon-will battle it out over hardware and search. The WSJ's Yun-Hee Kim talks about what products to expect from the big four in the coming year.

Software giants including Google and Amazon are interested in ramping up hardware to boost customer loyalty and to extend control over their software services and the revenues that flow from them. That is heightening their collision course with Apple, which is responding by building more of its own software to make its devices stand out.

Google, with the $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility under its belt, plans to use the phone maker to release new Android devices to help knock Apple's iPhone off its perch. And Amazon, which has upped the ante in the tablet wars with the Kindle Fire, has also been testing its own phone.

Meanwhile, all four companies see search as a big opportunity for retaining and profiting off customers. While Google's paradigm of typing queries in a search box has prevailed for years, now its rivals want to undercut the Web-search giant through mobile search on smartphones and other devices, and a slew of search services that allow recommendations from friends.

Bruno Mallart

Apple's foray is Siri, a voice-activated service that answers queries about topics like the weather or sports scores from the iPhone or iPad homescreen. Next year, the company will continue its hunt for new data to power the service, making it useful for a broader number of queries.

And at a conference in September, Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg riffed on the myriad ways that friends could provide useful answers. He said the company would expand its search capabilities in the future.

"They are all getting into each other's market," said Opus Research analyst Greg Sterling. "It is a land grab in a way" to appeal to developers, who can help make their services truly ubiquitous.The four companies are clashing in other areas as well, from e-commerce to online ads.

Here's the outlook for the tech giants heading into 2013:

APPLE

Apple must prove it can play defense in 2013.

Rivals from Samsung Electronics Co. to Amazon are gunning for the Cupertino, Calif., company, which has turned out category-defining devices like the iPhone and iPad for years.

Those competitors are having some success. Apple's share of global smartphone shipments fell to 15% in the third quarter, according to IDC, down from 23% in the first quarter of the year.

Phones are just one area where Apple has to watch its back. Android tablets are also gaining ground against the iPad. To defend its turf, Apple—which this year became the most valuable U.S. company in history—recently released the iPad Mini, a cheaper tablet aimed at competing against the slew of smaller tablets that have debuted.

Defense will get Apple only so far. Look to the living room for where Apple will go on the offense. Apple CEO Tim Cookhas stressed Apple's "intense interest" in television and the company has been testing high-definition televisions and discussing possible partnerships over set-top boxes with cable companies.

Whether anything will be ready for prime time next year remains unclear. An Apple spokesman said the company didn't want to discuss future products and plans.

As for another new area, watch search and Siri. Following Apple's ill-fated foray into maps this year, the company is continuing to invest in its voice-activated assistant that routes users to sports scores and other on-the-go information. Earlier this year, Apple poached Amazon search executive William Stasior.

GOOGLE

Google moved aggressively into new territories this year, clashing not only with its main rivals but also with cable companies and wireless carriers.

Next year, the Web-search giant will work harder to control its own destiny to ensure that its search engine, YouTube video site and newer services such as Google Wallet (which lets people use their smartphones like a digital wallet) can reach consumers without being hobbled by poor Internet speeds or blocked by competitors.

That means accelerating initiatives it launched this year, such as wiring homes with high-speed Internet and video in Kansas City, a prelude to rollouts in other locations after 2013; exploring potential ways to control wireless Internet access through partnerships; and manufacturing smartphones and tablets through Motorola, which will give it greater say on the services that run on the devices. Expect Google to also help develop more Web-connected devices for people's homes, powered by Google's Android mobile operating system.

At the same time, Google is making defensive moves as it looks to hold off its primary Web rivals, Amazon and Facebook. Google has been working with retailers that compete with Amazon by helping them to reach consumers through the search engine.

Next year, Google is also expected to help retailers offer same-day delivery of goods to online shoppers.

And to counter Facebook, Google has pushed users of its search engine, Gmail and other services to sign up for Google+, which is a cross between Facebook and Twitter Inc. that allows people to share news, photos, videos and more.

The company must decide next year whether it will partner with an auto maker to create a self-driving car using Google's software or get involved in manufacturing more directly. Separately, Google's wearable computing device, called Glass, also will be released.

