Apple was joined by Google, Microsoft, Samsung and others in a meeting in Switzerland on Wednesday that discussed the potential patent litigation reform in the lawsuit-saturated wireless industry.
Chipmakers are preparing for production of Apple's sixth-generation iPhone, including Qualcomm, which is said to be providing high-speed 4G long-term evolution chips produced using a 28-nanometer process.
A new report from investment bank PiperJaffray claims 28nm chip shortages at Qualcomm are unlikely to keep Apple from releasing a next-generation iPhone with a "completely redesigned body style" in October.
Even if Apple did want to launch its sixth-generation iPhone before October of this year, supply issues with Qualcomm LTE chips would still cause the next iPhone to launch a full year after the iPhone 4S.
Apple stayed on the legal offensive Friday, filing a new lawsuit in a U.S. court that claims Motorola Mobility's recent patent barrage of patent claims in Germany is in breach of a licensing agreement between the RAZR maker and Qualcomm.
Smartphones compatible with new high-speed 4G long-term evolution networks are projected to account for between 4 and 5 percent of global handset shipments in 2012, thanks in part to an expected LTE-capable iPhone from Apple.
Investment bank Morgan Stanley hinted on Friday that Apple's next-generation iPhone will be slimmer when it arrives later this year and could include a quad-mode chip from Qualcomm that would allow for 3G and LTE functionality across all "network flavors."
Japanese wireless operator NTT Docomo has partnered up with Samsung and several other companies to set up a fabless semiconductor joint venture aimed at producing mobile device chips that will compete with market leader Qualcomm.
On the heels of AT&T's decision to give up on its proposed acquisition of T-Mobile, the Federal Communications Commission has approved the carrier's purchase of 700MHz spectrum from Qualcomm that would be used for its expanding 4G LTE network.
Samsung has added four new patents to its lawsuit against Apple in Germany, but has backed off of a complaint related to baseband chips in the iPhone 4S.
A new teardown analysis of the iPhone 4S claims that the parts for the 16GB version of Apple's iPhone 4S cost $188, or just 50 cents more than the iPhone 4.
Apple supplier Broadcom has been pegged as the most likely customer to have given Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. a boost through a recent batch of "rush orders," with some analysts suggesting that the last-minute orders are for the next-generation iPhone.
Following Google's purchase of Motorola, a new report claims that Apple is still interested in acquiring InterDigital, as are Nokia, Qualcomm and others in the wireless industry.
Apple is reportedly gearing up to build its next-generation iPhone, placing orders for key components to build a new model thinner and lighter than the iPhone 4 with an 8-megapixel camera.
Qualcomm is bringing its augmented reality software development kit to Apple's iOS in order to expose the tool to more developers.
Apple's iPhone 5 will feature "slight modifications" from its predecessor, including an 8 megapixel rear camera and a Qualcomm baseband for both GSM and CDMA models, and will go into production in September, a new report claims.
A closer look inside the new CDMA iPhone 4 for the Verizon network in the U.S. has revealed a new antenna design said to allow improved reception, as well as a different, integrated GPS chip.
With Monday's release of iOS 4.2.6 for the Verizon CDMA iPhone, one hacker claims to have confirmation that Apple went with Qualcomm for the CDMA baseband. Also, Netgear CEO Patrick Lo has apologized for comments he made about Steve Jobs, and Apple job listings reveal that the iPhone maker continues to look for engineers with LTE experience, possibly in preparation for a 4G LTE iPhone.
Qualcomm shares were up more than 6 percent after it said it would post new revenue and earnings growth as demand for its chips accelerate. Apple's iPhone 4 on Verizon, as well as the next generation of iPhone and iPad, are all expected to use Qualcomm's baseband chips.
A hacker claims to have discovered evidence pointing to an upcoming Qualcomm cellular baseband inside the code for Apple's iTunes software, possibly indicating that the iPhone maker plans to incorporate the CDMA giant's baseband into the next generation of iOS devices.
{{ summary }}
Sam Oliver
Josh Ong
Neil Hughes
AppleInsider Staff
Slash Lane
Daniel Eran Dilger
Katie Marsal
