Author

Jordan Kahn

Dir. Partnerships

9to5Mac / 9to5Google / 9to5Toys / Electrek.co / DroneDJ / SpaceExplored

Jordan manages the internal Partner Program for sponsorships and partnerships across the 9to5 network’s media brands including 9to5Mac, 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, Electrek.co, SpaceExplored and DroneDJ.com.

Jordan also writes about all things Apple as a Senior Editor of 9to5Mac. He covers Google for 9to5Google.com, the best gadgets and deals on 9to5Toys.com, and EV and solar news on Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series and makes music sometimes.

Contact Jordan with partnership inquiries and long-winded complaints:

Connect with Jordan Kahn

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Mercedes-Benz plans aftermarket CarPlay installations for older vehicles by end of the year

Jordan Kahn Mar 6 2014 - 9:48 am PT

28 Comments

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Update: Mercedes told us its “goal is to offer an after market solution by the end of the year.”

There have been a lot of mixed reviews of Apple’s CarPlay, a new feature that brings iOS into the car by displaying a customized interface for core iOS apps on in-car displays of select vehicles. A couple of the the common complaints you’ll be hearing about CarPlay: Its implementation varies from vehicle to vehicle as car makers use different touchscreen technology and varying approaches to meld CarPlay with their own in-car systems. Another problem is that it’s so far only coming to a few new vehicles by the end of this year including a pricey new FF from Ferrari, a new C-Class from Mercedes-Benz, and the XC90 SUV from Volvo. That certainly didn’t make owners of last year’s C-Class model happy, but the good news is we’ve confirmed that at least some car makers are planning to offer aftermarket installations for older vehicles.
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Shazam debuts Linkin Park song through Warner deal, Spotify buys competing service ‘The Echo Nest’

Jordan Kahn Mar 6 2014 - 7:40 am PT

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Shazam-linkin-park Back in February news broke that Warner Music Group made a deal with popular music recognition app Shazam that would see the label have access to Shazam’s proprietary music data gathered from its users as well as the formation of a new Shazam-branded label. Today, Shazam announced another perk of that deal with the app launching its first exclusive single, offering users the first chance to listen to the latest from Grammy Award-winning band Linkin Park before anyone else.

Shazam® today announced that multi-platinum, Grammy Award-winning band Linkin Park and Warner Bros. Records, are launching the band’s new single “Guilty All The Same” (feat. Rakim), and are giving Shazamers around the world the first chance to hear the song. When users Shazam any song today, they’ll see a special link to hear the new Linkin Park track, then will be able to buy it from all major digital retailers after wider release Friday… Last night, Linkin Park fans who had previously Shazamed the band were treated to an exclusive opportunity to hear “Guilty All The Same” via a notification in the app’s News Feed, giving them advance access to the new single.

While the deal with Warner Music Group was originally thought to be mainly Warner’s attempt to get its hands on Shazam’s valuable user data— the data helps labels and services identify what’s popular and what music users are interested in purchasing— we see that the other end of the deal is exclusive content for Shazam. It’s unclear if the Linkin Park promotion, however, is part of the co-branded label deal that Shazam and Warner Music announced they would create as part of the original deal.

In other related music industry app news today, Spotify announced that it has acquired music recommendation service ‘The Echo Nest’, a tool currently used by many similar services such as Rdio, Vevo, and Xbox Music.
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Hands-on with the iPhone & iBeacon-powered future of shopping [Video]

Jordan Kahn Mar 5 2014 - 2:20 pm PT

9 Comments

Dx3-thirdshelf-retail

Today at Dx3, Canada’s largest digital marketing, advertising and retail event here in Toronto, I got a look at the iPhone and iBeacon-powered future of shopping courtesy of a few companies about to launch a number of innovative mobile solutions for retailers. The show floor consisted of a full-size concept store powered by iBeacon technology and mobile retail app platform ThirdShelf as well as some interesting new products that could soon completely revolutionize the way we shop using our mobile devices.
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Site claims Tim Cook & Turkish president to attend opening of Istanbul Apple Store on April 4

Jordan Kahn Mar 5 2014 - 12:39 pm PT

2 Comments

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According to a report from Turkish website ElmaDergisi, Apple’s first Apple Store in Turkey will officially open on April 4. The news follows reports that the store would open sometime in April after Tim Cook met with Turkish government officials last month. Today’s report also claims Cook along with the Turkish President will be in attendance at the opening.

