Apple

CES 2014: Samsung preempts rumored iPad Pro with new 12-inch Galaxy tablets

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 1, 2018

It's day two of Consumer Electronics Show and we're expecting a flurry of new Apple-related product announcements throughout the day. Our continually updated CES 2014 coverage does not include yesterday's Samsung press event, but it's not too late to rectify the omission and tell you about some new tablets Apple's fierce competitor announced at the show: one new Galaxy NotePro and three new Galaxy TabPro devices (it pays to keep tabs on competition).

Available in up to 12.2-inch variants (here's why), all four tablets sport a new Windows 8-style home screen called Magazine UI and some nice multitasking improvements such as the ability to run up to four apps concurrently and resize their "windows".

And as an amusing ide-note, I'm also going to tell you about film director Michael Bay's disaster at Samsung's press event (bonus: video).

All that goodness is right after the jump...

Apple and Samsung again discussing patent dispute settlement

Cody Lee ∙ December 30, 2013

Apple and Samsung are said to again be conferring over a possible settlement to their years-long patent dispute. According to a new report, the two companies are in "working level discussions" regarding a potential deal.

There are still major obstacles though, and the two firms have a lot of work to do in terms of narrowing their differences over royalty fees and patent access. Apple, for example, wants Samsung to pay up to $30 per device...

Apple renews bid to permanently ban infringing Samsung products that no longer exist

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 27, 2013

The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in November greenlighted Apple's appeal to a U.S. district court ruling which had originally rejected the company's request to ban accused Samsung products from the U.S. market.

Last month's Appeals court ruling has prompted Judge Lucy Koh to reconsider her original decision and has opened door to a permanent sales ban on more than twenty different Samsung smartphones and tablets.

Sure enough, Apple yesterday renewed its motion to permanently halt the sales of these devices in the United States, even though Samsung no longer offers none of the devices in question...

Poll: who has the best holiday ad – Apple, Samsung or Nokia?

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 23, 2013

Apple a week ago begun airing its nicely done iPhone 5s holiday ad. Titled 'Misunderstood', the tear-inducing video tells a tale of an introverted teenage boy who surprises his family with a thoughtful holiday gift, an iMovie clip he created on his iPhone 5s to cherish the time his family spent together.

The 90-second spot bursts with emotion and is now all over the place: it's been prominently featured during yesterday's NFL game, for example. More importantly, it seems to have been well-received due to its powerful emotional aspect.

Samsung and Microsoft-owned Nokia meanwhile have fired their own ad salvo in their national battle for the hearts and minds of consumers this holiday season...

Samsung said to develop Galaxy Band wearable device, headed by Apple’s former Siri engineer

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 20, 2013

The Galaxy Gear smarwatch may have failed to meet Samsung leadership's expectations in terms of sales, with the reported less than million units shipped (not sold), but that doesn't mean the South Korean conglomerate is giving up on its new wearable brand. Quite the contrary, a report alleges Samsung would soon expand the family by unveiling a new wearable device, tentatively-named Galaxy Band.

What's more, a former Apple engineer who worked on Siri is reportedly overseeing this project. But what exactly would this presumed Galaxy Band device be capable of?

According to a story by Seoul-based Digital Daily, it's a fitness type of device which packs in a flurry of sensors, including a power-sipping motion sensor akin to Apple's M7 motion coprocessor inside the iPhone 5s...

Samsung hires senior Apple Store designer in ongoing retail push

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Samsung has picked up an ex-Apple store designer as part of an ongoing retail push, according to a new report. The Korean tech giant has reportedly picked up former senior Apple store designer Tim Gudgel as it mulls over a deeper investment in US retail.

Gudgel has worked at Apple since 2008, and is mentioned as one of the inventors in a patent application of the glass design of the Upper West Side Apple Store in New York City. He is said to specialize in in-store design and overall retail store planning...

