Samsung is finally paying Apple $548 million, but reminds Apple it will try to get it all back
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After what seems like the longest time (almost five years), Samsung is finally paying Apple $548 million, the amount determined in the lawsuit was appropriate for damages after Samsung infringed on Apple’s patents. The reason it’s taken so long is because Samsung (understandably) went through every possible avenue to repeal the decision and get a retrial. It’s been somewhat of a success, getting the amount whittled down, but that period has ended and its time to pay up. In fact, the only thing the transaction is waiting for is an invoice to move from Apple to Samsung and then it’s all settled. There is a caveat, however.
Samsung includes a pretty interesting passage in its case management statement:
“Samsung continues to reserve all rights to obtain reimbursement from Apple and/or payment by Apple of all amounts required to be paid as taxes. […] Samsung further reserves all rights to reclaim or obtain reimbursement of any judgment amounts paid by Samsung to any entity in the event the partial judgment is reversed, modified, vacated or set aside on appeal or otherwise, including as a result of any proceedings before the USPTO addressing the patents at issue or as a result of any petition for writ of certiorari filed with the Supreme Court. Samsung notes that the Patent Trial and Appeal Board has issued a final decision of invalidity on the ‘915 Patent, and Apple filed a notice of appeal to the Federal Circuit in the USPTO last week.”
For those that want the tl;dr version, Samsung is pretty much saying that the money might not stay with Apple if Samsung can still find a way to reverse the decision. Naturally, Apple refutes this right, and so it keeps on going. I’m sure this ordeal is going to keep rolling on as long as both companies have money, so let’s just see where it goes from here.
What do you think about the fact Samsung is finally paying Apple $548 million? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: FOSS Patents via SamMobile
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Apple Raises iTunes Match and Apple Music Library Matching Limits
Over the past couple of days, MacRumors has received several reports from users who have been able to upload music libraries of greater than 25,000 tracks to iTunes Match or Apple Music’s similar scan-and-match feature, and Macworld‘s iTunes expert Kirk McElhearn has also noted a number of reports on his personal blog.
Just ahead of the launch of Apple Music in late June, Eddy Cue revealed on Twitter that Apple was working to raise the matching limit from 25,000 tracks to 100,000 for iOS 9, but the increase did not occur in September when iOS 9 debuted.
MacRumors checked with Cue back in October for an update, and he indicated Apple was “definitely working on it” with the expectation the increase would go live “before the end of the year.”
Apple has yet to update its support page on uploading music Apple Music to document the new limit.
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Verizon’s Wi-Fi Calling Coming to Galaxy S6 on Monday, iPhone ‘Early Next Year’
Verizon yesterday announced that it will begin rolling out support for Wi-Fi Calling next week, starting on Monday with Samsung’s Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. iPhone users will need to wait a bit longer, with an update enabling the feature expected “early next year.”
Wi-Fi Calling will initially be available on the Samsung Galaxy S 6 and Samsung Galaxy S 6 Edge and will be rolled out as a software update in phases. Additional Android and iOS devices will receive Wi-Fi Calling capabilities via future software updates expected early next year.
Wi-Fi Calling allows phone calls to be automatically placed over Wi-Fi connections in areas where cellular service is poor, seamlessly transitioning between cellular and Wi-Fi as needed.
Sprint and T-Mobile have supported the feature for some time, and AT&T launched its support in early October. AT&T made waves by claiming Sprint and T-Mobile have been offering the feature illegally, due to Federal Communications Commission requirements for supporting a teletypewriter (TTY) feature for deaf and hard-of-hearing users.
AT&T received its waiver from the FCC just days later, and Verizon followed with its own request, with the FCC approving it several weeks ago. Sprint and T-Mobile have not received waivers from the FCC, but continue to operate Wi-Fi Calling and believe no waiver is required.
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Samsung agrees to pay Apple $548 million in settlement
Samsung has been fighting Apple in court for years, but it sounds like it’s getting near to letting it all go. The South Korean electronics maker has agreed to pay Cupertino $548 million — or a little over half the original $1 billion amount the court wanted it to pay — as soon as December 14th to settle an almost five-year-old case. According to Foss Patents, the rivals have filed a joint case management statement shortly after the Court of Appeals denied Samsung’s request for a hearing on whether Apple can ask payment for invalid patents.
Source: FOSS Patents
Video Review: SwitchEasy’s Cases for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus Are Thin and Affordable
For our latest video review, we took a look at SwitchEasy’s lineup of cases for the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus. SwitchEasy has been making cases for Apple’s line of iPads and iPhones for years and its latest set of cases offer the quality design and affordable pricing the company is known for.