Cook originally met with Turkish government officials last month to discuss a $4 billion plan to bring iPads to Turkey’s schools, but the meeting also reportedly included talks of bringing R&D projects to the country and Turkish language support on iOS.

The first store in Turkey is planned for a 21,000 square foot space inside the Zorlu shopping center in Istanbul between Burberry and Louis Vuitton stores and was originally expected to open by January. The opening of the Apple Store in Turkey will mark the 13th country that Apple currently operates at least one retail store in and follows Apple opening an online store in the country last October.

AAPL Company

OnLive launches the iTunes Match of gaming w/ CloudLift, hires IGN’s Mark Jung to lead the company

Jordan Kahn Mar 5 2014 - 8:59 am PT

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What has cloud-based streaming service OnLive been up to for the last year? Apart from a few partnerships announced at CES and elsewhere to bring the service to Google TV products and select TV hardware, we haven’t heard much from OnLive since Gary Lauder took over as owner and chairman back in August 2012. That followed some rough financial times for the company that resulted in most of its 200 employees and founder Steve Perlman getting the boot. However, Lauder and the new team have actively been trying to save the company’s two core businesses, OnLive Desktop and OnLive Gaming, and today the company is finally giving an update on what it’s been doing for the last year. The news includes new leadership at the company as well as a new cloud gaming feature that acts like an iTunes Match of sorts for your personal gaming library across platforms.

On top of some interesting product news today, OnLive is also announcing that it has hired Mark Jung, former co-founder of IGN and VUDU CEO, to serve as the company’s Executive Chairman and lead the company:
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Hands-on demo of CarPlay in new Ferrari & Volvo vehicles from Geneva Motor Show [Video]

Jordan Kahn Mar 5 2014 - 6:24 am PT

11 Comments

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNKvlIUL-I8]

Today we get our best look yet at Apple’s new CarPlay iOS feature running in new vehicles from Volvo and Ferrari. Both debuting this week at the Geneva Motor Show, Ferrari is showing off the feature in its new FF (below), while the video above from Mac4Ever gives us a hands-on demo of the feature in the new Volvo XC90 SUV. Comparing the videos, we can see that the implementation of CarPlay varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Volvo, for instance, has a system to display CarPlay and its own content simultaneously, while Ferrari appears to have a dedicated hardware button to activate CarPlay and switch between it and the traditional in-car system. Head below for the full-hands on from Ferrari and a concept Volvo demo:
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Real Racing 3 iOS app updated w/ vehicle customizations, Aston Martin cars, iOS 7 controller support, more

Jordan Kahn Mar 4 2014 - 5:36 pm PT

2 Comments

Real-Racing-3-Customization

The popular Real Racing 3 title from EA for iPhone and iPad received a big update today that on top of introducing tons of new content brings iOS 7 controller support. That means you’ll now be able to pick up and play the game with any of Apple’s new authorized Made-for-iPhone controllers. We’ve reviewed the majority of controllers to hit the market so far including products from Logitech, Moga, and SteelSeries.

Perhaps the most notable new feature is new customization options that allow users to “Change rims, tweak ride height, and apply a multitude of awesome vinyls using the powerful customization tools.”

In addition, the update introduces a photo mode to easily capture a snapshot of the action at any moment, the “All Star Vendetta Series”, and new Gold Achievements.

Version 2.1.0 of Real Racing 3 also brings new vehicles from Aston Martin including the DB9, Vanquish and V12 Vantage S.

The updated app is available on the App Store now for iPhone and iPad.

$49 Switchd mod adds cable lock to new Mac Pro for added security

Jordan Kahn Mar 4 2014 - 2:39 pm PT

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With the new Mac Pro mostly landing in professional environments, it’s not surprising that several companies are working on security solutions for the pricey hardware. We’ve already seen a similar DIY solution from Maclocks, and today we get a look at another product coming soon called the Switchd MacPro Lock.

A little bit less expensive than other solutions at $49, the company provides a replacement part for the Mac Pro’s case lock switch that provides an extra opening for a cable lock. The company plans to ship next month and is already taking emails of interested customers on its website here.

