Apple clarifies “4G” iPad marketing in Australia, warranty coverage options in the EU

Apple’s doing lots of clarifying lately, that much is clear. Just this day, the company finally tweaked the problematic “4G” wording for the new iPad in Australia and clarified warranty coverage options in the European Union.

In both these instances, Apple moved only following regulatory pressure or when threatened with class-action lawsuits.

So, if you live in Australia and felt misled with Apple’s “4G” iPad marketing in the country, you’re in for a treat. Hop over to the iPad specs page on the Australia online Apple store and see an added line stating the device “is not compatible with current Australian 4G LTE networks and WiMAX networks”.
And in the European Union, Apple now provides a new page on its website that seeks to educate customers on the differences between the AppleCare coverage and statutory warranty requirements imposed by the European Union.

These include a one-year standard AppleCare warranty coverage versus a two-year requirement in the EU and the fact that Apple’s warranty covers only their own products, while EU consumer protection laws require sellers to provide coverage for both first- and third-party products.

FireCore releases iOS 5.1 jailbreak for Apple TV 2

Well that was fast. Not even 10 minutes after we published our post on the state of the iOS 5.1 Apple TV jailbreak, FireCore released a new version of its Seas0nPass utility that is compatible with the new software.

This means that folks with an Apple TV 2 can upgrade (if you haven’t already) to the latest ATV firmware, which features the new user interface, and still keep their ability to jailbreak…
Now at the moment, it’s only a tethered jailbreak — meaning that you’ll need to connect the ATV to a Mac or PC anytime you want to restart it. But given the fact that the Apple TV is rarely powered off, this shouldn’t be too big of a deal.

Unlike iOS 5.1 for other devices, the software update actually includes a host of new features for the ATV such as the new icon-based user interface, support for iCloud movie playback, and new screensaver photos.

No, the new version of Seas0nPass isn’t compatible with the third-gen Apple TV. But those with an ATV 2 can head on over to our Downloads page and grab the app. If you need help, stay tuned to iDB for our full step-by-step tutorial.

P.S. It’s worth noting that not all jailbreak apps are compatible with the new software yet. Overflow, Plex, Remote HD, Rowmote, and XBMC are currently listed as not working. We’ll let you know when these are updated.

RIM accuses Apple of dirty tricks as ETSI postpones vote on Nano SIM

Apple’s push for a new SIM card standard dubbed Nano SIM is in troubled waters as BlackBerry maker Research in Motion has sent a letter out suggesting that foul play may be afoot. Meanwhile, the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) has postponed vote on Nano SIM due to a dispute between Apple and Nokia over Nano SIM patents.

RIM’s letter claims Apple’s own personnel register themselves as working for the competition in order to try and rig a vote that will decide the outcome of a bid to make the Nano SIM a new standard.

The Canadian firm believes that members of Apple’s team have registered to vote claiming to work for Bell Mobility, SK Telekom and KT Corp. If true, Apple may have some answering to do…
RIM, itself on a death spiral these days, is now asking ETSI to ensure that proxy voting is not allowed when the vote takes place in around 30-days, with an aim to ensuring that Apple cannot rig the outcome.

RIM’s letter is available over at CNET and it even goes so far as to name the people involved. Three appear to work for Apple (UK), whilst one is listed as having worked for Vodafone before switching to Telekom Austria.

If Apple is indeed trying to rig proceedings and has thus been found out by RIM, this would be an interesting development in a quest for Nano SIMs.

Apple is pushing its Nano SIM variant that is a third smaller than the Micro SIM and requires a tray. It should help make future iPhones smaller and lighter as even the already miniature Micro SIM is too bloated by Apple’s standards.

No matter how much they want it, though, fixing votes (if true) just ain’t cool, man.

iTunes is the target of a new lawsuit

Apple is today finding itself on the wrong end of another lawsuit, with iTunes this time feeling the full force of America’s somewhat broken patent system. As is the done thing these days, someone claiming to own a patent that may be infringed upon by a large company is seeking damages for said infringement.

According to a report in Computer World, a man named Benjamin Grobler believes that iTunes, along with Sony’s PlayStation Network, infringes upon a patent he owns which covers a “data vending system.”

