Apple : Record industry reportedly wants Apple to ante up for royalties

Record industry reportedly wants Apple to ante up for royalties
Samsung loses yet another court battle to Apple, may start crying soon
10 amazing things to do with your iPad in tech. this week
Updated: Apple iTV release date, news and rumours

Record industry reportedly wants Apple to ante up for royalties

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The battle for streaming music supremacy is still being waged, but Apple may have stymied its hopes of being a serious competitor if its royalty rates don't improve.

A new report from the New York Post indicated the recording industry is very unhappy with Apple's proposed royalty rates for streamed tracks.

The music industry insiders speaking to the post revealed the Copyright Royalty Board has a set rate for non-broadcast companies (ie - they don't own a radio station) of 21 cents per 100 songs streamed.

Apple's offer is an insultingly low 6 cents per 100 songs streamed, or three and a half times less than what the Copyright Royalty Board deemed a fair deal.

iRadio rebuffed

Apple's hard bargaining may leave the company on the outside looking in with its rumored streaming service.

Pandora, which offers its service for free, currently pays double what Apple is offering, while Spotify pays almost six times as much (35 cents/100 songs) for its subscription service.

Even though Apple's service is believed to be different than the on-demand services provided by the competition, the record industry has so far balked at the low-ball offer.

With more competitive services like Google/YouTube and Beats attempting to enter the crowding market, it would appear the record industry has the advantage in bargaining prices.

Another source told the Post that counter-offers were being prepared, so it's not like any of the players have walked away from the table in spite of the dramatic entry offer from Apple.

Just how far the record industry's biggest guns like Sony/ATV, Universal, and Warner are willing to bend to accommodate Apple remains to be seen.

Samsung loses yet another court battle to Apple, may start crying soon

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Samsung has been dealt yet more courtroom misery in its interminable legal war with Apple after a UK judge dismissed claims that the iPhone-maker had infringed upon its 3G patents.

The Korean giant had taken to the High Court seeking a 2.4 per cent cut on all iPhone sales alleging that Apple was unlawfully using three patents relating to 3G mobile broadband.

The patents had been among those labelled "standards-essential" with Samsung hoping to acquire a "fair and reasonable" license fee from Apple for their usage.

However Judge Mr Justice Floyd called all three patents were "too obvious" for such protection and ruled that Samsung's claims were "invalid."

Another appeal

Samsung said it was considering an appeal against the decision - yes, another one - and bemoaned the effort it had put into its mobile innovation without what it deemed to be fair compensation.

"For decades, we have heavily invested in pioneering the development of technological innovations in the mobile industry, which have been constantly reflected in our products," a Samsung spokeswoman said.

Samsung has suffered a string of legal defeats around the world (is anyone keeping score at home?), although the last time it was in the High Court, Apple was forced into an embarrassing climbdown over accusations Samsung had "blatantly copied" the iPhone and iPad.

That sweet, yet fleeting, taste of victory could be all that's keeping Samsung's beleaguered legal team from bursting into tears right now.

10 amazing things to do with your iPad in tech. this week

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The iPad has gone from strength to strength since its release three years ago, and this week's news that iTunes U – the education arm – has had 1bn downloads of lecture videos and resource is cause for celebration.

That's why this issue of tech. focuses on the amazing things the iPad can do, with fantastic ideas of getting even more from your iPad. Forget watching movies and playing games, that's for dullards, why not hack your car with your iPad mini, turn it into a file server or use it as a second touchscreen monitor for your home PC.

That's just a few of the great ideas in this week's tech. mag, which also looks at the latest news on the next iPad release.

Practically perfect

Editor Marc Chacksfield was particularly excited about this week's issue:

"We've never done anything like this before, and it's been great to cover a practical feature in our own way. These aren't boring tips for newbies, this is serious ideas for technical iPad owners, which we've enriched with video and interactive features," he said.

Elsewhere, there's news on Google and Apple's new music streaming service, and an in-depth look at a few of this week's weirder stories, such as why Facebook's days could be numbered and why there could be an internet for aliens.

Of course, tech. magazine is always packed with the latest hardware, so there's the definitive review of the Asus PadFone 2, Microsoft Surface Pro and a pair of futuristic skiing googles.

You can get tech. on iPad now, and get your first five issues free!

Updated: Apple iTV release date, news and rumours

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Apple iTV rumours: what you need to know

We love the Full HD Apple TV, but we're not sure Apple does: the firm's more interested in getting iPads into your living room than Apple TVs under your flat screen.