Logitech’s Harmony Smart Keyboard for Apple TV & your entire living room

Jordan Kahn Mar 4 2014 - 8:23 am PT

6 Comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ8ZS2BKdz4]

Logitech just announced a new Harmony Smart Keyboard that it says is specifically designed for controlling Apple TV and similar living room devices. The idea is that the Harmony Smart Keyboard, with support for “225,000 home-entertainment devices and over 5,000 brands,” will become your ultimate living room controller. The keyboard packs in a touchpad on the right hand side, a ton of quick launch functions for changing channels, browsing menus, and controlling media, and a number of interesting new features powered by the included Harmony WiFi hub and companion app. It’s essentially the best of both worlds from Logitech’s keyboard and Harmony remote products.
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Mercedes-Benz gives hands-on demo of CarPlay in new C-Class [Video]

Jordan Kahn Mar 4 2014 - 7:17 am PT

15 Comments

Yesterday Mercedes-Benz sent over some images of Apple’s new CarPlay feature for iOS running in its new C-Class set to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show this week. Today the company has released a new video that gives us a better look at the feature up and running in the vehicle. Some people have been not so impressed with Mercedes’ implementation of the touch display in the new C-Class. It does look like somewhat of an afterthought the way it floats above the dash rather than being built right into the console like in Volvos and other vehicles. Ferrari, Volvo, and Mercedes-Benz are showing off CarPlay this week, but Apple expects many more partners to launch the feature in new vehicles later in the year.

(via iFun)

Microsoft reportedly working on a cross-platform Xbox Live for iOS & Android apps

Jordan Kahn Mar 3 2014 - 10:57 am PT

1 Comment

Xbox-SmartGlass-App Microsoft is considering taking Xbox Live cross-platform and allowing developers to integrate the service in iOS and Android games, according to a report from The Verge. The report cites a job listing from the company’s website seeking an engineer to work on “a modern framework that is open-source, lightweight, extensible and scalable across various platforms,” including iOS and Android. The report also cites its own sources reportedly familiar Microsoft’s plans to take Xbox Live cross-platform.

“New Devices and Gaming” is looking for passionate and experienced developers to join us. Your contribution will have direct impact on how we win back our game developers from our competitors. As a member of the newly formed team, you will have the rare opportunity to influence our planning and design from the beginning. We will create a modern framework that is open source, light-weight, extensible and scalable across various platforms including Windows Store, Windows Phone, iOS and Android. Working on the gaming technologies, you will collaborate with both internal partner teams across the company and external ecosystem partners to enable end-to-end gaming scenarios.

The idea, according to the report, is that Xbox Live would act as a cross-platform alternative to Apple’s Game Center and similar services, allowing users to earn achievements, manage friends and more through a single service across Xbox and mobile platforms. No details on specific features or when we might expect to see more.

Mercedes-Benz gives us a look at Apple’s CarPlay in new C-Class [Gallery]

Jordan Kahn Mar 3 2014 - 10:11 am PT

24 Comments

Earlier today we got a look at Apple’s just announced CarPlay feature for iOS when Volvo announced it would arrive in its new XC90 SUV, and now Mercedes-Benz has announced its partnership with Apple. As previously reported, the company confirmed today that it will be demoing the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class at the Geneva Motor Show. Like Volvo and many of the other vehicle manufacturers, Mercedes-Benz made it clear that Apple’s CarPlay won’t be the only in-car entertainment system with work continuing on Android and MirrorLink solutions:
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Volvo shows off Apple’s CarPlay coming to XC90 SUV, says Wi-Fi connections coming soon (Video)

Jordan Kahn Mar 3 2014 - 7:51 am PT

2 Comments

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqgrGho4aYM&feature=c4-overview&list=UUaY-4ndPCRKp60qXF7zBJ0w]

Following Apple’s official announcement of CarPlay this morning, Volvo has now officially announced its partnership with the company and provided some details on its first vehicles to get the feature.

Volvo Cars enhances Apple’s capabilities by linking them to a specially-developed interface that allows drivers to use voice and steering wheel controls to access Apple features and services, ensuring the entire interaction is always safe and easy to use.

CarPlay, previously known as iOS in the Car, makes features from iOS available via a vehicle’s in car touch display through a familiar iOS-like interface. Volvo announced that its all new XC90 SUV coming in 2014 will be its first with access to CarPlay.

