After folks noticed the Houston price hike, both Digital Spy and The Daily Mail were quick to blame Apple for the profiteering, with the Spy saying that Apple should be ashamed of itself for trying to make a buck on the singer’s death. But, it took another UK newspaper to set the record straight. The Guardian reported that Sony Music Entertainment, Houston’s record label, raised the wholesale price of Houston’s songs and albums after her death. Apple did raise the price the consumer sees, but only after Sony raised their price.

In fact, it’s being reported that Sony Music raised the price of Houston’s music collection just 30 minutes after news broke that the singer was dead. Supply & demand, one supposes. According to Reuters, Sony Music executives and those responsible for the Houston estate will meet in New York this week to plan what to do with the Whitney Houston music catalog. You can probably expect a lot of commemorative anthologies, released both digitally and physically.

What do you think? Was Sony right to raise the price of Whitney Houston’s music so soon after her death? Tell us your take in the comments section.

The story so far is that the retailers are having a tough time actually getting new units of the Apple TV set-top box. With Best Buy not even shipping to online customers (and the brick-and-mortar outlets reporting a lot of outages), and other retailers reporting supply lag (Amazon was offering up the 2010 version with a two to five week shipping range, and Radio Shack only had them in at certain locations), it’s getting tougher to find an Apple TV out there.

When you combine the stories of Apple TV shortages going through the marketplace with the word that we’d been hearing for some time now about an upcoming Apple event (now likely looking at the first week of March), it’s enough to make you wonder if maybe that iPad 3 event that our own Chris Smith told us about not too long back won’t just be about the iPad 3.

No company wants to run out of goods to sell, especially when they’re clearly in demand. But this kind of thing does happen; supply chain issues, shipping troubles, and a whole host of other possibilities could be at play here. Of course, the other possibility is that Apple, as it’s done in the past, is allowing the current models to sell out so that it can prepare for a new version to launch. And a new Apple TV has been mentioned in the past, packing in 1080p streaming as well as Bluetooth connectivity.

Whether or not a new Apple TV will make an appearance at the upcoming Apple event remains to be seen, but given the circumstances, it’s a pretty reasonable explanation. The question here is, what do you guys think about this one? Figure that we’ll see a new Apple TV roll out to replace the one that’s suddenly become much harder than normal to find? Or are one of the many other plausible explanations the root of the missing set-top boxes? No matter what your stance, head on down to the comments section and tell us what you think!

According to The Telegraph, ITV’s lawyers have sent a letter to Apple, once again asking them not to come out with a product named “iTV”. This is the second time this has happened. Back in August 2010, ITV sent a similar letter to Apple over similar rumors. According to The Telepgrah, ITV’s top brass is concerned that Apple under Tim Cook may forge ahead with the name, whereas Apple under Steve Jobs didn’t want to get into a legal battle with ITV over the trademark. ITV, the oldest commercially-run TV network in the UK, dates back to 1955.

As HDTV manufacturers like Samsung, LG, Sony and others are coming out with “smart TVs” that run apps and even allow customers to browse the web from their television, some wonder if Apple is missing out on a potential market. Rumors have for a while pinned Apple as working on coming out with a smart TV running iOS. Apple’s current set-top box, the Apple TV, is running a heavily modified version of iOS that lets users stream video content to their TV and buy/rent TV shows and movies – but doesn’t have the ability to run applications like some other smart TVs.

Just because ITV is rattling their sabers doesn’t mean the theoretical Apple smart TV won’t be called iTV. Cisco held the trademark for “iPhone” before the first Apple mobile phone. Cisco had a VoIP deskphone that was called the iPhone, but Apple and Cisco were able to work out a trademark licensing fee. Ping, Apple’s music-centric social networking service, shares its name with Ping, a golf equipment manufacturer. Like the iPhone example, Apple also worked out a trademark licensing agreement with Ping.

So while Apple has used its deep pockets in the past to get the names they want, ITV is certainly the most high-profile trademark yet, and the British TV network maybe unwilling to license their name to Apple. We may have to wait and see what Apple ends up calling their smart TV, if it even exists at all.

There’s a few advantages for educational customers here. The 13-inch MacBook Air being offered on the educational store is the same price (the aforementioned $999) as the 11-inch MacBook Air being sold on the regular Apple Store for the rest of us slobs. The bigger screen is just about the only advantage you’ll get, as the specs are pretty much the same as the base MacBook Air (1.5Ghz Intel i5 Processor, 2GB of RAM, 64 GB of SSD storage).

If you’re an IT professional a school looking to buy MacBooks in bulk, then Apple is offering some bundles. According to TUAW, Apple is asking $4,995 for a five-laptop bundle. The 10-laptop bundle will cost you $11,399 and a 20-laptop bundle will set you back $21,599. Both the 10- and 20-pack bundles have a bit higher unit cost than buying the individual laptops – that’s because Apple is throwing in a free AirPort Extreme WiFi hub and laptop cart with charging stations if you buy those bigger bundles.

Apple has always done well in the educational market, so it remains to be seen if these MacBook Airs will sell well to teachers, students and schools. The MacBook Air’s biggest advantage is its ultra-thin size, not necessarily its performance or durability. It’s hard to imagine IT departments at schools going all in for these expensive MacBook Airs when you could get more iPads or Windows laptops for less.  For college students whose school has an online educational Apple Store (where you can purchase Apple products at discount educational pricing), then certainly this $999 MacBook Air will be a hot item, one imagines.

Many people were surprised to see the iPod come to life, but Apple soon proved it was right to create such a device coupled with an accessible and affordable digital music store for the masses. Driven by Jobs’ passion for music, the iTunes music store now offers over 20 million tracks, including all the albums from The Beatles, one of the most important additions to the store, and one of Jobs’ last completed music projects.

Therefore, we were not surprised back in December to hear that The Recording Academy will honor Steve Jobs with a Special Merit Grammy Award, The Trustees Award, which was accepted yesterday by Apple’s Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue. Here’s the speech he gave when accepting the award on behalf of Jobs:

On behalf of Steve’s wife, Laurene, his children, and everyone at Apple, I’d like to thank you for honoring Steve with the Trustees Grammy Award. Steve was a visionary, a mentor, and a very close friend. I had the incredible honor of working with him for the last fifteen years.

Accepting this award means so much to me because music meant so much to him. He told us that music shaped his life…it made him who he was. Everyone that knows Steve knows the profound impact that artists like Bob Dylan and The Beatles had on him.

Steve was focused on bringing music to everyone in innovative ways. We talked about it every single day. When he introduced the iPod in 2001, people asked “Why is Apple making a music player?” His answer was simple: “We love music, and it’s always good to do something you love.”

His family and I know that this Grammy would have been very special to him, so I thank you for honoring him today.

The Trustees Award, which honors contributions to the music industry in other areas than performance, was also awarded to Rudy Van Gelder and Dave Bartholomew, a jazz recording engineer and a band leader, respectively. On a different note, counting this special award, this is the second time Apple is honored by The Recording Academy after previously winning The Technical Grammy Award back in 2002.

Inevitably, new mobile devices unveiled at MWC will be immediately compared with available, and future, Apple mobile devices, especially the upcoming iPad 3 which will probably cast a long shadow over the event. While we wait for the third-generation tablet to be unveiled, alongside its main Android rivals which could be announced just a few days before the iPad 3 becomes official, we’re being hit with a plethora of new iPad rumors. One of them says that Apple is in “crunch mode” working on the apps that will be demoed on stage and on the new iPad 3 ads that will surely air during the show and thereafter. The Next Web reports:

Apple’s pre-event weeks are often spent soliciting demonstrations from many app developers and preparing demonstrations of those apps for the live event. Our sources tell us that this selection process is continuing at an increased rate as Apple looks to finalize the lineup for the iPad 3. There is also emphasis on graphics-oriented applications with high-definition assets, which appears to be in line with the new iPad featuring a ‘Retina’ display.

