« November 2012 | Main | January 2013 »

December 2012

Will Samsung's Anti-iPhone 5 Ad Come Back to Bite Them?

T5 1 - 2 - Special Report
Shortly after Apple introduced the iPhone 5, Samsung's propaganda PR machine went into high gear mocking the new phone and Apple fans in general. Samsung tried to make it like the iPhone 5 was for an older generation that was simply out of touch with technology. One particular ad mocked Apple's decision to reposition their headphone port to the bottom of the iPhone 5. Samsung may have jumped the gun on that point and it may come back to bite them in the next year of two. 

Continue reading "Will Samsung's Anti-iPhone 5 Ad Come Back to Bite Them?" »


Time Magazine Makes Two Predictions for Apple in 2013

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
Time Magazine has published their top 10 tech industry predictions for 2013. Time safely predicts that Microsoft will enter the smartphone business in 2013, which is something that we covered back in November in a report titled Microsoft Considers Releasing a Surface Smartphone in 2013. They also predict that Google may create an upscale line of mobile devices via Motorola. That would basically translate to Google finally entering the hardware business directly to challenge Apple head-on. That would definitely cause sparks that could ignite round two of the patent wars. Yet at the end of the day, there were two predictions by Time relating to Apple. The first prediction sees Apple making a large investment in its supply chain. Their guesses include owning a key display manufacturer, owning hardware machining factories, and/or even investing or co-investing in a foundry to manufacture its own semiconductors for all of its computers. Their second prediction is a little more daring. Okay, a lot more daring.

Continue reading "Time Magazine Makes Two Predictions for Apple in 2013" »


Apple Invents Advanced "Active Stylus" to Work with iDevices

1.1 Apple Invents Advanced Stylus to Work with iDevices
Our last patent report for 2012 goes to a new patent application that was published by the US Patent office last week regarding an advanced "Active Stylus." Over the years, Apple has stated that they weren't interested in a 7" iPad and now it's going to be one of Apple's hottest selling products in 2013. Apple denied they had interest in a cellphone of their own and storing data in the sky, now the cloud, was quite humorous to Steve Jobs. Yes, Apple has said they weren't interested in certain products just to turn around and actually deliver them as the next great thing. The old boring dumb stick called the stylus is another one that Steve Jobs supposedly didn't like and at the time it made sense. Yet it's just a known fact that Apple's engineers have been working on "reinventing" the stylus for years now, contrary to their public stance. Even the idea that it was too easy to lose a stylus has been overcome with the advent of Apple's work with encoded magnets that's behind the iPad's Smart Cover product. Today, the stylus is more like a crayon than a pen. Samsung's Galaxy Note product with a stylus is a case in point. It just sucks as a pen. Apple's latest invention introduces the "active stylus" to overcome common stylus problems and names the iPhone and iPad by name as products that may be able to take advantage of the active stylus in the future. 

Continue reading "Apple Invents Advanced "Active Stylus" to Work with iDevices" »


The Most Popular IP Reports of 2012

1. The Most Popular IP Reports of 2012
It's that time of year again when we list our top IP reports of the year based on reader popularity. The results are simply based on the sheer volume of hits received per report. In other words, these are the IP reports that the Mac Community voted in as the winners. Our report presents you with ten patents, two trademarks, one news report and an oddball that we just couldn't ignore. The reports are listed in random order. Did any of your favorites make the list this year? 

Continue reading "The Most Popular IP Reports of 2012" »


Apple Drops Patent Claims against Samsung's Galaxy SIII Mini

TT 05 2MM Patently Legal News 2012
Reuters is reporting this afternoon that Apple has agreed to withdraw patent claims against a new Samsung phone with a high-end display after Samsung said it was not offering to sell the product in the crucial U.S. market. Apple disclosed the agreement in a filing on Friday in U.S. District Court in San Jose, California. Samsung's representative stated that it is not "making, using, selling, offering to sell or importing the Galaxy S III Mini in the United States." Based on that, Apple said it agreed to withdraw its patent claims on the Mini, "so long as the current withdrawal will not prejudice Apple's ability later to accuse the Galaxy S III Mini if the factual circumstances change." Apple had previously argued that the device infringed on the same patents included in its $1.5 billion verdict against Samsung.

