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Ivy Bridge to Bring Triple Display Support to MacBook Air
Dec 06, 10:11PM
Earlier today, we highlighted a leaked roadmap from VR-Zone detailing Intel's plans for its mobile Ivy Bridge processors set to debut in April and May of next year.
One detail of the report that bears special attention is the fact that the Ivy Bridge platform, both mobile and desktop, will support up to three independent displays, with one of those displays being an internal one.
While we're talking about graphics, as with the desktop Ivy Bridge processors, the mobile processors also support up to three independent displays, although one of these will be the built in display in the notebook, but hopefully we'll see notebooks with a DisplayPort connector as standard come next year.The current Sandy Bridge platform is only capable of supporting two independent displays, limiting the MacBook Air to one external display. Similarly, the 13-inch MacBook Pro can only drive two external displays by turning off its internal display.
More powerful machines such as the larger MacBook Pro models can currently drive two external displays in addition to the internal one due to their inclusion of discrete graphics chips paired with the Sandy Bridge platform. But with Ivy Bridge opening the door to direct support for up to three displays via the Intel HD 4000 integrated graphics, even owners of smaller machines like the MacBook Air will have the option of significantly expanding their screen real estate by connecting to two external displays.
Apple's Retail Self-Checkout Doing Well, Strong Promotion Coming at Grand Central
Dec 06, 8:50PM
CNBC reports on word from a source who claims that Apple has been very pleased with customer usage of the EasyPay self-checkout system for its retail stores. Under the system, customers can use the Apple Store app on their iPhones to scan shelf-stocked items in an Apple retail store and pay for them using their iTunes Store accounts. Customers can simply walk out of the store after the transaction is completed without needing to speak with any store employees.
The report does not offer any specifics on the program's performance, but vaguely suggests that it is at least meeting expectations.
Apple's self checkout revolution may have seemed a bit crazy, but it's apparently working out.The report notes that Apple is also expected to heavily promote the self-checkout feature at its new Grand Central Terminal store set to open on Friday. With the open floor plan and throngs of commuters quickly passing through the store, the feature will likely be a popular one for store visitors.
That's what I hear from a source familiar with Apple's retail operation.
...
The intelligence I'm getting is that the benefits of the new system are outweighing any negatives.
While some have been skeptical of the usefulness of the self-checkout feature, many customers had expressed frustration at difficulties with getting the attention of store employees to complete simple transactions, and the new self-checkout avoids that situation entirely while freeing those staff members for more specialized consultation and training with other customers. Apple has reportedly noted that it envisions self-checkout and another system in which customers can pickup online orders in-store eventually being the primary ways in which customers make purchases from Apple retail stores.
Brightwurks Debuts 'Here's to the Crazy Ones' Letterpress Poster for Charity [Mac Blog]
Dec 06, 8:19PM
The team at Brightwurks took some time away from developing useful web-apps to create this unique piece of artwork. The letterpress poster contains a stylized version of the text from Apple's famous Think Different ad. The poster is 10" x 26" and printed on 100% cotton, handmade Arches 140# paper.
Like so many, we've been deeply inspired by this quote. With the recent passing of Steve Jobs, we decided to create something that could hang in the office, commemorating an innovator and challenging us daily to "think different".Brightwurks promises that 100% of the profits from the poster will be donated to the Acumen Fund, which "exists to end worldwide poverty by investing in sustainable entrepreneurial projects and breakthrough ideas."
The poster is available for a limited time, $95 + $10 shipping unframed, or $195 + $25 shipping framed.
Orders will be shipped the week of December 12, but can only be shipped to addresses within the United States.
Grand Theft Auto III: 10 Year Anniversary Edition Coming to iPhone and iPad Next Week [iOS Blog]
Dec 06, 6:59PM
As previously announced, Rockstar Games' classic Grand Theft Auto III is coming to the iPhone and iPad on December 15th.
