Patently Apple

Apple's new Fingerprint Sensor may be the Culprit Holding back the iPhone 5S

The iPhone 5S could be delayed until after June due to problems associated with Apple's new fingerprint-scanning feature designed by Apple to replace the passcode-based unlocking system on previous models. A supply chain source in Taiwan stated that Apple was trying to find a coating material that did not interfere with the fingerprint sensor, and this may be causing a delay.

The US Trade Commission Finds Google's Sensor Control Patent against Apple is Invalid

Google is on a legal losing streak of late. On Friday a German court denied Google's Motorola an injunction against Microsoft over a push notification patent that is most likely invalid. Today the United States International Trade Commission threw out the last patent-in-suit (PDF) remaining in the investigation of Motorola's October 2010 complaint against Apple. U.S. Patent No. 6,246,862 on a "sensor controlled user interface for portable communication device" was found invalid. The patent relates to the feature that a touch screen ignores touches if the user is on a phone call and holds the device close to his head. Google wanted the ITC to ban the importation of any iPhones with that feature into the U.S. market.

Google Guilty of Biggest Data Protection Violations in History

German authorities said Monday they had fined Google for illegally collecting massive amounts of personal data including emails, passwords and photos while setting up its disputed Street View service. Johannes Caspar, the data protection office's Chief stated that in his opinion "this case constitutes one of the biggest known data protection violations in history."

Apple Reportedly Returned 8 Million iPhones to Foxconn for Shoddy Workmanship

The Taipei based China Business Journal is reporting today that their sources are saying that 5 to 8 million iPhones were returned from Apple on March 15 because they were either malfunctioning or didn't meet Apple's standards in terms of appearance.

Is Samsung's Brainwave Tablet Realistic or just a PR Ruse?

Patent Bolt was first to break the news that Samsung had filed for a patent relating to technology surrounding a brain computer interface back in November 2012. The patent described neural activity being tracked on a neural activity detecting device. Preferably, the neural activity tracked includes EEG, EOG, and EMG activity." The idea is tap into concentration patterns that would be able to respond to the users mental commands to "open file", "close file", "copy file", "clicking", "paste", "delete", "space", or "inputting characteristics." Samsung is now going beyond the patent phase in the hopes of creating a new modality for communicating with future tablets and the MIT Technology Review has posted a report on the topic today.

TIME Covers Boston Crisis with a Live Photo Gallery

TIME is compiling a live gallery of photographs from the massive manhunt around Boston for the surviving suspect of the duo believed to have carried out Monday's marathon bombing. Authorities have the city and surrounding neighborhoods on lockdown as they search for 19-year-old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Time's collection of photos will be ongoing throughout the day and perhaps beyond until the crisis is resolved. The gallery now presents 21 gripping photos over the last 24 hours.

The French Berate Apple over its Brutal Treatment of AppGratis

On Tuesday, Business Insider broke the news in North America about Apple removing AppGratis from their App Store. Now new European report has surfaced that weighs in on the matter. The reports states the French have always loved Apple. Its elegant products and nimble operating systems, and its underdog struggles against IBM and Microsoft in the 1980s, are especially appealing in a country that prides itself on being chic, clever and revolutionary. Apple's two stores in central Paris nestle in locations that are dear to French hearts—under the Louvre and directly opposite the Opéra.

Penguin Kills eBook Deal with Apple to Avoid Antitrust Penalties

EU antitrust regulators stated on Friday that British media group Pearson's Penguin unit has offered to scrap e-book deals with Apple that imposed price restrictions on Amazon and other retailers. Penguin's concessions include ending "most-favoured nation" contracts for five years. Such clauses bar rival retailers from selling e-books more cheaply than Apple.

Surprise: New Android Based Convertible & Detachable Ultrabooks Begin Shipping Next Month

Taiwan's DigiTimes confirms this morning that the next generation of Ultrabooks launching shortly won't be limited to the Windows 8 operating system. The surprising news is that Android will play a huge role in these new convertible notebooks starting with one launching in May from Lenovo.

Apple's iPad Top Tablet in China with 71% Market Share

DigiTimes is reporting this morning that Apple occupied 71.6% of consumer tablets sold in the China market during the fourth quarter of 2012. The statistics were compiled by China-based Analysys International. This is a commanding lead in the largest market in the world.

Apple's iPad Takes 82% of US-Canada Tablet Web Traffic in March

Apple's iPad saw its first month-over-month gain in Web traffic share since December, marking an end to the decline which began with the December holiday season. Apple's iPad users generated 81.9% of US and Canadian tablet Web traffic in March, a 1.4% basis points increase since February.

What's with the Nasty Hiccup in Apple's Mac Orders to Suppliers?

Yesterday Apple's stock price took a nose dive on the news that consumers were likely holding back on iPad mini purchases in the hope of gaining a better deal with Apple's next generation product. Apple's upstream supply chain sources pointed to a 20-30% decline in shipments. What we didn't notice yesterday was that a second report published later in the day pointed to a nasty hiccup in Apple's Mac hardware inventory too.