AppleMotorola MobilityiPhone maker Apple Inc. has managed to overturn a ruling by the German court which imposed a ban on the sale of some of its products in the country. According to reports, Motorola Mobility had won the legal case and forced Apple to remove some of its iPhone and iPad models from the online store in Germany.

As per sources, a statement by Apple claims that all iPad and iPhone models will be back on sale through Apple’s online store in Germany shortly. Further, Apple appealed this ruling because Motorola repeatedly refuses to license this patent to Apple on reasonable terms, despite having declared it an industry standard patent seven years ago.

In response to this Motorola issued a statement saying that they are pleased that the Mannheim court has recognized the importance of their intellectual property and granted an enforceable injunction in Germany against Apple Sales International. However, although the enforcement of the injunction has been temporarily suspended, Motorola Mobility will continue to pursue its claims against Apple.

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SamsungApple South Korean handset maker Samsun has emerged victorious once again after a Dutch court rejected rival Apple Inc’s plea from banning the distribution of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the Netherlands. According to reports, the court has ruled in favour of Samsung, citing that the Galaxy Tab had some similarities to the design registered in 2004 but not to Apple’s iPad released in 2010.

As per sources, Apple had filed a legal suit against Samsung claiming patent infringement on its design, hardware and user interface among others. However, the ruling enables the Korean firm to sell its tablet computer in the Netherlands and throughout the European Union.

Reports reveal that the US giant had said that it was no coincidence that Samsung’s latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad, from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging. Further, this kind of blatant copying is wrong and they need to protect Apple’s intellectual property when companies steal their ideas.

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Apple US giant Apple Inc has launched iBooks 2 for iPad, featuring iBooks textbooks, an entirely new kind of textbook that’s dynamic, engaging and truly interactive. iBooks textbooks offer iPad users fullscreen textbooks with interactive animations, diagrams, photos, videos, unrivaled navigation and much more.

Acording to company reports, iBooks textbooks can be kept up to date, don’t weigh down a backpack and never have to be returned. Leading education services companies including Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw-Hill and Pearson will deliver educational titles on the iBookstore with most priced at $14.99 or less, and with the new iBooks Author, a free authoring tool available today, anyone with a Mac can create stunning iBooks textbooks.

Philip Schiller, senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, Apple, has said that education is deep in Apple’s DNA and iPad may be their most exciting education product yet. With 1.5 million iPads already in use in education institutions, including over 1,000 one-to-one deployments, iPad is rapidly being adopted by schools across the US and around the world. Further, with iBooks 2 for iPad, students have a more dynamic, engaging and truly interactive way to read and learn, using the device they already love.

The new iBooks 2 app is available as a free download from the App Store. With its fast, fluid navigation, easy highlighting and note-taking, searching and definitions, plus lesson reviews and study cards, the new iBooks 2 app lets students study and learn in more efficient and effective ways than ever before.

iBooks Author is also available as a free download from the Mac App Store and lets anyone with a Mac create stunning iBooks textbooks, cookbooks, history books, picture books and more, and publish them to Apple’s iBookstore.

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U.S. device manufacturer Apple Inc. may launch two new iPad devices in the coming year. According to reports, the new iPad models are expected to be priced higher than the iPad 2, and will cover the medium and high range segments.

As per industry sources, a major highlight of the new iPad models is going to be an extended battery life, which is rumoured to be more than double of the iPad 2. Further, rumours suggest that Apple has approached Korean giant Samsung to supply the iPad maker with new quad-core A6 processors to be embedded in the new iPads along with a 5 megapixel camera for the medium range iPad. Sources claim that Sony Ericsson will be supplying Apple with an 8 megapixel camera for its second iPad model which is expected to be targeted at the high end segment.

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Samsung Electronics emerged victorious against rival Apple Inc., as the federal court reversed its decision to ban the sale of Samsung’s Galaxy Tabs in Australia. According to reports, the court had granted Apple an injunction against Samsung in October, preventing any sale of the Galaxy 10.1 tab in Australia, over a patent infringement dispute.

Apple had alleged that Samsung’s Tab had infringed on its patents regarding touch screen technology and design imitation. Following this, Samsung had counter-sued the iPhone maker claiming patent infringement on wireless transmission in multiple devices.

As per sources, analysts believe that the decision has come at a right time, enabling Samsung to take advantage of the festive season; however, it is still not certain as to how soon Samsung can resume sales. Further, it has been reported that Apple will have to approach the High Court should it choose to extend the injunction.

 

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Apple Inc., had reportedly permitted Seattle based game publisher Big Fish, to offer users subscription to dozens of titles for $6.99 a month. Prior to this, users were able to access the games one at a time and were required to download individual applications. However, recent reports reveal that Apple has removed the subscription service application from its App Store, within days of approving the same.

According to sources, Paul Thelen, Founder, Big Fish has said that this service allows players to jump in and out of different games without having to make a bunch of downloads. He added that the popularity of the iPad, along with the easy payment method provided by Apple’s App Store, will help make the offer more attractive.

As per reports, apart from the subscription plan, the agreement also includes a free version of its game service offered for a limited 30 minutes, inclusive of advertising. Further, Thelen has reportedly said that the subscription will initially cost $4.99 and will increase early next year to $6.99 after more titles are added. Apple’s commission for the deal was fixed at 30 percent.

