Weekly Highlights: Apple's Rumored 3D Printer, Apple/Beats Deal And More

Apple is known for producing some of the most polished and innovative products in the world.

Many of them are visual (Mac, iPhone, iPod, iPad), so it's easy to see why analysts expect Apple to release a TV and a smart watch in the not-too-distant future.

Trip Chowdhry, the Managing Director of Equity Research at Global Equities Research, hopes that Apple releases both of those rumored products. But he thinks that the company might actually be working on something entirely different: an all-in-one 3D printer.

One of Google's top employees has reportedly left the company for Facebook's virtual reality division, Oculus VR.

This is an interesting development, to say the least. Facebook acquired Oculus VR two months ago to bolster its social media business.

Thus far, Oculus VR has focused exclusively on virtual reality. Google Glass, on the other hand, is an augmented reality technology that is designed to enhance users' everyday lives.

Could this be a sign that Facebook is also working on a pair of AR goggles?

Microsoft surprised consumers and investors alike when the company announced that its third game console, Xbox One, would receive $100 price cut in June.

The price cut comes at the expense of Kinect 2.0, which will be sold separately at a later date.

"The lower price should mean that XB1 and PS4 split the market going forward, and overall, the market probably grows by 10 percent or more from current run rates," Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter told Benzinga.

At this time last week, Apple and Beats Electronics were expected to merge into one unified, headphone-producing entity.

The two companies have yet to make an official announcement, which could indicate that Apple is planning to acquire a different firm -- if any at all.

Apple is expected to ship 28 percent more MacBooks in the second quarter.

This is an enormous increase, especially for a product that has endured pressure from a maturing market.

If Apple ships more units, it would suggest that consumer demand has increased. And that could only be attributed to the $100 price cut applied to the MacBook Air.

Millions of people use Livestream to stream and view live content.

That usage came to a screeching halt when the service experienced a power outage at its data center facility.

This temporarily prevented users from connecting directly to Livestream's website.

The long-awaited (and long feared) data caps are coming to Comcast.

The company announced that it plans to switch to a usage-based billing model within the next five years.

In other words, users will have to pay more for data they once received as part of their monthly package.

Comcast already employs a data cap in some markets. Those who cross the 300GB limit will be charged an additional $10 for another 50GB.

If Comcast follow through on its plan, this data plan could spread nationwide.

After a day of controversy, Comcast released a statement on the matter, insisting that it has "no plans" to announce a new data usage policy.

Google Glass was re-released to the public this week, and this time the device doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

The augmented reality headset still comes with a hefty ($1,500) price tag, despite the fact that Google might not be spending more than $152 on each device.

On the upside, Andrew Rassweiler, Senior Director of Cost Benchmarking Services for IHS, does not think that the price will stay that high for very long.

"Does it stand to reason that they could offer, you know, a price right now on the order of magnitude of an unsubsidized iPhone or less?" Rassweiler told Benzinga. "I would say the answer is yes, very soon."

The preceding slideshow was just the beginning. Check out these other hot stories right here on Benzinga.

• Spotify Vs. Beats Music: Which Should Apple Acquire?
• Should Startups File Patents Or Stick To Trade Secrets?
• Apple Pioneered A Popular Tax Loophole Strategy And Saved Billions
• Will Microsoft Have A More Aggressive Xbox One Strategy At E3?