It also sounds like Volvo will have some features exclusive to its vehicles, such as the Volvo Cars’ portrait screen that “gives users the benefit of having both Volvo Cars and Apple content co-existing simultaneously, removing the need to switch between a dedicated car and iPhone screen.” It does note, however, that the feature will initially require a connection with a Lightning cable and that Wi-Fi connections are “coming in the near future.”

“iPhone users will feel completely at home in a new Volvo. We have created a wholly-integrated user experience in our large portrait-oriented touch screen that takes the in-car mobile device experience to a new level. That, coupled with the obvious driver safety benefits of an advanced voice control system like Siri, made Apple a perfect match for Volvo,” says Håkan Samuelsson.

Apple will soon charge for out-of-warranty chat support, schedule repairs via new web payment system

Jordan Kahn Feb 28 2014 - 1:20 pm PT

22 Comments

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9to5Mac is brought to you by JustAnswer: Connect 1-on-1 with an Apple support Expert to get step-by-step assistance via phone or online chat, 24/7. Try it now.

Apple is about to begin charging users outside of their warranty for online chat support using a new web payment system it recently developed. Sources familiar with the project say Apple is currently expecting to launch the new paid chat support, which will also let customers schedule repairs and replacements online, as early as next week. Here’s how it works:
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Moga shows off its first Bluetooth Made-for-iPhone game controller ahead of official launch

Jordan Kahn Feb 28 2014 - 8:15 am PT

1 Comment

Moga-MFi-iOS-BT-controller

Moga, the company behind one of the first Made-for-iPhone game controllers, today announced that it will soon unveil its next controller for iOS devices. It also sent over the image above that gives us some clues about what to expect. Unlike the Moga Ace Power controller that we reviewed back in December, the new controller appears to utilize Apple’s non-form fitting controller design which essentially makes it closer to a standard Bluetooth controller. If you compare the design to Moga’s other Bluetooth controllers for mobile devices, it also looks like the middle of the controller might fold out to form a stand for iOS devices.
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Amazon in talks w/ labels for new music streaming service as Pandora hits 250m users

Jordan Kahn Feb 27 2014 - 2:17 pm PT

2 Comments

Pandora-iOS-app Two pieces of news out today related to the music streaming biz: Recode is reporting that Amazon is talking to music labels about a music streaming service that could be bundled with Prime subscriptions, while Pandora has announced it has grown to 250 million users in the US.

If Amazon is able to make deals with the music labels, Recode speculates that it could offer music streaming through its Prime subscriptions which currently only offers movies and TV shows as well as free two-day shipping for $79/ year. The report notes, however, that Amazon is running into some roadblocks with cutting deals:

Which doesn’t mean it will: One label source reports that Amazon isn’t close to getting a deal done, because its executives are asking for a substantial discount on the pricing the labels have given to other services, like Spotify, Rhapsody and Beats… Still, label talks have been going on for the past few months, sources say.

As for Pandora, that’s up from around 200 million users back in April of last year and since the launch of one of its biggest new competitors, Apple’s iTunes Radio, in September. Pandora also noted that “Listeners have now created over six billion stations.”
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NBA Game Time iOS apps updated with classic games & historical videos

Jordan Kahn Feb 26 2014 - 4:22 pm PT

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GameTime-Classic-Games-iOS-app The NBA Game Time apps for iPhone and iPad were updated today with a new Class Games section that brings a collection of “carefully selected classic games and historical videos from past seasons.”

The new Classic Games section starts out with a selection of videos and more will be added in future updates during the 2014 season.

The new videos, like much of the app’s content, is available for free to Sprint users or those with a NBA Game Time Plus subscription or League Pass through their cable provider.

The update is available for the NBA Game Time 2013-2014 iPhone app as well as the NBA Game Time for iPad app.

What’s New in Version 5.2.3

Classic Games – Addition of carefully selected classic games and historical videos from past seasons. New videos will be added periodically throughout the season. These are available free for users who have purchased League Pass.

Additional bug fixes and enhancements.