Continue reading "Apple Drops Patent Claims against Samsung's Galaxy SIII Mini" »


Apple iBooks Author Logo now a Registered Trademark in China

1. Apple's iBooks Author logo now a Registered Trademark in China
On December 28, 2012, China's Patent & Trademark Office published two of Apple's latest registered trademarks for the iBooks Author Logo in both color and black and white as noted above. The logos are now protected until 2017. The timing of the registered trademarks couldn't have come at a better time considering that the US Patent and Trademark Office just suspended Apple's US trademark filing 85642785 on December 17, 2012. The reason for the suspension was insufficient proof of their foreign priority filing. China publishing the registered trademarks publically today should expedite Apple's application to final status shortly.

Continue reading "Apple iBooks Author Logo now a Registered Trademark in China" »


Rumor: Apple's 2013 MacBook Air to use a new kind of Processor

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
DigiTimes is reporting this morning that Apple has issued requests for quotations (RFQ) to Taiwan-based supply chain makers for the revision of several notebook models including MacBook Pro and MacBook Air series in June 2013, causing ultrabook vendors to be concerned, according to supply chain makers. But what struck me about this report is that they stated that "sources pointed out that the MacBook Air for 2013 will feature a new processor platform, but its industrial design will not see any major changes." They didn't just say processor, they stated new processor platform. In February, MacRumors reported that Apple seriously considered using AMD processors and just last month Bloomberg report that Apple was considering a switch to ARM processors for future Macs. Is there a big switch for Apple's MacBook Air lineup for the second half of 2013? Time will tell.  


Apple Partners to Work through Chinese New Year to meet iPad mini and iPhone 5 Demand

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
According to BrightWire, a business-to-business resource for portfolio managers, Taiwan's United Daily News is reporting this morning that the demand for the iPad mini and iPhone 5 is so hot that Hon Hai Precision and circuit board supplier Flexium Interconnect have agreed to operate their plants and certain production lines during the Chinese New Year, shown on this calendar as taking place on February 10-13. In particular, the report noted that Flexium has brought in and trained a great number of students to fill the production lines. On Wednesday we reported that Apple's iPad mini is expected to catch up with demand in Q1 2013, and last Sunday we reported that Apple is to greatly expand iPad mini production in 2013. Do you get the feeling that the iPad mini once up to speed is going to be a killer product for Apple in 2013?  


Court in China Rules Apple to Pay Authors for Copyright Infringement

TT 05 2MM Patently Legal News 2012
In March of this year, a group of Chinese authors sued Apple for allegedly adding their books to the iTunes Store without authorization. In three separate lawsuits filed in Beijing No. 2 Intermediate court, 12 writers were claiming that 59 of their works were sold through iTunes without licenses. Today, a legal newspaper in Beijing is reporting that the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate court ruled that Apple should pay the original 8 writers who filed the lawsuit a total of $68,781 US in damages for its App Store's copyright infringement. Some reports were claiming that the writers were suing for 3.5 million US while others reported 1.6 million US. So while it was definitely a victory for the writers, the penalty handed down by the court was far from the compensation that they originally sought from Apple. 

Continue reading "Court in China Rules Apple to Pay Authors for Copyright Infringement" »


Secret Hon Hai Team Predicts Apple's HDTV for Mid 2013

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
According to BrightWire, a business-to-business resource for portfolio managers, there's a hot new rumor published by China Times this morning pertaining to Apple's future HDTV. According to the rumor, Hon Hai has a special iTV development team that has already produced components for the upcoming Apple HDTV which the report boldly targets for a mid-2013 debut when Apple  is to reveal the integration of its content platform. This rumor supports another one that surfaced last week that stated that Apple HDTV tests were underway at Hon Hai. Patently Apple will continue to report on these rumors even though we're a little skeptical. The question of the day is: Will 2013 be the year for Apple's HDTV?