Samsung wants a retrial of its last retrial based on ‘racial prejudice’

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 22, 2017

Following a recent retrial in the Apple v. Samsung case that saw the jury award the former with a cool $290 million on top of the nearly $600 million in previous damages over copying patented iPhone technology, Samsung of South Korea now wants a retrial of the retrial, citing a very unusual argument. Apple throughout the trial has painted Samsung as a "threat" to the local and national economy.

As a result, lawyers for the Galaxy maker in a new court filing are now accusing Apple of racial prejudice and asking judge Lucy Koh to grant Samsung a retrial of its last retrial. Wait, what? Yup, you read that right. The full explanation is after the break...

Seoul court rules that iPhone 4s and iPad 2 don’t infringe on Samsung’s patents

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 12, 2013

Back in 2011, the legal spat between Apple and its frenemy and key supplier Samsung started to really escalate as the parties began filing a bunch of lawsuits around the world against each other. The Galaxy maker was hoping to gain the upper hand by filing a patent infringement lawsuit against Apple in its home turf over claimed short message display methods and messaging grouping features.

However, a Korean judge has now tossed Samsung's claim out of the window, with the Seoul Central District Court ruling that Apple's iPhone 4s and iPad 2 do not infringe on Samsung Electronics’ commercial patents...

Apple moves to recover $15 million in legal fees from Samsung

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 6, 2013

Just a day following the mid-November Appeals court ruling which gave Apple another chance to ban Samsung's infringing devices, the iPhone maker made its case on why it’s entitled to an additional $379 million in pending damages over patent infringement and lost sales in the Apple vs Samsung lawsuit.

Following a short period of deliberation, a jury of six women and two men reached a conclusion for the retrial between Apple and Samsung over damages, ruling the Galaxy maker must pay Apple an additional $290 million on top of more than the $500 million in damages already awarded last year.

But Tim Cook & Co. aren't stopping there. As reported by an expert patent blogger, Apple is now demanding a cool $15 million in legal fees from Samsung, or one third of Apple attorneys' fees that total over $60 million...

Court denies Samsung’s motion to stay damages in Apple patent retrial

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 26, 2013

As you know, in a retrial last week a jury of six women and two men determined that Samsung owes Apple $290 million for lifting patented iPhone technologies, bringing the total amount of damages to $929 million versus the original $1.05 billion ruling. The South Korean Galaxy maker has immediately filed a motion to delay the payout on the grounds of reevaluation of the validity of the Apple patent No. 7,844,915, which covers the famous pinch-to-zoom gesture.

The presiding Judge Lucy Koh denied Samsung motion's last night as she appeared concerned about the potential implications of such ruling, including whether granting a stay would unethically favor Apple...

The verdict is in: Samsung must pay Apple an additional $290 million

Cody Lee ∙ November 21, 2013

The verdict is in folks. After just a few days of deliberation, a jury of six women and two men reached a conclusion for the retrial between Apple and Samsung over damages, and it's ruled in favor of the iPad-maker. Samsung must pay Apple $290 million.

This is in addition to the damages awarded in the original trial last fall, bringing the total amount Samsung owes up to $890 million. So essentially, Apple won back most of the damages that Judge Koh cut in March after finding the initial verdict flawed...

Apple explains why it’s entitled to additional damages in Samsung case

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 19, 2013

As you know, Judge Lucy Koh shaved more than $400 million off the $1.05 billion verdict in the much-publicized Apple vs. Samsung case that took place in August 2013 over patented iPhone technology. The South Korean chaebol admitted to lifting Apple's inventions, but the jury improperly calculated damages on certain Samsung products, prompting Koh to order a partial retrial in order to re-calculate the remaining damages.

Although Apple is already entitled to more than $500 million in damages (with patent rulings being upheld as well), the company is now demanding an additional $379 million in pending damages over patent infringement and lost sales. Samsung, on the other hand, argues it owes Apple no more that a rather meager $52 million for iPhone patents and design features...