In addition, some apps that Apple is impressed with are being forwarded on to its long-time advertising partner TWBA/Chiat/Day for possible inclusion in the initial iPad 3 commercial spots. This process is entering its final phase as well, with the company on a tight deadline to deliver assets for playback during the presentation and later, television broadcast.

We’ll be thoroughly covering the iPad 3 event, but in the mean time keep us bookmarked for more next-gen iPad news, rumors and reports. As for the iPad 3 rivals, we’d certainly be surprised to see one emerge at MWC 2012, but one can always hope.

Anyone already planning to buy the iPad 3 next month?

Apple is obviously targeting Android itself with these patent wars, although the Cupertino-based company has not sued directly Google yet. The legal conflict with Samsung is of particular interest, as both companies are suing each other in 10 countries, with various courts having to decide in over 30 distinct lawsuits. Apple decided to hit Samsung with one more lawsuit in the USA, this time targeting the Galaxy Nexus, Google’s latest Android flagship device.

Apple wants a preliminary injunction against Galaxy Nexus sales in the USA invoking various patent infringements, and unlike in previous attacks in which it target the iPhone- and iPad-inspired design of various Samsung mobile devices, this time it’s all about features, Ice Cream Sandwich features to be more precise:

• US Patent No. 5,946,647 – this patent was filed in 1996 (issued 1999) and covers detecting data, such as a phone number, in an email or web page, creating a link to that data, and initiating an action like calling the phone number when the user selects the link. The data could also include addresses, dates, etc.
• US Patent No. 8,086,604 – this patent claims priority back to 2000 (issued Dec. 2011) and covers searching multiple sources of information (on device and elsewhere) through a single search interface, such as Siri. Apple specifically touts Siri in its injunction request, but also argues that a unified text search is covered by the patent as well.
• US Patent No. 8,046,721 – this patent claims priority back to 2005 (issued Oct. 2011) and covers Apple’s signature slide-to-unlock feature. While Apple already has patent coverage on an image unlock feature, this newest patent is obviously intended to be a bit broader — likely addressing potential workarounds implemented by Google and OEMs over the last couple of years.
• US Patent No. 8,074,172 – this patent was filed in 2007 (issued Dec. 2011) and covers providing word suggestions while the user types on a touchscreen keyboard, where the suggestions can be accepted or rejected by the user.

The first patent quoted above, #5,946,647, has already proven victorious for Apple, as the ITC has recently granted a sales ban against HTC devices based on that particular patent and it will be interesting to see whether the Galaxy Nexus will also be affected. At the same time, HTC did announce that it conceived a workaround to avoid using Apple’s technology and thus continue to sell its smartphones in the region.

From a different point of view, in the Apple vs Samsung and Samsung vs Apple conflicts, Apple has usually been the winner so far, although Samsung scored a few victories of its own, so we’re definitely going to follow closely this new lawsuit that targets such an important Android device.

The current reports coming out of those always-popular “sources familiar with” whatever it is is being discussed at the time say that the MacBook Pro is about to get a serious slimming down, such that it looks more like the MacBook Air. To accomplish this slimming down, they’ll be using things like unibody casings, removing some components like the optical drive, and replacing some others like throwing over the hard drive in favor of much slimmer solid state storage.

They’ll be starting the revamping with the 15 inch model, later stepping up to the 17 inch version once the 15 inch version has had its run completed, and will heavily feature Thunderbolt and Intel’s upcoming line of Ivy Bridge processors, making these look like some pretty standout pieces of hardware indeed.

The change, meanwhile, comes in the face of a rather unlikely business environment, in which the overall market is contracting, but Apple is seeing its sales increase. Plus, while the original MacBook Pro is actually outselling the MacBook Air, the gap between the two product lines has reportedly been on the decline, meaning that the Air is gaining ground while the Pro is just beginning to lose traction.

I have to admit, I like this idea myself; it’s been kind of an odd dichotomy between the two, with the Pro representing the power user segment and the Air looking to win on aesthetics and a lower price, but getting the Pro’s capability in with the Air’s looks might be a real winner. Add to that the fact that the economy hasn’t been slowing Apple down much at all, and you’ve got a pretty good recipe for an exciting laptop race coming up.

But what do you guys think about this one? Do you think that the Pro would sell better if it looked more like the Air? Or do you think that the Pro’s differences made it more appealing, and it should retain those differences? No matter what you think, we always like hearing from you, so hit the comments section below and tell us what you think!

Technology Business Research Ezra Gottheil has it on good authority that the upcoming 9.7-inch iPad 3 will offer the following set of specs and features:

• Retina Display resolution – 2,048 x 1,536 or double the resolution of the iPad 2
• Faster dual-core system-on-a-chip rather than a quad-core processor – a faster A6 chip
• Siri support

These are expected features for the iPad 3, which have been revealed in various other reports, so far so we’re not surprised to hear one more analyst mention them, especially since analysts don’t always get things right.

Gottheil also expects Apple to keep selling the iPad 2 alongside the new iPad 3 model, with pricing expected to drop to $400 “for an iPad 2 with Wi-Fi only and 16GB of flash-based storage space.” That’s also something we have heard more than once in the recent past, and we wouldn’t be surprised to hear Apple is interested in keeping around a top-selling device after seeing the same thing happen with older iPhones a few months ago.

A cheaper iPad 2 will be a great competitor to entry- to mid-level Android devices, including the Kindle Fire that has been selling very well during the past quarter, but would Apple also need to make a smaller iPad 3 to better compete against smaller tablets? I don’t think that’s the case, but here’s what Gottheil said:

Gottheil went out on a smaller limb for another pair of predictions, saying that he expects Apple to roll out a smaller 7-in. iPad — though not at the upcoming event — and perhaps tout a specially-designed wireless keyboard-case accessory for its tablet.

“I believe that’s always been in the plan” said Gottheil of a small iPad, contradicting past comments by Jobs, who had rejected seven inches as too small for a tablet. “Actually that’s a good form factor for some users, and although they will also charge a premium above other similar-sized tablets, they want to protect that price flank.”

During last year’s iPad 2 announcement event, Apple quickly dismissed existing rumors that a new device will launch at some point in the fall by saying that 2011 was the year of the iPad 2, and I wouldn’t be surprised if the company hinted that 2012 will be the year of the iPad 3, the regular size. Would you buy a 7-inch iPad 3?

In its latest iPhone 4S ads Apple is still focusing on Siri, the virtual assistant that’s available officially only on the iPhone 4S – although there are various unofficial Siri ports for other iOS devices at this time. After teaching Santa to navigate the globe and deliver his presents using the Siri assistant, Apple stars regular iPhone 4S users in the new ads and shows off its virtual assistant in two brand new commercials entitled “Road Trip” and “Rock God.”

The scripts of the new ads, both embedded below, feature various scenes that could occur in everyday life, with iPhone 4S users – that are still being filmed in most cases from the nose down – asking Siri a variety of questions. Apple shows us the versatility of Siri and its ability to respond to various queries and help users in various instances, whether it’s providing directions, answering questions, finding certain nearby shops, sending messages, setting up reminders, or customizing the user’s experience.

In “Road Trip” Siri assists travelers while in “Rock God” it deals mostly with the main character’s music passion. The main point Apple tries to get across is that Siri is a feature that iPhone 4S users simply have to use to make their mobile life easier. And we certainly shouldn’t be surprised to see Apple promote its Siri virtual assistant, after all we’re certainly going to see it in this year’s iOS devices including the new iPad 3, the iPhone 5/6, the iPod touch 5G and the iTV – although the last two devices are yet to be confirmed.

What about you, iPhone 4S users, are you using Siri on a regular basis?

