Sponsored by Apple

Samsung just became the leading mobile phone handsets shipper in the world, dethroning Finnish phone-maker Nokia from its fourteen-year-long run as the invincible ruler in the cellphone market. Apple holds the third place in the smartphone shipping category. Can the Korean company continue ruling the smartphone market with its Galaxy S3 once Apple releases the iPhone 5?

Apple Inc. has developed a knack for sidestepping federal income-tax obligations through an intricate paper shuffle and a smattering of subsidiaries around the world. But its tactics fall far short of the nuanced approach taken by 26 companies that paid zero dollars in federal taxes over the last four years.

Recently-granted patents suggest Apple will implement a near-field communication (NFC) chip into its sixth-generation iPhone -- presumably called the iPhone 5 -- but in addition to sending and receiving payments from customers to merchants, Apple will also reportedly use this chip to send and receive gifts from one iPhone to another.

While user excitement and rumors about Apple devices mainly flock around iPad and iPhone, Apple HD TV is also slowly yet strongly making its presence felt among TV addicts.

Apple's plans to build a sprawling new campus in Austin, Texas, looks to be in trouble. After several delays in approving an incentives deal by the Travis County Commissioners Court, the Cupertino, Calif.-based computer maker is getting very frustrated.

Shares of Hon Hai Precision Industries (TPE: 2317), more widely known as Foxconn and as the main contractor for Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), the world's most valuable technology company, plunged Friday.

Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN), the No. 1 e-retailer, reported first-quarter results that easily beat analysts? estimates because of soaring sales of its Kindle Fire tablet.

Shares of InterDigital (Nasdaq: IDCC), a pioneer wireless software developer, tanked after missing first-quarter estimates, despite renewed reports it was engaged in a self-auction.

With Apple announcing on Wednesday the dates for its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), people have already started to talk about the possibility of the event setting the stage for the debut of the mysterious iPhone 5. But while the WWDC conference has been used as a launching pad for two iPhones (the iPhone 3GS in 2009 and the iPhone 4 in 2010), 2012's event, which will go from June 11-15, is said to focus more on software, rather than speculation and rumors.

Shares of Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN), the No. e-retailer, rose slightly Thursday ahead of the company?s report of first-quarter results that might beat analyst estimates.

At its annual developers conference, which will be held June 11-15 at the Moscone West convention center in San Francisco, Apple promises five days of details and insights on iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion and no iPhone. Tickets sell out in just two hours.

Stocks rose on Wednesday after Apple's blowout quarter overshadowed a drop in durable goods and further lifted optimism in an earnings season that has far outstripped expectations.

Shares of Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S), the No. 3 U.S. telecommunications company, jumped as much as 7 percent after the company reported a lower-than-expected first-quarter loss.

Stocks advanced on Wednesday after a blowout quarter from Apple further lifted optimism in an earnings season that has far outstripped expectations.

Apple Inc's quarterly profit almost doubled after a jump in iPhone sales, particularly for the greater China region, blowing past Wall Street expectations and soothing fears the device was past its best days for sharp growth.

Wall Street extended its love affair with Apple Inc as strong iPhone sales allayed concerns it was losing market share in the cut-throat smartphone market, with analysts again rushing to raise price targets on the shares of the world' most valuable company.

Wall Street jumped on Wednesday after forecast-beating results from Apple cleared away a weeks-old market overhang and lifted optimism in an earnings season already far outstripping expectations.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wednesday after forecast-beating results from Apple removed a weeks-old market overhang and lifted optimism in a corporate earnings season that is already far outstripping expectations.

Shares of Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), the world's most valuable technology company, skyrocketed 10 percent before the markets opened Wednesday on forecasts of further recordbreaking earnings. That sent overall U.S. markets up.

Stock index futures rose on Wednesday after forecast-beating results from Apple removed a weeks-old market overhang and lifted optimism in a corporate earnings season already outstripping expectations by a wide margin.

The companies whose shares are moving in pre-market trade Wednesday are: Apple Inc, Arm Holdings, Broadcom Corp, Sprint Nextel, Eli Lilly, Amgen Inc, Harley-Davidson, Baidu Inc, ABB Ltd and FMC Technologies.

Stock index futures rose on Wednesday after forecast-beating results from Apple removed a weeks-old market overhang and lifted optimism in a corporate earnings season already outstripping expectations by a wide margin.

Asian stock markets ended mixed Wednesday as market participants awaited the Fed meeting outcome for any hint at monetary easing.

Futures on major US stock indices point to higher opening on Wednesday ahead of the US Federal Reserve?s meeting and durable goods order data.

The Dow and the S&P 500 rose on Tuesday after strong earnings and upbeat outlooks from big manufacturers like 3M Co , but Apple's slide ahead of its results drove the Nasdaq down.

Asian stock markets advanced Wednesday as signs of an improvement in the US housing market and better-than-expected quarterly earnings from corporate majors buoyed sentiment.

For the 19th time in the last 20 quarters, Apple reported sales that exceeded Wall Street's estimates. Not bad for a company started out of a garage. On Tuesday, Apple followed-up its most successful quarter in company history with its Q2 2012 financial results.

Apple Inc on Tuesday reported quarterly revenue that handily beat Wall Street's estimates, driven by strong demand for its iPhones and iPads, sending its shares more than 5 percent higher.

Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL), the world's most valuable technology company, reported second-quarter financial results that blew past analyst expectations.