SwitchEasy’s $20 Nude collection is its thinnest and lightest set of cases, measuring in at 0.8mm thick. Though it’s thin, it is made from a rigid polycarbonate material that has a textured exterior for better grip. It’s not going to offer a lot of drop protection, but it’ll protect an iPhone from bumps and scratches.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
The Numbers series is SwitchEasy’s most affordable iPhone case line, priced at just $15. These cases are made from a soft-touch TPU that’s designed to protect the iPhone from drops up to 1.5 meters. The $20 N+ series is quite similar to the Numbers series, as it’s also made from a soft, rubbery TPU but with a glossy back.
SwitchEasy’s $20 Aero series was created to be thin and light while still offering a good amount of protection. It has a rubbery rim to keep the iPhone safe from drops, but it has the same thin back as the Nude collection. We found it to be an excellent compromise between bulk and protection, and it was one of the lightest cases we’ve tested.
The last collection we looked at, the $25 Play, is similar in design to the Aero but it comes with a wrist strap and a built-in kickstand for watching videos. All of SwitchEasy’s cases mentioned in the video come with an included screen protector for full device protection.
All of SwitchEasy’s cases can be purchased from the SwitchEasy website. Pricing ranges from $15 to $25, but can sometimes be even lower on Amazon.com.
Note: MacRumors received no compensation for this review.
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Anova Wi-Fi Precision Sous Vide Cooker Becomes First Cooking Device Available in Apple Retail Stores
Apple has recently started offering the Anova Wi-Fi Precision Cooker both online and in its retail stores, marking the first smart cooking device the company has sold to customers. Anova is a company that makes a range of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth-connected precision cookers for sous vide meal preparation.
The Wi-Fi Precision Cooker Apple offers is Anova’s newest model, equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity that allows it to interface with an iPhone for monitoring purposes. Using the iPhone app, it’s possible to set the temperature on the pot from afar and monitor its cooking progress. The Anova app also includes a selection of top sous vide recipes.
For those unfamiliar with sous vide cooking, it’s a water bath cooking method that uses precise temperature control to prevent overcooking. The Anova Precision Cooker heats up and circulates water in a pot, evenly cooking food to a precise temperature that’s not possible with more traditional cooking methods.
The Anova Precision Cooker is a smart sous vide device that gets you professional quality results every time, while providing control from an app on your iPhone. Sous vide uses precision temperature control so you can’t overcook your food. Simply attach your Precision Cooker to any pot, add water, drop in your desired food in a sealed bag or glass jar, and press start.
The Precision Cooker has both Bluetooth and WI-FI connectivity so you know what’s going on with your food no matter where you are. The Precision Cooker notifies you when your food is ready, and will keep it warm until you’re ready to eat.
Eli Hodapp, editor-in-chief of our sister site TouchArcade, owns an Anova Precision Cooker and says it’s “incredible.” He says “everyone should own one” but notes the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth features on newer, more expensive models may not be useful to everyone. With sous vide, the main difference between immersion circulators is the amount of water that can be kept at a precise temperature. Since there’s no fear of overcooking, little oversight is needed.
The Anova Wi-Fi Precision Cooker is available from the Apple online store for $199.95. It’s also available immediately from a number of Apple Stores across the United States.
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Apple Campus 2 Underground Auditorium Shown Off in New Aerial Video
Apple’s second “spaceship” campus is scheduled to be completed in late 2016, giving the company just 12 months to wrap up construction to stay on schedule. Apple’s construction crews have been hard at work over the past few months, making a lot of headway on the main ring-shaped building, the underground auditorium, and the parking structures.
Drone pilot Duncan Sinfield today shared another monthly campus update video with MacRumors, giving a close-up look at how construction has progressed since November.
Four levels of the main ring-shaped building have been completed, bringing Steve Jobs’ original vision of the campus to life. With the walls in place, the special curved glass windows that will encircle the building will likely be going up soon.
This month’s video also gives a clear look at the underground auditorium Apple is building, where it will host events to show off new products. Also depicted is the Tantau development, a set of additional buildings that will serve as research and development facilities.
When it’s finished, the second Apple campus will feature the 2.8 million square foot ring-shaped main building, several parking structures, a 100,000 square foot fitness center, a 120,000 square foot auditorium, and a dedicated visitor’s center with an observation deck, cafe, and Apple Store.
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How to Get the Most Out of Sharing on Apple TV 4
The newest version of Apple’s set-top box has a lot of features that were not available in previous models, and while some things are fairly easy to figure out, other features are somewhat hidden and harder to find.
