Patently Apple

A New Apple iPhone 5S Touch ID Patent Surfaces

Patently Apple was first to reveal Apple's Touch ID patents in Europe just days before Apple unveiled this new feature in the iPhone 5S in September. Today, the US Patent & Trademark Office published another Touch ID related patent application from Apple that covers the circuits and packaging for fingerprint sensors.

Apple Seeks Patents for Five New Liquidmetal Inventions Covering 3D Printing and More

On November 21, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a new series of five liquidmetal patent applications from Apple. While all of the five patents are highly technical in nature, two of the patents focus on 3D printing.

Apple may cut iPhone 5C Production again while Implementing a New OEM Operating Model Strategy

As early as mid-October we reported that Apple had notified two assemblers that they'd be reducing orders for the new iPhone 5C and just last week we reported that Foxconn reduced iPhone 5C production to focus on the iPhone 5S. Today, yet another report has emerged claiming that Apple's main iPhone 5C partner is dramatically reducing production.

Apple's iCloud, iPhoto & Photo Stream Targeted in new Lawsuit

A patent troll by the name of TLI Communications has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple. The patent infringement lawsuit concerns Apple's iCloud, iPhoto, iMovie and Photo Stream products. According to the court document, TLI alleges that Apple's products use their patented technology without license or authority to classify images so that they can be easily uploaded, stored, organized, retrieved and shared. On the same day that they filed their lawsuit against Apple, TLI filed a similar separate lawsuit using the very same patent against Facebook.

Samsung Patent Supports Rumors of Retina Scanner for Devices

Earlier in the quarter the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Samsung that relates to a possible future authentication system for devices like their Galaxy line of smartphones and tablets. The patent supports the rumors that we reported on in mid-October. The system provides Samsung with an alternative to Apple's iPhone 5S Touch ID fingerprint scanner, though I highly doubt that retailers will support such a form of authorization for future purchases in the near future.

New Class Action Filed against Apple regarding iOS Maps

A new class action came to light today that was officially filed against Apple late last Friday by Nancy Romine Minkler. The class action regards Apple's marred iOS Maps app. The class action lists seven cause of action ranging from unfair competition to violations of false and misleading advertising to breach of warranty through to negligent misrepresentations. It's a bit of a head-scratcher of a Class Action. I mean, who buys a new cellular phone solely on the basis of a maps app that's accurate 99% of the time? Can anyone really sue Apple for mapping information that is incorrect less than 1% of the time? Yes they can. But whether they'll win is another matter. Our report presents you with an introduction to the Class Action and the full list of the seven counts against Apple as represented in the court document.

Samsung Seeks to Dethrone Apple in Tablets in 2014 as new Rumors Surface about a larger iPad in the Wings

Yesterday we noted that Samsung is working with Google in an effort to attack the education market sometime in the second half of 2014. We also noted that in May of this year we reported that Apple was working on 12.9" iPad for the same market. Today The Korea Times is reporting on new rumors that Apple plans to introduce a 12.9-inch iPad early next year.

Apple Granted 37 Patents Today Covering the iPad Air and Key iOS User Interface Attributes

The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 37 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we cover what appears to be Apple's iPad Air invention along with two patents relating to key iOS user interface attributes.

Smartphones with iBeacon-like Services to Grow 10 Fold by 2018

According to a new ABI Research report, smartphones will change the face of retail technologies and shopping, enabling a whole new converging ecosystem to emerge. The report considers the evolving space of retail technology, taking the smartphone as a central component. Over 100 forecast tables in ABI's full report point to in-store analytics, indoor location, smartphone retail applications, digital signage & kiosks, POS, RFID, small cells, Wi-Fi, NFC, retail M2M, and gift cards as keys to this new market.

Samsung's Galaxy Gear Sales Now Prove it's an Epic Flop

In early October we reported that "Samsung's Smartwatch Seen as a "Human Interface Train Wreck." We also reported a month earlier that "there was nothing there that was likely to compel many to actually buy it. It's bulky and delivers little to nothing in real value. I'm sure that Samsung thinks that this is a 'breakthrough' product, but it's just a super-charged wrist watch that's ugly." Well, we correctly called it out of the starting gate because a new Korea report published today claims that sales of Samsung's Galaxy Gear have proven to be a flop of epic proportions. Samsung's big move to prove that they're an "innovator" equal to Apple has ultimately failed as expected. Report Udated November 20, 2013 8:40 MST

2014 Could be a Rocky Road for Apple's iPad Market Share

According to industry insiders, Samsung Electronics has begun to check the supply chain management for materials and parts to ship over 100 million tablet PCs next year. We noted last month that Samsung had shipped 9.7 million tablets in Q3, up 123% year-over-year. We also noted that Samsung was hell bent on flooding the market with tablets so as to overtake Apple who's Q3 year-over-year stats were only up an anemic 0.6%.

Foxconn Further drops iPhone 5C Production to Focus on 5S

While DigiTimes is reporting today that Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) will stop production of the iPhone 5c at its factory in Zhengzhou, northern China, and shift the capacity to iPhone 5s, China-based ctechcn.com reports that Foxconn will not stop production of iPhone 5c but will rather reduce weekly output slightly. This adds the drop in production of the iPhone 5C as reported by Reuters last month.