In fact, according to AllThingsD, the iPad 3 special media event will take place in the first week of March, although a clear date is not available at this time. Once it becomes official, the iPad 3 should hit stores in the following days or weeks, just like it happened with the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S which were launched right after their official announcements:

Sources say the company has chosen the first week in March to debut the successor to the iPad 2, and will do so at one of its trademark special events. The event will be held in San Francisco, presumably at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Apple’s preferred location for big announcements like these.

No word yet on a street date for the iPad 3 (assuming that’s what it’s called), though my guess is retail availability will follow roughly the same schedule as that of the iPad 2: Available for purchase a week or so after the event.

The publication also notes that Apple will not schedule any “unusual” press event in February, as it was previously rumored. What’s also interesting to note is that Samsung will not hold any press event during MWC 2012, which is quite surprising and significant since it means the South Korean carrier will not announce any new major mobile device, whether smartphone or tablet. With Samsung not ready to announce any new device at MWC, the eyes of the mobile ecosystem will surely be focused on Apple’s upcoming event.

By comparison, last year the iPad 2 was announced on March 2 and sold nine days later, on March 11. And Samsung unveiled one Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 version (10.1v) at MWC 2011 in February, before the iPad 2 announcement, and a second one at CTIA 2011 in March after the iPad 2 launch, with the second device a lot more similar to the second-generation tablet.

The patent, as first discovered by the folks out at AppleInsider,was titled “Three Dimensional User Interface Effects on a Display by Using Properties of Motion”, and details a system involving a variety of sensors as well as a front-facing camera to track eye movements and adjust the image accordingly.

It’s doubly handy, of course, that your standard iPhone already has that aforementioned variety of sensors, with everything from compasses to accelerometers and beyond already running some systems on the device. Since they’re already there, why not put them to another use? Sure, I say, as long as they don’t get overtaxed–it’s always smart to use what you’ve got, it’s never smart to use so fully that it bogs the system down.

Despite the fact that all the necessary sensors are currently in play, the issue, apparently, is that they don’t yet work together in the right way to make a 3D interface happen. That’s part of what this patent covers, as well as a variety of other potential purposes, including dynamic shadowing, and the ability to see the various sides of a 3D-rendered object. And, from the look of things, it would all be done without the need for 3D glasses, and could even be moved onto computer with the addition of front-facing cameras to the desktop or laptop involved.

It’s a fairly exciting idea, really, but the question of the day will be just how useful something like this might be. Oh, sure, it’d be a lot of fun to have a 3D iPhone interface, but could it work without bogging down the system? If it could, I could see some appeal in there, so it only really remains to be seen if they actually make this one happen.

What do you guys think here? Figure a 3D iPhone interface would be something to see? Or would it just be a recipe for eyestrain and slower performance? No matter what you think about this one, head on down to the comments section and tell us how much a 3D iPhone interface appeals to you!

In their Q4 2011 earnings report to Wall Street, Sprint reporting that the cost of operating their wireless network has gone up considerably with all the provisioning they’ve had to do to account for all the new iPhone users. In Q4 2010, it cost Sprint $139 million in operating losses to run their network, and that was with some data hungry devices like the HTC EVO 4G. But, that’s nothing in comparison to the iPhone. For Q4 2011, Sprint saw their operating losses explode to $438 million.

But, things aren’t all bad for Sprint. While the company posted an overall loss, they reported 1.6 million new customers and 1.8 million iPhones sold. 40% of Sprint iPhone buyers were new customers to Sprint. We live in an era where it’s inevitable that all wireless carriers will eventually go to data caps on wireless data. AT&T and Verizon have already done it. Sprint has continued to offer unlimited data to their customers, and they’re obviously paying the price with these operating losses. Sprint CEO Dan Hesse has said time and time again that Sprint has no plan to go to metered data plans, but with if their operating costs continue to go up 315%, will they have a choice?

Do you have an iPhone on Sprint? Do you like all that unlimited data? Tell us about your experience using a Sprint iPhone in the comments section.

The commercial, which we’ll embed below, shows a man with an iPad walking by a woman with a Kindle reader at a pool. iPad man is impressed by the Kindle reader’s $79 price, but says he can watch movies and TV shows on his iPad. The woman points out that her kids have two Kindle Fires, which can do the same thing. Then, she drops the heavy-hitting marketing line of the commercial: The two Kindle Fires plus the Kindle reader (at $129 and $79 respectively) are still cheaper together than the $500 iPad. I don’t work on Madison Avenue, but that’s a pretty strong argument to me.

We’ve seen a lot of Android tablets in the past few years, and despite some early issues, they’ve actually gotten quite good (thought they all obviously lack the iOS App Store). Despite that, none of them have managed to gain any sales traction on the iPad, save for the Kindle Fire, which Amazon is aggressively pricing. They’re losing money on every Kindle Fire sold, in favor of hoping to get it into hands of customers and making money back on sales from the Kindle Store, Amazon Instant Video store and the Amazon Appstore.

It seems the other tech companies are really starting to take swings at Apple. Last year, the Motorola Xoom’s initial marketing campaign mocked all the “Apple sheep”. Samsung’s recent ad campaigns have been making fun of all the people waiting in line for new iPhones and whatnot, and now this Amazon commercial is pointing out the fact that Apple products are pretty darn expensive. It looks the advertising companies representing Apple’s biggest competitors are starting to go directly at Apple.

What do you think about this commercial? Does it make a strong case for the much cheaper Amazon Kindle Fire?

Path explained that it’s uploading the users’ Contacts to its server to make it easier for them to share stuff with their friends and family. Furthermore, the company has deleted all the contact details stored on its servers and updated the application, which now requires users to opt in for this contacts storing feature.

But how is it possible for iOS app to access the contact details of your friends and family without actually notifying you that such an action takes place in the background? Can any developer do it without you knowing?

Apparently Apple’s iOS security features do not protect the privacy of your Contacts app, and various apps can store all those details on their servers, which then can be used for various marketing initiatives. Dustin Curtis explains:

I did a quick survey of 15 developers of popular iOS apps, and 13 of them told me they have a contacts database with millons of records. One company’s database has Mark Zuckerberg’s cell phone number, Larry Ellison’s home phone number and Bill Gates’ cell phone number. This data is not meant to be public, and people have an expectation of privacy with respect to their contacts.

It’s certainly surprising to hear that the contacts stored on the iOS device could also be copied to remote servers without the user knowing about it. Even if the intentions of developers are honorable – such as getting feedback for their app in order to further improve it – I’d still like to know whether they want to access my Contacts app or not. And in most cases I’d probably refuse access.

Apple is yet to comment on the matter, but something tells me this error from Apple’s part – a huge one – will be fixed in a following update.

How is that possible? How come iPhone units, no matter what generation, don’t have a carrier logo stamped on the case? Apple managed to have its way even before the handset became a game-changer in the smartphone business, and now that it’s selling tens of millions of iPhones each quarter, it has an even stronger negotiation advantage with carriers.

Unlike Apple, the main Android device makers have to comply with requests from mobile operators. Whether it’s pre-installed crapware on upcoming devices or delayed Android OS updates, it’s the carriers that are ultimately responsible. With Apple however carriers do not have any apps installed on the device, and they don’t control iOS updates.

A CNN report shows that carriers are suffering when it comes to overall profits, largely due to the large subsidies they have to pay upfront to Apple for the iPhone. These subsidies, an average of $450 for device, are covered over the two-year contract subscribers sign when purchasing the subsidized device, and while the carrier does recover profits in time, the upfront payments it makes to Apple hurt its margins.

