Tag Archives: news

Apple vs. Innovation

Posted by on August 25, 2012 No comments

In the absence of Steve Jobs and any new innovative ideas, the tech giant Apple won their patent violation case against Samsung. Apple will be awarded $1 billion dollars and Samsung will be forced to cease production of smartphones which bear a resemblance to previously patented technologies found on Apple devices.

I suppose the jury of Samsung’s “peers” didn’t read the illusionary flier circling around the Earth since the 1800s stating that technology is innovated on the back of pre-existing technology. Instead the court decided that devices that contained features such as pinch-to-zoom were in violation of patents registered by Apple.

Of course all smartphones have those features (HTC included), but this is just Apple’s first step. In the case of pinch-to-zoom, it makes sense for a small device to enable zooming by pulling and pushing your fingers together and apart. Many other similar technologies can be found in the case. But the courts found that Apple’s patents were violated by introducing these features on Samsung Android-based devices. Apple hopes this will deter future smartphone makers from replicating the features in question in the future.

This is Apple’s first attempt to thwart android smartphone leader Google, a company that relies on hardware manufacturers to produce phones with their Android operating system (an open source Linux platform designed by Google to be run on mobile devices). Samsung is Google’s largest mobile hardware designer (makers of the notable Samsung Galaxy Tab and Samsung Galaxy S II). The New York Times article entitled, “Jury Gives Apple Decisive Victory In A Patents Case” by Nick Wingfield* released on 8/25 calls this a “proxy war against Google’s Android.”)

In actuality, this seems a lot like Apple is trying to stifle all forms of mobile competition so that the iPhone and other Apple mobile devices can trump the competition. This landmark decision proves that, in America today, suing is is better than innovating. Equally as unsettling, the integrity of the judicial system in the modern era is at stake as well.

By some sources, Google smartphones sold worldwide trump Apple smartphone sales considerably. As we’ve also seen, Apple has been reluctant to create any new products in recent history with the exception of the iPad 3 (which is an iPad 2 with a better screen, slimmer design and overheating problems). Apple will soon release their new iOS version as well as an a newly revamped Apple TV (much needed considering Roku sales have left the previous incarnation of Apple TV in the dust).

As an Apple customer, I’m appalled by Apple’s stance to innovation and, more specifically, Samsung. Apparently no one at Apple studied game theory and the need for innovative competition in High School economics. If you silence the competition with your complaints and fail to offer anything new you should should be ashamed of yourself. Don’t hide behind patent law as an excuse. Jobs claimed Google’s android OS is a “stolen product”* yet they seemed to have had the same complaint against Microsoft over a decade ago! I believe we’re seeing Apple’s ugly side when dealing with competition and can best be described as “blame it on the other guy.”

This case brings up a number of valid legal concerns technology producers have:

1) Is our current legal system and, specifically juries, effective when dealing with technological matters?

2) What if jurors can’t comprehend the matters at stake?

3) Is our current patent laws reasonable in an inherently innovative world?

4) What role should patent law play in technology today?

5) If you believe our legal system is incapable of dealing with new technological issues, should our legal system be fixed?

While I won’t get into those two “big picture” debates on the blog, people should be considering those questions when reading the news. As it stands, this ruling will disturb the very foundation of mobile innovation in America. Hopefully the appeals will be more successful at stopping Apple’s temper tantrums.

Sources Used Above

* Wingfield, Nick. “Jury Gives Apple Decisive Victory In A Patents Case.” The New York Times, August 25, 2012.

Apple’s Social Engineering Crisis

Posted by on August 14, 2012 No comments

On 8/08 there was an interesting news article on Bloomberg’s website regarding the Apple password crisis surrounding journalist Mat Honan. Honan’s digital existence was ruined a few days ago when hackers used social engineering tactics against him (for those unfamiliar with the articles, I’ve linked them below).

Anyone who’s ever been to an Apple store knows that convenience is king.

You need help with something? There’s almost always some friendly hipster with a weird haircut to help you. You need your data migrated from one device to another? No problem for these blue shirt gurus! Want your password changed? Sure, answer just a few simple questions that anyone can get…

Wait… what?

Apple previously allowed users to change crucial account details such as one’s password over the phone. Typically most companies handle such changes online and merely talk the customer through a series of secure web pages after confirming their identity by a number of different means. (Recently I had to call Dell and was bumbarded by over 4 different identity-based questions.) Apple’s system allowed for sensitive account changes to be made with a few simple facts about a customer including the last 4 digits of the primary credit card and one’s address!

One with access to another user’s iTunes account, if cloud backups and syncs are enabled, could potentially delete data right out of the air or access important documents which could potentially allow an attacker to access other accounts the user owns.

Other security flaws included the ability to circumvent the AppleID associated with App and iTunes store purchases, compromise iCloud data and more.

That’s exactly what happened to Mat Honan of Wired Magazine. His dilemma is exactly what spawned Apple’s reaction regarding their security flaws: Honan’s entire life was ruined when a hacker – simply interested in taking his Twitter username and causing havoc – gained access to his AppleID, wiped his Apple devices remotely, accessed his other accounts on other services and more.

In response to this crisis, Apple has suspended the option of resetting one’s AppleID password over the telephone as stated in the Bloomberg article linked below. It’s unfortunate that lessons are learned on the backs of paying customers as Honan’s case also dealt with the security failings of Amazon as well as Apple (see links below for further details).

Hopefully these major tech players have learned that sometimes convenience cometh before the fall.

It really is a tragedy that these companies didn’t take security seriously. With more data being stored off-site, on cloud servers, Mat Honan’s story gives us a lot to think about going forward in the digital age.

Sources:
Satariano, Adam. Bloomberg Reporter
Giles, Tom. Bloomberg Editor
Article URL: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-08/apple-to-beef-up-security-for-phone-password-resets-after-breach.html

Honan, Mat. Wired Magazine
Article: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/08/apple-amazon-mat-honan-hacking/