FACEBOOK

At Facebook, 2012 was the year of the initial public offering. Next year, the focus will be on the social network's continuing transformation into a mobile-centric business and how far it is willing to go to own the smartphone experience.

Over the past year, the Menlo Park, Calif., company has rewritten its mobile applications, rolled out mobile-advertising products and promoted new stand-alone mobile applications, such as its messenger service.

Rivals and tech executives also want to know if—or when—Facebook will push into hardware. Mr. Zuckerberg has publicly quashed rumors that the company is building a Facebook phone, calling such a move "wrong strategy." However, people close to the company said Facebook has worked closely with handset manufacturers, such asHTC Corp., to design phones.

A Facebook-backed device, which will likely run a modified version of Google's Android mobile operating system, would help the social network promote the usage of its applications and gather more data from users.

A Facebook spokesman and HTC declined to comment.

Facebook is also expected to ramp up its search offerings next year. This month, it released a new mobile feature that helps users discover nearby businesses based on their friends and the broader social network.

And e-commerce will become increasingly important to Facebook, as it builds its recently launched Gifts business. The e-commerce platform—which lets users send goods, like Starbucks  gift cards and cookies, to friends—poses a threat to Amazon, especially as Facebook adds more retail partners.

AMAZON

For Amazon, 2013 may be the year that it rolls out its long-rumored smartphone.

The Seattle Web retailer has been testing a smartphone with its Asian suppliers and could introduce it early next year, according to people familiar with the company's plans. An Amazon smartphone would build off the company's experience with its Kindle Fire HD devices and its burgeoning app store, which now has more than 60,000 apps running on Google's Android software.

Such a device could also cut into Apple's iPhone market share and challenge device makers who build Android smartphones, such as Samsung. Amazon could release its smartphone as a low-cost, low-profit gadget that is built to profit from the sale of merchandise on its Amazon.com website, as well as e-books, games and apps. That is the approach Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has taken with his tablet computers, describing them as a sales platform rather than a profit generator in their own right.

A smartphone would also further pressure retailers by easing online purchases in retail stores, where Amazon has encouraged consumers to experience merchandise and buy it later online, a practice known as showrooming.

Amazon declined to comment.

Amazon is also going after Apple in another area: tablets. The latest iteration of the Kindle Fire tablet has gained traction and some critical accolades. Expect Amazon to push out another low-cost update next year that could further entrench its users into the Amazon ecosystem.

PayPal Releases Biggest Mobile Phone Payments of 2012

We use our mobile phones for just about everything these days from talking, texting, and even shopping. PayPal just came out with a list of their five largest mobile phone payments in 2012. Coming in at number one: A bulldozer purchased for 48 thousand dollars! Another user dropped 46 grand on a white gold necklace with 125 diamonds. A different shopper spent about the same amount on a collection of rare coins. The number four purchase was a 40 thousand dollar men's diamond chain necklace. And rounding out the top five was a 40 thousand dollar purchase of a painting. This is the high end of the growing trend of shopping with your phone. Consumer tracker I-B-M Digital Analytics Benchmark says about 13% of shoppers made their Cyber Monday purchases on a phone or tablet this year.

Sony C660X Yuga rumoured specs: 3GB RAM, 128GB storage, 16-megapixel camera, 5-inch full-HD display

Sony's next flagship smartphone has created plenty of excitement in the back alleys of the smartphone world where rumours and fiction mix freely. Here's a quick roundup of what's been mentioned so far.

Phone Arena reports via Chinese Forum IT168 that the Sony C660X Yuga will feature a quad-core processor from Samsung, 3GB RAM and an incredible 128GB of built-in storage - that's twice the storage of top-end models of smartphones like the iPhone!

Also included in the Sony C660X Yuga would be a 5-inch full-HD display, which means, based on what we've heard, the next generation flagship of four big Android manufacturers - HTC, Sony, Samsung and LG - are now on track to feature full-HD display (HTC's is already here).

Keeping with the Sony tradition of making phones with good cameras, the C660X Yuga is likely to feature a 16-megapixel camera. Powering this monster package will be a large 3000mAh battery. The phone is also expected to be water/ dust resistant, as was the case with some smartphones that Sony shipped in the second half of 2012.

