Are you looking to pick up a new Android phone, but concerned that your phone may never see an OS update moving forward? If history repeats itself, there’s a good chance your Android phone will stop receiving updates within two-years, in contrast to the iPhone which receives OS updates for the first three-years. Michael DeGusta posted an analysis of existing Android and iPhone models, and mapped out when their installed OS was current or outdated. From a simple glance, it is obvious the iPhone is easily the most supported and phones from Motorola are the most neglected.
Samsung’s request to have the iPhone 4S banned from selling in Italy has been denied. It appears their RAND patents on 3G weren’t enough for Italy to consider banning the new iPhone model. From AGI:
Milan Courts take time to review Samsung’s requests to have iPhone 4S sales stopped in Italy. In today’s first hearing on the matter, Milan judges turned down the request and agreed to both Samsung and Apple’s request to submit further evidence, which will be reviewed on December 16.
This is the latest blow against Samsung’s legal attempts to ban Apple from selling the iPhone 4S internationally. Earlier this month, the Dutch denied Samsung’s request to ban the iPhone 4S in the Netherlands, and last week a French court postponed their heaing until November 15.
Samsung lost in its attempt to ban all Apple devices that use 3G in the Netherlands. From the Reuters article:
“A win for Apple but also relief for the industry because the judge upheld widespread understanding of fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms in the use of patents,” independent intellectual property expert Florian Mueller said.
We’ve discussed Samsung’s use of RAND patents against Apple before. Now it appears that the next battles in Italy and France could also play in Apple’s favor.
“Apple will be taking French and Italian translations of the Dutch ruling with it. This makes it a long shot for Samsung that it could win an injunction in the EU based on its 3G patents,” Mueller said.
U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh said Samsung’s Galaxy tabets infringed on Apple’s patents, but left the onus on Apple to establish the validity of their patents. As for issuing an injunction against Samsung:
At the hearing on Thursday in a San Jose, California federal court, Koh also said she would deny Apple’s request for an injunction based on one of Apple’s so-called “utility” patents.
She did not say whether she would grant the injunction based on three other Apple “design” patents.
The following courtroom conversation helps illustrate why Apple is going after Samsung for allegedly copying its flagship iOS devices:
Koh frequently remarked on the similarity between each company’s tablets. At one point during the hearing, she held one black glass tablet in each hand above her head, and asked Sullivan if she could identify which company produced which.
“Not at this distance your honor,” said Sullivan, who stood at a podium roughly ten feet away.
“Can any of Samsung’s lawyers tell me which one is Samsung and which one is Apple?” Koh asked. A moment later, one of the lawyers supplied the right answer.
According to an article on 9to5Mac, Apple’s new iPhone 4S antenna design may infringe Samsung patents. From the article:
Pedersen and others at the Aalborg University think Apple will run into legal issues related to patents the professors sold to Samsung in 2007. The report also notes Samsung has not yet used these patents in litigation with Apple.
Regarding implementing a multi-antenna design that intelligently switches to improve reception, Danish professor Gert Frølund Pedersen stated:
“I can not say that they are directly breaking the patent, but there are not many ways they can choose the right antenna, without coming to break many patents.”
