iPhone news / rants

[maxbailey]

Nokia, the world's biggest mobile phone maker, has said that it is suing its US rival Apple for infringing patents on mobile phone technology for the iPhone.

Nokia said it had not been compensated for its technology, and accused Apple of "trying to get a free ride on the back of Nokia's innovation".

The 10 alleged patent infringements involve wireless data, speech coding, security and encryption.

Apple, which did not comment on the news, saw its shares dip slightly,

The breaches applied to all models of the iPhone since its launch in 2007, Nokia added.

'Basic principle'

Finland's Nokia said that it had agreements with about 40 firms - including most mobile phone handset makers - allowing them to use the firm's technology, but that Apple had not signed an agreement.

"The basic principle in the mobile industry is that those companies who contribute in technology development to establish standards create intellectual property, which others then need to compensate for," said Ilkka Rahnasto, vice president of Legal & Intellectual Property at Nokia.

"Apple is also expected to follow this principle."

He added that during the last two decades, Nokia had invested approximately 40bn euros (?36.2bn; $60bn) on research and development.

Earlier this month, Nokia posted its first quarterly loss in a decade amid falling sales.

Analysts said that the poor results had come partly as customers turned from Nokia models to the iPhone and RIM's Blackberry.

Meanwhile, Apple reported profits of $1.67bn (?1bn) in the three months to 26 September - partly due to a 7% growth in iPhone sales.

Apple closes the iTunes store for iPhone users who don't want to share their location
22 June 2010

Apple has found a new way to get people to agree to online tracking:
withhold applications from them if they don't.

This week Apple is launching a new iPhone. And with that comes a new operating system and the company's new advertising platform.

According to Apple's new privacy policy, users can opt out if they don't want to be served targeted ads. But if they don't want to share their location information with the company, they also won't have access to new apps from the iTunes store.

The launch of Apple's iAd advertising system this week comes with some new terms and conditions. Apple will be serving targeted advertising. Users can opt out of receiving such ads, but it won't be particularly easy. And the company thinks it would be cooler if people didn't opt out. According to the new T&Cs:

Content, Pictures  and Download links visible to registered users only. 

REGISTER NOW to access all areas that are invisible to non-members.

Apple customers who want to opt out of tracking have to use the above URL from an Apple device running iOS 4 to do so. And each of their devices using that operating system must be logged out individually.

In addition, Apple is collecting "precise," "real-time geographic location" of its customers who use its new iOS software that runs on the new iPhone.

Apple's wording assures customers that location data is ?collected anonymously in a form that does not personally identify you.? But it also doesn't give people a choice to opt out of location tracking. Users have to agree to the new terms and conditions before downloading new apps or any other data from the iTunes store.

Meanwhile, the new T&Cs are light on details regarding what will happen with this location information. The company's privacy policy states:

Content, Pictures  and Download links visible to registered users only. 

REGISTER NOW to access all areas that are invisible to non-members.

...BUT then goes on to say:

Content, Pictures  and Download links visible to registered users only. 

REGISTER NOW to access all areas that are invisible to non-members.

Obviously, applications that rely on location will be among the ?partners and licensees? who will access location data. But it would be nice to have details on what location-based services other than Find My iPhone will utilize the data. Apple also insists that the data will be anonymous, but they are not divulging how long the data will be kept, which could irk privacy advocates.

Content, Pictures  and Download links visible to registered users only. 

REGISTER NOW to access all areas that are invisible to non-members.

If you "opt out" you will continue to receive the same number of ads? WTF?

So you opt out and the ads just aren't as "relevant" because they aren't tracking your position... but then they don't allow you to access the App store anymore. Dick move Steve.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Apple Collecting iPhone, iPad, Mac User Locations in Real Time, Passing On Info to Unknown 3rd Parties
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
By Ryan Northover

News that will shock ten of millions of Apple users and alarm privacy and civil liberties advocacy groups

Apple Inc. has changed a clause in it's privacy policy agreement that allows the Californian based giant to determine the "precise" and "real-time geographic location" of iPhone, iPad and other Apple gadget users, set to create a firestorm of controversy.

In print buried deep in the? Apple Customer Privacy Policy?, Apple will now be able to pass off real time location data of users to unspecified ?partners and licensees? for unknown use.

Apple users are forced to agree with the new terms of privacy whenever apps are downloaded from the Apple iTunes store. Users cannot download any new media for their various devices until they agree with the highly contentious privacy changes.

The new privacy agreement from the Apple Customer Privacy Policy page, reads:

Content, Pictures  and Download links visible to registered users only. 

REGISTER NOW to access all areas that are invisible to non-members.

A lot to answer for, Apple CEO Steve Jobs with an iPhone smartphone.

So what is Apple trying to do achieve by collecting your exact location in real time? And more importantly, exactly who is Apple giving your exact location to?

The privacy of millions of Apple product users is suddenly at risk without any reasonable explanation and many will simply agree to the new privacy agreement without even reading the new text or thinking about the potential implications.

Content, Pictures  and Download links visible to registered users only. 

REGISTER NOW to access all areas that are invisible to non-members.

[TheSNakE]

So do I understand this correctly? When you have an iphone, you get spam messages on your phone?

Content, Pictures  and Download links visible to registered users only. 

REGISTER NOW to access all areas that are invisible to non-members.

Well, it is their new Aids... er, iAds. They will be embedded in the Apps from what i understand.

[TheSNakE]

Content, Pictures  and Download links visible to registered users only. 

REGISTER NOW to access all areas that are invisible to non-members.

So basically you are going to get spam text messages if you have an iphone? Or maybe you just have to see an ad before you can access an app?
That's why I have a blackberry

[gallow737]

And yet I know several dozen people personally who would probably suck Apple's cock if they had the chance.

[gallow737]

Content, Pictures  and Download links visible to registered users only. 

REGISTER NOW to access all areas that are invisible to non-members.

I have Android (HTC Eris), and they have small banner ads on most of their ads on their apps, but they are small, out of the way, and not overbearing. I barely even notice that they're there.

I love the Android OS.

[TheSNakE]

Just makes me think of one of my favorite sayings, "The masses are asses". People will buy into anything if its advertised right.

[gimmebeer]

there should be a thread for apple rants only, like the facebook news one...

apple isn`t making anyone buy their stuff, as microsoft didn`t (doesn`t).

don`t want/like their "service"? don`t buy their stuff