In 2013 Apple to have 1.8 Million Mac Minis made in the US & Shift IGZO Suppliers to Meet Demand

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
According to DigiTimes, Apple is likely to move their Mac mini production line from Foxconn China to Foxconn US. Hiring will begin in 2013 for the new automated production lines that are expected to produce close to two million units. The move appears to be a PR move, as the volume is a drop in the bucket for Apple. Other major OEM's that might get the business includes Quanta Computer which has plants in Fremont California and Nashville, Tennessee. DigiTimes also reports today that Apple is inquiring about whether AU Optronics L5C line could be used to produce IGZO displays. Additionally, the report states that Innolux Corporation could enter Apple's supply chain as they've licensed IGZO technology from Sharp. This move may explain the news that leaked earlier this week that Sharp is set to end IGZO LCD Panel Supply to Apple. The twist to this news is that Sharp is likely to not supply the displays to Apple, directly. 

Continue reading "In 2013 Apple to have 1.8 Million Mac Minis made in the US & Shift IGZO Suppliers to Meet Demand" »


Apple Tweaks Ongoing Research into Gaming Mouse & Nike + iPod Application

1. Apple tweaks ongoing research into gaming mouse & Nike + iPod Application
About two years ago we published a report titled "Apple Could Advance Gaming & Paint in Magic Mouse Upgrade." Today, a supporting patent has surfaced that relates to methods for how the magic mouse could process combinations of kinematical inputs such as force and velocity. According to Apple, the invention may have applicability to any electronic system or application capable of receiving input. For example, embodiments of the invention may be useful with video games, file browsing, interactive navigation, communication systems, control systems, military systems, medical devices, and industrial applications. See our 2010 report for more patent illustrations. A second patent application that surfaced this morning titled "Integrated media jukebox and physiologic data handling application" demonstrates that Apple is still tweaking their Nike + iPod system which was granted yet another patent earlier this week.  

Continue reading "Apple Tweaks Ongoing Research into Gaming Mouse & Nike + iPod Application " »


Apple Reveals Two Retina Display Technologies

1. Apple Reveals Two Retina Display Technologies
On December 27, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published two display related patent applications from Apple. The first patent generally relates to liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and, more specifically, to a coated chassis for an LCD. According to Apple, the chassis could be made from a non-conductive material and be operable to support displays found on the iPhone, iPad, MacBook and even the touchpad on MacBooks. The coating could advantageously prevent or reduce noise in the device's antenna usually caused by the LCD. Because the conductive material adds little or no bulk to the device, it's able to maintain a compact size. The second patent relates to LCDs that include a panel having an array of metal oxide TFTs, which may be configured to reduce visual artifacts by providing reduced RC loading and parasitic capacitance, thus improving overall image quality. In one embodiment, the display may be a high-resolution LCD display having more pixels per inch, such as a Retina Display.

Continue reading "Apple Reveals Two Retina Display Technologies" »


Major Apple Patent Filing Reveals In-Depth eSIM Solution

1. Major Apple Patent Filing Reveals In-Depth eSIM Solution
On December 27, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a major patent application from Apple that reveals more of their total SIM solution that may have played a role in The European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) choosing their design back in June.

Continue reading "Major Apple Patent Filing Reveals In-Depth eSIM Solution" »


Apple to Harness Stored Wind Energy via new On-Demand System

1. Apple to Harness Stored Wind Energy via new On-Demand System
Last month we reported on Apple & Google being the top tech leaders in harnessing solar energy. In a new patent application published by the US Patent Office this morning, we discover that Apple has invented a new on-demand system to harness stored wind energy. More specifically, Apple's patent relates to techniques for storing rotational energy from a wind turbine as heat and using the stored heat to subsequently generate electricity on demand.