This system allows the central hosting of apps, movies or music, with information on what a customer has already purchased already also being part of the system. Sound familiar? Yup, that’s iTunes in the Cloud, then…
The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, asks for a ruling that Apple infringed upon, and continues to infringe upon Grobler’s patent. Unsurprisingly, the patent owner is also asking for damages. Shocker.

The patent in question is No. 6,799,084, for those still playing along with “patent bingo.”

While the patent does appear to describe the kinds of features we have become accustomed to in both iTunes and the PlayStation Network, things are never quite as simple as that where a patent lawsuit is concerned. We’ll just have to wait and see where this one goes, but would you want to go up against both Apple and Sony at once?

We know we wouldn’t.


Ex-Microsoft employees launch new iPad sketch app

Paper, a new iPad sketch app, launched last night with quite a bang. That’s not surprising when you consider it has a gorgeous UI, and the fact that many of its creators are ex-Microsoft employees, who once worked on the infamous Courier project.

I know what you’re thinking. “Great, exactly what the iPad needs, another sketch app.” But before you go writing this one off, you might want to see what all of the fuss is about…
From the moment you first open Paper, you can tell it’s well designed. You’re initially greeted with three interactive sketchbooks, with an option to create others. A majority of the app is run by swipes and pinch gestures — which makes it extremely easy to navigate.

But it’s not just Paper’s UI that sets it apart from the competition. It also features some great-looking drawing utensils including a felt-tipped pen, a pencil, a marker, a paint brush, and a tiny-tipped pen for writing text. Each one comes in 9 different colors.

The good news is that Paper is a free app. The bad news is, it only comes with the felt-tipped pen. It’ll cost you $1.99 per utensil to unlock the others — which is kind of a bummer. Nevertheless, if you own an iPad, this sketch app is definitely worth checking out.

Have you tried Paper yet? What’d you think?

iTunes updated to version 10.6.1

iTunes has been updated to version 10.6.1, bringing a bunch of bug fixes:

■Fixes several issues that may cause iTunes to unexpectedly quit while playing videos, changing artwork size in Grid view, and syncing photos to devices.
■Addresses an issue where some iTunes interface elements are incorrectly described by VoiceOver and WindowEyes.
■Fixes a problem where iTunes may become unresponsive while syncing iPod nano or iPod shuffle.
■Resolves an ordering problem while browsing TV episodes in your iTunes library on Apple TV.
As far as I can tell, this iTunes update is jailbreak-safe.

Nokia threatens not to license essential patents if Apple “imposes” its Nano SIM variant

Handset maker Nokia is increasing pressure on Apple ahead of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute’s (ETSI) ruling on the emerging SIM card standard, due later this week. The latest in the ongoing power struggle includes Nokia issuing another statement accusing Apple for bending unwritten rules and misusing the standardization process “to rubber stamp its proposal”.

All that jazz for a smaller SIM card standard? Color me skeptical, but I’m questioning Nokia’s motive here. Is the other Nano SIM variant backed by Nokia, Motorola and RIM really so much better than Apple’s, which requires a tray (seen in the above shot)?
The full Nokia statement, obtained by The Verge, follows:

It has become clear that ETSI’s current work on the 4FF standard is in conflict with ETSI’s agreed rules, risking the adoption of a proposal which does not meet ETSI’s technical requirements and which would be inferior for consumers and the mobile industry, unnecessarily increasing the cost of mobile devices.

“We believe that Apple is mis-using the standardization process, seeking to impose its own proprietary solution on the industry and using ETSI merely to rubber stamp its proposal, rather than following established principles and practices,” said Henry Tirri, executive vice president and chief technology officer at Nokia. “We urge ETSI members to resist this behaviour, which is not in the best interests of the industry or, more importantly, of consumers.”

Nokia has actively contributed to telecommunications standardization for more than two decades. We believe that the overriding objective any standardization activity must be to collaboratively select the best technological solution, independent of individual commercial interests. It is imperative that the integrity of ETSI’s standardization process should be upheld, with pre-agreed requirements and selection criteria used to ensure fair selection of the best technology. The proposal from Nokia, RIM and Motorola meets all of ETSI’s pre-agreed requirements and more of its selection criteria and so should be selected on its technical merits.

Nokia’s objections to Apple’s proposal have never been related to intellectual property. However, as a result of the issues with the 4FF standardization work, Nokia is not willing to contribute its own IPR to the standard, if the Apple proposal is selected in violation of ETSI’s rules. Nokia holds more than 50 patent families covering SIM related technologies that we believe may be essential to Apple’s proposal. We have informed ETSI that, if Apple’s proposal is selected, then Nokia will not license its relevant patents to that standard.

