TECHNOLOGY
T-Mobile to carry iPhone
T-Mobile will likely start carrying the iPhone next year after its parent company, Deutsche Telekom, said it has reached a new deal with Apple.
T-Mobile USA had been the lone iPhone-less carrier among the four national wireless companies in the U.S. Although it has been possible to use iPhones on T-Mobile networks, customers had to provide the phones themselves. The phones also work at much slower speeds, though T-Mobile has been reshuffling its network to match or exceed AT&T’s data speeds.
AT&T Inc., Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp., already sell the iPhone.
Apple to build Macs in U.S.
Apple CEO Tim Cook says the company will move production of one of its existing lines of Mac computers to the U.S. next year.
Industry watchers said the announcement is both a cunning public-relations move and a harbinger of more manufacturing jobs moving back to the U.S. as wages rise in China.
The company and its manufacturing partner have faced significant criticism over working conditions at the Chinese facilities where Apple products are assembled.
The tech giant’s stock gained $8.45 to $547.24 on the news, which helped to lift the overall market. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 39.55 points to close at 13,074.04.
DEVELOPMENT
Dollar General on board
Stark County’s Plain Township soon will have a Dollar General store, directly across the street from township hall.
The township Board of Zoning Appeals on Wednesday approved a setback variance for the property at 2605 Easton St. NE. AP & P Development & Construction Co. plans to begin construction this spring.
RETAIL
Macy’s plans 48-hour blitz
If you thought the around-the-clock, midnight shopping madness was isolated to Black Friday, you would be wrong.
It’s now creeping into December, too, in the home stretch leading up to Christmas.
Macy’s announced Thursday that all of its stores will be open for 48 consecutive hours from 7 a.m. Dec. 21 through 7 a.m. Dec. 23. The stores then will close for an hour and reopen for normal business hours.
The department store tested out these extended hours in select markets last year.
EMPLOYMENT
Jobless claims fall sharply
The number of people seeking U.S. unemployment aid fell sharply last week as the spike Superstorm Sandy caused faded away. Weekly applications have fallen back to a level consistent with modest hiring.
The Labor Department said Thursday that applications dropped 25,000 last week to a seasonally adjusted 370,000.
Applications jumped to 451,000 in the week ended Nov. 10. People can claim unemployment benefits if their workplaces are forced to close and they aren’t paid.
AUTOS
Ford overstates MPG figures
Ford Motor Co.’s two newest hybrid models fell 17 percent to 21 percent short of the company’s promise of 47 mpg in tests by Consumer Reports, the biggest shortfall the magazine has found.
The Ford Fusion hybrid achieved 39 miles per gallon, while the C-Max hybrid averaged 37 mpg in tests of city and highway driving, the magazine said Thursday.
Despite the shortfall, the Fusion was the most fuel-efficient mid-sized sedan hybrid Consumer Reports tested.
Ford said driving styles, driving conditions and other factors can cause mileage to vary.
Compiled from our wire reports