10 years ago ... the revolutionary open-world epic Grand Theft Auto III was released to the world – a game that set players loose as a small-time criminal at the bottom of the food chain in Liberty City, a sprawling metropolis where anything can happen – and probably will.The iOS version of the game will work only on more recent devices as a result of extensive graphics hardware requirements. GTA will run on the iPad 1 & 2, iPhone 4 & 4S, and iPod touch 4th Generation.
Grand Theft Auto III: 10 Year Anniversary Edition will be available on the App Store next week for $4.99.
Ivy Bridge Mobile CPUs for Next MacBook Air and Pro Models Due around May
Dec 06, 6:27PM
VR-Zone leaks a roadmap for Intel's next generation mobile processors, called Ivy Bridge. Apple currently uses Intel's mobile Sandy Bridge processors in its MacBook Pro and MacBook Air notebooks.
Ivy Bridge will offer a number of benefits for Apple's notebook lines, opening the door to quad-core processors in the 13-inch MacBook Pro and bringing significantly faster graphics and new OpenCL capabilities to the MacBook Air. Ivy Bridge will also support ultra high resolution displays and Intel has committed to Thunderbolt support alongside USB 3.0 in the platform.
VR-Zone details a wide range of processors with Thermal Design Power (TDP) ranging from 17W to 55W. The TDP tends to be the limiting factor in the size of Apple's notebook designs. Apple presently uses 17W processors in the MacBook Air designs and 35W-45W processors in the MacBook Pro. The new processors will include the improved Intel HD Graphics 4000 integrated graphics chipset.
The 35W-45W (MacBook Pro) processors range from Dual/Quad Core 2.6GHz to 2.9GHz with single core turbo speeds of up to 3.6GHz, while the 17W (MacBook Air) processors range from Dual Core 1.8GHz to 2.0GHz with single core turbo speeds of up to 2.8-3.2GHz.
Apple's choice of processors may depend on how dramatically it redesigns the MacBook Pro next year. Rumors have persisted that Apple is working on ultra-thin models that may represent a complete overhaul of some of the MacBook Pro models, making them more Air-like in design. VR-Zone notes that the TDPs on these processors are programmable, so Apple may be able to reduce their TDPs at the expense of processor speed.
VR-Zone reports that the new mobile platform is expected to launch around May, with some high-end processors possibly launching in April. This gives a rough timeframe of when we should expect updates to Apple's notebooks.
BBC Global iPlayer App Coming to iPhone and iPod Touch [iOS Blog]
Dec 06, 6:23PM
The BBC's worldwide edition of its iPlayer app is coming to iPhone and iPod Touch. The iPlayer worldwide edition -- which is distinct from the UK version -- is currently available in 16 territories, mostly western Europe, Australia and Canada. iPlayer Worldwide [Direct Link] doesn't have the Live-TV, DVR and TV catch-up features that the British version does -- instead, it's a video-on-demand subscription service that gives access to selected portions of the BBC archive.
>From The Next Web:
The global iPlayer app will be made available on iPhone and iPod Touch from this Thursday (8th December), and will reach millions more viewers in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Republic of Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.There is no indication on when iPlayer will make its way to the States, but the iPod and iPhone version of iPlayer Worldwide [iTunes Direct Link] arrives Thursday December 8th.
"The global BBC iPlayer has seen great growth since the pilot first launched in July – both in terms of geographical expansion and technological developments", says John Smith, Chief Executive of BBC Worldwid. "Moving to iPhone and iPod Touch allows us to take the service to a significant new potential audience and deliver fantastic programme content from the BBC and the UK's creative industry."
Apple Loses Chinese Lawsuit Against Proview Technology Over 'iPad' Trademark [iOS Blog]
Dec 06, 4:51PM
Financial Post reports that Apple has lost a lawsuit it had filed against Chinese company Proview Technology alleging infringement of the "iPad" trademark. At stake in the dispute is ownership of the Chinese "iPad" trademark itself, which Proview registered for in China back in 2000. The company threatened to sue Apple last year amid failed negotiations, pegging the value of the trademark at $800 million.