Continue reading "Apple to Harness Stored Wind Energy via new On-Demand System" »


Apple Shifts its ARM Flip-Chip Biz from Samsung to Unimicron

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
BrightWire, a business-to-business resource for portfolio managers, has reported that the Taiwan based China Times has been told that Apple has shifted orders for its important flip-chip chip scale package for ARM chips from Samsung's SEMCO to Taiwanese printed circuit board maker Unimicron Technology Corp. It's another move by Apple to decrease its business with Samsung for slavishly copying their products. The report goes on to state that Unimicron had started small-scale shipments in 4Q 2012 and will shift into mass production when their new plant is launched sometime in 2013.  


Samsung's Good-Guy Routine Quickly Waning. In Fact it's Toast

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
Samsung, who likes to play up their poor little company routing in the press by continually stating that they just want Apple to stop suing them and focus on innovation rather than litigation, has stumbled on their own PR shoe laces of late. We reported earlier this week that the European Commission informed Samsung of its preliminary view that the company's seeking of injunctions against Apple for allegedly infringing "standard-essential" patents in the EU amounts to an abuse of a dominant position. Then the news came to light that Samsung launched a new lawsuit against Apple in a Korean court over software followed by a report that Samsung is now on the warpath against Ericsson requesting a ban on their products. Just looking back to late November and you'll also see that Samsung filed suit against LG Display claiming that seven of their OLED patents were invalid. Clearly Samsung's one time good-guy routine is quickly waning. Not only do they believe in offensive litigation as a viable strategic tactic against their competitors, they also believe in turning the knife in their backs by abusing their dominant position with essential patents as confirmed by the EU Commission. At the end of the day, Samsung's good-guy routine is officially toast.


Apple's iPad mini Expected to Catch Up with Demand in Q1 2013

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
In September, NPD DisplaySearch estimated that Apple would ship 8 million iPad mini units in 2012 and 20 million for all of 2013. Then earlier this week the news came to light that that Apple will greatly expand the iPad mini's production in 2013 due to bringing on more capacity via Pegatron. Today, DigiTimes is reporting that Taiwan-based supply chain makers confirm that Apple will indeed ship 8 million iPad mini units but could have shipped 12 million if Apple would have been able to secure enough displays. The good news is that Taiwan's supply chain suppliers expect Apple to ship 13 million iPad minis in Q1 2013 alone, which will easily sail past the 20 million mark for all of 2013 as forecasted earlier by NDP DisplaySearch.  

 


Apple Wins Patents Relating to a Super-Thin USB Connector, the iMac's Housing, 4G LTE Technology & 25 More

1. Apple wins patents ... super thin USB connectors, iMac, 4g LTE & 25 more
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of thirty-six newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In our last patent report of the day we briefly cover patents relating to a super-thin USB connector and the iMac's housing. We also link to two 4G LTE patents that Apple gained form Nortel earlier this year and close out our report by providing you with a grand list of the remaining twenty five granted patents issued to Apple today.  

Continue reading "Apple Wins Patents Relating to a Super-Thin USB Connector, the iMac's Housing, 4G LTE Technology & 25 More" »


Apple Wins Strategically Important Micro SIM Patent

1. Apple wins strategically important Micro SIM Patent
In April of this year we first reported on Apple's patent application for a Micro SIM connector. The timing of Apple's new micro SIM connector patent couldn't have been more perfect in light of the battle between Nokia and Apple over the design of future miniature SIM cards for mobile devices. It was even been reported that Nokia had threatened to withdraw 50 or so SIM card related patents from ETSI if the Apple proposal is approved. Well, in June Apple's design won that very battle. Today, Apple has been officially granted the patent regarding the Micro SIM card.  

Continue reading "Apple Wins Strategically Important Micro SIM Patent" »


Apple Wins Patents Relating to Multi-Touch Advancements & Processes for manufacturing iDevice Glass

1. Apple Wins Patents Relating to Multi-Touch Advancements & iDevice Glass
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of thirty-six newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we cover two of Apple's patents. The first patent relates to Apple's ongoing work with advancing multi-touch displays which Apple first introduced with their iPhone in 2007. The second patent relates to new processes that Apple invented for shaping glass for iDevices like the iPhone and iPad so that they would be both esthetically pleasing while eliminating processes involving dangerous chemicals and gasses. 

