Apple’s profit and sales fell short of analysts’ projections for only the second time since 2003 as customers held off on iPhone purchases while waiting for a new model to be introduced later in the year.

Apple profits almost doubled in the last quarter, reflecting robust demand for the iPhone in China, as well as purchases of a new version of the iPad tablet, allaying the concerns that fuelled a 12% two-week slump in the stock.

First-day pre-orders of Apple’s iPhone 4S in America have topped one million, breaking the record set by last year’s model.

GOOGLE, Apple and Facebook must help pay for the billions of dollars of network investments needed for their bandwidth-hogging services, phone operators say.

Global stock markets soared higher today as investors took heart from positive signs for the global economy.

The FTSE 100 Index pushed nearly 2% higher today as shares were buoyed by healthy economic signs from the Eurozone.

The FBI is investigating a data breach at AT&T that exposed the email addresses of more than 114,000 owners of the Apple iPad, including government officials.

Wall Street plunged in another erratic session today as investors worried that the slumping US economy may not only cripple mortgage lenders like Countrywide Financial, but also create problems for other companies like AT&T. The Dow Jones industrials fell nearly 240 points.

Williams have signed a multi-year sponsorship agreement with communications giant AT&T.

IN a move to beef up its customer focus Bank of Ireland has appointed Tony Wyatt director of customer operations.

Telecoms group BT was today being linked to a surprise return to the US market after a report said it was about to make a $1bn (€771m) acquisition.

THE end of the world wide web may be nigh, top technology companies warned yesterday.

US stocks moved lower today as investors’ enthusiasm flagged in the face of multiple attacks overseas, weak sales of manufactured goods and a lower forecast from AT&T.

US telecoms equipment company Adtran has opened its European regional headquarters in Dublin.

US phone company BellSouth has agreed to sell its Latin American wireless assets to Telefonica of Spain for about $5.9bn.(€4.77bn)

Vodafone Group PLC has declined to comment on a newspaper report that chief executive Arun Sarin is expected to recommend a $30-35bn (€23.40bn-€27.30bn) bid for AT&T Wireless in the coming days.

VODAFONE’S share price has come under renewed pressure amid rumours of an intended bid for AT&T’s mobile giant AT&T Wireless in the United States.

MICHAEL LOWRY seemed indifferent when he named the top two contenders for the country’s second mobile phone licence in early October 1995, the Moriarty Tribunal heard yesterday.