The iPad's worldwide dominance over its Android counterparts continues, and demand is so strong that recent estimates see the Apple tablet outperforming rival Samsung's Galaxy Tab even in the electronics maker's home market of South Korea.
The newest patent infringement suit filed against Samsung last week represents Apple's strongest case yet against the rival smartphone maker, according to a new analysis.
Apple is leveraging four recently granted patents to seek a preliminary injunction against sales of Samsung's Galaxy Nexus smartphone, Google's Android 4.0 flagship device, as part of a new federal lawsuit that also involves other patent claims.
After tallying the numbers from top smartphone manufacturers' fourth quarter 2011 earnings, it was revealed on Monday that Apple has wrested the top spot from Samsung following the highly successful iPhone 4S launch.
A German Munich Regional Court judge has decided against granting Apple injunctions on two Samsung products, noting that at least one of the patent challenges was likely to be revoked at trial.
Apple's latest German complaint against Samsung is the first time the company has named the South Korean electronics manufacturer's flagship Android handset in a lawsuit, claiming the device infringes the iPhone maker's "slide-to-unlock" utility model.
As noted in part one, the success of Apple's MacBook Air has driven Intel to inspire its Ultrabooks initiative. Here's a look at how the rest of the industry has chased Apple at this year's CES, starting with Samsung and its fiercely independent new role as an Android licensee.
Without even making an official appearance at CES as an exhibitor, Apple has become an invisible hand directing the show and what the company's competitors choose to promote as their future strategies. Here's a look at how the industry is chasing Apple at this year's CES.
Combined iPhone and iPad sales in calendar 2012 are expected in one new forecast to reach more than 170 million in another record breaking 12-month span.
2012 01 Wed, 11:59:00 PM, Posted By
Josh Ong
The success of Apple's iPhone on the Verizon Wireless network has resulted in a short-term impact of as much as 6 percent to the carrier's gross margins as it waits to recoup its subsidies for the best-selling handset.
Apple celebrated three ten year anniversaries in 2011, making 2012 its first full year in its second decade of Mac OS X development, iPod devices and iTunes, and its retail operations, even as the company takes on new business categories ranging from iAd to iCloud to Siri. Here, in part one, is a look at where the company is headed for its next decade of Mac OS X.
This year, Apple hit a new milestone of 250 million iOS devices while shipping its fifth reference release of its mobile platform that now offers a library of half of a million apps that have seen 18 billion downloads, now automated via iCloud.
The Samsung Galaxy S smartphone and 7-inch Galaxy Tab will not receive the latest version of Android, because Samsung has said its custom TouchWiz user interface, not Google's operating system, is too taxing on the hardware.
2011 12 Tue, 10:17:00 PM, Posted By
Josh Ong
The launch of Sony's PlayStation Vita was marred by technical issues that required an immediate system update, while Google has placed its Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" update for the Nexus S on hold in some regions as it monitors a potential battery drain issue.
Google Chairman Eric Schmidt has teased that his company plans to release an Android-powered "Nexus" tablet within the next six months to take on Apple's market leading iPad.
Apple has negotiated generous subsidies from mobile carriers to sell iPhones at lower upfront prices, but Google and its Android licensees haven't, leaving carriers such as Verizon to drive up the price of higher end Android phones to make up the difference.
A former intern for Google's Android team has provided explanations for why Android experiences more touch interface lag than competing mobile operating systems from Apple, Microsoft and Research in Motion.
2011 11 Tue, 09:31:00 PM, Posted By
Josh Ong
A new television ad by Samsung reflects its growing rivalry with Apple by painting a caricature of customers waiting in line for the iPhone.
Early web benchmarks for the Galaxy Nexus show that the flagship smartphone outperforms Apple's iPhone 4S in some areas, while Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has been spotted picking up a copy of the Galaxy Nexus at Google's headquarters.
Google has promised continued support to Android handset makers embroiled in ongoing patent disputes, and looks to reassure alliances with Asian vendors as the mobile OS space become increasingly competitive.
2011 11 Wed, 02:49:00 AM, Posted By
Josh Ong
The week before Apple's iPhone 4S is set to launch in the country, South Korea has removed a ban that had blocked App Store games due to ratings concerns.
A popular site for selling second hand smartphones has reported an 80 percent increase in used BlackBerry phones and a 72 percent increase in Android trade-ins during the launch week of Apple's iPhone 4S.
Though the new Samsung Galaxy Nexus sports a 720p HD display, its 4.65-inch screen is said to be held back by cheaper technology that gives it a lower pixel density and poorer color accuracy than Apple's Retina Display found on the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4.
Apple is pushing hard to make sure iOS users upgrade to the latest and greatest 5.0 version of its mobile platform, with the result of making it easier for developers to build and test their apps as well as simpler for users to stay current with the latest features.