The folks over at Xperia Blog state that the Sony C660X Yuga will feature a glass-back, similar to what we saw in the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. Earlier, we saw the folks over at Android Schweiz leak what they claim are the pictures of this Sony smartphone.

Sony is expected to unveil the next generation of Xperia smartphones at CES 2013 being held in Las Vegas from January 8 to 11, 2013. The Sony C660X Yuga is likely to make an appearance at the event.

Smartphone airbags could make 'cracked screens' a thing of the past

It can cost you a lot if your mobilephone screen cracks after you accidentally dropped it, but help is at hand.

Amazon has invented an airbag for smartphones.

The innovative technology makes use of the motion-sensors that are now built into most smartphones to detect when it has entered an airborne state, so that a mini-airbag can be deployed to cushion its fall.

Amazon has won a patent for the protective system this week. As well as mobile phones, the technology could be used on electronic readers, including the online retailer’s own Kindle, as well as computer tablets and cameras.

Amazon’s founder, Jeff Bezos, filed the application for a patent himself.

The application reads “Prior to impact between a surface and a device, a determination of a risk of damage to the device is made. If the risk of damage to the device exceeds a threshold, a protection system is activated to reduce or eliminate damage to the device.

The airbag would draw on data from a mobile phone’s built-in gyroscope, camera, accelerometers and other such sensors, according to the patent.

Then, if it is determined that the gadget has been dropped, the technology will trigger the release of airbags and could even include air-jets to change its trajectory in mid-air.

Nokia Lumia 920 Voted Best New Smartphone On Gizmodo Poll

The Nokia Lumia 920 is currently dominating the headlines in the mobile phone industry. Whilst it is anticipated that the phone would prove popular on account of its impressive spec list and Microsoft-funded advertising  campaign, the levels of success that it has already achieved have surprised many people.

The device (which is the flagship Nokia model to showcase Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 8 operating system) has got off to a great start, and the Finland based manufacturer is pinning its hopes on the success of this device as it attempts to regain market share which it has lost over the last few years to the likes of Apple, HTC and Samsung.

In the handful of countries, there have been reports from retailers and networks alike that the Nokia Lumia 920 has completely sold out of stock. In the UK, many retailers have confirmed that they have even had sold out of pre-order stock of the handset multiple times before they have even received initial stocks of the phone. In total, sales of Lumia 920 are estimated to be in the region of 2.5 million after less than a month on the market.

As a demonstration of just how popular the Lumia 920 has quickly become, a poll was recently carried out by Gizmodo Australia as it gears up for the Gizmodo Awards 2012. In order to determine the most popular smartphone model, with a number of high profile phones included in the list of options. Along with the Nokia Lumia 920, you will find the Apple iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 2 plus many more. Visit our website tofind out more about the Nokia Lumia 920 andcompare the best deals on the Nokia Lumia 920.

Amazingly, the Nokia Lumia 920 has stormed ahead of the competition with a whopping 84% of the votes, with the iPhone 5 in second place with less than 3%. Even prominent devices from Samsung like the Galaxy Note 2 and Galaxy S3 have achieved even less than this. The results of the poll can be viewed on NokiaPowerUser.

To achieve such levels of success in such a short space of time is certainly a good omen for Nokia’s future. Once Nokia has release its Q4 earnings, we will report back with a more detailed picture of just how many Lumia 920 handsets have been sold.

iPhone 5 vs Lumia 920 which one is best ???

The Nokia Lumia 920 may be one of the most revolutionary handsets on the Windows platform. However sales for Nokia have been declining and Microsoft is still waiting around for their big break with Windows on mobile phones. This means that the Lumia 920 has a lot on its shoulders if Nokia are to stand a chance of beating Apple and the iPhone 5 and get to where Apple stand right now.

iPhone 5 vs Nokia Lumia 920

You may wish to bear in mind that Apple was not well known for mobile phones before they introduced the world to the iPhone in 2007. So the big question is, does the Nokia Lumia 920 have what it takes to help put Nokia back on top and boost Windows Phone 8 into the spotlight just like the iPhone did for Apple years ago?

Apple and Samsung have been battling for a long time now when it comes to the best smartphone. Samsung has the Galaxy S3 and Apple the iPhone 5. However into the ring comes the Nokia Lumia 920, on AT&T. The handset has a large display and the design happens to be among one of the most innovative to date. It is available in different colours and the camera is superb.

