Apple yesterday briefed investors on the company’s strategy and policy for the coming year at its annual shareholder’s meeting. Analysts and media are prohibited from bringing any kind of electronic device into the meeting but reports on what was said leaked from various sources throughout the day yesterday.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, shareholders voted against a proposal that would require the company to disclose succession plans for CEO Steve Jobs, who is out on medical leave. The proposal was brought by the Central Laborers’ Pension Fund.
Apple has taken criticism for remaining quiet about Jobs’ illness but continues to argue that disclosing succession plans would give other companies a competitive advantage.
In other news coming out of the meeting, Apple apparently says that the iTunes App Store barely breaks even, according to Mac Observer, which cited comments made by Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer. “We run the App Store just a little over breakeven,” Oppenheimer was quoted as saying, according to Mac Observer.
Also widely reported from the meeting was news that Apple will complete work on its North Carolina data center, which will service cloud-based versions of the company’s iTunes and Mobile Me services.
The New York Times recently published a report, citing people close to the matter, that claims the Mobile Me service will be offered for free in the near future, with an announcement coming concurrent with the next iteration of the iPhone.
Just prior to the meeting, Apple sent out invites to a March 2 press event, where it’s rumored the company will unveil the next version of the iPad.
