Intel has just announced that Intel's development environment for native Android applications, codenamed Beacon Mountain, now supports Apple OS X host platforms.

Why oh why has Samsung so religiously copied Apple? Well it appears that in some ways they're lost. Especially now that Apple has been in a long dry spell for new products, Samsung is going in every direction at the same time like waves going to and fro in a storm. Last month Samsung missed their numbers with the new Galaxy S4 not selling as well as forecast. Now a Korean report says the company is in a crisis in terms of direction. The question is, why is that so surprising?

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 several key patents ranging from a new projection system through to a design patent relating to curved glass. 

In February we posted a report titled "Samsung to Release a New High-End Smartphone in Q4 with its Own OS to Seriously Challenge Apple's iOS." As a global smartphone leader, it was reported that Samsung had to correct its one glaring weakness: Software. Samsung was to introduce its very own operating system at the Mobile World Congress, but limited its exposure to a behind-the-door presentation that apparently didn't go well. Now the Korean press is stating that Samsung is purposely delaying the debut of a high-end smartphone with the Tizen OS this year.

In our reports posted in April and June of this year we pointed to Apple having initial problems finding a coating material that wouldn't interfere with their upcoming iPhone fingerprint sensor. The glitch was noted as being serious enough that it could cause the technology to be delayed. Today, a new report confirms that while Apple will launch their next iPhone with fingerprint technology, the initial shipments for September could be slower than usual before ramping up in time for the holiday season.

A rumor surfaced back kin May that Apple was working on a new 12.9" iPad for 2014. The larger tablet could be a better fit for the educational market and/or as part of a new notebook-tablet hybrid product. Today, a new rumor report suggests that the slowdown in Apple's 9.7 iPad model may force Apple to enlarge the iPad to further differentiate it from the iPad mini. Whether this product becomes a reality is unknown at this time but Samsung is definitely taking this threat very seriously and is reportedly working on a larger tablet for next year.

On August 12, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest trademark application for "Live Listen." With Apple's iPhone event quickly approaching, Apple may be hinting that there's another aspect to iTunes Radio that may be announced during their keynote. Apple's trademark filing lists two International Classes covering such matters as radio transmitters, docking stations and assistive listening. Report Update Aug 13, 2013.

China's Hong Kong IP Office awarded Apple with 22 design patents in July. While that was impressive, Apple has already racked up 27 design patents in the first ten days of August. Apple was granted fifteen design patents last week and another 12 yesterday. The latest round of design patents are focused on Apple's Lightning Connector.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. International Trade Commission ordered a ban on the import and sale of some mobile devices after finding they infringed on two Apple patents. Report Udate Aug 10 - 10:50 AM PST

On August 8, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that revealed their original iCloud service for Documents in the Cloud. Our report provides a basic overview of the patent related to Documents in the Cloud along with a video of Steve Jobs introducing the new service at WWDC 2011.

On August 8, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a very interesting future application that involves the building of audible or inaudible audio hyperlinks into an app that could be played back on podcasts, TV shows or as an in-store sale carried over in-store speakers. It could be a message sent directly to your iPhone by a band at a concert notifying you that there's a special deal on music or promotional items because you attended their concert. The inaudible hyperlink is triggered at some point in an audible or inaudible message that's broadcasted. It's easy to see that there's a lot of potential for this type of future application.

On August 8, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a new tabbed browser design and methodology, the second in the last three weeks. Apple introduces us to tabbed browsing in "array mode" and a new tab pile metaphor.

Getting ahead of LG's G2 smartphone launch today, another South Korean smartphone maker by the name of Pantech announced yesterday that their new smartphone debuting in later this month through SK Telecom would be shipping with both LTE-Advanced and fingerprint recognition functionality. So why did this smaller smartphone maker rush their announcement yesterday? They did it because they were convinced that they were going to be able to steal LG's thunder on this new smartphone feature due to a Korean report last month claiming that LG was going to steal Apple's thunder on this feature. Their leaked photo in the Korean report was bang-on as to the look of the new LG 2 rear button. But in the end, LG failed to deliver a fingerprint scanner for the G2 today during their event in New York. We reported a few weeks back that both Apple and Samsung were both suffering from low production yield problems with their respective fingerprint recognition sensor chips. So it's a mystery as to why the top smartphone leaders aren't able to deliver what Pantech will in days from now. Yet besides the fingerprint mystery, LG did in fact deliver a few minor surprises at the event today and our extensive report with over twenty-five graphics will lay it all out for you. Will it be enough to be considered an iPhone killer? Time will tell depending on what Apple plans to release in September, yet it's unlikely to make a dent against the next iPhone. While LG delivered a decent new round of smartphone improvements, I think at best their new smartphone could help them in their bid for the coveted number three spot globally.

The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 41 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. In our summary report we highlight five interesting patents, illustrate a number of design patents and provide you with a comprehensive list of the remaining patents that were published today.