Whether it’s Verizon, AT&T or Sprint, they all have reported lower margins due to iPhone sales, especially during the last quarter when Apple sold a record 37.04 million iPhone units. Sprint, the last U.S. carrier to sell the iPhone, is expected to profit from the device only starting with 2015. But this price is certainly worth paying for carriers because customers are hypnotized by the iPhone. The iPhone demand is high, and even Sprint expects the device to be its most profitable device at some point in the future:

In an interview with CNNMoney in October, just after Sprint announced it would begin selling the iPhone, Sprint CEO Hesse said the No. 1 reason why customers had left Sprint prior to October was because it had no iPhone.

“It comes down to, ‘Do you want to be with them or bet against them?’” he said. “Apple is arguably the best global brand in the tech space.”

Customers are also the ones that will pay for their iPhone passion, with carriers constantly raising prices for the services they use, in order to make up for the lost profits:

Nomura’s McCormack said carriers feel the need to have the iPhone to maintain their market share. But to make money on the devices, he thinks they will have to raise rates or get tough with Apple on reducing the subsidy.

The latter is practically impossible. So carriers have been gradually hiking prices. Over the past year, Sprint increased its smartphone rates by $10 a month, Verizon ended its unlimited data offering and New Every Two deal, and AT&T ended its unlimited plan and raised its prices by $5 a month.

Have you purchased an subsidized iPhone recently? How much will you be paying for it, including the mandatory 2-year contract?

Since Apple is going to hold a special iPad 3 media event in the following weeks, we expect the company to unveil more Siri features in the very near future. After all, the virtual assistant should be available on the iPad 3, and also on the rumored Apple iTV that could be launched by the end of the year. Word on the street is that the virtual assistant will soon offer support for Mandarin Chinese, Japanese and Russian starting with March. The news comes from Asian blog DoNews which says that an Apple engineer working on Siri has revealed that the company is adding these languages to Siri.

The virtual assistant is currently only available in English (USA, UK, Australia) French and German with support for other languages already being promised on Apple’s Siri FAQ site including Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Italian and Spanish. Russian however is not mentioned by Apple in its official documents, and it will be interesting to see whether Korean, Italian and Spanish support will come to iPhone 4S users in March. Naturally, Siri can be used in any country as long as the iPhone 4S user speaks one of the supported languages, although it will have a hard time recognizing other accents.

Apple is also promising in the same FAQ pages that maps and local search support for other countries will come to Siri at some point this year, although it does not provide any details regarding the release of the Siri update. While we wait for Apple to update its mobile platform to iOS 5.1 and add new features to Siri – although the two updates are not necessarily linked – let’s hear from international iPhone 4S owners, are you interested in using Siri in your language?

The show is set to hit Thursday night, and can best be described by two of the greatest words to be used in terms of describing any concert: “live” and “free”. As for the time of the event, it changes based on your location, with the event set to hit at 7 PM on the west coast of the United States, and 10 PM for the east coast. You’ll be able to get in on this via several methods, actually, including iTunes’ desktop client and, if you want to see McCartney take on the big screen, your HDTV can accommodate, assuming you’ve got an Apple TV set top box.

McCartney is reportedly getting in on this as a means to promote his upcoming album Kisses on the Bottom, which can be found at iTunes right now, and is no doubt hoping the live show will get people interested in the download, possibly during the show itself.  And this isn’t Apple TV’s first foray into live events, either, but it is likely to be the simplest so far, especially after Apple’s broadcast of London’s iTunes Festival, which actually required users to use AirPlay to get the show on their bigger screens.

Smart idea? I’d say so. Nothing like taking something people would ordinarily want to do, like watch a free concert staged by one of the biggest names in the industry, and make it accessible through the platform you want more people using anyway. Anyone who’s been vacillating between the various set-top boxes may well tip the scales one way or another at the possibility of more free concerts.

But what do you guys think? Would anyone buy an Apple TV for the shot at more free live shows down the line? Or do you think that Apple won’t get much mileage out of this concept? No matter what you think, head on down to the comments section below and tell us what you think!

iTunes added an optional Genius Sidebar around iTunes 8 or so. The sidebar (a pun on the Genius Bars which appear in real-life retail Apple Stores), offered users suggestions for new music or whatnot based on their current music collection. Apple patched out the Genius Sidebar in iTunes 10 in favor of Ping integration, but they returned it quietly after a user revolt. Now the same Genius Sidebar has come to the Apple TV, offering recommendations for movies and TV shows based on what you already have in your collection.

In the main menu of your Apple TV, under both “Movies” and “TV Shows”, you’ll find a new option called “Genius” which will offer some suggestions. This is a pretty minor upgrade, but it will help folks find new content that they make like.

For Apple, it can only help them sell more Movies and TV Shows through iTunes. Plus, this minor update to Apple TV may just lend credence to the iTV rumors. Since late last year, rumors have persisted that Apple is preparing to come out with a smart HDTV, maybe dubbed iTV (though one doubts it, due to the British TV network of the same name) with iOS integration and maybe even an appearance from Siri. If Apple is silently upgrading the features of Apple TV, does this mean that they’re paying attention to their TV offerings and about to drop a major product announcement on us?

Barclays analysts are reporting that, should the Apple television actually make it to market, it will do so in a big way, taking fully five percent of the total television market, and bringing in $17 billion in revenue for Apple. That’s not all at once, of course, but rather over time. The Barclays report further suggests that Apple’s television likely wouldn’t just be a television, but rather serve a whole variety of other purposes as well, like music, gaming, communications and even some productivity applications.

But as for a release date, the Barclays report suggests that this one will be waiting a good long while, at least until 2013. Or at least fiscal year 2013, which for Apple begins in October. This in turn keeps in line with some suggestions that Apple may be looking to have this one out by the end of the year. Plus, of course, there’s the always-present (especially at that time of year) suggestion of a launch in time for Christmas shopping season, and if Apple can bring this massive chunk of market destabilization into play in time for Christmas, well, there’s no telling what they could do.

And with good reason; it’s a fair bet to suggest that anything Apple already does, like their massive iTunes library or their various communications efforts and the like, would be not only brought into play here but even exemplified somewhat, providing not only access but also access on the largest screen that Apple has put out yet.

I’m actually looking forward to this one myself; not that I’m not plenty happy with my current television, but it will be exciting nonetheless to see what Apple actually does with the concept. But what about you guys? Anyone else looking forward to this? Or do you just figure it’s going to be another overpriced hunk of Apple hardware? No matter what you think about this one, we always like hearing from you, so hit the comments section and let’s talk Apple television!

The VooMote Zapper is a small device that plugs into the dock connector port of your iOS device of choice–iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad, as long as it has some kind of internet access and an up to date version of iOS–and allows it to serve as a universal remote. You’ll need to download an app for it–which is why you need the internet access on the device, and the app itself is free–but once you have the app in hand, your device will then be able to serve as a universal remote, changing channels and adjusting settings and the like.

I actually tried a VooMote Zapper not so long ago, and found the experience to be reasonably solid and fairly robust. It wasn’t exactly what I was used to, sure, but it really struck home for me why Steve Jobs was said to be reconsidering the whole concept of television in his final days. There are some distinct possibilities here, and when you consider how many people already keep a device on hand–like their iPod, iPad or iPhone–for use during commercial breaks anyway, it’s not exactly a far cry to see people using the devices to control the television while they’re watching and then turn to the devices for entertainment during the commercials. Or, as some do, using both devices at once to blog or tweet about what they’re watching at the time.

You’ll be able to pick one of these up for $69.99 in your choice of colors: black, red, gray or green. But what do you guys think about the VooMote Zapper? Figure this is the kind of thing that could put some new life in your home theater gear? Or do you figure that this is a waste of $70 while you’ve already got a perfectly good remote that came with the television? No matter what you think, head on down to the comments section and tell us all about it!

