(Updates with additional details)
Apple Inc. (AAPL) will provide a "sneak peek" of its latest
iPhone software next week, amid new projections about weakening
sales of iPhones and other smartphones.
At a media event Tuesday, Apple intends to introduce the third
version of its iPhone operating system software, and new tools for
creating software programs distributed through Apple's App Store,
the company said in an invitation distributed Thursday.
A spokeswoman for the Cupertino, Calif. company had no
additional comment.
Apple's new software emerges as the global economic crisis has
hit the market for iPhones and other smartphones. The market
researcher IDC Corp. on Thursday lowered its 2009 worldwide smart
phone sales growth forecast to 3.4% from 8.7%.
Competition among smartphone software vendors is also heating
up. This week, Apple rival Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) unveiled
new elements of its latest smartphone operating system. Meanwhile,
German software maker SAP AG (SAP) and Sybase Inc. (SY) disclosed a
partnership to deliver mobile enterprise programs to workers on the
go.
Apple shares were up 3.3% at $95.74 in recent trading. The stock
has gained 12% this year, but is down nearly 50% since August.
-By John Kell, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-5285;
john.kell@dowjones.com
(Ben Charny contributed to this report.)