As today's report notes, Apple purchased the European rights to the "iPad" trademark from Proview's parent company last year for just $55,000 and filed its suit against the Chinese subsidiary earlier this year with claims that the European deal also included the Chinese rights. Proview's Chinese arm has since sued Apple for $1.6 billion.
Apple purchased the European rights to the iPad name from Proview's global parent last year for about $55,000 and filed an infringement lawsuit against the Shenzhen subsidiary six months ago, claiming the European deal also included China. While Tuesday's reported ruling suggests China's legal system does not agree, Apple officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.It is unclear exactly what the next steps will be in the dispute and whether there is an appeals process in place beyond today's ruling. Alternatively, Apple may have to continue working toward a settlement with Proview's Chinese arm or refrain from using the iPad name in China.
Verizon and Sprint Top 'Consumer Reports' Carrier Ratings, AT&T Lowest [iOS Blog]
Dec 06, 4:35PM
Consumer Reports today announced the results of its consumer satisfaction survey of mobile phone companies in the United States for 2011, with Verizon topping the list and AT&T; once again ranking at the bottom.
Of the four major U.S. national cell-phone standard service providers, Verizon again scored the highest in this year's Ratings, followed closely by Sprint. Survey respondents gave very good scores to Verizon for texting and data service satisfaction, as well for staff knowledge.Consumer Reports' survey included 66,000 customers, and the magazine's January issue includes both full rankings of nationwide performance and more localized rankings from 22 major metropolitan areas.
T-Mobile was below Verizon and Sprint but continued to rate significantly better than the higher-priced AT&T;, which recently withdrew its application to the FCC to merge with its better rival.
AT&T; also ranked last in last year's survey, but was the exclusive iPhone carrier in the United States at that time. With Verizon having added the iPhone in February and Sprint coming on board in October, U.S. consumers now have a number of options for iPhone service.
Grand Central Terminal Store Digital Signage Removed Ahead of December 9th Opening [Mac Blog]
Dec 06, 3:54PM
Less than two weeks ago, Apple revealed digital flip-style signage outside its forthcoming retail store in Manhattan's historic Grand Central Terminal. The signage consisted of 58 separate display panels showing a rotating group of messages regarding the store's grand opening, which is scheduled for this Friday, December 9th.
With the opening just three days away and a closed event for the media scheduled for tomorrow, techfootnote reveals that Apple has now removed the signage and begun disassembling the black construction barrier that had blocked the main stairway entrance to the store. The store's entrance and views onto the balconies remain obscured by black curtains, which can be quickly and easily removed ahead of the store's opening.
Apple has posted information on the store, noting that the location will offer a relatively early opening time of 7:00 AM on weekdays in order to accommodate the needs of commuters utilizing the terminal.
'Steve Jobs' Becomes Amazon's Best-Selling Book of 2011
Dec 06, 2:46PM
As predicted by Amazon following its release, Walter Isaacson's authorized biography of Steve Jobs has become the retailer's best-selling book of 2011. The milestone is a remarkable one given that the book did not debut until late October.
Steve Jobs quickly rose to #13 on the list following its debut, which was moved up in the wake of Jobs' death in early October. By mid-November the title had risen to #2 on the list, setting the stage for its accession to the top spot.
Sony Pictures has acquired the movie rights to the authorized biography, and Aaron Sorkin is "strongly considering" taking on the task of writing the screenplay for the film. One report has indicated that George Clooney and Noah Wyle are in the running to portray Jobs.