Basically, the new remote, which is set to release with an as yet unnamed smart TV sometime this year, has taken out most of the buttons and replaced them with a nice touch screen field and some voice recognition systems, said to be approximately the same as those currently in use on the ES8000 smart TV that Samsung showed off back at CES 2012 a few weeks ago.

It brings together a combination of Bluetooth and more standard IR connectivity for better reception (and if you’ve ever tried changing the channel at an odd angle or from better than ten feet you know how useful that could be), but leaves some buttons behind, like those controlling the channel and volume settings. They’re also, seemingly, in the same place they usually are, so those carefully ingrained remote habits won’t go to waste.

There’s even some word that suggests at least some universal nature here, as you’ll be able to use this on Blu-ray players. Though just how far you’ll be able to go with it (will your cable box or audio gear work with it?) is as yet unclear, the concept is still fairly interesting.

Personally, I like this idea. A handful of buttons to keep the concept from being too new for the late adopters to work with, but with some new features and edge for those who like the early adoption looks like a nice compromise system. And while its exact nature as a response to potential releases from Apple is strictly conjectural, it’s not hard to think that they’re looking to get themselves an early edge ahead of any possible release. Samsung’s been a big wheel in televisions for some time now, and it’s easy to see that they’d want to lose as little market share as possible to Apple.

But what do you guys think? Is this a hedge against future Apple releases? Or is this just a new path for Samsung? Anyone like the way it looks, or is it just a gimmick to get attention? No matter what you think, head on down to the comments section and tell us what you think!

Previous rumors have said that the iTV would use the iPhone and iPad as remote controls, and the iTV may even have Siri integration. The newest rumor, coming from analyst Peter Misek, is that Apple will be partnering with AT&T and Verizon in order to get their hands on exclusive and non-exclusive content. This rumor is a bit baffling, considering that Apple already sells TV shows and movies through iTunes and therefore has in-roads with all the major TV networks and movie studios.

Misek also predicts that Apple won’t be producing their own video content. In an era where companies like Netflix are producing their own TV shows in an attempt to cut out the Old Media content providers, Misek says that Apple won’t go that route. Misek said that doing that has “lower margins and higher risks”.

All the recent interest in the Apple iTV started with last year’s Steve Jobs biography where author Walter Isaacson wrote that Jobs told him he had “finally cracked” the formula for a smart TV with an easy user interface. Apple may also not want to concede the smart TV market, as Samsung, LG, Sony and others have started coming out with HDTVs that can browse the web and run their own apps.

Word on the street is that Rogers Communications and BCE Inc. are companies Apple is already negotiating with for a future Apple iTV partnership. The two Canadian companies could become “launch partners for its much-hyped Apple iTV, a product that has the potential to revolutionize TV viewing by turning conventional televisions into gigantic iPads,” The Globe and Mail reports. In fact, it seems that both Rogers and Bell are testing the device, although an actual image of Apple’s first iTV has not been leaked at this time and neither Apple nor the Canadian wireless services companies are willing to confirm anything at this point. :

“They’re not closed to doing it with one [company] or doing it with two,” said one source who is familiar with the talks. “They’re looking for a partner. They’re looking for someone with wireless and broadband capabilities.”

Another source, also speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Rogers and Bell already have the product in their labs.

According to the same report, the iTV can be controlled by voice, using the same Siri virtual assistant that’s found on the iPhone 4S, or by hand gestures, which is something we definitely expect from Apple considering its existent work on Kinect-like patents for such technology that could find its way into various Apple products in the future.

Equally interesting is the fact that users will be able to use a virtual keyboard in order to “surf the web, conduct video chats and use social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook – all without any physical interface.” On the other hand, the report fails to mention iPhone, iPod touch and iPad integration, but I think it’s safe to assume there will be an “app for that” – control the iTV using mobile iOS devices.

Anyone even more excited about an Apple iTV yet?

Halliburton, via an internal newsletter, announced plans to start phasing out the Blackberry devices and replacing them instead with iPhones over the course of 2012.  The decision followed extensive research into both iOS and Android platforms, with iOS winning out in the end, having the best “capabilities, controls and security” to handle their various smartphone-related needs.

This is a wildly unexpected move for Halliburton, as Halliburton has reportedly kept Blackberry in their field users’ pockets for the last ten years, and this in an IT environment where Windows is king, Mac is forbidden, and Linux is tolerated but, reportedly, frowned upon. In fact, prior to today’s announcement, Halliburton managers could only dump their Blackberry devices for Windows Phone devices, if they weren’t inclined to use Blackberry.

So what prompted the sea change in Halliburton’s tech attitudes? Well, obviously, the study they conducted went a long way toward makign the switch, but as it turned out, there was more. Halliburton’s customers wanted access to Halliburton apps on their own devices, which were, more often than not, iPhones. And, according to some, Apple’s new CEO Tim Cook was even a factor, as it’s said he has a much lighter stance on enterprise users than his predecessor Steve Jobs did, as Cook is more willing to work with them.

Naturally this is a huge blow to RIM, who might well see other enterprise users follow suit, and considering that Blackberry’s biggest presence is among corporate users, poses a serious problem to RIM’s long-term health as an organization.

But what do you guys think here? Is this the beginning of the end for RIM? Will Apple continue to add corporate clients? No matter what you think, head on down to the comments section and fill us in!

The Verge revelead the survey sent by Best Buy (see gallery below), which describes a non-existent Apple HDTV – this is what the retailer calls the product, which we currently refer to as the Apple iTV – and here’s what Best Buy proposes:

Please read the concept below carefully as it will appear only once. The next 4 questions will be based on this description.

Be one of the first to get the all new 42’’ Apple HDTV at Best Buy for $1499. Apple finally reinvents what a TV can do:

• 42’’ 1080p LED flat panel display
• Incorporates Apple’s operating system (iOS) found in its current Apple TV set top box which allows you to purchase and stream movies and other entertainment from the Internet
• Download and use apps from the App Store. Can you imagine playing Angry Birds on a big screen in your living room?
• Supports Apple’s new iCloud service for storing movies, TV shows, and music content that you’ve purchased from iTunes and beam them to your Apple HDTV.
• Use you iPad or iPhone as a remote control, and do everything from controlling your TV, to purchasing new shows and swapping content between your Apple devices and the iCloud service
• Built-in convenience with built in iSight camera and microphone for Skype
• In addition to iTunes, stream content from popular sites such as Netflix, YouTube and flickr
• Available for $1499

Then Best Buy asks customers whether they would buy the product or sign up for the service, whether they would like/dislike the product, whether the product would solve a problem or fulfill a need, and whether the Apple HDTV is “different from other products/services currently available?”

Best Buy’s survey is certainly interesting, and it’s suggesting various Apple iTV features that we either expect or have seen in recent and older rumors. What’s also interesting is that Best Buy is suggesting that the new Apple TV will also be used as a gaming rig, something we’ve talked about in the past. Is Best Buy trying to mislead customers into believing a 42-inch Apple TV will cost $1,499, thus being more expensive than current models available from the retailer? And how does Apple feel about this unexpected survey?

We’ll remind you that Apple does not pitch customers such surveys. In fact, according to various interviews with late Steve Jobs, the company’s co-founder and former leader, Apple is not likely to ask users what they want from new products. Instead the company would just show us what we need and how it’s supposed to work.

Let’s hear it from you, potential Apple HDTV buyers, does the 42-inch machine described about sound interesting to you?

Richard Gardner, a Citigroup analyst, met last week with Tim Cook and Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CEO and CFO, respectively, who seemed to imply that future MacBook Air will not use ARM processors:

“Tim Cook reiterated his view that rapid innovation on the iOS platform (and mobile OS platforms in general) will significantly broaden the use case for tablets, eventually pushing annual tablet volumes above those of traditional PCs. We have wondered whether Apple might offer an ARM-based version of MacBook Air at some point; we walked away from this meeting with the impression that Apple feels iPad satisfies–or will soon satisfy–the needs of those who might have been interested in such a product.”