Many people have said why the iPhone 5 is better than the Nokia Lumia 920, so how about the opposite, what makes the Nokia Lumia 920 a better choice than the iPhone 5? Let’s take a look.

The Nokia Lumia 920 comes with a resolution of 1280 x 768 and 322ppi with a size of 4.5 inches. The iPhone 5 comes with the 4 inch display, 326ppi and resolution of 1136 x 640. The winner therefore has to be the Nokia Lumia 920 as it has the larger display and more ppi. The display can also be used when wearing gloves.

The Nokia Lumia 920 comes with a camera of 8.7 megapixels on the back and there is a 1.3 megapixel camera on the front. This camera comes with dual LED flash, autofocus and it has Carl Zeiss optics and is PureView. The iPhone 5 on the other hand has the 8 megapixel camera on the back and a camera of 1.2 megapixels on the front. The camera supports FaceTime, face detections, LED flash, geo tagging and panoramic options. The Nokia Lumia 920 has the better camera in regards to taking photos in low light making it stand out over the iPhone 5.

When it comes down to storage options the iPhone 5 wins as it comes in 16 GB, 32GB or 64GB of storage. The Noki Lumia 920 is let down by the fact that it has just 32GB of storage.

Both handsets have support for LTE, 3G and 2G. However the Nokia Lumia 920 leads with NFC and wireless charging. The device can be charged with any microUSB cable as well. On the other hand the iPhone 5 has to be charged with the proprietary Lightning cable.

The iPhone 5 has iOS 6 and the Nokia Lumia 920 comes with Windows Phone 8. The iPhone 5 is the winner here thanks to having the App Store which has more apps than any other mobile platform at the moment; however the Lumia does have some great apps of its own like the Lens Caps and Nokia Maps. These may be good, but they are no match for the 700,000 apps on iOS 6 in the end. In this respect Windows does have a lot of catching up to do with their Marketplace.

The Nokia Lumia 920 comes with a choice of colours, including white, yellow, black and grey. If you want the iPhone 5 then you are stuck with the choice of black or white. The iPhone 5 is the slimmer of the two handsets and when compared side by side the Nokia Lumia 920 does look chunky. As both of the handsets have great design this has to be a draw.

The 32GB Nokia Lumia 920 will cost you $99.99 with a contract of two years and you would pay around $199 for the 16GB version of the iPhone 5, $299 for the 32GB and $399 for the 64GB version. The Lumia 920 has the lowest price tag and so it comes out on top.

The Nokia Lumia 920 has beaten the iPhone 5 as it took four wins against the two of the iPhone. One of the downsides you can’t run away from is that you can only get the Nokia Lumia 920 with AT&T, while the iPhone 5 is available with multiple carriers.

Whether the Nokia Lumia 920 will ever be able to beat the iPhone in terms of popularity isn’t known. Bear in mind that the first iPhone in 2007 was released only with AT&T and it too came with the minimum amount of apps. Thanks to the quality in design, the simple yet beautiful UI and the amazing camera it quickly shot Apple to the top. Now the Nokia Lumia 920 is following the exact same path so while it might not beat sales of the iPhone 5 which has gone a long way since 2007, Nokia are back on track and headed in the correct direction.

Amazon shaves $50 off the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD for today only

Amazon may already be selling its Kindle range at cost, but here's your chance to snag one for even less. The e-tailer's knocking a cool 50 bucks off the 8.9-inch Kindle Fire HD just for today -- valid on both the WiFi-only and the 4G LTEeditions. Just use the code FIREHD89 while checking out and you can save enough to get rid of those pesky ads, load it up with apps, and still have some left over for a few literary classics.

BBM 7 leaves beta, brings WiFi voice calls into the mix (video)

RIM moves quickly: it was just a few weeks ago that BlackBerry Messenger 7 was in beta, and today we're seeing a finished version roll out to BlackBerry App World. As we saw in mid-November, the revamp lets chatters switch to free VoIP chat on WiFi without having to drop text messaging or photo sharing in mid-session. That's not the only upgrade; there's also direct BBM profile syncing through a BlackBerry ID as well as in-app notifications for future software versions. RIM warns that the BBM 7 upgrade may take as long as a day to show up in the store, so don't be disappointed if it's not immediately available; do, however, expect inter-BlackBerry voice calls to get that much cheaper.

