Apple has always made the news, be it for filing infringement lawsuits against competitors, launching a new device or software, or for even topping the sales charts.  Though Apple seems to be the one always filing those lawsuits, they are now complaining that Android phone makers are ganging up on them.  The company feels that these companies are abusing the fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (F/RAND) terms and that these companies are monopolizing the market.  The funny thing about Apple’s woe is that they were the one who started the monopoly by declaring they have patents over just about everything mobile, which makes it difficult for companies to come up with a product that doesn’t infringe Apple’s patents.

The tables have also turned, as Openwave Systems Inc., makers of mobile software, has filed patent infringement claims against the Cupertino giant as well as Research In Motion and aims to ban sales of infringing products.

Openwave claims that Apple’s iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch and RIM’s BlackBerry Curve and PlayBook infringe five of their patents including how these devices connect to the internet, how apps are regularly updated, and how e-mails are stored in the devices.  The company filed the lawsuit in U.S. International Trade Commission in Washington and a federal court in Wilmington, Delaware.  Openwave recently paid $12 million to Myriad Group AG to settle uncontested ownership of a portfolio of mobile Internet-related patents.  After this loss and still-plummeting shares, they have set out to make money by protecting their intellectual properties.

Rotten Apple?

As companies are going super green and are showing their support for the initiative by rewarding their employees when they recycle or use recycled materials (some even hold contests in their facilities as to which department is the greenest of them all), Apple is also battling claims that they are polluting the environment as they manufacture their devices and that working conditions in their facilities pose great threats to their employees.

Environmental groups claim that Apple employed suppliers that manufacture parts for their products who are releasing waste water and harmful gas, causing health concerns for residents around the factories as well as employees.  Apple offers to have a sit-down with these environmental groups so they can voice out their side as they claim that some of the alleged suppliers are not even in their supply chain.  The Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs (IPE) have accepted Apple’s offer and stated that the environmental groups involved have also agreed and that other groups investigating the case will also be present.  The IPE asked Apple to clarify which suppliers do not belong to their supply chain.  Apple regularly audits their suppliers and if violations are found, suppliers are given 90 days to resolve the matter.

It seems that the existence and release of the Apple iPhone 5 is no longer a rumor as a prototype of the device have already surfaced – unfortunately, it was stolen, again.  Last year, the iPhone 4 prototype was stolen, purchased by a tech blog and was displayed in their site for everyone to see ahead of its released date.  This time, no photos have yet surfaced.

The lost one

The current iPhone 5 incident happened sometime in July when a person, presumably an Apple employee, left the prototype he was testing in a Mexican bar, Cava 22.  Since then, Apple kept mum about the incident but told the authorities that the device was priceless and it was of great importance to get the device back.  The device was traced to a house in San Francisco but the police found nothing.  Apple even offered money to the resident of the house just to get the phone back but the resident kept insisting that he has no knowledge of the whereabouts of the said device.

Apple isn’t the only one feeling under the weather as one wannabe-Apple-owner got duped for $180.  Ashley McDowell, the person scammed, was offered a $300 iPad by two men at a McDonald’s parking lot.  The men said that they purchased the iPads in bulk that’s why it was priced cheaply.  McDowell informed the men that she only had $180 on her.  Because the scammers were so “kind,” they sold the iPad to McDowell for only $180.  After the transaction, they quickly parted ways.  It was only when McDowell got home that she checked the contents of the box and there she found a wooden version of the iPad.  She then filed a police report unfortunately she did not receive sympathy as her actions were perceived as a result of pure greediness and stupidity.