Galaxy S III

Is Samsung copying Apple’s paranoid secrecy?

Ed Sutherland ∙ January 15, 2013

First, South Korean smartphone maker Samsung tries to steal Apple's coolness, now the company is trying to mimic the California firm's penchant for secrecy. Samsung reportedly is now asking suppliers to sign non-disclosure agreements with penalties of up to $1 billion (you read that right).

The push for an NDA comes as Samsung Electronics is reportedly developing a next-generation Galaxy smartphone. At the heart of the secrecy agreements is preventing disclosure of product information, which has become an industry all of its own as Apple and its rivals alternately build hype while suppliers leak product details...

Consumer Reports places iPhone 5 among the worst of top smartphones

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Consumer reports is an American Magazine (and web resource) that has been bringing its readers reviews and comparisons of consumer products and services for nearly 80 years now. So needless to say, their opinions are highly regarded but many.

But I know a few iPhone 5 owners that aren't going to agree with its latest report regarding flagship smartphones. In its February 2013 issue, the magazine ranks Apple's handset as one of the worst high-end devices available on the larger US carriers...

Court won’t seal Samsung sales data

Ed Sutherland ∙ January 2, 2013

Samsung of South Korea has lost its bid to keep court records sealed indicating how many products were sold. The ruling by a San Jose, California federal judge denied the request, writing the information required by the court does not reveal product pricing or profit information. However, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh, still deliberating whether Apple should receive additional damages to the $1.05 billion awarded in August, did seal a document showing Samsung operating profit for two phones, according to a report from yesterday...

Samsung drops its bid to ban Apple products in Europe

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Is Samsung feeling magnanimous after a U.S. judge refused to ban its smartphones? That could be one reason why the South Korean firm Tuesday dropped its bid to ban Apple products in Europe. Although the company described its decision to withdraw requests to ban Apple devices in the UK, Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands as "protect[ing] consumer choice", the Galaxy maker will continue to see Apple for licensing fees of patents it contends were violated by the company...

Rumor: iPhone 6 with NFC, stronger battery, super HD camera, 4.8-inch screen in June 2013

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

So, are you tired of the iPhone 5 already? Feeling the after-announcement blues, sort of like the after-Christmas let-down? Cheer up, Apple fans, the iPhone 5S (or the iPhone 6 or whatever Apple calls it) is coming next June or July. According to one Wall Street observer, the new iPhone will include a "super HD" camera and screen, stronger battery and NFC.

What's more, the iPhone 5S will arrive in a rainbow of colors, or at least 6-8 different colors, according to Jefferies analyst Peter Misek. Also on tap: the iPad 5 with an IGZO screen and more colors...

Judge calls for ‘global peace’ between Apple and Samsung

Ed Sutherland ∙ December 7, 2012

Call it a Rodney King moment, or a holiday Hail Mary, but one California judge is asking long-time judicial combatants Apple and Samsung to play nice. Apparently, the idea went over like last year's fruitcake. Judge Lucy Koh Thursday made the plea as the two rivals met for an appeal hearing where the South Korean smartphone maker objected to its $1.05 billion patent-infringement fine and Apple argued the penalty should be increased...

Apple gains partial ban of Samsung Galaxy devices in the Netherlands

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 28, 2012

A European court has banned sales of some Samsung Galaxy devices which violate Apple's patent on flipping through photos on a touchscreen. Wednesday, the Court of The Hague limited the ban to Galaxy products powered by at least Android 2.2.1 and don't use Samsung's own photo gallery software.

Samsung reportedly must pay Apple $129,000 per day if it does not follow the ban, as well as inform the Cupertino, California company how much profit was made from sales of the affected Galaxy products sold since June 27 of last year. This is the second court case Samsung has lost concerning the photo gallery patent...

Apple granted 36 patents covering Siri mic icon design, Lightning, widgets and more

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 10, 2018

Apple this morning has received patents covering more than three dozen different technologies, ranging from the obvious to the obscure. The company's patent filings as of late are even inspiring parody treatments like the Apple alphabet patent. Among today's grants are the filings describing ways to interface sports equipment with your iPhone, iPad or iPod, patents for Mac OS X dashboards and the MacBook keyboard and others seeking to protect icons and designs of popular software features.

Most people know of Apple's long-time association with Nike and the Nike+ app that records your running routine. Earlier this year, the Cupertino, California company filed a patent to go one step farther, interfacing your iPhone with a treadmill, or other workout machine at the local gym. Now it appears that patent was granted. But, wait, there's plenty more gadgets and gizmos Apple wants protected...

iPhone 5 helps Apple regain lead over Android in US smartphone market

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 27, 2012

Apple's iPhone 5 has helped the California-based gadget maker propel itself into the first place in the United States, topping Google's Android in arguably the world's most important smartphone market. Specifically, Apple's iPhone doubled its share of US smartphone sales and now enjoys a 48.1 percent share compared to 46.7 percent for Android.

The last time Apple held the lead in the US smartphone market was after the introduction of the iPhone 4S. Market research firm Kantar Worldpanel ComTech announced Tuesday Google's mobile operating system still dominates in Europe, where it holds up to 81 percent of the market share in some countries...

Apple on Black Friday added six Galaxy devices to its Samsung suit

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 24, 2012

Following Samsung's motion asking Judge Paul S. Grewal for permission to amend its infringement contentions against Apple with the iPad mini, iPhone 5 and the latest iPod touch, Apple on Black Friday conveniently brought a motion seeking to add latest Galaxy devices to its California suit, including the Galaxy S III running Android Jelly Bean and the four-inch Galaxy S III Mini. The filing adds a total of six recently-released Galaxy gadgets to Apple's ongoing patent lawsuit against Samsung...

Sony is still dreaming about dethroning the iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

SonyEricsson, the Japanese giant's partnership with the Swedish telecommunications equipment company Ericsson, for most part has failed to make a splash in the highly competitive smartphone market. Deciding enough was enough, Sony at last acquired Ericsson's share in the venture in February. Sony Mobile Communications, a wholly-owned subsidiary, was born. And as the battle for smartphone supremacy intensifies, Sony's new mobile arm is adamant to produce a much-needed iPhone killer. But why stop there? According to its mobile chief, an upcoming flagship handset will as well take direct aim at Samsung's Galaxy S III.

A badass Sony phone that can compete with both the iPhone and Galaxy S III, each super-popular in its own right? That's a tall order. Sony's killer phone is officially due early next year and looks like it's gonna pack some serious oomph. The question is, will folks care?

Gartner: Apple and Samsung shipped nearly half of all smartphones in Q3

Ed Sutherland ∙ November 14, 2012

As mobile phones become smarter, Samsung and Apple continue to rule the landscape as the world's best-selling cell phone brands. As for Google's Android platform, it now controls more than seven out over every ten smartphones in consumers' hands, a new report suggests. Both Samsung and Apple controlled 46.5 percent of the smartphone market in the third quarter.

The iOS-Android duopoly had a commanding 86 percent platform lead in the third quarter, according to research firm Gartner. Individually, the South Korean smartphone maker held 32.5 percent of the market while Apple held 13.9 percent, the researcher announced Wednesday. Android now controls an astounding 72.4 percent of the mobile operating system market for smartphones, up from 52 percent in the year-ago quarter...