ICT

Apple annual developers conference set for June

Apple on Wednesday announced that its annual Worldwide Developers Conference will take place in San Francisco in June.

In an unusual move, Apple gave a one-day notice that tickets would go on sale for what is considered a must-attend event for software wizards interested in conjuring up applications for iPhones, iPads, iPods, or Macintosh computers.

The 5,000 tickets made available to WWDC here last year sold out in about two hours despite the price of $1,600 each. Apple said this year's WWDC will take place June 10 through June 14 and that tickets will become available online at developer.apple.com/wwdc on Thursday at 10 a.m. PDT (1700 GMT).

"We look forward to gathering at WWDC 2013 with the incredible community of iOS and OS X developers," said Apple senior vice president of worldwide marketing Philip Schiller, referring to the company's mobile and desktop computer operating systems.

"Our developers have had the most prolific and profitable year ever, and we're excited to show them the latest advances in software technologies and developer tools to help them create innovative new apps."

More than a thousand engineers from the Cupertino, California-based company are to present sessions at the conference, which has historically kicked-off with a keynote speech from the Apple chief. Schiller said that Apple "can't wait" to get new versions of the software powering its devices into the hands of developers at WWDC.

AFP

Dell says Blackstone has withdrawn buyout bid

Dell announced Friday that the bidding consortium led by Blackstone Management Partners, initially interested in acquiring Dell, has decided not to make an offer after all.

Dell released a letter from Boulder Acquisition Corp., a partner in the Blackstone-led consortium, withdrawing from the bidding process. The letter cited the weak personal computer market and Dell's deteriorating financial condition.

The withdrawal leaves investor Carl Icahn as the sole alternative bidder to a consortium led by company founder Michael Dell.

While the Blackstone group continues to view Dell as "a leading global company with strong market positions," the letter cited what it called two worrisome conditions.

The Blackstone group was troubled by an "unprecedented" 14 percent decline in PC sales volume in the first quarter of 2013, "its steepest drop in history, and inconsistent with Management's projections for modest industry growth."

The letter also cited Dell's "rapidly eroding financial profile." Since Blackstone submitted its bid, Dell reduced its operating income projections for the current year to $3.0 billion from $3.7 billion.

Michael Dell, joined by private-equity firm Silver Lake Partners, has proposed a $24.4 billion buyout of the company. Dell was also backed by a loan from Microsoft.

AFP