European Regulators Investigating Apple and e-Book Publishers over Antitrust Concerns
Dec 06, 2:33PM
Bloomberg reports that the European Commission has launched an antitrust investigation targeting Apple and five e-book publishers. The publishers targeted in the investigation include five of the six major book publishers: Hachette, Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Penguin, and Macmillan.PricewaterhouseCoopers said in a January report that European e-book sales have been sluggish, partly due to the small range of non-English titles and fixed price agreements between publishers and stores in 13 countries. EU Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said last month that he wanted to fight "artificial restrictions imposed by some companies to cross-border trade" and was examining the way e-books are distributed.Apple has been targeted by a number of investigations and lawsuits related to its remaking of the book industry. With the launch of its iBookstore, Apple reached agreements with major publishers to adopt an "agency model" in which publishers retain control over sales prices and retailers receive a 30% share of that sales price. Previously, retailers had paid set wholesale prices for books and then priced them for sale at their discretion. With Apple driving the shift to an agency model, Amazon and other major retailers quickly followed suit.
Today's probe "will in particular investigate whether these publishing groups and Apple have engaged in illegal agreements or practices that would have the object or the effect of restricting competition," the Brussels-based authority said.
Cox TV Connect App for iPad Streams Live TV to Cox Customers
Dec 06, 3:08AM
Following in the footsteps of DirecTV, Cablevision, and Time Warner, Cox Communications is now offering a free iPad App called Cox TV Connect for iPad that live TV streaming for iPad customers at home.
Cox TV Connect allows you to watch popular shows LIVE, right on your iPad:Users must be a customer of both Cox TV and Cox internet service in order to be eligible to stream TV to their iPads. [App Store]
- Watch TV on your iPad from anywhere in your house.
- Choose from more than 35 popular channels.
- Yours to enjoy for free as a subscriber to Cox TV Essential and Cox Preferred, Premier or Ultimate Internet service.
Apple Admits to Court that Samsung Will Draw More Customers from Android than iOS
Dec 05, 9:14PM
Earlier today, we noted that a U.S. judge late last week declined to issue a preliminary injunction barring Samsung from selling several of its Galaxy smartphone and tablet devices in the United States while Apple's case alleging patent and design infringement moved through the courts. From the decision released by Judge Lucy Koh, The Verge noted that it had seen portions of the court order that had been redacted and which revealed that Apple had licensed one specific iOS interface patent to both Nokia and IBM. Samsung had, however, declined to license the invention when offered the option by Apple as part of settlement talks in late 2010.
Reuters now reveals how that redacted portion of the court order came to light, as the initially-posted court order had mistakenly allowed the redacted text to be visible upon copying and pasting.
In her 65-page ruling denying Apple's request for a preliminary injunction against Samsung, Koh attempted to redact nearly two dozen sentences or short fragments. But because of a formatting characteristic in the prior electronic version, the redacted material can be viewed by copying text from the PDF and pasting it into another document.The publicly-available version of the court order has been corrected and the redacted portions are no longer visible, but Reuters shares a few tidbits of information revealed in the redacted portions.
Perhaps most significantly, Koh cites as part of her rationale Apple's admission that Samsung is more likely to take market share from other Android manufacturers than it is from Apple.
According to the redacted portions, Apple's own studies show that existing customers are unlikely to switch from iPhones to Samsung devices. Instead, the evidence suggests an increase in sales of Samsung smartphones is likely to come at the expense of other smartphones with Android operating systems, Koh wrote.The admission is not a tremendous surprise given the barriers to switching app ecosystems and surveys of iOS device owners reporting significant loyalty to the platform, but it is interesting to see Apple's formal admission of the relatively low risks Samsung poses to Apple's current user base. Apple would of course argue that Samsung's alleged infringement would prove to be a bigger threat regarding users who are just moving to a smartphone for the first time.
Another interesting revelation from the court order is Samsung's argument that Apple shouldn't be awarded an injunction in part due to the sheer impossibility of Apple being able to keep up with demand for smartphone devices by itself. But Koh acknowledged that such an argument was "dubious" in the face of testimony and evidence presented by Apple claiming that it is indeed capable of meeting demand.