Should Apple open the iPhone’s fingerprint sensor to devs in iOS 8? [Poll]

Jordan Kahn Feb 26 2014 - 8:19 am PT

74 Comments

With Touch ID in the iPhone 5s, Apple wasn’t the first to integrate a fingerprint sensor in a smartphone, but it certainly popularized the feature as other manufacturers race to build similar technology into their next-gen iPhone competitors. HTC is packing in fingerprint sensors in its latest flagship devices and Samsung announced its new Galaxy S5 earlier this week with finger scanning as one of the standout upgrades. The verdict is still out on how Samsung’s tech compares to Touch ID, but it is interesting to see how others are using fingerprint sensors while Apple keeps it closed to developers and offers very limited applications. With Samsung letting app developers access the new S5’s fingerprint scanner for mobile payments and more right out of the gate, should Apple open the fingerprint sensor to devs in iOS 8?
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Sprint MVNO ‘Ting’ will add support for iPhone 5 on its usage based plans next week

Jordan Kahn Feb 25 2014 - 11:34 am PT

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Ting-iPhone-5

Update, March 11: As expected, Ting just confirmed official iPhone 5 support. It expects support for the iPhone 5s and 5c to come by September. Full details in our original article below:

Soon users will be able to activate their unlocked Sprint iPhone 5 on Ting, the Tucows-owned Sprint MVNO offering no-contract wireless service and usage-based billing. Late last year we reported that the company had made a deal with Apple and Sprint to begin supporting iPhones. At the time the bring-your-own-device support was limited to the iPhone 4 and 4S and sources told us iPhone 5 support was held up by Sprint, which doesn’t typically offer popular devices to its smaller carrier partners until they are at least a generation or two behind. Now, with the iPhone 5s & 5c on the market for almost half a year, sources say Sprint and Apple are finally ready to give Ting the go ahead for iPhone 5 support.
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Apple releases iBeacon specification through its Made-For-iPhone program

Jordan Kahn Feb 25 2014 - 9:20 am PT

4 Comments

Aura iBeacons coming soon for EverSense smart thermostat

iBeacon, Apple’s new framework for using low-cost Bluetooth LE devices to beam notifications to nearby smartphones and tablets, will soon be getting a bigger push from Apple and third-party manufacturers through its Made-For-iPhone program. While “iBeacon” is often used in the media to describe any Bluetooth beacon, Apple is now implementing tighter control over who can use the ‘iBeacon’ branding. Much like it requires for manufacturers placing the “Made-for-iPhone” branding on Apple authorized devices, Apple is now requiring manufacturers meet certain specifications before using ‘iBeacon’ on their products. The change was first spotted by Beekn.net. It appears the program is separate from the main Bluetooth MFi specification as it still asks that accessory manufacturers not support the iBeacon feature.
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MLB.com At Bat app updated ahead of 2014 season w/ iOS 7 redesign & new features

Jordan Kahn Feb 25 2014 - 7:52 am PT

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The popular MLB.com At Bat app has been updated today for the 2014 season and Spring Training with a complete redesign alongside new features and content. The updated app’s UI has been given a complete overhaul and redesign for iOS 7 on both iPhone and iPad, and new content starts with over 200 Spring Training games available as live video or radio broadcasts.

MLB.com At Bat returns for the 2014 season with live Spring Training baseball from the Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues. MLB.com At Bat is the official app of Major League Baseball.

The redesign offers a new inline video playback experience and the app now has “league-wide scoreboard functionality for single-tap expansion.” The app’s iTunes page also notes that an update before Opening Day will bring additional features and functionality.

The updated MLB.com At Bat app is available on the App Store now. The app requires a subscription available for purchase in the app for $20 for the entire 2014 season or $2.99 monthly. The content is available for free to MLB.TV Premium subscribers.

A full list of what’s new in the update app is below:

New for At Bat in 2014
• Complete app re-design to optimize your At Bat experience for iOS 7 (iPhone and iPad)
• Redesigned to deliver inline video playback
• New league-wide scoreboard functionality for single-tap expansion
• Access your MLB.TV Premium subscription to watch live video of more than 200 Spring Training games
• Listen to available radio broadcasts of Spring Training games
• Multi-platform live audio access for At Bat 14 subscribers (portable to Mac/PC with a valid MLB.com account)
•Universal support for At Bat 14 subscribers, accessible on iPhone, iPad and other supported smartphones and tablets
• Follow batter-by-batter action for every Spring Training game
• Breaking news, schedules and interactive rosters and player stats for every team
• Sortable batting, pitching and fielding statistics (iPad)
• Customize At Bat’s home screen to feature your designated favorite team (iPhone only)
• Video library archive, searchable by keyword
• Classic games video archive featuring dozens of baseball’s legendary games
• Closed captioning for live video

