Displaying items by tag: Samsung

Time Apple news for July 26th 2012. Today we have Apple’s “we should not have to pay” defense, a new worm in the iTunes store, and new Malware that has popped up for OSX users. These three things have loads of laughs and some interesting twists which we think you will enjoy. So up on deck first we will take a look at Apple’s we should not have to pay defense which they are presenting in one of the patent cases they have going with Samsung.

As we near the launch of two new phones the rumors are building again around a Facebook phone (dubbed the Facephone by many). This is a rumor is something we have covered on more than one occasion and while we still think that it would be a flop (for many reasons) the rumors are interesting when we take a look at their origins and the companies they involve. The latest one involves HTC as the potential partner with Android as the base OS. It comes on the heels of new information about the team of developers that Facebook has picked up from Apple and Palm.

About a month ago the CEO of Foxconn made a statement that Apple and Foxconn were signing an agreement that would lock out all competitors of the iPhone. It was an interesting because the comments came at a time when Apple was not even acknowledging that they were even working on a new phone (although everyone knew they were). Still CEO Terry Gou claimed that Apple was making a deal with Sharp for new panel technology and with Corning which would prevent Apple’s competition from even being able to get glass for their phones.

Yesterday Apple reported their earnings for Q3 2012, asked an Australian court for $2.5 Billion in damages, and were granted a patent for technology that has (again) been on the market for a few years. Although each of these could probably fill an entire article we decided to lump them into one today so we can get to some real news after we wrap things up here. So let’s kick things off with the Q3 earnings call which fell short of expectations almost across the board.

Ok, so I have this truck that I designed it is about 20 feet long and a little over 10 feet tall. The truck weighs 4 tons and comes only in black. I want to sue you because you built a sub-compact car that has four tires. This is the equivalent of what the “High” court in Germany has done by banning the Galaxy Tab 7.7 claiming that it resembles the iPad. The court’s reasons? Well they seem to think that the Tab 7.7 has sides and a back that looks like the iPad which makes it an infringing product and warrants a complete ban on the product throughout the European Union. Makes sense right?

For some time we have said that companies that file bad lawsuits or that continue to make obviously incorrect claims in the market should have consequences. Apple is probably one of the worst with their continuous stream of allegations against Google, Samsung,  HTC, LG, and pretty much everyone else that they “slavishly copy” Apple and do not invent their own technology. This has been repeated so often that it is boring and even cursory glance at the any two products (go ahead and pick two) will show significant differences. There is almost no chance of the wide spread consumer confusion that Apple is trying to claim on a daily basis.

The US Patent system, both the methods used for filing and also the methods used to protect IP is becoming a joke. We have seen as patents are being filed in greater frequency with very little other than wording to differentiate them with other products, but broad enough to make sure the filing company can still sue someone else that makes a similar product. On top of that we have judges that are not qualified technically to preside over the cases they are being overwhelmed with. To say that the system is broken would be like calling a nuclear explosion a “bang”.

Remember the “exploding” Samsung Galaxy S III? Well it turns out that the phone did not do that all by itself. Samsung (unlike a few other companies) asked an independent company to investigate the report. The investigation company was Fire Investigations UK. They took a look at the phone and other S III phones in an attempt to determine what the cause of the damage was.

Google and Samsung are doing something very interesting in regards to the ban that Jude Lucy Koh imposed at the request of Apple. As I am sure you all know Apple is claiming that Google and Samsung are violating their patent on universal search and are requesting that the phone be removed from stores in the US to prevent Apple from being irrevocably harmed (which is a very dubious claim). Originally Judge Koh had denied the request, but then did a complete 180 after an appeals court asked her to review the case again.

We have been critical of Judge Lucy Koh for seemingly biased views towards Apple in many of the patent cases that have crossed her bench. Most recently we were appalled to see her go from a stance of not enough evidence of irreparable harm to a full preliminary ban on sales of the Galaxy Tab. This has prompted more than one person to complain and also to question her ability to properly discharge her duties. Apparently more than a few people are feeling the same way as a petition to have her “impeached” and removed from her position.