A heist, a lawsuit, a liar, a passel of new products and a $75 million payout forgone

Apple had to halt the Jan. 13 launch of the iPhone 4S in Beijing. Photo: M.I.C. Gadget

FORTUNE -- There was no shortage of big Apple (AAPL) news in 2012, from a billion-dollar jury verdict to a three-month bear market that lopped $260 billion off the company's market cap. But of the 814 items filed in this space over the past 12 months, these were the 10 that -- for good or ill -- interested the most readers:

• FBI arrests JFK worker in heist of 3,600 Apple iPad minis: Suspect reportedly helping detectives search Long Island for a truck full of stolen iPads (Nov. 18; 122 comments)
• Apple's iPhone 5: The reviews: They're in, and except for Maps and the new dock, they're quite positive (Sept. 19; 319 comments)
• Pre-orders for Apple's iPhone 5 sell out in less than an hour: Customers ordering now from the Apple Store may have to wait two weeks for delivery (Sept. 14; 593 comments)
• Apple and the Daisey affair: Why did the company keep its silence, when it knew a year ago what we know now? (March 18; 379 comments)
• Apple's iPad mini: The reviews: Love the fit and finish, not so crazy about the screen or price (Oct. 31; 232 comments)
• Apple's newest iPad: What to expect on Oct. 23: A round-up of what the analysts are saying (Oct. 21; 170 comments)
• Why Apple pulled the plug on Google Maps: The company's real mistake may have been not doing it years ago (Sept. 23; 295 comments)
• Apple to DOJ: Bite me: The Justice Department may regret trying to make its e-book antitrust suit stick to Apple (May 26; 261 comments)
• Apple CEO Tim Cook to forgo a $75 million dividend payout: Asks the board not to issue dividends on his 1.125 million restricted stock units (May 24; 153 comments)
• iPhone 5 sets a sales record; 2 million pre-orders in 24 hours: Double the 1-million first-day orders recorded last year by the iPhone 4S (Sept. 17; 392 comments)

Thanks to all my readers for making this job so much fun.