The dispute between Apple and Samsung has been receiving the most attention in the media given the number of cases going on around the world and the numerous day-to-day developments. But the first major decision in the United States may actually come when the International Trade Commission decides whether to rule in favor of Apple's request for a ban on the import of HTC smartphones over patent infringement. A final ruling on that request had been scheduled for tomorrow, but has been delayed until December 14th.
Apple Testing GPU Drivers for Higher-Resolution iPhone Screens? [iOS Blog]
Dec 05, 7:55PM
Macerkopf.de reports [Google translation] that it has learned from an Apple software engineer that the company is currently testing fourteen different GPU drivers for iPhone hardware, including several drivers for running displays at higher resolutions of 1280 x 720 and 1440 x 800. The iPhone 4 and 4S currently utilize a 960 x 640 display. According to the report, Apple is testing two sets of seven drivers each targeting either dual-core or quad-core chips. Within each set, Apple is said to be testing four drivers targeting the current 960 x 640 display size, two targeting 1280 x 720 displays and one targeting 1440 x 800 displays.
The report notes that these drivers are only in testing and thus not necessarily indicative of any shipping product. In addition, the higher resolutions are not clean multiples of the current iPhone resolution, meaning that developers would have to offer newly-scaled content to fit the new size, with Apple having to use a non-ideal automatic scaling to allow current content to display on the new device. In the transition to the current Retina displays, Apple doubled the screen's resolution in both the vertical and horizontal directions, allowing lower-resolution apps to be easily scaled up using pixel doubling techniques.
Macerkopf has not been a frequent source of rumors, and most recently incorrectly claimed that iOS 5.0.2 would be coming in late November to further address battery issues. The claim was later retracted after it was said that memory leaks were delaying the public launch. The original report also cited major enhancements to Siri for the first significant update for iOS 5. But with the first developer build of iOS 5.1 being released last week, there is yet to be any evidence of such Siri enhancements.
Kindle Fire Will Crush Other Android Tablets, May Increase iPad Sales Say Analysts
Dec 05, 7:06PM
In newly released research notes, a pair of analysts have praise for both Apple and Amazon's tablet efforts. They note that the Kindle Fire appears to be doing extremely well, though it is not challenging the iPad directly. In fact, Fire sales could indirectly encourage iPad purchases in the long run.
Evercore Partners' Robert Cihra writes in a note obtained by Apple 2.0:
While Amazon's Kindle Fire has come out of the gates strong, as expected, we see Apple maintaining its competitive lead, if anything accentuated by what now looks like the only tablet to so far mount any credible iPad challenge apparently needing to do so by selling at cost; not to mention Amazon's success may just vaporize other "for profit" Android tablet OEM roadmaps (e.g., we est Amazon 50% of all Android tablets in CY12). Meanwhile Apple goes on as the only vendor able to cream off the most profitable segment of each market it targets, whether tablet, smartphone or PC.At the same time, JP Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz (and the Apple executives that he met with) feel that Apple is not seeing pressure from the Kindle Fire and that they are of the belief that current Fire owners "could gravitate to more feature-rich experiences" later on with the Fire acting as a "gateway drug".
Darrell Etherington, writing for GigaOm:
I think Apple's optimistic outlook should pan out, however, as long as one thing remains true: tablets continue to encroach upon and replace PCs as primary computing devices for general users. In that case, the Kindle Fire and the iPad likely will enter into a mutually beneficial orbit, with the cheaper device's drawing in first-time tablet users and the iPad's acting as a sort of graduation gift for when they opt to use tablets as their main computers.When the Kindle Fire launched, Apple executives said they welcomed the entry of the Fire to the market for its ability to further fragment the Android ecosystem and its ability to put enormous price pressure on other tablets. The popularity of the Kindle Fire seems to affirm Steve Jobs' belief in an end-to-end software-and-hardware ecosystem -- something that no companies other than Apple and Amazon have been able to effectively assemble.
A6-Based Apple Television to Come in Three Sizes Ranging from 32 to 55 Inches?