CNET reports that while Apple may have been interested in moving “almost everything to its A series” that may not be the case anymore especially with Intel’s power-efficient Haswell family of chips on track to be launched at some point in 2012.

From a different point of view, Intel, a long-time Apple partner, is slowly becoming an Apple rival, not only by encouraging PC makers to adopt the MacBook Air-like Ultrabook design, but also by signing a partnership with Motorola (and hence, Google?) to create Android-based mobile device this year. But could Apple completely move away from Intel at some point in the future?

We have no details on the future generation of Air laptops, and we’re certainly interested to learn more about Apple’s 2012 ultraportable devices, especially since the company is rumored to also launch a 15-inch version at some point in the future. As for iPad 3-related plans, we’ve seen so far plenty of related rumors, but nothing is confirmed yet. Here’s what CNET proposes for the upcoming iOS tablet:

• A more powerful iPad, aka iPad 3: Packing a faster A6 chip, a high-resolution 2,048-by-1,536-pixel Retina display, and LTE “4G” broadband (this falls into the “likely” rumor category, as a number of credible reports point to this kind of feature set for the next iPad).
• A more elegant physical keyboard solution for the iPad from Apple. That could mean a lot of things but something possibly akin to the Asus Transformer Prime.
• An expanded line of iPads, e.g., another model, possibly with a different screen size. That might include something smaller or even a bit larger. Samsung, for instance, is already showing off an 11.6-inch tablet with a 2,560-by-1,600-pixel display and a fast 2GHz ARM processor.

Are you buying an iPad 3 or a 2012 MacBook Air this year?

ZDNet’s Ed Bott made graphs showing how each of these three companies made their cash in the busy Christmas quarter, but he failed to observe that Apple’s total revenue and profit in the fourth quarter of 2011 are bigger than Microsoft’s and Google’s revenues and profits combined.

Apple, a hardware company has various products that sell very well with the crowds. The iPhone alone made more than half of Apple’s revenue last quarter, with the iPad coming in second followed by the Mac laptops. Apple also sells iPods, Mac desktops, and plenty of digital content through its iTunes, App Store and iBookstore storefronts. In Q4 2011 Apple got $46.33 million in revenue and $13.06 billion in net income.

Google is an advertising-only company – or better said, advertising-mostly company – with 96% of revenues for the last two years coming from ads. Which is why Google is investigated in so many antitrust cases, as in more than one instance, the company has been accused of leveraging certain products it offers customers in order to boost ads revenue. Google wants in on the Android device manufacturing side of its mobile business, and that will happen once its proposed Motorola purchase is approved. In Q4 2011 Google reported $10.58 billion and net income of $2.71 billion.

Microsoft is a software company, having a huge market share in the PC business where its Windows OS and Office productivity suite have no real rivals. The company also did very well last quarter selling Xbox 360 units and Kinect sensors, the only successful Microsoft hardware to date. The Windows Phone business is not a cash cow yet, and it may take a while until it brings in serious revenue. In Q4 2011 Microsoft brought in revenues of $20.89 billion and $6.62 billion net income.

Nevertheless, a report from Digitimes now says that Apple is not likely to start selling its first TV models next quarter because the company isn’t able to secure enough TV display supply. Apparently Apple needs Sharp IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) displays for its upcoming TV models, with Samsung and LG focusing on OLED display technology:

Apple reportedly has sought to source IGZO panels from Sharp for the production of iTVs as Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, which unveiled their 55-inch Super OLED and AMOLED TV models, respectively, at CES, both have regarded OLED TVs are their killer products for 2012, and therefore the two Korea-based companies are unlikely to share OLED panel production capacities with Apple.

Once it starts IGZO panel production, Sharp will be able to produce 32-, 46- and 55-inch displays, although the company will probably refrain from sharing with the press any deals it may have with Apple for such displays. Furthermore, Apple has not confirmed yet in any way that it will produce a TV set this year, and while there’s plenty of speculation regarding the sizes of a future Apple iTV units or the special content Apple will offer TV buyers, there are no official details about the products at this time.

Not to mention that Apple may be busy with other product launches in the following months, including the iPad 3, the next-gen MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops, and even the iPhone 5/6, which is said to launch in summer. Therefore, with such a full calendar, Apple may want to postpone the launch of an Apple iTV regardless of display supply availability. We’ll be back with more news on Apple’s first TV set, but in the mean time let us know what TV size you’d be interested in and how much would you pay for such a product?

That means Apple can continue to sell iOS devices in Germany, at least for a while longer, although this suspension is not permanent and we could see Apple have to remove its products from stores once again at some point in the future. Why did the Karlsruhe Higher Regional Court sided with Apple in this instance? FOSS Patents explains:

[…] Under German law, a FRAND defense only dissuades a court from granting an injunction if a defendant has made an offer to the patent holder for taking a license, and that offer must meet various criteria. When the relevant ruling came down in early December, an offer Apple had made at that stage was deemed insufficient by the Mannheim Regional Court, which therefore granted Motorola injunctive relief. But Apple has amended that offer in various ways. The Karlsruhe Higher Regional Court believes that Apple’s new offer needs to be evaluated before this injunction can enter into force again.

More than a week ago, Apple already tried to win a suspension of the injunction, also arguing that it had made a new offer to Motorola. That first motion to stay was denied by the appeals court. But Apple amended its offer again, and its second motion to stay was granted, though at this stage only until the appeals court decides, based not only on Apple’s motion but also on Motorola’s reaction to that new offer. At that point, the appeals court could extend the stay (for example, until the end of the appeals process) or it could let the enforcement of the injunction resume.

A suspension like this is available only against a bond, but Apple is almost drowning in cash and obviously won’t have had a problem with obtaining and posting a bond. The bond amount is probably 120 million euros (120% of the 100 million euro amount that the lower court had determined; 120% is a percentage that German courts normally apply in such situations).

Considering that Apple can still sell its iOS devices in the country, this is an important move for the company, as Motorola’s permanent injunction won’t hurt sales in one of the most important Apple markets in Europe, if not the most important one. Moreover, since FRAND patents are in play in this particular lawsuit, chances are that the EU is also aware of the lawsuit, and considering the action is has taken against Samsung – currently investigated for using other FRAND patents against similar patent-based lawsuits against Apple – we wouldn’t be surprised if European regulators end up saving Apple in both these important legal battles.

Basically, Motorola Mobility landed a whopping great hit against Apple, gaining a sales injunction against Apple’s 3G products. The end result was that the original iPhone 4, the iPad 2, and similar devices were pulled from circulation. This was said to be in response to a court case that concluded back in December of last year, rather than the more recent case that landed today featuring a permanent injunction on a different patent matter. The December win was related to what’s called FRAND technology–Fair, Reasonable, And Non-Discriminatory–patents that relate to hardware that becomes essential throughout an entire industry, such that any company that uses the patents must in order to operate, and does so by paying a small royalty to the company who holds the FRAND patent.

It’s somewhat questionable, however, just how much damage this will actually do to Apple, considering that Motorola put up a $131 million bond (100 million in Euros) to get the injunction in play. Moreover, the injunction doesn’t apply to the iPhone 4S, as that uses a wholly different kind of 3G connectivity, following Apple’s switch from Infineon to Qualcomm components, and the sales ban applies to online locations only, meaning you could walk into an Apple Store in, say, Berlin and walk out with your choice of hardware as was available.

The overall damage to Apple on this one will likely be minimal, and Motorola’s costs to get it were substantial to say the least. So why do it?  It may well be just a shot in the dark to let Apple know that it’s not alone out there in the mobile phone market, or it may be a way to put any kind of hindrance possible in front of the Apple juggernaut. Strictly speculation, of course, but anything’s possible these days.

