Back in April, Samsung slapped back at Apple’s claims of patent infringement with a healthy helping of ten claims of its own. Now Bloomberg is reporting that Samsung quietly dropped its countersuit against the Cupertino-based company on June 30th, in an attempt “to streamline the legal proceedings.” Of course that doesn’t mean the saga is over: Apple’s smartphone infringement accusations stand, as do legal battles in South Korea, Japan, Germany, and the UK. Samsung says it will also continue to fight Apple’s accusations in the US in the form of a counter-claim. One down, one to go?
Update: To clarify, this does not mean that Samsung has abandoned its own infringement claims against Apple. Those claims have been rolled into counter-claims in the original suit.
After the desktop stalwarts of Windows 7 and Mac OS, the world’s third most popular platform for web browsing turns out to be Apple’s iOS. The software that makes iPhones, iPod touches and iPads tick has been identified by Net Applications as responsible for over two percent of the global traffic data analyzed in the web statistician’s latest report — the first time iOS has crossed that threshold. The UK and Australia had more than five percent each, while the USA clocked in at 3.4 percent. Leaving operating systems aside, Chrome has continued its steady growth on the browser front and now stands at a 10.7 percent share, more than doubling its slice from this time last year. Internet Explorer overall has dipped to its lowest level yet, at 56 percent, however Net Applications indicates IE8 is showing nice growth. So at least it’s looking like we’re finally ready to bury the zombies known as IE6 and IE7, whatever other browser we choose to migrate to.
Apple has denied updating the App Store rules regarding in-app purchases – and which Sony fell foul of with their Reader for iPhone app – claiming instead that it is merely enforcing a rule that has been in the guidelines for some time. “We have not changed our developer terms or guidelines,” Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller told AllThingsD. “We are now requiring that if an app offers customers the ability to purchase books outside of the app, that the same option is also available to customers from within the app with in-app purchase.”
The rule in question is believed to be 11.2:
11.2 Apps utilizing a system other than the In App Purchase API (IAP) to purchase content, functionality, or services in an app will be rejected
It, along with Muller’s statement, implies that Amazon could continue to sell ebooks via its current method – opening up the regular Amazon webpage in the Safari browser – but if so it would also be required to offer an internal system using Apple’s in-app purchasing system. Since IAP items are treated as just more app store content by Apple, that might mean Amazon had to individually submit each ebook for approval, as well as handing over 30-percent of the takings in an iTunes tithe. It’s also unclear whether Amazon would then allow Kindle users to re-download – from their own servers – the IAP content on Kindle ereaders or non-iOS versions of the app.
If anything, the clarification has made the situation a little more confusing; Apple looks to be pushing for a bigger cut of the content pie, and since Sony’s Reader app looks to have used the same browser-based purchasing system as Amazon’s, that implies Amazon may well have to tweak the Kindle app too. Apple has also been using rule 11.2 to crack-down on emagazine subscriptions; according to Monday Note, publishers have been told that they have a “grace period” up until June 30 2011 to enable the required IAP support:
“For existing apps already on the App Store, we are providing a grace period to bring your app into compliance with this guideline. To ensure your app remains on the App Store, please submit an update that uses the In App Purchase API for purchasing content, by June 30, 2011″
Pinch of salt time, but images purportedly showing Apple’s second-generation iPad display have emerged, hot off the Chinese production line. According to 9 to 5 Mac and iFixYouri, the iPad 2 panel is both lighter and thinner than the existing LCD used in the first-gen iPad; that would certainly fit in with previous rumors.
In addition to being more than a millimeter thinner, the iPad 2 display also has a smaller bezel. That should give Apple more flexibility in its overall casing design, since there’s less bulk to fit in. Considering the first-gen iPad was basically a sandwich predominantly comprised of display and batteries – with the electronics squeezed in – that could make a huge difference to the overall aesthetic.
Going by the product code, LP097X02-SLN1, and some online deduction – still unverified – one of the 9 to 5 Mac commenters has worked out that the display could well be an LG Philips panel running at 1024 x 768 XGA resolution and using H-IPS technology. Again, that would fit in with suggestions that Apple is saving an iPad Retina Display update for the third-generation model.
You may have heard a thing or two about Steve Wozniak’s white iPhone from the Engadget Show this past Sunday, and while you should really go and watch the entire amazing interview, we’ve broken out the iPhone conversation. Enjoy!
43 percent of smartphone sales are Android based, according to Nielsen. Android devices currently hold a 27% market share, putting Android in a close race with Apple and RIM. As you can see from the graph below, Android is climbing sharply, while Apple is staying roughly even, and RIM is declining.
This is particularly interesting when you consider that this huge climb in marketshare has happened in just one year. This is likely helped by the fact that the Android platform is available on a large range of devices, while the iPhone OS and the RIM BlackBerry OS are only available on their branded devices. Likely, this growth will continue over 2011, with the Android OS quickly becoming dominant.
The Beatles “Love” album and the “All Together Now” documentary are digitally debuting exclusively on iTunes worldwide later this month. The album includes special versions of old songs as well as previously unreleased songs while the documentary will have many extras. Both will be priced at $12.99 with the album being available on February 8th and the documentary following soon after. Pre-orders start today.
