Around the Web – April 18

 All quiet on the Mac news front so far today: Apple patents iPod headset tech; mutterings of subsidised iPhones in France; MacBook Air and iPhone spurring wider use of touchscreens and LED displays; and Apple declared the world’s most innovative company by BusinessWeek. Also Apple responds to Windows and Safari critics.

Headset displays

Basically the buzz is that Apple’s patented a pair of technologies describing ways to make a small and light video headset display, potentially for use with iPods and iPhones. The filings date from 2006 and observe some health and safety issues with the laser technology used in the solutions.

French iPhone discount beckons

Orange executives are meeting with Apple to discuss subsidies to boost iPhone sales in France. A report from French newspaper, Les Echos says the two companies aren’t happy with French iPhone sales, with recent price cuts in Germany and the UK, French customers shouldn’t have long to wait.

Apple screens

Two separate reports explain that the MacBook Air is spurring use of more environmentally-friendly LED screens in laptops, with prices falling for these (DisplaySearch). And the iPhone is inspiring other handset makers to deploy touchscreens in their devices, said Swenc Technology executive, Kevin Chuang.

Innovative Apple

Recall Apple boss Steve Jobs’ determination to invest his way out of the last recession? Well, Apple did, and now it’s riding high, equally determined to invest its way out of the new one, winning the company praise and plaudits in a BusinessWeek report.

Apple answers Windows critics, almost

So, Windows users were furious when Apple changed its software update system for their platform in a way which meant they were ‘encouraged’ to install Safari, even if they hadn’t done so before. Well, the latest edition of the Software Update system at last offers installation of the Apple browser as an option – though the company still leaves the install option checked by default, perhaps it should be a free choice?