Here is your daily Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) stock news and rumors for November 2, 2010. First up are some bells and whistles from the new iOS update, as well as the ability of Apple users to view Flash media via Skyfire software. But most interesting is the prospect of a partnership with mobile payment processor Boku.
iOS 4.2 Update for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch Goes Gold: The next update to Apple’s mobile operating system is on track to make its scheduled November release. iOS 4.2 build 8C134 is currently being sent out to developers and the on gold master discs. iOS 4.2 include a wealth of new accessibility features, specifically 30 new language options, with Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic among them, and larger text sizes for email, messages and notes on the iPad. The update also brings the recently launched online gaming network Game Center, already running on the iPhone 4 and new iPod Touch, to iPads.
In fact, many of iOS 4.2’s upgrades bring the iPad closer in line with the iPhone 4’s range of functionality. The new mobile operating system version will finally allow multitasking use of iOS folders on the iPad, support for a unified email inbox in addition to multiple email aliases, and document compatibility with third party apps. There are even new features built to accommodate the iPads growing enterprise user base, as iOS 4.2 brings a host of new security features, the ability to lock email account settings among them. The ability to stream movies from an iPad through an Apple TV box with AirPlay also debuts with the update.
AAPL in Talks With Mobile Payments Processor Boku: Just days after AT&T (NYSE: T) announced its new partnership with mobile payment processing company Boku comes a rumor that Apple is in talks with the company to bring their mobile payment technology to Apple’s line of mobile devies. Tech Crunch is reporting that that company co-founder Ron Hirson and Boku CEO Mark Brito have met with Apple executives in the iPhone division multiple times since the beginning of October.
While it’s possible that Apple is interested in testing Boku’s mobile payment technology on the iPhone, the Cupertino, California company’s history of taking a high percentage of every transaction through partners casts that partnership in doubt. One of the chief reasons mobile payments like those offered through Boku’s technology is the already high cut taken from vendors by Boku themselves. More likely is that Apple is interested in acquiring the company. This possibility is even more likely in light of Boku’s meetings with Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) Director of Engineering Michael Morrissey. Morrissey is in charge of Google Mobile Services, the division that includes the Android App Market. It is suggested that a bidding war between the two companies could drive Boku’s value up as high as $450 million.
Skyfire iOS Web Browser Converts Flash Video to HTML5: On Thursday morning, iPhone and iPad users will no longer have to worry about their handheld’s compatibility with Adobe‘s (NASDAQ: ADBE) Flash media format. Mobile web browser developer Skyfire will release a version of their popular browser for Apple’s iOS mobile operating system that converts Flash video to HTML 5. The browser will be available in the App Store for $2.99. Skyfire has already had great success with their browser on Google’s Android platform as well as on the Nokia (NYSE: NOK) supported Symbian operating system.
As of this writing, Anthony Agnello did not own a position in any of the stocks named here.