The European Patent Office published a new patent application from Apple late last week that describes a fused glass process for device housings. We're all familiar with the iPhone 4S having both its face and back housings constructed with glass. Apple's latest European patent filing, which lists Jony Ive as one of the inventors, illustrates the double sided glass construction design possibly extending through to the iPod, iPad, and various displays (iMac, Cinema) including a television encased in glass using a fused glass process.

Last week we revealed a scathing report from China Labor Watch (CLW) who published an investigative report detailing the labor violations of three factories of Pegatron Group, a major supplier to Apple for their new mid-level report. Pegatron was accused of labor violations in order to increase their competitive edge with Apple. Today another report has surfaced detailing Chinese regulators who are now actively scrutinizing two of Apple's suppliers Foxconn and Unimicron for pumping large amounts of toxic heavy metals into nearby rivers. The allegations of such activity were reported on by five non-profit environmental groups.

A sales ban was looming after the ITC ruled against Apple in a patent infringement suit. The ban was to take effect tomorrow. The ruling was on hold pending a 60 day presidential review that technically was to expire today. Verizon's general counsel, Randal S. Milch, had an editorial published in the Wall Street Journal earlier in late July asking for the president to intervene in this case. Late yesterday the news from multiple sources came to light that President Barack Obama's administration stepped in to veto the ban of Apple's iPad and several iPhone models. Report Update Aug.05

Apple has been on a roll lately winning a series of new design patents in Hong Kong China. The Hong Kong IP Office awarded Apple with 22 design patents in July alone covering such things as new iMacs, iPhones and the battery for the MacBook Pro. Late yesterday Apple was awarded a new series of 15 design patents to kick off August just right. The design patents cover a number of Apple products and possibly a new Apple Store pedestal styled stand for the next iPhone.

Two weeks ago 9to5Mac reported that Apple had recently hired several scientists and executives from multiple sensor developers such as AccuVein, C8 MediSensors and Senseonics. The report speculates that Apple has interest in sensors that could measure glucose and other body information that could be a part of a fitness application. An Application that could very possibly be associated with a future wearable computer device like the one Apple recently filed a patent for. New technology has recently come to light in Japan that could be of benefit to Apple's project and we'll show you how.

While Macites aren't generally the biggest fans of Microsoft the computer company, they're a little more forgiving when it comes to the Xbox. Until Apple enters the gaming console business, many Macites have been big supporters of any relevant Xbox news in the form of patent filings. So for those fans, we have a new report out today that covers some of the sensors that are being considered for Microsoft's "Xbox SmartGlass" audiovisual glasses or Head Mounted Display system for future gaming.

Apple has a reputation of including the latest standards in their products and so it's highly likely that Apple will be adopting the new USB 3.1 standard in future products.

The Commercial Times is currently the largest financial paper in Taiwan and it has a reputation for breaking news in the tech sector. Today they've created a buzz about Apple buying equipment from Foxconn and transferring it to Compal Electronics.

Today the US Patent & Trademark Office published Apple's latest registered trademark for their "Passbook" icon. The icon was officially approved late yesterday under number 4,375,163. Not that it really matters though considering that Apple's Jony Ive officially killed off one of Apple's best looking icons in exchange for one of iOS 7's worst. The new icons for iOS 7 were first revealed in June during Apple's World Wide Developer Conference keynote.

On August 01, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a series of 20 original patent applications from Apple Inc. In this report we touch on Apple's newly designed Ultrasonic Bonding machine to improve future printed circuit board manufacturing as well as an OLED patent that's about improving the quality of this type of display that Tim Cook and company currently sneer at. Our report also provides you a list of twelve links to other patent applications that were published today covering a wide array of technologies including "context-based reverse geocoding" and technology related to LTE-Advanced which is the next wireless standard that Apple will be adopting for the iPhone either this fall or sometime next year.

On August 1, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals new advances that could be coming to Apple's new "iOS in the Car" software in the future. In June we presented an in-depth report titled "Apple Takes the Lead in the Next Battlefront: Advanced Eyes-Free Services for the Car. Today we learn that Apple has deeper integration plans to take "iOS for the Car" to another level. Apple's latest invention generally relates to in-vehicle self-configurable environments and more specifically to techniques and systems for storing configuration details in an iDevice like the iPhone. The new system will allow a future iPhone user to control their in-vehicle settings for power seats, mirrors, climate control, radio and more. Once set, the iPhone will be able to control settings even for a rented car. Apple envisions this software to eventually apply to a user's home environment and beyond.

On August 1, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals a real-time enterprise centric app-sharing feature for future FaceTime video conferences. Microsoft recently ran an ad mocking the iPad's inability to share apps during a video conference seamlessly. Apple's latest invention effortlessly answers that void and goes far beyond by including a privacy information mode and more.