Apple-Samsung Verdict Is In (in South Korea)

The Seoul District Court ruled a split decision in the patent case between Samsung and Apple, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Apple was found guilty of infringing Samsung's patents with the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, and its first two iPad generations. It has been barred from selling them in South Korea, and must pay Samsung what works out to $35,000 in damages.

Samsung, meanwhile, has to stop selling the Galaxy S and SII, along with the Galaxy Tab and Tab 10.1 and pay Apple about $22,000.

So Apple pays an $11,000 speeding ticket, and both companies can still sell all their latest products (the iPhone 4S, the new iPad, the Galaxy SIII and the Galaxy Tab2 were all released after the lawsuit was filed)? Could've been worse.

But the case still results in an immediate sales ban on numerous products in South Korea. The ban affects the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPad 1 and iPad 2, and Samsung’s Galaxy S, S2, Galaxy Tab and Tab 10.1, IDG said.

The ban does not affect products released after the case was filed, such as the latest iPad, the iPhone 4S, or the Samsung Galaxy S3.

Jon Fox is a Seattle hipster who loves polar bears and climbing trees. You can follow him on Twitter and IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Apple Patents Game Controller

An Apple patent published today shows Apple may be making a game controller, or at least using an iPhone as a universal remote to pair NFC devices.

The controller seems to interact with an Apple TV - which can currently mirror iOS and Mountain Lion-enabled games over AirPlay. It's yet to be seen whether this controller would interact with only mirrored games or if the Apple TV may be getting comprehensive app and game support in a future update.

The patent shows a controller that has more than a passing resemblance of the Playstation's DualShock, but the design is certain to change in production.

NFC is also on board, allowing you to pair your controllers by tapping devices together. This all but confirms the wireless technology will be coming to Apple products, like the New iPhone, which already supports credit card storage and  in iOS 6 through an app called PassBook.

A vast section of today's patent shows an iPhone using NFC to pair with entertainment consoles. An iPhone is shown interacting with an Xbox 360, DVD player, and home theater.

We've reached out to Apple for comment who has yet to comment. We will update as we know more.

Developing...

Source : ign[dot]com