This decision has no impact on Nokia’s existing commitments to license its standard essential patents under FRAND terms to earlier adopted ETSI standards.

In case you haven’t been following this drama unfolding since last week, Apple’s Nano SIM is essentially the Micro SIM found on the iPhone 4/4S, sans the plastic.

It still has the same length as the width of the Micro SIM and require a drawer of sorts, which Nokia says risks jamming if users tried to force it into devices, leading to card and product damage.

Nokia’s solution doesn’t require a tray so phones wouldn’t need to be re-engineered with this in mind.

Apple reportedly said yesterday it would license its Nano SIM variant to others on a royalty-free basis, in exchange for any Nano SIM-related patents held by other companies.

Nokia fired back, saying it is not aware of any such patents, though Patently Apple discovered that Apple’s just been granted an important win for a patent pertaining to a design that could include a tray to accommodate both a Nano SIM card and an Integrated Circuit Card.

Can we get rid of SIM cards altogether, please? Just let us pick a service on our phone and pay for it on the go.

Here’s what Foxconn’s strategic deal with Sharp could mean for Apple, iPad and iTV

Yesterday’s news that Apple’s contract manufacturer Foxconn bought an eleven percent stake in the Japanese multinational corporation Sharp sent the tongues wagging. With a 46.5 percent stake in Sharp’s LCD plant in Sakai, Osaka, conventional wisdom has it that Foxonn, which just released its 2011 financial report, will bolster Sharp’s LCD business and make it more profitable by securing the lowest prices on components.

Other folks think the two partners joined forces to battle LG Display and Samsung for orders of Retina displays for the new iPad. After all, Sharp is already been credited with small-volume shipments of 2,048-by-1,536 pixel resolution panels for the device and they’re about to ramp up production in the second quarter.

Another intriguing possibility includes next-generation flat panels for a rumored Apple-branded television set, nicknamed the iTV…
The 99-year old Sharp is losing big money with its LCD business, just as other HDTV makers aren’t doing particularly well either. That said, it make sense to partner with Foxconn and boost biz metrics. Sharp’s been rumored with attempting to sell Apple on its Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide (IGZO) display technology for the new iPad, but Apple passed on the technology to opt for traditional LCD screens.

Sony, which also owns a seven percent stake in Sharp’s Sakai plant, confirmed today with a press release it will make no further investment in Sharp Display Products Corporation (SDP), a joint venture to produce and sell large-sized LCD panels and modules. The Abeno-ku, Osaka-headquartered Sharp transferred its Sakai LCD plant to SDP in 2009. Later that year ,Sony acquired a 7.04 percent stake in the joint venture.

The amended agreement gives Sony the right to sell its share in SDP should Sharp partner with a third-party, as they’ve just done now with Foxconn. The PlayStation maker will decide what to do with its stake in the joint venture in September.

Sony’s likely exit indicates plans for high-volume production of IGZO flat panels for the iTV. Right this moment, Sharp’s 8G lines can produce LCD panels up to 55 inches, but IGZO panels are not ready for mass production on Apple’s scale, according to SlashGear.

IGZO technology could also allow for a thinner iPad with greater battery life because Sharp’s IGZO panels can hit a pixel density of 330ppi and do not require dual LED bars to illuminate the pixels. The new iPad has twice the LEDs for backlighting which contributes the most to a faster battery drain, among other reasons.

In addition, IGZO technology allows for wide viewing angles, negating the need for a premium (and pricey) display technology called In-Plane Switching. And with near-OLED power consumption, significant manufacturing cost savings and only 25 percent thicker than the increasingly popular OLEDs – no wonder Apple set its sights on IGZO tech.

Nokia “not aware” of any Apple patents essential to its Nano SIM proposal

Once again, the Finnish cell phone giant Nokia is opposing Apple’s proposal for a new requirement related to the emerging Nano SIM card standard, dated back to 2011. According to a rumor yesterday, Apple wants to license its version of the Nano SIM to others royalty-free in exchange for any Nano SIM-related patents held by other companies.

