Wpcentral passes on a report from the Inquisitr regarding Apple’s latest move in the world of patents. Apparently the Cupertino company recently made some significant changes to its 2010 patent application on in-app purchasing.
While there could be several reasons behind the update, two of them stick out. First, there’s that pesky Lodsys lawsuit Apple keeps trying to intervene in regarding several iOS developers and in-app purchasing. And the second… Read More
The ongoing litigation between Lodsys and a large group of iOS developers just took another turn yesterday. If you’ve been living under a rock for the past 90 days, then you should be informed that Lodsys is suing a handful of iOS app developers for infringing on their recently purchased patents.
About 2 months ago, Apple filed a motion to intervene as a defendant against the patent licensing firm, but was quickly met with an objection from Lodsys’ lawyers. After a few weeks of silence, Apple finally filed a response yesterday — and it’s good… Read More
In case you haven’t heard, a patent troll by the name of “Lodsys” threatened to sue App Store developers for allegedly infringing on the Lodsys patent of in-app upgrades. Apple responded by saying that Lodsys had no right to prosecute based on this patent that Apple licensed years ago.
iOS develepors were very relived that Apple stood up against Lodsys, and the assumption was that the patent troll would back off when faced with the looming, Cupertino giant. It appears that Lodsys won’t take no for an answer. The patent troll has filed lawsuits against seven App Store developers… Read More
Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the last month, chances are you’ve heard of Lodsys. The patent licensing company has been sending letters to iOS developers threatening legal action. They believe that in-app purchasing infringes on a patent of theirs, and they want to get paid.
After weeks of silence, Apple finally decided to speak up on the matter. While they publicly defended their developer’s rights, they have not given any indication that they would help with legal fees, should Lodsys’ threats ever materialize… Read More
We reported last week on the appalling actions of Lodsys. The patent licensing firm has been sending out letters to iOS developers, threatening legal action if they aren’t paid royalties for the use of their invention.
The company’s claim that iOS apps with in-app purchasing options are infringing on their patent has been causing an uproar in the developer community. While everyone holds vigilant to see what (if anything) Apple has to say on the matter, the EFF decided to speak up yesterday… Read More
Remember when we told you about the in-app purchasing changes that came with iOS 4.3? Apple removed the 15 minute window of password-free app purchasing in wake of consumer complaints. At the time, several angry parents were asking the FCC for an investigation into Apple’s in-app purchasing practices.
Well, it appears that the recent update didn’t make the situation blow over, because the complaints have started to materialize. A Pennsylvanian man adds his name to a long list of people in litigation with Apple, filing a lawsuit citing breach of contract and unjust enrichment… Read More
Apple’s iOS 4.3 has been making headlines for weeks. From iTunes Home Sharing to mobile hotspot, new features keep pouring out of Apple’s latest iOS update. With so many big changes, it’s easy for the smaller firmware tweaks to go unnoticed. One of those features, which I was glad to see added, is a required password reentry for in app purchases.
In previous versions of iOS, in app purchases did require a password, but with one major drawback. Apple gave users a 15 minute window after password authentication to make in app purchases. This window was to prevent a choppy App Store experience, especially for users purchasing multiple items. What was so wrong then, that they went and changed it?
The official Twitter app was recently updated with some significant changes. Among other new features, Twitter decided to add the “Quick Bar” to the top of the timeline.
Twitter had good intentions with the Quick Bar; it was designed to help users keep a better tab on trending topics. As topics trend, they push through the Quick Bar. Tapping a topic will activate the search window for that related hashtag.
People didn’t like Twitter’s new Quick Bar. And an internet backlash on what was cleverly coined the “Dick Bar” has caused Twitter to push another update that attempts at making the Quick Bar less intrusive.
In a surprising move, Apple has launched its App Store subscription service without a co-release of iOS 4.3. In-app subscriptions will allow content producers to easily deliver content with a reoccurring purchase model, instead of a one-time, à la carte purchase system.
It was assumed that Apple would introduce its subscription service during a press event, but apparently a press release on Apple’s website was all the announcement deserved.
Rupert Murdoch’s “The Daily” news app was the first official peek at what Apple’s subscription service would look like, but The Daily has been offered for free since its release. At the end of this month, The Daily will begin its paid subscriptions with Apple’s new infrastructure…
Apple is making the move to have more control over App Store apps that utilize “in-app” purchases. The Sony Reader app was recently declined from App Store approval due to Apple’s new stance on in-app transactions.
Until now, developers were able to sell content with in-app purchases through their own payment infrastructure. Apple has now made the stance that all in-app purchases must go through the Apple payment system, which in turn would give Apple a 30% cut off the top of sales.
This marks a shift from Apple’s previous claim to want a more collaborative relationship with content producers who want to manage in-app purchases through their own backend…