Continue reading "Apple Wins Patents Relating to Multi-Touch Advancements & Processes for manufacturing iDevice Glass" »


Apple Granted a Patent for Popular Nike + iPod Application

Dec 25, 2012 - Apple Granted a Patent for Popular Nike + iPod Application
The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 36 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In this particular report we cover Apple's latest granted patent relating to their popular Nike + iPod application. The patent covers the application's user interface which records the distance and pace of a runner or power walker. The application uniquely works in conjunction with an iPod that is able to stay in sync with a specialized sensor worn in or on top of one the user's running shoes.  

Continue reading "Apple Granted a Patent for Popular Nike + iPod Application" »


Apple Partners with New Metal Injection Moldings Supplier for iPad & iPad Mini

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
BrightWire, a business-to-business resource for portfolio managers, is reporting this morning that Taiwan's United Daily News is reporting that Apple has chosen Taiwan-based Chenming Mold Industry as a second supplier of metal injection moldings (MIM). Apple's main supplier at the moment is Hon Hai Precision Industry. The report states that shipments from Chenming Mold began sometime in October. The source claims that Chenming also aims to provide similar products to Apple relating to the production of the iPad and iPad mini in 2013. This isn't much of a surprise considering that Apple is preparing for explosive growth for the iPad mini in 2013.

Continue reading "Apple Partners with New Metal Injection Moldings Supplier for iPad & iPad Mini " »


Sharp Ends IGZO LCD Panel Supply to Apple

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
BrightWire, a business-to-business resource for portfolio managers, is reporting this morning that a report published by Tokyo's daily newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun is stating that Sharp has officially ended small to mid-sized IGZO LCD panel supply to Apple due to low profitability. At this time it's difficult to assess whether their public reasoning is factual or just a face saving measure due to Apple dumping the IGZO display due to production delays.

Continue reading "Sharp Ends IGZO LCD Panel Supply to Apple" »


Apple's 36 Patent Wins Include Original MacBook Air & iPod touch

1. Apple's 36 Patent wins incl Macbook Air & iPod touch
Santa, who is a secret agent of The US Patent and Trademark Office, officially dropped thirty-six shiny new granted patent certificates down Apple's chimney this morning at 12:05 A.M., according to Elf 101 who is Santa's official spokesperson. The Elf told Patently Apple that there were two special patents of interest. The first one was for the fourth generation iPod touch's design which may have been one of the last design patents for a product that lists the late Steve Jobs as one of the inventors. The second patent is for the MacBook Air which the late Steve Jobs proudly introduced back in 2008. Apple's patent, which isn't a design patent, covers many aspects of the MacBook Air's design. The MacBook Air is one of the best notebook designs on the market today. So much so that Intel and their band cloners have copied Apple's design form factor and called it the "Ultrabook."

Continue reading "Apple's 36 Patent Wins Include Original MacBook Air & iPod touch" »


Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from Patently Apple

1. Patently Apple Wishes you a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Patently Apple would like to wish all of our fans, friends and industry colleagues from around the globe a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Whatever is beautiful; whatever is meaningful; whatever brings you happiness; may it be yours this holiday season and throughout the coming year. Cheers!  

Continue reading "Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from Patently Apple" »


Apple to Greatly Expand iPad mini Production in 2013

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
Taiwan's Pegatron is expecting to grow a whopping 40 percent in 2013. Insiders speaking with China Times have stated that the dramatic increase is directly due to their growing partnership with Apple. Pegatron, the one-time Asus spinoff, currently has three plants manufacturing the iPhone and iPad mini.  

Continue reading "Apple to Greatly Expand iPad mini Production in 2013" »


Cries of Apple's Patents Being Found Invalid a Nice Pipe Dream

T5 1 - 2 - Special Report
Many Patently Apple fans emailed me wondering why we weren't covering the "big story" about Apple's "pinch to zoom" patent being deemed invalid. The bottom line for not covering it was because there was no definitive ruling. Most sites were claiming that Apple's pinch-to-zoom and rubber-banding patents had been found to be invalid; that the US Patent Office outright rejected Apple's patents. Yet that's not what took place in the last week, and these wild claims will eventually be seen as little more than a pipe dream crafted by the anti-Apple camp. There's nothing new to that old story.  