Press Release:
The Beatles’ Grammy-Winning ‘LOVE’ Album and ‘All Together Now’ Documentary Film to Make Digital Debuts Exclusively on iTunes Worldwide
iTunes Pre-Orders Start Today for Both Titles; Two Previously Unreleased ‘LOVE’ Tracks Offered Exclusively on iTunes
HOLLYWOOD, Calif., Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — The Beatles’ ‘LOVE’ album and ‘All Together Now,’ the feature-length documentary about the making of The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil®,will make their worldwide digital debuts this month exclusively on the iTunes Store® (www.itunes.com). Both titles are available for pre-order on iTunes starting today in most countries. ‘LOVE’ will be released on iTunes worldwide February 8 and ‘All Together Now’ will follow soon after.
The ‘LOVE’ album (US $12.99) includes exclusive, previously-unreleased ‘LOVE’ versions of “The Fool on the Hill” and “Girl,” and comes as an iTunes LP featuring an art gallery that blends images of the Beatles with colorful photos from the acclaimed stage production. ‘LOVE’ will also be available to purchase and download as individual songs.
The ‘All Together Now’ documentary (US $12.99 HD) will be offered with iTunes Extras including the 84-minute film, three bonus featurettes and a trailer for the ‘LOVE’ stage production, and is also available to rent.
‘LOVE,’ a Cirque du Soleil creation and co-production with The Beatles’ company, Apple Corps Ltd., celebrates the musical legacy of The Beatlesandis presented exclusively at The Mirage in Las Vegas. This joint artistic venture, born from the personal friendship between George Harrison and Guy Laliberte, marks the first time that Apple Corps Ltd. has agreed to a major theatrical partnership. Since opening to rave reviews on June 30, 2006, ‘LOVE’ has played to more than four million audience members.
To create the lush soundscape for ‘LOVE,’ producers Sir George Martin and Giles Martin worked with the entire archive of Beatles master recordings at EMI’s Abbey Road Studios. This unique approach to assembling the music for a live show was rapturously received by the critics and Beatles fans and resulted in the groundbreaking album The Beatles ‘LOVE’ garnering two GRAMMY Awards®, in the categories of Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or other Visual Medium and Surround Sound Album.
The GRAMMY®-winning ‘All Together Now’ documentary, directed by Adrian Wills, and its bonus features detail the fascinating story behind the unique partnership between The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil that resulted in the creation and launch of ‘LOVE.’
On November 16, 2010, The Beatles’ 13 legendary remastered studio albums, the two-volume ‘Past Masters’ compilation, and the classic ’1962-1966′ (‘Red’) and ’1967-1970′ (‘Blue’) collections were released on iTunes® worldwide as albums or individual songs. On the same date, a special digital ‘Beatles Box Set’ was released on iTunes featuring the “Live at the Washington Coliseum, 1964″ concert film, a worldwide iTunes exclusive which captures The Beatles’ very first U.S. concert. The exclusive box set features all of the remastered audio and visual elements included in The Beatles’ stereo box set, released on CD in 2009 and GRAMMY®-nominated this year in the Historical Album category.
The Beatles have now sold more than five million songs and one million albums on iTunes worldwide.
No word on what’s inside it just yet, but Apple has just released iOS 4.3 beta 3 (build 8F5166b) to developers, so we’re sure we’ll be getting plenty more details soon enough. If recent beta versions of the OS are any indication, there’s likely to be at least a few surprises in there.
Update: It turns out it’s not specific to beta 3, but App Advice has discovered that iOS 4.3 includes another new feature that hasn’t been documented so far: the ability to cancel App Store downloads.
No word on what’s inside it just yet, but Apple has just released iOS 4.3 beta 3 (build 8F5166b) to developers, so we’re sure we’ll be getting plenty more details soon enough. If recent beta versions of the OS are any indication, there’s likely to be at least a few surprises in there.
Update: It turns out it’s not specific to beta 3, but App Advice has discovered that iOS 4.3 includes another new feature that hasn’t been documented so far: the ability to cancel App Store downloads.
It’s been quite a while since Apple’s tight reins on the App Store were a subject worth discussing, but they’re back in the spotlight now following the company’s rejection of Sony’s Reader app for iOS. The reasons given to Sony were that Apple will not no longer accept applications that permit in-app purchases of content that don’t go through Apple itself, and, moreover, will not tolerate apps that access material purchased through external content stores. So the Sony Reader Store is out — but wait, doesn’t the Kindle app spend its time serving up Kindlebooks? No comment has been offered on the matter from either Apple or Amazon, while Sony’s Reader Store page describes the situation as “an impasse” and promises to seek “other avenues to bring the Reader experience to Apple mobile devices.” In the mean time, you can get the Reader app for Android or just read your ebooks on a device dedicated to that task.
Update: As noted by Harry McCracken over at Technologizer, it has actually been Apple’s longstanding policy to forbid in-app purchases — the Kindle and Nook apps send you to a browser — so Sony’s desire to do so will have been the major cause for the Reader application’s rejection. That doesn’t invalidate the second concern expressed in the New York Times article, that Apple will no longer tolerate content brought in from external stores, which is a displeasing development, if true.
Update 2: Looks like McCracken nailed it — Apple’s come out with a statement pointing out that the App Store guidelines require that apps that allow content purchases must also allow them in-app through Apple’s official iTunes-backed system. We can’t imagine that Sony is thrilled with the idea of cutting Apple in on Reader content, but if they want to play ball, they should be able to score an approval. Notably, Apple says that they are “now requiring” this even though the guidelines haven’t changed, suggesting they’re just now getting around to enforcing it; the effect on iOS’ Kindle and Nook apps isn’t yet known, but we wouldn’t be surprised if Apple started nudging them in the direction of pushing updates. More on this situation as we have it.
Apple has denied updating the App Store rules regarding in-app purchases – and which Sony fell foul of 