Dec 05, 6:37PM
Smarthouse claims to have received word that Apple will be offering its rumored television set in three different sizes ranging from 32 to 55 inches, with the device being powered by the same "new processor" (presumably the A6) set to appear in the iPad 3.
Sources at a major Japanese company who are involved in manufacturing the TV believe that the 55" model will compete with new Smart TVs from Samsung and LG that will have new processors built in while offering a combination of OLED display, as well as new Super HD TV technology from LG.Smarthouse has historically been rather unreliable with its Apple rumors, but the claim of three different sizes does match up with previous rumors. Smarthouse had claimed earlier this year that Apple was looking at OLED technology for its 55-inch television, but that claim was later refuted by other sources.
Last week, Piper Jaffray analyst and long-time Apple television set proponent Gene Munster offered his speculation on what Apple's plans might be, also suggesting that the company would be likely to introduce a range of sizes in order to appeal to customers with a broad range of sizes for their television needs.
The latest Smarthouse report doesn't specifically name the A6 system-on-a-chip as the planned brains for the Apple television set, but the claim of it being a "new processor" certainly seems to imply the A6. There has been some uncertainty about the A6 and the iPad 3, with reports indicating that the new iPad will launch in "early 2012" in line with previous years while confusion over whether TSMC or Samsung will produce the A6 has included claims that the chip will not be ready until June 2012.
Computer History Museum Launches Online Steve Jobs Exhibit [Mac Blog]
Dec 05, 6:04PM
The Computer History Museum has introduced an online exhibit about Apple cofounder Steve Jobs. The exhibit, called "Steve Jobs... First, NeXT, One more thing..." traces Jobs life from his youth through his early days at Apple, then NeXT, and finally his triumphant return to Apple in 1997 and finally transforming it into the world's most valuable company.
The exhibit features rare footage of Jobs from 1980 speaking about the early days of Apple. "We had no idea what people would do with these things," Jobs says in the video, describing the 1977 Apple II computer that launched Apple into a major technology company.
"In Jobs's own words, we hear how luck as well as skill played big roles in Apple's founding," said Dag Spicer, CHM's senior curator. "We also see how focused, articulate and convincing Jobs could be, even at this early stage." Jobs, who seems to genuinely appreciate the magnitude of what Apple could be, remarks: "For some crazy reason in the universe, two people from Los Altos and Cupertino, California managed to want something that just so happened to be what about a million other people wanted."
The new exhibit features objects from the Museum's permanent collection, which holds over 100,000 artifacts, including 3,000 Apple-related items. The new online exhibit also features photographs of Jobs and an essay on his life. Other unique and important early Apple documents in the Museum's permanent collection include the initial offering statement for the founding of Apple and the Macintosh business plan.
Even close followers of Steve Jobs life and career will find something interesting in the exhibit, in particular some never-before seen video and pictures of historical Apple products and memorabilia.
In addition to the online Steve Jobs exhibit, biographer Walter Isaacson will participate in a conversation at the Computer History Museum on Tuesday, December 13 at 6PM. Registration for the event is closed, but video will be posted on YouTube on December 20th, and the event is being filmed for a future episode of C-SPAN's BookTV show.
Apple Named in Class Action Lawsuit Over Carrier IQ Privacy Issues
Dec 05, 5:10PM
A group of three law firms late last week announced (via BGR) the filing of a class action lawsuit against Apple, Carrier IQ, and five other companies over privacy issues related to Carrier IQ's logging software The list of defendants also includes hardware manufacturers HTC, Samsung, and Motorola, and carriers AT&T;, Sprint, and T-Mobile.