Regarding the removal of the app from Apple’s store, Thelen has reportedly said that they’re trying to follow up with Apple to try to figure out what happened. He added that he had not anticipated the move as the company had worked with Apple for several weeks to ensure that it met the requirements for recurring monthly charges made through the App Store, a method most commonly used by magazines and newspaper publishers.

 

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South Korean mobile phone maker Samsung has reportedly changed the design of one its tablet computers following a court order to ban sales in Germany. As reported by Wireless Federation earlier, Apple had filed a lawsuit against Samsung citing design similarities of the Galaxy Tab to the iPad.

As per sources, the new Galaxy Tab 10.1N is expected to be made available by the end of this month. The firm has changed the design of the metal frame to include the sides as well as moved the speakers.

However, industry analysts say that Apple could apply for a new injunction on the grounds that the new device infringes the current court order.

Apple and Samsung have been involved in a number of legal battles across the world. While Apple has accused Samsung of imitating its touch screen and violating the gesture intellectual rights, Samsung has counter claimed that Apple has infringed its 3G wireless technologies.

 

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California based iPhone manufacturer Apple Inc., has reportedly given its senior vice-presidents $60 million restricted stock-grants in an attempt to hold on to its management team following the death of the former CEO, Steve Jobs. According to reports, software executive Scott Forstall, hardware manager Bob Mansfield, CFO Peter Oppenheimer, marketing chief Phil Schiller, General Counsel Bruce Sewell and operations manager Jeff Williams each received 150,000 in restricted stock units, maturing between 2013 and 2016.

As per sources, the company has said that the executive team is incredibly talented and they are all dedicated to Apple’s continued success and the stock grants are meant to reward them down the road for their hard work in helping to keep Apple the most innovative company in the world. Reports suggest that the $60 million amount is based on the current stock price while the final value will depend on the price when the grants are exercised.

According to reports, Tim Cook, CEO, Apple received 1 million restricted stock units when he was appointed as the CEO in August. Further, of the stock currently worth over $400 million, half the grant matures in 2016 while the remaining stock matures in 2021, subject to his continued employment with the company.

 

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Steve Jobs –known to all as a charismatic pioneer, an inventor and a businessman. However, few knew the person behind Apple’s most innovative products. In his biography, titled ‘Steve Jobs’, author Walter Isaacson tells the world some unknown facts about the legendary genius.

Jobs was particular about the little details in life, not just while designing the iPhones and the iPads, but also for his personal health. He refused to use deodorant claiming that his vegan diet would naturally clear up any body odour that may arise. It was this stubborn attitude that eventually hurt him as he refused to undergo any operation to treat his then curable tumour, saying that he did not want his body affected by surgery. Further, at the time when doctors suggested he have more protein in his diet, he would fast or eat a minimum quantity of fruits.

A romantic at heart, Jobs was not the best at showing his affection. Isaacson talks about an instance when Jobs was dating folk singer Joan Baez and kept telling her about a Ralph Lauren dress she would look great in. However, the evening that he actually took her to the store for the dress, he landed up buying a few shirts for himself and suggested that she buy the dress herself.

Jobs attention to detail was well known, however, some believed he was obsessive compulsive. He was known to drive employees crazy if a few frames were removed from an ad or over the thickness of line in a calculator widget. He had as many as 100 black turtlenecks in his wardrobe from the same designer, and sported the same look at all public events. Isaacson reveals that when Steve Jobs was undergoing liver transplant, he demanded that the doctors bring him five different models of the oxygen mask to test.

Jobs had his own philosophy about managing employees. He believed that yelling and badmouthing the employees, often seven days a week and sometimes even late into the night, helped extract the best performance from the staff. While some employees believed he could have achieved the desired results by being a bit nicer, others claimed that this inspired them to do some of the best work of their careers. The book also mentions several instanced of Jobs tearing up. He would often start crying if he didn’t get his way with the product design or corporate organization. He would also tear up when he was happy and when he encountered what he considered to be the purity of spirit.

An inventor, Jobs was always looking to create and design newer things. Even when he was unwell, he would work on designing a sea-vessel, which is said to be very minimalist but at the same time very tastefully done. Given up for adoption to the Jobs family by his birth parents, Steve Jobs never responded to his birth father’s (Abdulfattah Jandali) request for a proper meeting.

Even with some of these facts being known to the world, Steve Jobs still continues to remain a mystery. His inventions revolutionized the way a user would operate a computer or a mobile phone.  A legend and a genius, Steve Jobs is not a name that will be forgotten for a long time.

 

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With the competition between rivals, Apple and Samsung refusing to settle down, new reports suggest that Samsung Electronics looks to ban the sale of Apple’s new unreleased iPhone 5. As reported earlier by Wireless Federation, Samsung and Apple have been involved in legal battles across the globe citing patent infringements.

Apple had filed a suit against Samsung claiming that the South Korean handset manufacturer had copied the design and look of Apple’s iPhone and iPad devices. In response to this, Samsung plans to file a claim against Apple citing infringement of its wireless technology patents.  As per reports, company insiders believe that it would be impossible for Apple to sell its i-branded products without using their patents and that they will stick to a strong stance against Apple during the lingering legal fights.

Sources claim that if Samsung is able to get a ban on Apple’s new iPhone, the South Korean handset maker may take the battle to other countries where Apple has attempted to get a ban on Samsung’s Galaxy tablet.

 

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