Continue reading "Cries of Apple's Patents Being Found Invalid a Nice Pipe Dream" »


Apple Sued over OS X, iPhone Infringing General Electric Patent

TT 05 2 - Patent Troll Case Against Apple Template
A Patent Troll or Non-Practicing Entity by the name of Princeton Digital Image Corporation has been assigned a 1987 patent by General Electric that they're using to sue Apple with. In the last fifteen months, the company has also sued HP, Intel, Facebook, Eastman Kodak, Canon and others. 

Continue reading "Apple Sued over OS X, iPhone Infringing General Electric Patent" »


Samsung Sues Apple in Korea over iOS Notifications Feature

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
For some time now I've been hearing the Android community complain about Apple copying their notification feature. PCWorld noted in 2011 that Google's notification system was first introduced in Android OS 2.0 and was one of five Android features that Apple ripped off. CNET noted in that same year that Apple lifted the notification feature from Android. More recently, Android developers were openly complaining about this in the XDA Developers forum. One topic was titled "Since Android came out with the notification shade first why can't Samsung/Google sue Apple?" Well, today that question is being answered. Samsung is suing Apple over notifications.  

Continue reading "Samsung Sues Apple in Korea over iOS Notifications Feature" »


Apple Files for "iPod touch loop" Trademark in Canada

1. Apple Files for iPod touch loop TM in Canada
The Canadian IP Office database shows that Apple filed for the "iPod touch loop" trademark earlier this month. Apple originally filed for the trademark on September 12, 2012 in Jamaica which acts as their priority claim. That was the very day that Apple's Special iPhone 5 Event was held and where they first introduced the iPod touch loop. Every new iPod touch comes with a color-matched iPod touch loop which is a clever and convenient wrist strap that you could use while taking photos, recording video and playing games.  

Continue reading "Apple Files for "iPod touch loop" Trademark in Canada" »


Apple Sued over Apple TV & iTunes Interactive Video Services

TT 05 2 RR Patent Infringement - Patently Legal Template 2012
A Texas company by the name of EON Corporation IP Holdings who recently launched patent infringement lawsuits against Asus and LG Electronics, has now added Apple to their list. In their formal complaint against Apple they boldly stated that "Many of Apple's major competitors in the wireless industry have properly paid for using EON's technology. By this action, EON engages a compulsory process that will require Apple to do the same."  

Continue reading "Apple Sued over Apple TV & iTunes Interactive Video Services " »


The European Commission Set to Charge Samsung for Suing Apple

TT 05 2MM Patently Legal News 2012
According to The Times of India, The European Commission is set to charge South Korean electronics group Samsung in an antitrust patent case, the European Union's competition chief Joaquin Almunia said on Thursday. The EU competition watchdog is investigating whether Samsung broke EU competition rules by filing patent lawsuits against Apple. "We will issue a statement of objections very soon," Almunia said, referring to the Commission's charge sheet. Yesterday we reported that Samsung had dropped Apple injunctions in Europe in the hopes of averting charges from the European Commission. At the moment, it looks like that was too little too late.  

Continue reading "The European Commission Set to Charge Samsung for Suing Apple" »


Apple's Passbook Patent Comes to Life Along with Many Others

1. Apple's Passbook Patent Comes to Life along with Many Others
On December 20, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a series of eight original patent applications from Apple. In our first report this morning, we focused on a single invention relating to enhanced haptics for future keyboards and more. In our second and final patent report of the day we present you with a brief roundup of the other original patents that were published today covering Passbook, Accessibility, duplex audio and much more.  