Samsung reportedly shipped 20 million smartphones last quarter, pushing it ahead of rival Apple in terms of total units.
2011 10 Wed, 11:01:00 PM, Posted By
Josh Ong
After attending a memorial service in honor of the late Steve Jobs, Samsung's chief operating officer met with Apple CEO Tim Cook to discuss supplying the company with "even better parts" in 2013 and 2014, after its current contract ends next year.
Given Samsung's series of patent infringement lawsuits with Apple, the company's new flagship Galaxy Nexus handset has reportedly been designed specifically to avoid potentially infringing on iPhone-related patents.
Apple's iPhone 4S, at first glance, seems largely to be a refreshed iPhone 4. It is, but it also is not, thanks to three powerful new features that transform what has been the world's most popular smartphone into a vastly improved new version of itself.
Google and Samsung announced on Wednesday the Galaxy Nexus smartphone, the first device to feature the new Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich release.
Benchmarks performed on Apple's new iPhone 4S demonstrate a huge leap in performance over the existing iPhone 4, although iOS 5 also improves the performance of Apple's existing devices.
In addition to legal action occurring in Australia, Germany and the Netherlands, Apple also continues its case against Samsung in the US, where its partner and rival is working to delay the case until 2013 while fighting Apple's iPhone patents with F/RAND encumbered counterclaims.
Following up on initial action seeking an injunction against Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany, Apple has filed a new complaint against a broad range of Samsung Galaxy branded smartphones and tablets in the Netherlands.
Samsung's chairman has instructed the company's top management to "strengthen Bada and focus on differentiating the quality of Samsung’s smartphones" in order to compete with Apple's iOS and survive Google's acquisition of Motorola.
A key legal victory for Apple in the European Union has reportedly blocked the sale of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 across the continent for alleged patent violations.
Just a day after Samsung suggested its Galaxy Tab 10.1 was on track to debut in Australia, the company has officially delayed the touchscreen tablet's launch event due to a legal dispute with Apple.
Samsung has revealed that the company still plans to sell a variant of its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in Australia in the "near future," despite a court ruling that has barred the release of the U.S. version of the device.
Sales of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 have been halted in Australia as a result of the company's ongoing patent infringement dispute with Apple.
2011 06 Sat, 02:25:00 AM, Posted By
Josh Ong
The "highest level" of executives from Apple and Samsung have been meeting to discuss their legal dispute, a hearing for the case revealed on Friday.
Apple this week added a number of additional Samsung smartphones and tablets to its complaint against the company, expanding the number of devices it believes have copied the look and feel of its iPhone and iPad.
The head of Samsung's mobile communications business has said in a new interview that he isn't concerned with legal ramifications from Apple's assertion that Samsung copied the "look and feel" of devices like the iPhone and iPad.
Following a patent suit from Apple, Samsung has vowed to retaliate with its own legal action, and the South Korean electronics giant is said to be considering a counter-suit related to wireless patents.
Apple has filed a new patent lawsuit against rival Samsung, accusing the company of copying the look and feel of the iPhone and iPad for its own Galaxy-branded smartphone and tablet products.
Google's flagship Android 3.0 Honeycomb competitor to Apple's iPad appears to have failed at launch, with Motorola Xoom sales estimated by Deutsche Bank to have reached just 100,000 units, a figure far lower than initial projections of failure from Morgan Stanley and RBC.
In addressing potential competitors of Apple's iPad, Tim Cook said he has "no concerns" about the the tablets being shown running Microsoft's Windows and Google's Android platform, specifically calling out existing Android offerings as "bizarre" while dismissing future models as vapor.
Apple's next generation iPad and iPhone, both due the first half of this year, will pack a new version of the company's custom A4 chip, with dual, faster graphics cores capable of supporting a Retina Display iPad and potentially bringing 1080p HD support to iOS devices, including Apple TV.
Casting even more doubt on the prospect of an active-matrix organic LED display in Apple's anticipated second-generation iPad, a new report claims that limited component supplies have been a "major reason" for Apple to overlook the technology.
Web app developer Sencha has profiled Samsung's Android-based Galaxy Tab in comparison to Apple's iPad, concluding that while it is billed as "the first mass-market Android tablet; unfortunately, it’s a little bit of a disappointment."
2010 12 Fri, 08:00:00 PM, Posted By
Josh Ong
Time magazine awarded Apple four slots on its 2010 top 10 gadgets list, naming the iPad the No. 1 gadget of 2010.
2010 12 Mon, 11:15:00 PM, Posted By
Josh Ong
Andy Rubin, the mastermind behind Google's Android mobile operating system, demoed a prototype Android-based tablet from Motorola on Monday at this week's D: Dive Into Mobile Conference.
Adobe on Tuesday announced the release of Flash Player 10.1 for Mobile, pitching it as "the first release that brings the full Web across desktops and devices."