Researchers devise contact lens with built-in LCD

Another day, another step towards technologically tricked out contact lenses. The latest development comes from researchers at the Centre of Microsystems Technology at Ghent University, who've developed a prototype lens with an embedded, spherical curved LCD that isn't limited to a paltry amount of pixels. As opposed to LED-based solutions which could only muster a few pixels, the newly-developed screen can pack enough to display graphics that cover a contact. In its current form, the display can show simple patterns, and demonstrates the technology with a simple dollar sign. What appears on the lens wouldn't be visible to folks who wear it, however, since eyes can't focus at such a close range. Despite the limitation, researchers are tying to tackle the focusing issue and are assessing the feasibility of a version that would effectively act as a heads-up display. In the future, the tech could be leveraged for medical purposes, such as controlling light transmission to the retina when the iris is damaged, cosmetic uses and -- you guessed it -- HUDs. With the technology's foundation established, it's expected that real-world applications are potentially a few of years away. Hit the jump to catch a video of the tech in action.

GVM - Executive Education Offers 2 days course on Social Media ( Planning & Implementing Sucessful Digital Campaigns )

Leverage social online platforms and tools to boost your bottom line, create awareness and engage a com-munity around your brand to drive marketing innovation 


Global Ventures Media - Executive Education division, invites applications for its 2 day course,  Social Media ( Planning & Implementing Sucessful Digital Campaigns )

Designed to help you fine-tune your strategic understanding of social
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Key Take-Aways
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2. Learn about new tools to leverage your brand’s marketing mix
3. Determine rules of engagement and best practices from brands in
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4. Implement a core set of processes and resources needed to
successfully build, launch and sustain a social media strategy
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Candidates can find details of these programs at http://www.gvmindia.com/socialmedia.html

The key objectives of the program are to learn how to effectively leverage Social Media for business, formulate an action plan that combines the key Social Media networks and tools, effectively create compelling content to increase online presence and monitor the success of Social Media campaign.

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Deep-dive into leveraging Facebook as a tactical campaign channel
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Apple vs Samsung: Is it advantage Samsung?

JAKARTA/SEOUL: What a difference three months can make.

At the end of August, Apple Inc seemed on top of the world. Fresh off a resounding $1.05 billion US legal victory over arch-foe SamsungElectronics Co Ltd, the company was gearing up to launch the fifth iteration of its iconic iPhone. Just a week prior, its market value had surpassed Microsoft Corp's and it became the most valuable technology company in history.

That was then. Since winning a landmark US patent infringement case in August, its stock has dived 18 percent, wiping $108 billion from its value. But the shares of defeated party Samsung have surged, rising 16 percent.

The dramatic reversal has sparked raging market speculation. Some pundits say concerns are growing about the seemingly inexorable advance of Google Inc's Android, the rival software championed by Samsung. Others say fears about higher capital gains taxes have prompted investors made rich by Apple's stock-price growth to sell.

But it is the Apple-Samsung rivalry that defines a global mobile device industry with a growing list of struggling players. Together, the two mobile juggernauts account for more than 1 in 2 smartphones sold globally.

Analysts say Samsung is beginning to shed its aura as a "fast follower" and becoming a serious innovator, while Apple has failed to deliver on a truly seminal product in years - the oft-rumored Apple TV remains a well-honed rumour.

"Apple's actions have started to appear as if innovation is slowing and they're defending turf with a zero-sum market view rather than continuing to innovate as a world-beating leader," said Tony Nash, managing director at IHS, a business information provider.

The clash of the gadget titans underscores a broader battle between Apple and Google's increasingly popular Android mobile software, now installed on about two out of every three smartphones sold.

But some Asian analysts also point to Samsung's very different business model as helping it get a leg up on Apple.

The iPad maker's outsourcing structure provides fatter margins, but cedes some control to an army of suppliers, while Samsung's competitiveness is driven by keeping most of its manufacturing in-house.

And while Apple focuses on a few high-end mobile devices, Samsung's product breadth helps it scoop up new, less affluent users who can then be driven towards higher-margin devices, such as the phone-tablet combo Galaxy Note.

