Webwire: Apple's software chief leaving; New Lumias to launch this week

Apple appears to have responded to criticism over the mapping service on its latest operating system, revealing the man in charge of iOS – Scott Forstall – is to leave the company in 2013.

BBC 

 

The first Windows Phone 8 smartphones from Nokia – the Lumia 820 and 920 – will be available in the UK, France, Germany and Russia this week, the vendor has revealed.

Reuters 

 

Japan's Softbank is ready for its credit rating to be lowered to junk, due to the debt to be accumulated from its $20.1 billion investment in the USA's Sprint Nextel. But the company's head of finance expects its rating to recover as it pays down the debt.

Bloomberg  

 

Telefonica’s German business – Telefonica Deutschland – enjoyed a steady rise in it share price in initial trading, after it conducted the biggest IPO in Europe so far in 2012.

Bloomberg  

 

SingTel's Australian subsidiary Optus has launched LTE services in parts of Brisbane and the Gold Coast, as it ramps up its challenge to market incumbent Telstra's 4G head-start.

LifeHacker  

 

Microsoft has sold 4 million Windows 8 upgrades since the launch of the OS on Friday, according to CEO Steve Ballmer. 

Inquisitor  

 

Analysts claim EE will face problems convincing consumers to sign up to the UK’s first 4G service, which the operator launched this week.

BBC  

 

French tax officials have filed a €1 billion ($1.29 billion) tax claim against Google, reportedly to put pressure on the search giant to negotiate with local media sites an agreement to share ad revenue from searches involving their content, according to a French newspaper.

Agence France-Presse  

 

Dutch consumer electronics firm Philips has launched a light bulb that can be controlled via an iPhone app. Users can turn it on remotely, and change the color and brightness.

The Telegraph