Continue reading "Apple's Passbook Patent Comes to Life Along with Many Others" »


New Haptics to Enhance Virtual Keyboards, Replace Home Button

1. New Haptics to Enhance Virtual Keyboards, Replace Home Button
On December 20, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple titled "Haptic Feedback Device." In the last eighteen months, Apple has worked on projects involving smart haptics and integrating a haptics layer into future devices so as to provide users with a greater sense of texture to their multitouch displays. Today's invention describes Apple's goal of creating virtual buttons that will feel like actual physical buttons to the touch and more importantly, having keys of virtual keyboards feel more like physical keys. As Apple describes it, they want the "user to feel as though the keys had been depressed." Considering that Apple lists "a keyboard of a computer and a track pad for a laptop," we see that Apple is thinking of adding haptics to devices beyond the iPhone and/or iPad. Apple revealed some rather elaborate work on this theme last September.

Continue reading "New Haptics to Enhance Virtual Keyboards, Replace Home Button" »


Apple Gains Registered Trademarks for "Touch Instruments" and their Smart Cover Logo

1. Apple gains Registered TMs for touch instruments & smart cover logo
On December 19, 2012, the US Patent & Trademark Office published two of Apple's latest Registered Trademarks. The first newly registered trademark covers Apple's Smart Cover 3D logo while the second covers Apple's "Smart Instruments" which is part of their GarageBand App for iOS. Apple has had one of the best registered trademark streaks on records receiving a total of eight just this month alone. The other registered trademarks that were published this month include iSight, The Briefing Room & Smart Instruments, Apple's Classic Mac Startup Chime and finally Retina & Game Center.

Continue reading "Apple Gains Registered Trademarks for "Touch Instruments" and their Smart Cover Logo" »


Samsung to Handily Beat Apple as King of Cellphones in 2012

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
IHS iSuppli is reporting this morning that for the first time in 14 years, Nokia won't be known as the cellphone leader as Samsung is set to take that crown for 2012. The report also notes that after being a neck-to-neck race with Apple in 2011, Samsung has decisively pulled ahead of Apple with a wide range of Android phones.

Continue reading "Samsung to Handily Beat Apple as King of Cellphones in 2012" »


Apple's "iSight" Now a Registered Trademark

1. Apple's iSight Now a Registered Trademark
In 2003 Apple introduced a breakthrough in video conferencing via iChat AV software and the new external iSight digital video camera. While the external iSight camera is no longer on the market as a separate peripheral, the iSight camera has resurrected as an internal camera integrated into Apple's latest iPad 4 and iPhone 5 delivering 8-megapixel photos and stunning 1080p HD video quality that really shines on Apple's Retina Display. Today the US Patent and Trademark Office published the certificate that registers Apple's iSight trademark under number 4,260,675.

Continue reading "Apple's "iSight" Now a Registered Trademark" »


Rumor: Apple HDTV Tests Underway at Hon Hai

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
When Apple's CEO Tim Cook described their interest in an HDTV with Brian Williams earlier this month as one that was intense, you knew that something could be up at Apple because their legendary stance on Apple TV has been one described as an Apple "hobby" product. Apple's tiny digital media player known as Apple TV first debuted back in March 2007. A week ago BrightWire reported that Apple was collaborating with its Asian suppliers and testing several large-area high-definition TV (HDTV) design plans. Today, a new report out of Taipei emphatically states that "Apple's Inc.'s television sets have gotten underway at Hon Hai Precision Industry Co." 

Continue reading "Rumor: Apple HDTV Tests Underway at Hon Hai" »


Several iPhone Dealers in China Claim iPhone 5 failed Expectations

T5 1PBLK2 - Patently Informative
Apple announced yesterday that it had sold over two million of its new iPhone 5 in China, just three days after its launch on December 14. Yet the news isn't that bright for several iPhone distributors in China who reported that "the sales of iPhone 5 have failed their expectations, and one of the dealers noted that the profits generated from the iPhone 5" were less than half compared to the iPhone 4S, reported the Yicai, an online Chinese business site. On the flipside, Yicai's report as presented by BrightWire, doesn't identify any of the dealers who are complaining, making their claims difficult to verify.

Continue reading "Several iPhone Dealers in China Claim iPhone 5 failed Expectations" »