Every once in a while I check out various databases around the world for new trademark and patent filings and every now and then I'm rewarded by finding something interesting or something that somehow slipped through the cracks. One of these surprises has once again surfaced and it's an interesting one that touches on the subject of Liquidmetal. The Material's extraordinary ability to bond contrasting materials together with stunning precision will no doubt provide Apple with the ability to create a series of future devices that will be seen as aesthetic wonders. And within this patent application we learn a few new twists about Liquidmetal. And to top it all off, Apple provides us with an interesting list of possible products that could be aesthetically and functionally enhanced by using this exotic material in the future.
Chitika Insights published a new report today showing Apple's iPad share of Web traffic in North American is holding firm at 82% as we reported on last month. The new report illustrates iPad stats over the last six months where iPad Web traffic has slid from 92% to 82%. In that same time frame Samsung had rung up an anemic 2% growth in their tablet Web traffic to a total of, drum roll please, 4%.
I don't know about you, but I found that Apple's last batch of TV ads were really annoying. Apple has now introduced a refreshing new kind of TV advertisement that says very little and yet says so much. It's simple. It's about taking photos every day. What's your take on the new ad?
According to a new IDC report, Apple's smartphone shipment volume hit a new first-quarter high thanks in part to the iPhone 5, with volume growing 6.6% year over year. The last time that Apple posted a single-digit year-over-year growth rate was 3Q09. IDC stated that Apple has held the second spot in the smartphone rankings for the past five quarters.
In September 2012 we reported that "Apple has reduced purchases of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels for tablet computers from Samsung Display amid the deepening patent disputes." Market experts had stated that the move is aimed at minimizing its reliance on Samsung parts. Today, news of Samsung's earnings has surfaced showing that Apple's decision to stop orders for Samsung displays have now officially Samsung's bottom line.
It was in the news recently that the Fair Trade Commission had formally set up a case to investigate whether Samsung was deceptively pitching its products online and attacking its rivals' devices. There's a fine line between a marketing team being aggressive and crossing an unethical line. That's where the Fair Trade Commission comes in to keep dirty tricksters out of the market, or more realistically, fine them and embarrass these companies publically. But now another kind of game seems to brewing over at Samsung. No one is saying it's illegal. It just smells bad.
During Apple's financial conference on Tuesday afternoon, Apple's CEO Tim Cook stated that Apple had new categories of products in the pipeline for the end of the year and throughout 2014. It was three years ago to date that Apple first hinted at a gaming console and controller. Well today, one of Apple's published patent filings revealed new pivoting buttons that may be coming to future iDevices. The exciting aspect to this is that there are two specific example button designs for a game controller that they have in mind. The first gaming button is noted in our cover graphic above while the second gaming button is presented in our report. The designs are about the buttons and not the look of a full game controller. This is the first big hint that Apple may be closer than we think to a gaming console or at least a game controller for a gaming version of Apple TV. I love video gaming and this news put a smile on my face. Come on Tim – get it out the door for Christmas. We're all cheering you on.
On April 25, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a round of eleven original patent applications from Apple today excluding 15 continuation patent filings. In this report we cover two patent applications relating to Apple's "Maps" App, a new buckling shock mounting system to better resist mechanical shock and a list of five others covering matters such as data transfers using the Low Energy Bluetooth standard and battery technologies.
On April 25, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a new In-Plane Keyboard Illumination system designed to allow future MacBooks to be even thinner. Apple's engineering teams are always pushing the boundaries of industrial design to deliver the very best products in the marketplace.
On April 25, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that generally relates to future iPhones being able to locate your vehicle in a multi-tiered parking lot. In fact, Apple states that a "parking location" can be any place where a vehicle can be parked, stored, or docked. For example, in the case of a boat, a parking location can refer to a berth in a marina; in the case of an aircraft, a parking location can refer to a location at a municipal airport (e.g., outdoors or in a hangar). The vehicle can go beyond a car and it could be useful in trying to find a bike that you've parked. This new parking system application is likely a sub-system of a broader application. Part one of Apple's future automotive-application was covered in our first patent report of the day titled "Apple Reveals Advanced Automotive Access & Control System." It's pretty clear that Apple's acquisition of WifiSLAM will definitely play a role in the development of this application.
On April 25, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a new automotive access and control system that will primarily be found in future iPhones. Last June we posted a report that revealed Apple's in-vehicle initiative with nine major auto companies to integrate Siri into popular vehicles regarding "Hands Free Navigation." Today we learn that Apple's work may be going far beyond just integrating Siri and that's major news. Apple's patent filing reveals that future iPhones will be able to open your car door, start your engine, shut off your engine for specific time frames, be able to program complete personalized car settings and much, much more. The depth of these integrated services can't be done in a vacuum, which clearly indicates that the collaboration between Apple and a number auto companies has been quite elaborate.
Apple today announced that it will hold its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) June 10 through June 14 at San Francisco's Moscone West. At the five-day conference, developers from around the world will learn about the future of iOS and OS X, enabling them to create incredible new apps with innovative features. Tickets for this year's WWDC go on sale Thursday, April 25 at 10 a.m. PDT.