Apple Acquires Israeli 3D Sensing Company PrimeSense

In July we reported that an Israeli website had reported that Apple had become one of the leading tech companies in Israel with three R&D centers employing 300-400 employees. Apple's first acquisition of an Israeli company happened in 2011 snatching up Anovit Herzliya, a Flash storage company for $390 million. Apple's Tel Aviv research center is reportedly working on sensing technologies specializing in three-dimensional analysis of body and facial movements and conversion of computer activity. The Israeli report then hinted that Apple was in the running for acquiring PrimeSense. Today the news is that Apple has finalized the deal. Updated 7:30 PST

Apple Seeks Trademark for their iOS 7 Newsstand Icon

On November 15, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest trademark filing for their iOS 7 Newsstand icon. Apple's Newsstand is a built-in application on iOS devices. It's dedicated to downloading and displaying digital versions of newspapers and magazines. In September Apple released the newly redesigned iOS 7 which included new icon designs. Newsstand is only one of the new designs. Apple's filing includes a jumbo image of the new icon.

Apple's iPhone Market Share Lead in Canada is Evaporating

A new Canadian report today states that while Apple remains the most popular smartphone choice in Canada, Samsung is closing the gap as the second ranking brand, according to Ipsos Reid's Mobil-ology study conducted in August 2013. While 33% of Canadians use an iPhone, 29% now use a Samsung device. Samsung has tripled its market share in Canada in the past two years. Samsung's market share in Canada stood at a meager 5% in early 2011.

Apple's iPad Split Keyboard Patent Surfaces with "Candidate Bar"

On November 14, 2013 the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals everything you want to know about the iPad's split keyboard. The invention places a lot of emphasis on a "candidate bar" next to the left side of the virtual keyboard as noted above. As a character input is received via the keyboard, the iPad may update the candidate bar to include various candidate characters that correspond to the received character input. The candidate characters may be individual letters or they may be words, phrases, numbers, or the like.

 

Steve Jobs Rejected the Cell Processor in 2004 & Sony Finally Dumped it for the new PS4

Back in 2005 the New York Times reported that co-founder and CEO of Apple Steve Jobs had met with PlayStation's creator Ken Kutaragi in 2004 to discuss using the Cell chip in future Apple hardware. But Jobs reportedly knocked Kutaragi back, claiming he was not impressed by the performance of the IBM-built Cell processor. Nine years later we see that Steve Jobs got it right as Sony ditches the Cell processor for the PS4.

Apple under Investigation in Italy for Tax Evasion

Rueters is reporting today that a judicial source with direct knowlege of the matter has revealed that Apple is under investigation in Milan for allegedly hiding more than 1 billion euros ($1.34 billion) from the Italian taxman, confirming a local media report. Report Updated on Nov. 15.

Apple to Spend $10 Billion on Patent Pending Robotics & More

A new report from Bloomberg's Adam Satariano claims that "Apple is putting a record $10.5 billion to work in new technology -- from assembly robots to milling machines -- that consumers will never see." The claim in-part is supported by a recent Apple patent filing revelation.

Apple and Samsung to Restart Top Tier Meeting for Settlement

According to a new report this morning, Samsung Electronics and Apple will restart top tier efforts to try and meet a court-ordered Jan. 8 deadline to find an amicable solution to their patent dispute. U.S. federal judge Lucy H. Koh, who presided over the case, ordered such a meeting. Insiders close to the case added that Samsung's mobile chief and CEO Shin Jong-kyun and Apple's Tim Cook will meet soon.

Tizen Alliance Announces iOS Porting Tool and Q1 2014 Launch with Wireless Carriers NTT Docomo and Orange

In February we first covered Samsung's game plan to introduce Tizen OS in Q4 of this year. While Samsung later announced a delay in in their introduction of Tizen OS, they're now ready to launch it in Q1 2014. The Tizen Alliance held a developers' conference in Korea to promote the growth of the Tizen ecosystem. Tizen is quickly emerging as a third mobile OS as it becomes compatible with both Android and iOS by means of a new porting technology.

Apple's iPad takes Top Spot in China's Tablet Market in Q3 2013

A new DigiTimes Research report states that there were 4.353 million consumer tablets sold in the China market during the third quarter of 2013, increasing 21.7% sequentially and 67.2% on year, according to Analysys International. Apple was the number one tablet vendor in China, as expected.

Apple Granted 32 Patents Covering a Cellular MacBook Pro Antenna, a 2 Level iDevice Button and a Steve Jobs Design

On November 12, 2013, The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 32 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we cover 3 patents. The first covers a cellular antenna for a future MacBook Pro. The second covers a two-level iDevice button and the third covers Apple's editing user interfaces and methods for iDevice. Apple was also granted two design patents today with one crediting the late Steve Jobs.

Veterans / Rememberance Day 2013

Apple's Classy iDevices are in Huge Demand in Japan

In February of this year we reported that Apple had struck gold in Japan with the iPhone taking top spot in Q4 2012. Tonight, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that the iPhone was Japan's best-selling smartphone, with a 37% market share in the six months ended Sept. 30, according to Tokyo's MM Research Institute. Apple's iPad also garnered more than 50% of Japan's tablet-computer market in the fiscal year ended March 2013, said MM Research.