Today, Nokia said in a statement it does not know of any Apple patent related to the iPhone maker’s Nano SIM variant. Essentially, Nokia just slammed Apple’s recent strides aimed at promoting its Nano SIM variant ahead of the European Telecommunications Standards Institute’s (ETSI) ruling later this week…
According to IDG News Service, a Nokia spokesperson said in an email statement:

We are not aware of any Apple Intellectual Property which it considers essential to its nano-SIM proposal. In light of this, Apple’s proposal for royalty-free licensing seems no more than an attempt to devalue the intellectual property of others.

Nokia also opposed Apple last week by arguing its Nano SIM proposal is technically superior to an Apple-backed solution which requires a tray, meaning phones would need to be re-engineered with this in mind. It’s interesting how Nokia and Apple are both going out of their way aggressively pursuing their respective proposals.

Roughly a third smaller than the Micro SIM utilized on the iPad/iPhone 4/4S, the Apple-backed Nano SIM is basically a Micro SIM stripped of all the plastic, as seen in the below image.

Apple-backed Nano SIM. Source: The Verge

But because it still has the same length as the width of current Micro SIMs, Apple’s Nano SIM risks jamming if users tried to force it into devices, leading to card and product damage, Nokia argues. On the other hand, Nokia’s solution has different dimensions from today’s Micro SIM cards.

Yes, Apple’s solution is thought to benefit the design of the upcoming sixth-generation iPhone, but what’s Nokia up to with their Nano SIM proposal, also backed by RIM and Motorola?

ETSI will discuss Nano SIM proposals later this week at the Smart Card Platform Plenary conference in Sophia Antipolis, Southern France.


Australian Government to sue Apple over “misleading” 4G iPad name

Well this isn’t too surprising. TheNextWeb is reporting that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced plans to file a lawsuit against Apple in the next 48 hours regarding its “misleading” iPad WiFi + 4G advertising.

As most of you know, the wireless version of Apple’s new tablet is indeed compatible with 4G networks here in the US and in Canada. But in other countries, including Australia, the slate is limited to 3G data speeds and, if available, HSPA+…
The ACCC believes that since the new iPad can’t connect to 4G mobile data networks in Australia, the name “iPad WiFi + 4G” is inaccurate and misleading to consumers. So it plans to take action.

Before we go any further, it’s worth noting that Apple has added a warning to its website regarding the 4G iPad model to help clear up any confusion. It reads:

“The iPad with Wi-Fi + 4G model can roam worldwide on fast GSM/UMTS networks, including HSPA, HSPA+, and DC-HSDPA. When you travel internationally, you can use a micro-SIM card from a local carrier. You can also connect to the 4G LTE networks of AT&T and Verizon in the U.S. and Bell, Rogers, and Telus in Canada.”

But is this enough to keep consumers from expecting the WiFi + 4G iPad model to run on 4G networks in their home country? The ACCC doesn’t seem to think so.

According to the report, the Commission is expected to file an application in federal court in Melbourne tomorrow, and is seeking injunctions, penalties, corrective advertising and refunds to consumers who were misled.

What do you think? Should Apple remove the term “4G” from new iPad advertisements outside of the US and Canada?


Apple to add Baidu as default iOS search engine option in China

If Apple’s multiple mapping firm acquisitions and recent iPhoto makeover haven’t convinced you that the company is trying to distance itself from Google as much as possible, maybe this will.

Sina Tech is reporting that it has learned that Apple is looking to add Baidu, China’s market-leading internet search company, as a default search engine option in iOS. So long Google…
According to the report, the Baidu integration is expected to make its way to Chinese devices via a software update. And users could see the new firmware as early as next month.

As TheNextWeb points out, the move is far from shocking. Baidu is responsible for a staggering 83.6% of internet searches in China, so making it a default search engine option in iOS makes sense. Also keep in mind that Apple has offered Bing and Yahoo as Google Search alternatives for quite some time now.

Regardless of the reasoning behind it, this could spell serious trouble for Google’s mobile search business in China. It’s already trailing its competitor by 60%. And once Baidu is integrated into iOS — which sees more devices activated in China than in the US — it’s going to be even harder for Google to gain ground.


If approved, Apple will license its Nano SIM to others royalty-free

Last week, we told you about two opposing proposals concerning the emerging Nano SIM standard. An Apple-backed solution requires a tray so phones would need to be re-engineered with this in mind. It is largely believed to benefit the ultra-thin design of a sixth-generation iPhone.