Apple says the Apple TV is a hobby, but it turns out the company is thinking bigger. Much, much bigger: it wants to sell you the entire TV set, not a little box beneath it.

In an early 2012 earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted again at the release of something bigger and better than the current Apple TV (credit CNN Money).

Is Apple iTV confirmed?

"With Apple TV, however, despite the barriers in [the TV set top box] market, for those of us who use it, we've always thought there was something there. And that if we kept following our intuition and kept pulling the string, then we might find something that was larger.

"For those people that have it right now, the customer satisfaction is off the charts. But we need something that could go more main market for it to be a serious category."

However, it is possible that he meant a set top box, and rumours have continued to rumble on that Apple is in talks with US cable providers over a new version of its existing Apple TV box.

FutTv : SNcCn61A339dr

Stronger hints came in a December 2012 Tim Cook NBC interview. "When I go into my living room and turn on the TV, I feel like I have gone backwards in time by 20 to 30 years," Cook told Williams. "It's an area of intense interest. I can't say more than that."

Apple isn't the only one dropping big hints either - manufacturer Foxconn had to refute reports in late May that it had begun to produce the Apple iTV after a story emerged quoting chief executive, Terry Gua, as saying Foxconn was "making preparations for iTV."

However, more speculation citing Foxconn involvement emerged in December 2012.

Here are all the rumours and speculation surrounding the Apple iTV, which some have also claimed may end up with the surely unlikely name of the Apple iPanel.

Apple iTV release date

Most rumours predict a 2013 Apple iTV release date. The New York Times says that price, not technology, is the problem: Apple is waiting for the cost of large LCD panels to fall further before building iTVs.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster suggested in November 2012 that the iTV would come out a year later, in November of 2013.

This is big change in Munster's thinking. Earlier this year Munster was calling for Apple to announce the Apple television in December, then release it in the first half of 2013.

As AppleInsider says. "Most notably, he expects Apple will launch a television set in time for the holiday 2013 shopping season. He expects the product to be priced between $1,500 and $2,000, with screen sizes between 42 and 55 inches."

As Business Insider says, Munster doesn't provide any reason for his thinking.

However, some rumours in May 2012 suggested that we won't see the Apple iTV until 2014.

In December 2012 Wall Street Journal sources said that various TV prototypes have been on the company's slate for a number of years.

Apple iTV design

In mid-May a new report from Cult of Mac claimed one of their contacts saw a working prototype of the Apple TV. The report claimed that Siri and iSight will feature (so face and voice recognition then), while the design is similar to that of an Apple Cinema Display.

The Telegraph says that "sources within the company" say that Jeff Robbin, the man who helped create the iPod, is leading the team. Apple has seemingly denied rumours that it is working with French designer Philippe Starck. Remember when he worked with Microsoft on a mouse?

However, it appears that Starck was actually working on another project, a yacht, with Steve Jobs before his death.

On 13 May 2011, we reported that Apple is rumoured to be in talks to buy TV manufacturer Loewe. AppleInsider wrote that talks have entered the advanced stages and Loewe is expected to make a decision on Apple's offer within the next week.

Apple iTV specifications and display

Engadget predicts an A5 processor and 1080p video - neither of which are a huge surprise, granted.

Australian tech site Smarthouse says that the Apple iTV will come in three sizes, including 32-inch and 55-inch models.

Sources at "a major Japanese company who are involved in manufacturing the TV" reckon the sets will have the same processor as the forthcoming iPad 3, which presumably means an Apple A6.

Smarthouse isn't usually the go-to site for Apple rumours, but its report echoes similar claims by respected Apple analyst Gene Munster, who told the recent Future of Media conference that Apple will make its TV in a range of sizes.

"The smallest one will be 42 inches in size, followed by a 52 inches one and a 60 inches iTV (coincidence or not, these exact sizes are available on Sharp TVs, too)," said Gozmorati. This information was repeated in several similar stories.

March, June and December 2012 rumours pointed at Sharp being the manufacturing partner. SlashGear says work on components is already under way. In mid April, Sharp announced it had begun production of 32-inch HI-DPI LCD panels at its Kameyama Plant No. 2 - could these be the panels destined for the Apple iTV?

Apple contractor Foxconn's parent company has made a rather large investment in Sharp - does this indicate something we wonder?

Both companies were apparently working together to 'test' TV designs in the December 2012 rumours.