The carriers and manufacturers last month were caught willfully violating customers' privacy rights in direct violation of federal law. A technology blogger in Connecticut discovered last month that software designed and sold by California-based Carrier IQ, Inc. was secretly tracking personal and sensitive information of the cell phone users without the consent or knowledge of the users. On Nov. 30, 2011, the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary said in a letter to Carrier IQ that "these actions may violate federal privacy laws." It added, "this is potentially a very serious matter."While it appears that the version of Carrier IQ's software installed on iOS devices is much less capable than that found on Android devices, concerns have still arisen over just what information is being logged and transmitted back to Carrier IQ to be passed on to carriers. For its part, Apple has claimed that it has stopped supporting Carrier IQ in iOS 5 and that it will remove all remaining traces of the service in a future iOS update.
Much of the focus has been on Carrier IQ itself and the carriers that have partnered with the company, but hardware companies have also become involved in the controversy. German regulators have already begun pressing Apple for details on its usage of Carrier IQ data, and other authorities will likely also turn to Apple and other hardware companies as the story continues to develop.
Apple Fails to Win U.S. Injunction Against Samsung, Previously Offered 'Scrollback' Patent License
Dec 05, 4:03PM
Late last week, a U.S. judge declined to award a preliminary injunction that would have blocked Samsung from selling its Galaxy line of smartphones and tablets in the United States, marking a setback for Apple in its effort to take on Samsung for its alleged infringement of Apple's designs and functionality. Judge Lucy Koh did, however, suggest that Samsung was likely to have infringed some of Apple's patents but declined to issue an injunction because of a lack of evidence that Apple would suffer irreparable harm if Samsung were allowed to continue selling the products while the case was being heard.In her ruling, Koh wrote that for some of the smartphones, "Apple has established a likelihood of success on the merits at trial."Interestingly, The Verge notes that the court order declining to issue the injunction reveals that Apple has in fact licensed to third parties one key iOS patent covering the "scrollback" feature displaying the linen texture when elastically scrolling beyond the end of a document or webpage. Licenses for the patent were obtained by Nokia and IBM, and Apple offered a license to Samsung during failed negotiations back in November 2010.
Koh added that Apple would likely prove Samsung infringed one of its tablet patents. However, Apple had not shown that it was likely to overcome Samsung's challenges to the patent's validity, Koh wrote.
Apple must demonstrate both infringement and validity to succeed in its lawsuit.
Apple asserted this patent against Samsung as part of its failed attempt to get an injunction against Galaxy devices, and the court order denying the injunction includes general discussion of how past licensing behavior affects the decision of whether or not to grant an injunction. The discussion is nestled among two redacted statements shown to The Verge that confirm the '381 patent was licensed to IBM and Nokia, and that Apple offered a license to Samsung in November of 2010 as part of settlement negotiations.At first blush, the revelation suggests that because Apple is indeed willing to offer licensing for certain iOS features rather going to the "thermonuclear war" extreme, its case may be strengthened by Samsung's refusal to purchase a license as other companies have done.
But the fact that Apple has been willing to license the feature to other companies for monetary compensation also undermines its argument that it is being irreparably harmed by Samsung's alleged infringement. In Koh's view, if Apple could be adequately compensated for the infringement through a license by Samsung, Apple could be made whole at a later date without the need for a preliminary injunction at this point in the trial.
Apple's Grand Central Terminal Store Preparing for 10AM Opening on Friday
Dec 05, 2:44PM
Apple today posted its official Grand Central retail store page, formally announcing the 10:00 AM grand opening scheduled for this Friday, December 9th. The store's normal hours will include an early opening time of 7:00 AM on weekdays in order to accommodate commuters passing through the terminal.
One MacRumors reader has passed along a few recent photos of the interior of the store, showing that Apple is still putting the finishing touches on the store's buildout including the typical wood tables that will allow customers to test out Apple's products. One photo in particular shows a close-up view of the store's Genius Bar, revealing the clear glass wall behind the bar that will provide customers will a relatively unobstructed view of the terminal's stone walls behind.
Apple is paying approximately $1.1 million per year in rent for the large space, well below market rates for retail space in the terminal and the broader Manhattan real estate market. The State of New York is investigating the deal's terms, but the Metropolitan Transportation Authority insists that it received the best possible terms for a difficult space.
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