The other proposal is led by Nokia and backed by Motorola and RIM. It calls for a Nano SIM variant that doesn’t require a tray and is even smaller than Apple’s. The two camps had tabled their proposals to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI) and now a report has emerged claiming that Apple’s solution, if approved, will be offered on a royalty-free basis to any industry player…
According to the patent blog FOSS Patents and its author Florian Müller, Apple is willing to license all related patents concerning the Nano SIM standard to the other members of ETSI, royalty-free. Apple has allegedly sent a letter to those members confirming this. The company is said to ask in exchange any patents essential to nano-SIMs held by other companies.

Müller explains:

A perfectly reliable source that I can’t disclose has shown me a letter dated March 19, 2012 that a senior Apple lawyer sent to ETSI. The letter addresses the primary concern of critics of the proposal. The FT said that “the Apple-led proposal has caused some concern among its rivals that the US group might eventually own the patents”. But Apple’s letter has removed this roadblock, if it ever was any, through an unequivocal commitment to grant royalty-free licenses to any Apple patents essential to nano-SIM, provided that Apple’s proposal is adopted as a standard and that all other patent holders accept the same terms in accordance with the principle of reciprocity.

The development comes just as ETSI is scheduled to discuss Nano SIM proposals later this week at the Smart Card Platform Plenary conference in Sophia Antipolis, Southern France. Roughly a third smaller than the Micro SIM utilized on the iPad/iPhone 4/4S, the new Nano SIM helps mobile devices shrink in size or implement additional functions.

Last week, Nokia opposed Apple’s proposal and issued a lengthy statement basically arguing “Apple’s proposal does not meet all of the pre-agreed requirements” for ETSI’s planned Nano SIM. The Finnish cell phone giant believes that “our proposal has features which would make it easier for consumers to insert and remove the SIM without damage”.

Apple first submitted a new Nano SIM requirement to the European Telecoms Standards Body back in 2011. Carrier AT&T in the United States has publicly backed the Nano SIM initiative. Whichever way you look at it, looks like the miniaturized Micro SIM is already on its way out.

Are you excited about the prospect of an even smaller and thinner SIM card freeing up the valuable space inside your iPhone 5, said to be a major redesign?

Steve Jobs said no to the new Apple TV UI design five years ago

A former Apple TV engineer took to Twitter last night discussing the latest UI that has been implemented on the Apple TV. For those unfamiliar, the new Apple TV UI was announced at the March 7th media event, along with the new 1080p Apple TV. The new UI isn’t much of a change, but brings larger buttons to the home page. Some love it, many hate it.

Michael Margolis, who formerly served as an Apple TV UI designer, said on his Twitter last night that Steve Jobs said no to the latest UI changes five years ago, however Apple’s senior executives recently approved the new UI…
Margolis further tweeted that “Nobody is [at Apple] to say no to bad design.” Aka, since Steve Jobs has passed away, many things are flying by that wouldn’t have under his rule. Another example is the 4G indicator that AT&T included in Apple’s iOS 5.1 update. Many say Steve Jobs would have never let that fly.

The Apple TV is still considered a hobby device at the Apple HQ. The Cupertino-based company is said to be working on a brand new Apple TV that will revolutionize the industry, but the current $99 Apple TV is not a main focus. The company sold a record 1.4 million units last quarter.

Our own Jeff Benjamin took a look at the new UI a few weeks ago and had mixed feelings about it.

Steve Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson that he had “cracked” a new TV, but Apple has yet to reveal anything. Maybe late 2012, or early 2013 we’ll see what Jobs had in mind.

What do you think of Apple now that Steve Jobs is gone?


‘Attacher’ allows you to open any attachment in iMessage

Attacher is an alternative to the ReceiveAny tweak that we covered previously. It allows you to open previously unsupported files directly from within iMessage.

Although you can’t use Attacher to send unsupported files, it’s still a great free solution for those cases when someone insists on sending one to you
Once you receive a file via iMessage, you’ll notice the blue arrow button next to the attachment. Tapping this arrow will bring up a dialogue menu that will allow you to open the attachment in iFile, or any other supported app for that particular file type.

Again, Attacher won’t let you send attachments, but it’s a great solution for opening various unsupported file types. You can find it on Cydia’s ModMyi repo for free.

What do you think?