An early 2013 patent, reported on by Macworld, describes "a sound system that could be launched as part of its iTV. The intelligent system could determine where a user is in a room, and if he or she was not within the optimum range, the processor could modify the audio output, says the application. It could also adjust based on which way the user is facing, and the environment that the user is in," Clever stuff.

Apple iTV operating system

As with the Apple TV, any iTV is likely to run iOS, albeit in slightly disguised form. Compatibility with other iOS devices is a given: current Apple TVs already accept video streamed via AirPlay and access shared iTunes libraries. We'll be amazed if the iTV doesn't get apps.

Expect Apple iTV and Apple TV to work more like iOS does on the iPad; the newest iOS 6 Beta for the Apple TV enables app icons to be moved around the homescreen just like on the iPhone and iPad.

That has led some observers to conclude that the rumoured App Store for Apple's favourite 'hobby project' might be on the way sooner rather than later.

Apple iTV and iCloud

Steve Jobs told his biographer: "I'd like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use. It would be seamlessly synced with all of your devices and with iCloud. It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it."

According to one source which claims to have seen the device, the new TV has Siri and FaceTime.

Apple iTV remote control

Munster says the iTV will come with an ordinary remote control, and will be controllable with iPhones, iPod touches and iPads, but the real remote control will be Siri.

Apple's voice recognition system will be the heart of the new Apple TV, enabling you to choose channels and control the TV's functions with voice alone. That means " the simplest user interface you could imagine" is voice.

However, according to a new patent filed in March 2012, Apple has come up with the design for an advanced universal remote that would also be compatible with your iPhone and iPad.

Apple iTV AirPlay mirroring

After AirPlay mirroring from Mac to Apple TV was present in the developer preview of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, it's not a great leap to suggest that the Apple iTV could mirror the display of your Mac or iPad wirelessly too. AirPlay mirroring is now 1080p with the new iPad and new Apple TV.

When a prototype was reportedly 'seen' it did feature AirPlay.

Apple iTV programmes

While the iTV will get content from iTunes and iCloud, it's not going to be completely separate from current TV broadcasters: Munster says that you'll still need a cable TV subscription and decoder because Apple doesn't have enough content.

We're not sure whether it would play nicely with Freeview and Freeview HD here in the UK, but perhaps a DVB-T compatible unit will arrive as part of a second generation.

As of 6 March 2012, rumours were continually doing the rounds that, as the New York Post reports, Apple is planning to launch a music streaming service this side of Christmas.

On 13 March, Les Moonves, who is CEO at CBS, says he was the recipient of a pitch from Steve Jobs regarding his network's participation in a subscription-based service, but turned him down. Apple is also rumoured to be talking about getting partners involved for movie streaming.

His reasoning? Moonves says he was worried about damaging the network's existing revenue streams through broadcast and cable television.

In February 2013 it became clear that Apple had hired James (Jueng-jil) Lee, a former senior researcher at LG. According to the OLED Association, he had been working on a printed AMOLED TV display.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Lee lists his role at LG as "OLED Technology Development for TV Application" and he said he was "developing the Soluble Technology (RGB Type) for OLED TV application at LG Display".

The main question is whether Apple will open the door for third-party content, like the BBC iPlayer, Sky Go and 4oD and other apps we've seen on connected TV platforms. These may well arrive with apps - the Apple TV SDK will pull on the iTV ecosystem and we're expecting apps to be available for Apple TV too.

Mind you, it's also been claimed that Apple will seek to cut traditional TV providers out of the content loop.

Apple iTV price

Gene Munster reckons that the iTV will be twice the price of a similarly sized TV. Ouch. However, new March 2012 rumours point at a subsidised launch - courtesy of various partners.

Apple iTV picture quality

If the iTV does appear, it won't leave manufacturers quaking in their boots. That's according to Samsung's Chris Moseley who told Pocket-Lint in early February 2012 that the firm isn't overly concerned with what Apple launches if it decides to enter the TV market

"We've not seen what they've done but what we can say is that they don't have 10,000 people in R&D in the vision category," he says.

"They don't have the best scaling engine in the world and they don't have world renowned picture quality that has been awarded more than anyone else."

Apple iTV gaming and apps

Although most of the rumours so far have been about the hardware involved in the iTV, gaming may be a major focus of the new device. Apple CEO Tim Cook was spotted in mid-April at the HQ of Valve Software, the company behind gaming platform Steam. Some rumours are drawing more from this meeting, saying Apple could be producing a Kinect-style gesture-based console. But this is likely to be part and parcel of the iTV.

Yahuui Blog

Thursday, March 7, 2013