Apple's China Syndrome, Facebook's New Independence: Tech Weekly

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- It wouldn't be a week in technology without Apple (AAPL) in the spotlight. It's not as if the company has much going on, right?

The past week kicked off with Apple saying its new iMacs would be available before November ended, despite speculation about delays.

The 21.5-inch iMac will be available through Apple's retail stores, certain resellers and the tech giant's online store, and will start shipping in one to three business days. The 27-inch version will start shipping in two to three weeks.

Later in the week, it was reported that Apple was trying to get the Maps fiasco under control, with Apple senior VP Eddie Cue reportedly firing William Richardson, Apple's former senior director of iOS services.

As the week went on, the news for Apple got better, as the company unveiled the latest version of iTunes and good news out of China.

Apple's iTunes 11 entertainment portal adds more integration with iCloud and iTunes Match. It has several new features, including a complete overall redesign, a new library view and a new store design.

Also of note is Apple's increased presence in China. According to a Chinese regulatory Web site, a device that looks a lot like the iPhone 5 was approved for a "network access" license in China. It's expected that the iPhone 5 will come to China Telecom (CHA) and China Unicom (CHU) within the next few months. China Telecom Chairman Wang Xiaochu recently said his company hoped to get the popular device by early December.

Apple: Bull in a China Shop

Apple also noted that it would be selling the iPhone 5 unlocked for the first time to U.S. customers.

Shares of Apple enjoyed a strong week, gaining 2.4% to close at $585.28 on Friday.

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