"In Asia, Samsung is still in the stronger growth position when it comes to smartphones - bringing large-screen models to the masses, re-introducing the pen with its Galaxy Note series and also, at the lower-end, with its entry-level Galaxy Y devices driving emerging markets like Indonesia and India," said

Melissa Chau, Singapore-based research manager at IDC.

Samsung shift
No one is writing off Apple, still the world's most valuable listed company and expected to chalk up 27 percent revenue growth to almost $200 billion in fiscal 2013 - about level with Samsung.

"There have certainly been missteps at Apple ... but if we look at what's been achieved in the year since (co-founder Steve) Job's death, there are things that keep their competitors quaking in their boots," said Rachel Lashford, Managing Director, Mobile and APAC, at consultancy Canalys in Singapore.

Among its strengths, she cited unprecedented demand around new launches, the expansion of content on iTunes and the Apps Store, a possible move to product updates twice a year, efforts to improve parts supply and manufacturing, the dogged legal pursuit of Samsung and cash reserves of more than $120 billion.

Its gross margins of above 40 percent are double Samsung's.

But the South Korean company is now beginning to generate some buzz with recent improvements in its line-up. This week, news emerged that it is likely accelerating the launch of its next-generation flagship Galaxy smartphone - which sports an unbreakable screen.

Codenamed "Project J," the Galaxy S IV could be released as early as March or April, according to leading industry analysts and tech blogs. With smartphones increasingly looking alike, an unbreakable screen could be a big selling point for the Galaxy over the iPhone.

"Samsung's richer product line-up and vertically integrated supply structure are among its strongest advantages over Apple's simpler product range and strength in software," said Kim Young-chan, an analyst at Shinhan Investment Corp in Seoul.

Samsung is estimated to have shipped close to 56 million smartphones in July-September, more than double the number of iPhones, and analysts expect it to sell around 30 million more smartphones than Apple this quarter.

The South Korean firm's shift comes as its Cupertino, California-based rival suffered from some missteps in its iPhone 5 mapping app, supply constraints that have prompted delivery delays and allegations of employee abuse at supplier plants in China.

Charles Moon, Singapore-based principal analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media, a research consultancy, sees these as a sign Apple is adjusting to maturing markets.

"A completely offensive strategy with uncontested gains are a thing of the past," he said. "Apple is not positioned well at the moment following a couple of disappointing quarters and continued negative news flow.

"Regardless of what happens (in the court ruling), Samsung and Android are winning where it counts - outside the courtroom - and this is likely to go on unless Apple can continue to reinvent itself. Very difficult, considering how far they've come, but not impossible. They've done it before," he added.

Apple missteps
In the key battleground of China - the world's No. 1 cellphone market - Samsung and Android devices in general appear to be making headway against pricier Apple gadgets.

Third-quarter data shows Apple slid to sixth place in China, its largest market after the United States. Samsung kept top slot, according to research firm IDC, which estimated the Chinese smartphone market at a record of more than 60 million in July-September.

IDC analysts forecast a rebound for Apple with this month's iPhone 5 launch there, but it has so far failed to crack the country's largest carrier by far, China Mobile Ltd.

Apple's "loss of market share and of opportunities like a stalled China Mobile agreement are notable and, potentially, show some strengths of an integrated hardware-led model of players like Samsung against the comprehensive hardware-software ecosystem model of Apple," said Nash at IHS.

"This competition is far from over and my hope is that it forces very strong and continued innovation from Apple, Samsung and others."

How Apple is going soft under CEO Tim Cook

"Those jobs aren't coming back." 

That's what Steve Jobs reportedly told PresidentObama when asked at a dinner in early 2011 whether Apple would consider moving some of its manufacturing from China to the United States. 

Jobs' successor, CEO Tim Cook, might have another response for Obama: Yes, we can. 

Though the metal edges of its PCs and mobile devices are as sharp and severe as ever, Apple is emerging under Cook's leadership as a kinder corporate citizen. Cook's announcement this week that the company is moving the production of one of its Mac computer lines to the US is just the latest step in a softening of the company's image following the October 2011 death of CEO and co-founder Jobs. 

