Apple Inc

Steve Jobs' medical condition turned out to be more serious than Apple Inc. officials had previously acknowledged -- and that has analysts and legal experts questioning whether the company ran afoul of federal securities rules. Apple had disclosed in early January that Jobs had a "hormone imbalance" and would take a leave of absence, but never said he was so sick that he needed a liver transplant. Companies are not required to divulge medical details about executives, lawyers said.

Apple Inc. may bid for the rights to a wireless spectrum auctioned by the Federal Communications Commission, a risky but intriguing move that would help carry the consumer electronics company into the telecommunications realm. Citing unnamed sources, BusinessWeek reported Monday that Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs had "studied the implications" of bidding on the spectrum, which analog TV broadcasters will return to the government in 2009 as they switch to digital television.

With the lure of every song for 99 cents, Apple Inc.'s iTunes upended the retail establishment to become the nation's top music seller in less than six years. But the digital media powerhouse said Tuesday it would follow one of the oldest tenets of capitalism: The more someone wants something, the more you can charge for it. Apple finally bowed to a long-standing recording industry demand and agreed to sell music downloads at three prices -- 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29.

Apple Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs broke with his usual code of secrecy Monday to explain his health problems, but the disclosure that a hormone imbalance was causing his noticeable weight loss will probably do little to tamp down concerns. Medical experts said a hormone imbalance in a pancreatic cancer survivor raises red flags about a possible recurrence. Jobs said in 2004 that he had undergone surgery to treat a rare form of the deadly disease.

Some important questions can't be asked without sounding crass and insensitive. But there's no way around asking this one that's on everybody's mind, so here goes: What is Apple Inc.'s plan if Chief Executive Steve Jobs dies? The question of Jobs' health has been a live discussion thread since he announced in August 2004 that he had undergone surgery for pancreatic cancer. When Apple announced a few weeks ago that -- for the first time since his return to the Cupertino, Calif.

With the iPod getting to be old hat, Apple Inc. has frantically piled on extras in an attempt to make the player seem fresh again. The new version of the iPod Nano, unveiled this week at a company event, crams into the little player a video camera, FM radio, microphone, speaker and even a pedometer. Is this a sign of desperation? Well, if it is, bring it on. The new Nano is an astonishing triumph of engineering and design that has managed to pack all these new features -- along with the old ones -- into a sleek, elegant device that's a pleasure to use. None of the new features -- with the exception of the dorky pedometer -- seem like gratuitous add-ons.

The new, high-octane iPhone 3GS is loaded with features that could light up your life -- but its battery isn't one of them. Buyers are finding that the device, introduced two weeks ago, has trouble making it through a workday without a rest stop at the electrical outlet. It's proving to be something of an Achilles' heel on Apple Inc.'s flagship device, more than 1 million of which were sold in the first weekend.

Google Inc.'s hot new software enables users to make cheap international calls, consolidate multiple phone numbers into one voice mail account and get e-mailed transcripts of their voice messages. But on Tuesday, Apple Inc. declined to make the call for its iPhone users. The Cupertino, Calif., electronics giant refused to allow Google to distribute its Google Voice application on iTunes, shutting out iPhone users from easily tapping into the much-anticipated service.

Apple Inc.'s fiscal fourth-quarter profit soared 47%, surprising Wall Street and providing perhaps the strongest signal yet that technology companies may be leading the economy out of the doldrums. Fueled by brisk back-to-school sales of its MacBook notebook computers and continued momentum of its popular iPhone, the Cupertino, Calif., company said it posted its "most profitable quarter ever." Its earnings of $1.67 billion far exceeded analysts' expectations and were another sign that the technology sector might be a bellwether for a larger recovery.

Apple Inc., maker of the Macintosh computer and the iPhone, was sued over claims that display screens on the company's iMac desktop computer are defective and show unwanted vertical lines. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court in San Jose, blames a faulty transistor or connection on the back of the screens. The suit, filed on behalf of consumer Aram Hovsepian, a Florida resident, seeks unspecified damages and class-action status. Apple, based in Cupertino, Calif.