Jealous of S5 heart rate monitor? Your iPhone can already measure your heart rate with these apps

Jordan Kahn Feb 25 2014 - 6:54 am PT

17 Comments

When Samsung unveiled its new flagship Galaxy S5 yesterday, the big news was the inclusion of a fingerprint scanner and heart rate sensor. The fingerprint scanning of course brings it up to par with Apple’s TouchID functionality, the standout feature and big selling point for the iPhone 5s. The heart rate sensor, however, is something not included in the current iPhone lineup and something Samsung will spend a lot of time marketing as fitness and health wearables like its new smartwatch lineup become big business in 2014. But did you know you can already measure your heart rate on iPhone using the device’s built-in camera?

A number of apps on the App Store, such the “Heart Rate Monitor” app just launched by PlusSports, allow you to accurately measure your heart rate by simply placing your face or fingertip in front of the camera lens. Another app available on the App Store that we’ve tested and works well is Instant Heart Rate. Popular fitness app maker Runtastic also has its own heart rate monitor and pulse tracker app.

The experience of using these apps is almost identical to the S5, which also forces the user to place a finger over a sensor on the back of the device and wait several seconds for a reading.

It’s possible Samsung would tell you that its built-in heart rate sensor is more accurate or feature-filled, but from our tests and reviews from others, the iPhone apps are remarkably accurate.

AAPL Company

Unlikely bedfellows: Apple, Samsung, Google & others push EU to combat patent trolls

Jordan Kahn Feb 25 2014 - 6:07 am PT

1 Comment

court-decision1 Bloomberg reports that Apple has ironically teamed up with Samsung to co-sign a letter sent to the European Union requesting policy changes that will limit the ability of patent trolls to block product sales. Apple and Samsung are just two of 19 companies backing the letter:

Apple and Samsung are among 19 companies and associations that told the EU in a letter that a new court should limit the ability of companies that license technology to win court injunctions when the validity of the underlying patent is in dispute.

Manufacturers are turning to lawmakers and courts in Europe and America in battles with patent trolls, a derogatory term for intellectual property owners that don’t manufacturer products and instead rely on license fees. A similar group of companies are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to make it easier for them to collect legal fees in patent disputes.

As noted in the report, similar initiatives involving many of the same companies have recently been put before the U.S. Supreme Court. Apple made its feelings on patent trolls pretty clear in a recent FTC filing when it revealed that it was the subject of 92 lawsuits by patent assertion entities over the course of the past three years. That, Apple noted, is more than any other company.

The proposal would bring the EU closer to the U.S., where it’s almost impossible for patent owners who don’t make products to block the sales based on a finding of infringement. Even direct competitors like Apple and Samsung have been stymied in their efforts to halt sales of infringing devices in the U.S.

Google and Huawei were among the other companies that co-signed the letter sent to the EU authorities today.

Tech Industry

New Broadcom 5G 802.11ac WiFi chip will likely power future iOS devices

Jordan Kahn Feb 24 2014 - 2:18 pm PT

10 Comments

Broadcom today announced a first of its kind 5G WiFi system-on-a-chip that will bring faster 802.11ac WiFi and improved performance to smartphones. Apple currently uses a WiFi chip based on the Broadcom technology in the iPhone, iPad and Mac products making the new 5G chip a likely successor for next-generation iOS devices. The chip is the first to implement 2×2 Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) on a smartphone and Broadcom said that will significantly improve performance over current implementations of 802.11ac on mobile:

Consumers expect a fast, always-on smartphone experience. Performance however can be degraded by many factors including how a phone is held or positioned. In the past, MIMO systems have solved these problems on tablets and larger devices by using multiple antennas. With Broadcom’s advanced antenna and PHY design, the BCM4354 can now deliver the benefits of 5G WiFi 2×2 MIMO to smaller platform designs like smartphones while reducing implementation complexity for designers. This achievement enables the industry’s first practical implementation of 2×2 MIMO on a smartphone, opening the door for a new market segment.

Broadcom said the chip will allow smartphone makers to double WiFi performance “while improving system power efficiency up to 25 percent when using wireless applications.”