One great feature Apple has included with its fourth-generation Apple TV is a new App Store and the ability to have multiple accounts connected to the set-top box. Some sharing features connect automatically, but others take more work. We’ve got a guide for setting up various account and device sharing options so you can access the most content in the easiest way possible on the new Apple TV.
Home Sharing
With Home Sharing enabled, you can access movies, music, TV shows, audiobooks, and more from any device that has the feature turned on. If you haven’t already turned on Home Sharing from your various Mac, PC, and iOS devices, here’s how.
PC or Mac
- On Mac, open iTunes and select File from the Menu Bar in the upper left corner of the screen. On PC, press the Alt key to access the menu bar and select File from the list.
- Click Home Sharing and choose “Turn on Home Sharing.” Enter your Apple ID and password, and then click Turn on Home Sharing.
iOS
- Open the Settings app and select Videos or Music.
- Tap Home Sharing.
- Enter your Apple ID and password and tap Sign In.
Apple TV 4
- Open the Settings app and click Accounts.
- Select Home Sharing.
- Enter your Apple ID and password and click Sign In.
To access content from your computers and iOS devices, open the Computers app on Apple TV. Content from all shared devices is accessible from the menu.
Samsung to pay Apple half a billion, but case not over yet
In a new joint filing with the courts submitted by Samsung and Apple, Samsung has agreed to pay over half a billion dollars to Apple pursuant to the judgment against them in a patent dispute between the two companies. This “sort of” settlement comes nearly five years after Apple’s original complaint and several years after Apple succeeded at the trial court level. Thus far, Samsung had not paid a single penny on the original award that was over $1 billion, but now they have agreed to make a payment of $548 million, the current amount owed after a series of appeals and adjustments. Despite agreeing to this payment, Samsung thinks they are retaining the right to possibly get some of this money back at some time in the future, a point that Apple disagrees with.
According to the case management document submitted to the court, Samsung reserves
“all rights to obtain reimbursement from Apple and/or payment by Apple of all amounts required to be paid as taxes. […] Samsung further reserves all rights to reclaim or obtain reimbursement of any judgment amounts paid by Samsung to any entity in the event the partial judgment is reversed, modified, vacated or set aside on appeal or otherwise, including as a result of any proceedings before the USPTO addressing the patents at issue or as a result of any petition for writ of certiorari filed with the Supreme Court.”
Samsung was recently denied a petition seeking an en banc hearing with the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals on whether Apple could get payments for patents that have subsequently been ruled invalid by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Samsung seems to think the ‘915 pinch-to-zoom patent, ruled invalid by the USPTO, should no longer be considered for damages. Signs point to Samsung seeking additional relief with the U.S. Supreme Court over some of the design patents that were part of the original lawsuit as well.
Apple disputes the possibility that Samsung could legally claw back some of the monies owed even if the patents that served as the basis for damages are ultimately ruled invalid and indicate this position in the case management filing. According to the filing, Samsung will complete payment to Apple no later than December 14th if they receive an invoice from Apple before the weekend starts in Korea.
source: U.S. District Court
via: FOSS Patents
Come comment on this article: Samsung to pay Apple half a billion, but case not over yet
Zagg Review: The Messenger Universal Keyboard for iPad Pro Is a Good Value, but Has a Few Drawbacks
When the iPad Pro launched, Zagg had a third-party keyboard ready to go for the device – the Messenger Universal, an affordable universal keyboard designed to fit a wide range of tablets as large as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
As a simple universal keyboard, it has the benefit of being readily available for purchase and it’s relatively cheap compared to other options, but there are some definite downsides to the Messenger Universal that may prevent it from being a viable option for some people.
Rather than taking advantage of the Smart Connector on the iPad Pro, the Messenger Universal connects over Bluetooth like any traditional Bluetooth keyboard, pairing via the Settings app on the iPad Pro. I had no problems with setup and there were no loss-of-connection issues during my time testing the keyboard.
The Messenger Universal consists of a magnetic Smart Cover-style flap that props up the iPad and an accompanying full-sized keyboard. It doesn’t double as a case or a cover for the iPad like the Logitech CREATE or Apple’s own Smart Keyboard — it’s strictly a keyboard and a stand. Because it’s made for a range of different devices, the Messenger Universal can be paired with other tablets and smartphones in addition to the iPad Pro.
When not in use, the keyboard folds up folio style with the cover portion protecting the keys, so it’s fairly compact for travel. It is as wide as the iPad Pro at 12 inches, so it’s going to take up a fair amount of space in a bag or backpack, and it’s also just over a half an inch thick. The outside cover of the keyboard is a soft water-resistant material that’ll protect the keyboard from rain and spills, and the keyboard itself is made from a lightweight plastic.
AIVAnet 