"Cook is a gentler being in terms of how he projects himself," says Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi. That's partly of necessity, she says - few people would tolerate Jobs-like arrogance in a new CEO - but it's also a reflection of Cook's personality. 

Cook was born in Alabama and at age 52 it seems he is still very much a southern gentleman. He joined Apple in 1998 from IBM, where he worked for 12 years. Starting out as Apple's senior vice president of worldwide operations, he rose through the ranks to become chief operating officer. He made a name for himself as an expert organizer of manufacturing processes and a deft manager of supply chains. Cook ran Apple's day-to-day operations for years before he was named CEO in August 2011, but stayed in the background while Jobs commanded the spotlight. 

Cook didn't say which computers Apple would make in the US, or where the company might locate new facilities. But bringing assembly-line jobs back to the U.S. lights a symbolic beacon of hope for working-class Americans who worry that the global economy has no use for them. 

Cook's reforms have been both internal and outward-facing. Earlier this year, he visited the Chinese factories where Apple products are assembled, amid an Apple-financed audit of working conditions. Shortly after, Foxconn promised to limit working hours and raise wages. 

US workers are getting a better deal too. The Wall Street Journal reported in early November that the company will let some employees take up to two weeks of paid leave to work on pet projects that might benefit the company. The program is similar to a famous perk available to Google employees, who get to devote 20 percent of their time to entrepreneurial "hobbies." 

In addition, the company now matches employee donations up to $10,000 a year. Tim Cookhimself made $100 million in charitable donations early in the year, another contrast to Jobs, who had little interest in philanthropy. 

Under Cook, Apple has also become more investor-friendly. Jobs, perhaps scarred by Apple's lean years in the 1990s, was opposed to Apple parting with its cash reserves. That lead to the company accumulating a rainy-day fund of nearly $100 billion in cash by the end of his tenure - a hoard that investors would have liked for themselves. 

This year, Apple has begun sharing its wealth with investors for the first time in two decades, by paying dividends of nearly $10 billion a year. 

Cook's diplomacy has extended into enemy territory. Jobs was furious that phones running Google's Android software mimicked Apple's iPhone so closely and vowed to wage "thermonuclear war" against the company through patent infringement lawsuits. The worldwide onslaught of litigation is still ongoing, but in early November, Apple agreed to a ceasefire on one front: It settled all its patent suits against Google partner HTC, a struggling Taiwanese maker of smartphones. 

The terms were not disclosed, but company watchers believe HTC will be paying Apple royalties on the phones it makes, and some saw it as a sign that Apple was taking a more rational stance and starting to put Jobs' take-no-prisoners fury behind it. 

Carl Howe, an analyst with Yankee Group, says the image of a "softer" Apple that's emerged this year doesn't mean Cook is a softie. 

"Make no mistake: he's not necessarily a kind, gentle guy if he needs to get something done. He's a very hard-nosed, demanding boss," Howe says. "And he's very much of the Steve Jobs model, where if you're the janitor you get to make excuses. If you're the vice president, you don't." 

Cook, in fact, engineered a major shakeup in Apple's top ranks this fall. Scott Forstall, the long-serving head of iPhone software development, stepped down and his responsibilities were divided among other executives. Company watchers attributed his departure to difficulties collaborating with other departments and to the scathing reviews that greeted Apple's Maps application, which replaced Google Maps. 

Another senior vice president left at the same time: John Browett, who headed Apple's stores. Browett had tried to make his mark by cutting employee hours, leaving fewer people to help customers. Browett was overridden. He lasted just six months on the job. 

"Being gentle and being a pushover are two different things," says Milanesi. 

Apple and Google teaming up on $500 million-plus bid for Kodak patents

After Kodak's auction to offload 1,100 of its digital imaging patents was green-lit this summer, it looked like Apple and Google were ready to do battle for the goods. Now, however,Bloomberg cites a pair of sources who claim that the two titans have ended their face-off and are combining their efforts in a $500 million-plus bid for the patents. All three parties are staying quiet for now, but the move would certainly not be out of form for technology giants when it comes to lucrative, and potentially volatile, patents. Helping Kodak recover from bankruptcy with more cash in its coffers is nice enough, but avoiding a courtroom feud on digital photos is what sweetens the pot all around.