So what do you guys think? Why did Motorola take on Apple like this? Will Motorola get anything out of it? No matter where you land on this issue, head on down to the comments section below and tell us what you think!

In a note to investors, Gene Munster from Piper Jaffray mentioned that Apple is already in talks with a “major TV component supplier […] regarding various capabilities of their television display components.” Munster concludes that Apple is on track of launching its own connected TV by the end of the year, although details on future TV sets are not exactly available.

One of the most important pieces of the puzzle seems to be the providing unique content for the new product and Munster believes that Apple would not consider making a play for the TV business without a solid plan of delivering great content to Apple TV buyers. As for the plan itself, the analyst has three scenarios in which Apple could offer unique content that would be tailored:

1. Apple could simply enable its television to manage a consumer’s live TV service from within a unified interface much like TiVo does, partnering with MSOs [i.e. the cable companies]. As Apple was developing the iPhone many investors expected the company to become an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator). Instead, the company partnered with AT&T (then Cingular) to bring the iPhone to market in the U.S. Similarly, Apple could choose to avoid the cost and effort of entering the live TV services business and simply partner with MSOs to deliver live, cable TV to the Apple Television. While this would be the easiest and most likely option, it would also be the least revolutionary. Technically, this option would function much like TiVo does today: partnering with MSOs and offering a unified DVR/guidance software interface to make search and discovery easier for the viewer. In some ways, a connected TV’s software is the biggest differentiator that Apple can bring to the table, so this option could still result in a new and fresh product for the television market. Apple could also supplement this with its iTunes Movie rental and purchase service directly on the television.

2. Apple could offer access to live TV from network channels in combination with other web-based video services. One middle-of-the-road option could be for Apple to deliver live TV from network channels (either over the internet or over the air) to the Apple Television. Apple could then leverage a new App Store for the Apple Television to supplement the basic live TV features with Netflix, Hulu Plus, or any content provider that chooses to build an app for the television. In this instance, Apple would also likely continue to offer its iTunes movie and TV content through the iTunes store to the Apple Television.

3. Apple could offer monthly subscriptions, on an a-la-carte basis, for live TV packages with content from content providers. Clearly the most challenging option, if Apple truly wanted to control the entire television experience – which, again, the company chose not to do when entering the smartphone market – it would have to become a virtual MSO (Multiple Services Provider) and offer monthly subscriptions for live TV services. Such an offering would be unlikely given existing licensing arrangements between content providers and service providers as well as the fact that it lies outside of Apple’s core competencies, even in media. That said, it would enable the company to control the entire experience and possibly deliver new features that are currently unavailable through existing television service providers and CE device makers.

Unfortunately we have no idea at this time what Apple is cooking. The company proved time and again that it can sell brand new products and that it can reinvent various niches. It also has an amazing digital store that’s filled with lots of content that’s ready for future “iTV” owners. But what’s currently available from iTunes, when it comes to TV shows and movies, can already be played on any big-screen TV connected to an $99 Apple TV. No need for paying thousands of dollars (guesstimate) for an actual Apple iTV set. In addition to great, unique content, Apple should also make sure its Smart TV will stand out of the existing crowd of Smart TVs by being even smarter than every competitor – that means bringing all those iOS apps, or part of them, to the new TV platform, which is one step away from attacking the console gaming business and the TV business with one swift blow.

Are you considering buying an Apple iTV set this year in case Apple does launch one in time for Christmas? Anybody interested in a Google TV?

According to Chinese newspaper Commercial Times, Apple will unveil the iPhone 5 in June 2012, during the company’s regularly scheduled Worldwide Developers Conference. Except for the original iPhone, which was announced in early 2007, and the iPhone 4S, which was unveiled in late 2011, all other iPhones launched by Apple – iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 – were first shown to the world at the company’s popular WWDC event in June, so we wouldn’t be that surprised to see the company move the iPhone announcement back to June.

Previous rumors have also suggested that Apple will launch the next-gen iPhone in summer, and considering that all the iPhones unveiled during previous WWDC editions were released in the weeks following the media event, the iPhone 5/6 will surely hit stores a few days/weeks after the June announcement – assuming the Chinese newspaper is correct.

The publication did not reveal any specs and features for the new phone but did mention that the device will use “glass to glass (G/G) touch panel technology which will benefit current touch panel suppliers TPK Holding and Wintek.”

From a different point of view, it will be interesting to see Apple launch a new iPhone less than a year after the iPhone 4S hit stores, especially considering that the device is selling like hot cakes and bringing Apple huge revenues already, after three months since being released. Let’s not forget that Apple launched the iPhone 4 in summer 2010 and more than a year later, in fall 2011, the device was still the company’s flagship smartphone, and a tough opponent for fresh 2011 Android flagship devices. Why would Apple hurry with a new product this summer when the iPhone 4S could easily surpass the iPhone 4 in sales?

Moreover, a recent report suggested that the main Apple rivals are waiting for the iPhone 4S demand to cool off before launching new flagship smartphones, with companies like Samsung, HTC, Nokia, LG and others said to wait until the second quarter of the year to start selling next-gen handsets. In case the new iPhone is indeed coming in early Q3, then these companies could be in some serious trouble, as the device will surely fly off the shelves.

After suggesting a few weeks ago that the iPad press event is scheduled for February, Japananese blog Macotakara now says that’s just a “half-side of truth” as Apple will indeed have a February event. But the February press conference is not product-related. Instead the company will hold a “strange,” “unusual” event this month.

The iPad 3 announcement is now going to take place in March, according to the same source, with an actual launch also scheduled for the same month:

Special Event for new products will be hold in early March and will release products during March as usual.

Apple already held a special media event this year to announce various education-related products iBooks 2, iTunes U and iBooks Author, without unveiling any new hardware during the New York City-based event.

Meanwhile various rumors suggested that the iPad 3 is already in production, as Apple is preparing for a March release. With that in mind, and considering the fact that the company launched the iPhone 4S 10 days after its official announcement last October, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Apple announce the new iPad in early March and then start selling in the weeks thereafter.

But what could that “unusual” event be about? Is it in any way related to Steve Jobs and his February 24 birthday? Is the company preparing some sort of special commemorative service for its iconic leader who passed away on October 5 last year?

Back in May 2011 we heard that the new iPod nano will dump the clip and instead feature a camera, but that never happened. Instead, Apple went for minor updates for its iPod nano and iPod touch lines last year, deciding not to launch new products during the “Let’s talk iPhone” event. But things could be different this year, at least if the images below shows an actual Apple product.

As you can see in the picture, we’re looking at an iPod nano that still has the clip, but also packs a camera, a feature that some iPod nano users will enjoy. However, don’t expect extraordinary camera features from such a device. We’re probably looking at a 1.3-megapixel or 2-megapixel shooter here, as Apple is apparently working with different prototypes at the moment. M.I.C. Gadget reports:

According to our factory sources, Apple have problems with the lens aperture for the next-gen iPod nano, the iris is not functioning correctly to allow the advantages of the low aperture to be utilized. Every shot was overexposed. Apple intends to correct its mistake, but the problem still exists in this prototype that is manufactured two months ago. What’s more, a 2-megapixel camera was tested, but it was unsatisfactory — the photos look washed-out and flat. The good news is… this 2-month-old prototype is close to final product, the UI is done.

Previous iPod nano generations used to come with cameras on board, so it wouldn’t be that surprising to see Apple toying with the idea again. After all, most mobile devices out there have some sort of camera, so why not put one inside the upcoming iPod nano too?

As for availability dates, the publication is suggesting that Apple will launch the new nano at some point in the first or second quarter of 2012, which is highly unusual for Apple’s product release cycles. Would you buy an iPod nano 7G with a camera on board?

Images via Apple.pro

Reuters reports that the EU is looking into the way Samsung is using patents that are essential to European mobile telephony standards:

Samsung pledged in 1998 to license its patents to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms.

“The (European) Commission will investigate, in particular, whether in doing so (seeking injunctions on patent infringements in 2011) Samsung has failed to honor its irrevocable commitment given in 1998 to the European Telecommunications Standards,” the EU executive said.

“In order to guarantee undistorted competition and to reap the positive economic effects of standardization it is important that FRAND commitments be fully honored by the concerned undertakings,” it said.

Samsung and Apple are haggling over turf in the mobile business, and they’re suing and counter-suing each other in over 30 cases in 10 countries, including various European states. In addition to Samsung, the EU may soon initiate a similar probe into Motorola’s use of FRAND patents, another important Android maker that’s fighting with Apple in various international courts, although such action has not been initiated at this time.

In case the European Commission will find that Samsung is breaching EU antitrust laws it could fine the South Korean Android device maker up to 10 percent of its global turnover, which would amount to quite an impressive sum. After all, Samsung is making plenty of cash of its various businesses. It will be interesting to see whether the EU intervention will favor Apple in any way in the coming months, although let’s not forget that Apple is doing pretty good on its own, having recently defeated two Samsung 3G patent claims – the kind of patents the EU is going to be looking into.

What’s most interesting is that the court invoked other legal reasons to keep the initial ruling in place instead of recognizing Apple’s design rights, which the Cupertino-based company has been using against Samsung in various international courts including Germany:

But this doesn’t mean that Samsung lost all the way: the appeals court based its decision on a violation of German unfair competition law (Gesetz gegen den unlauteren Wettbewerb, UWG), while the lower court’s ruling was based on a finding of a violation of a Community design, the European equivalent of a U.S. design patent.

However, FOSS Patents explains, this is not a total loss for Samsung yet, as the company is still free to sell the modified Galaxy Tab 10.1N in Germany, at least until February 9 when the Duesseldorf Regional Court will decide whether an injunction against the Galaxy Tab 10.1N is also due. What’s more important for the South Korean company is the fact that Apple did not win this one on its design claims, and this legal victory can’t be replicated in other countries in which Apple is suing Samsung for similar reasons:

Apple can’t replicate the German decision in other countries since German unfair competition law is pretty unique. A win based on an EU-wide design right would have been strategically more valuable to Apple. Even though Samsung formally lost its appeal because the preliminary injunction remains in force, it succeeded in defeating Apple’s design right.

At the same time, it’s worth noting that the legal fight between the two companies is far from over, even though Apple continues to score small victory after small victory against Samsung.

Admittedly, the iPhone 4S hasn’t exactly been selling in China for very long, but at last report, the sales were doing very, very well indeed. The problem, of course, was that the resale market for iPhone 4S models was doing even better, because large numbers of iPhone 4S units were bought up by gangs of scalpers who intended to resell the phones after they’d bought out a store’s supply. The original system was much how you’d expect a system to work: you walk into a store selling iPhone 4S units, you put down your money, you walk out with your iPhone 4S. And this system worked well, especially for the scalpers who would buy new phones every day to resell.

Now, Apple has made it substantially harder for people to buy large numbers of iPhones. Basically, you’ll have to apply for a reservation online, then get that reservation confirmed. And then, you’ll have to provide a government-issue ID in order to claim the phone. While there’s no specific mention that people who make multiple reservations in a week will find their reservations getting lost or otherwise rejected, something like that is a distinct possibility, and is at the very least a serious speed bump for scalpers.

This will prevent customers from purchasing the iPhone on a frequent basis and selling it on via the grey market. While it will make the process of purchasing an iPhone a little more difficult, it should mean there are more handsets to go around for genuine customers, and less for those pesky scalpers.

So what do you guys think about this one? A good idea in response to a fairly serious problem? Or an unnecessary restriction on shoppers? No matter what you think, head on down to the comments section below and tell us what you think about Apple’s lottery system!

Among other details, “Inside Apple” reveals how Apple obtained the iPhone and iOS trademarks. No, it wasn’t Apple that held those trademarks initially but Cisco and Apple was more than surprised to hear the iPhone trademark was not available after deciding to use that product name for its first smartphone. And Apple decided to launch an all-out attack lead by Jobs, to get the trademarks at all costs. Lashinsky details the events between Jobs and Cisco’s then-CEO Charles Giancarlo that eventually got Apple the trademarks it required:

Giancarlo fielded a call directly from Steve Jobs. “Steve called in and said that he wanted it,” Giancarlo recalled. “He didn’t offer us anything for it. It was just like a promise he’d be our best friend. And we said, ‘No, we’re planning on using it.’ ” Shortly after that, Apple’s legal department called to say they thought Cisco had “abandoned the brand,” meaning that in Apple’s legal opinion Cisco hadn’t adequately defended its intellectual property rights by promoting the name. To Apple’s way of thinking this meant the name iPhone was available for Apple’s use. Giancarlo, who subsequently joined the prominent Silicon Valley private-equity firm Silver Lake Partners, said Cisco threatened litigation before the launch. Then, the day after Apple announced its iPhone, Cisco filed suit.

The negotiation displayed some classic Steve Jobs negotiating tactics. Giancarlo said Jobs called him at home at dinnertime on Valentine’s Day, as the two sides were haggling. Jobs talked for a while, Giancarlo related. “And then he said to me, ‘Can you get email at home?’ “ Giancarlo was taken aback. This was 2007, after all, when broadband Internet was ubiquitous in homes in the US, let alone that of a Silicon Valley executive who had worked for years on advanced Internet technology. “And he’s asking me if I’m able to get email at home. You know he’s just trying to press my buttons—in the nicest possible way.” Cisco gave up the fight shortly after that. The two sides reached a vague agreement to cooperate on areas of mutual interest.

Those of you that followed Steve Jobs’ career closely or that have read Isaacson’s biography are probably not surprised to read another episode detailing Jobs’ negotiations skills. Apple apparently got the trademarks, which allowed it to keep using the iPhone product name and replace “iPhone OS” name with the shorter iOS, with almost no actual opposition from Cisco, which makes it look like Apple can get away with pretty much anything, although that’s not the moral of the story.But then again, Cisco never really had a case, did they?

On the same note it will be interesting to see whether Apple will be able to baptize its rumor TV set the iTV or not. After all, there is a certain television network that kind of uses that name.

Reuters reports that Steve Jobs himself wrote an email in March 2007 to Eric Schmidt to ask him to stop hiring Apple employees:

“I would be very pleased if your recruiting department would stop doing this,” Jobs wrote.

Schmidt forwarded Job’s email onto other, undisclosed recipients.

“Can you get this stopped and let me know why this is happening?” Schmidt wrote.

Google’s staffing director responded that the employee who contacted the Apple engineer “will be terminated within the hour.”

He added: “Please extend my apologies as appropriate to Steve Jobs.”

Apparently that’s not the only email that has been discovered in the lawsuit. An other note, also from 2007, reveals an alleged agreement between Intel’s Paul Otellini and Google’s Eric Schmidt:

“Let me clarify. We have nothing signed,” Otellini wrote. “We have a handshake ‘no recruit’ between eric and myself. I would not like this broadly known.”

Both Intel and Google disagree with the accusations, and that’s probably what other companies targeted by the class action suit will also declare. Apple has not yet commented on the newly revealed email exchange between Jobs and Schmidt.

It’s certainly understandable that such companies would want to protect their main assets, the employees that help develop the interesting products that we use on a daily basis, but that does not mean the employees would appreciate such agreements. It will certainly be interested to see where such class action suits are heading especially considering that in 2010 Google, Apple, Adobe, Intel, Intuit and Pixar have agreed not to enter in any “no-poach” agreements following a probe from the U.S. Justice Department.