Apple sued over microprocessor patents; Mass. to investigate iTunes fraud
Apple has been hit with a new patent infringement suit accusing it of infringing three patents related to microprocessors. Also, the attorney general of Massachusetts has said that her office will look into complaints about fraudulent purchases on Apple's iTunes Store.
Via Technologies sues Apple
Apple is accused of violating microprocessor technology patents owned by Via Technologies in a lawsuit filed this week, according to Bloomberg. The suit, issued in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, seeks to prohibit Apple from selling what it believes are offending products: the iPhone and iPad.
Via Technologies is a semiconductor company based out of Taipei, Taiwan. It seeks a jury trial.
"The products at issue generally concern microprocessors in a variety of electronic products such as certain smartphones, tablet computers, portable media players and other computing devices," the complaint reportedly reads.
Apple began designing and using its own custom processor last year with the introduction of the ARM-based A4 CPU in the first-generation iPad, and later in the iPhone 4 and fourth-generation iPod touch. This year, Apple released a successor, the A5, which is found in the iPad 2, and is expected to power Apple's fifth-generation iPhone.
Massachusetts attorney general to investigate iTunes scams
Martha Coakley, attorney general of Massachusetts, was recently the victim of identity theft, as her stolen credit card was used to make unauthorized purchases on Apple's iTunes Store. That helped convince her to look into the issue, according to Threat Post.
Coakley revealed her own plight this week in statements made at an address to the Massachusetts Advanced Cyber Security Center. She said her office will be looking into the issue and "demanding answers" from Apple, which has not commented on the issue.
The attorney general said the fraudulent use of her credit card was detected when the purported thieves attempted to purchase a computer from Dell. However, "a slew" of fraudulent transactions allegedly went through Apple's iTunes Store without issue.
While Coakley's specific situation is related to identity theft, fraud on iTunes has been a persistent issue over the years, as iTunes accounts have credit card information tied to them. While there is no evidence that Apple's servers have been compromised, users do fall victim by having weak passwords, allowing outsiders to hijack their account.
Attention on the issue prompted Apple to bolster security for Apple ID accounts, requiring that customers verify their account information when they log into new devices. In addition, requirements for new iTunes account passwords were changed, and must now be at least 8 characters with mixed capitalization.
Via Technologies sues Apple
Apple is accused of violating microprocessor technology patents owned by Via Technologies in a lawsuit filed this week, according to Bloomberg. The suit, issued in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, seeks to prohibit Apple from selling what it believes are offending products: the iPhone and iPad.
Via Technologies is a semiconductor company based out of Taipei, Taiwan. It seeks a jury trial.
"The products at issue generally concern microprocessors in a variety of electronic products such as certain smartphones, tablet computers, portable media players and other computing devices," the complaint reportedly reads.
Apple began designing and using its own custom processor last year with the introduction of the ARM-based A4 CPU in the first-generation iPad, and later in the iPhone 4 and fourth-generation iPod touch. This year, Apple released a successor, the A5, which is found in the iPad 2, and is expected to power Apple's fifth-generation iPhone.
Massachusetts attorney general to investigate iTunes scams
Martha Coakley, attorney general of Massachusetts, was recently the victim of identity theft, as her stolen credit card was used to make unauthorized purchases on Apple's iTunes Store. That helped convince her to look into the issue, according to Threat Post.
Coakley revealed her own plight this week in statements made at an address to the Massachusetts Advanced Cyber Security Center. She said her office will be looking into the issue and "demanding answers" from Apple, which has not commented on the issue.
The attorney general said the fraudulent use of her credit card was detected when the purported thieves attempted to purchase a computer from Dell. However, "a slew" of fraudulent transactions allegedly went through Apple's iTunes Store without issue.
While Coakley's specific situation is related to identity theft, fraud on iTunes has been a persistent issue over the years, as iTunes accounts have credit card information tied to them. While there is no evidence that Apple's servers have been compromised, users do fall victim by having weak passwords, allowing outsiders to hijack their account.
Attention on the issue prompted Apple to bolster security for Apple ID accounts, requiring that customers verify their account information when they log into new devices. In addition, requirements for new iTunes account passwords were changed, and must now be at least 8 characters with mixed capitalization.
Comments
Instead of rephrasing entire articles by others, is there any chance any of the writers here could actually make a phone call to get some original interviews? That would be a real shocker.
Instead of rephrasing entire articles by others, is there any chance any of the writers here could actually make a phone call to get some original interviews?
Not so long as readers keep clicking at an acceptable rate on the rehash articles. Readers are the product sold by AI, not stories.
Apple has had processors built based on licenses from ARM. I wonder how other ARM licensees sit in respect to VIA's complaint.
Apple has been hit with a new patent infringement suit accusing it of infringing three patents related to microprocessors. Also, the attorney general of Massachusetts has said that her office will look into complaints about fraudulent purchases on Apple's iTunes Store.
Via Technologies sues Apple
Apple is accused of violating microprocessor technology patents owned by Via Technologies in a lawsuit filed this week, according to Bloomberg. The suit, issued in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, seeks to prohibit Apple from selling what it believes are offending products: the iPhone and iPad.
Via Technologies is a semiconductor company based out of Taipei, Taiwan. It seeks a jury trial.
"The products at issue generally concern microprocessors in a variety of electronic products such as certain smartphones, tablet computers, portable media players and other computing devices," the complaint reportedly reads.
Apple began designing and using its own custom processor last year with the introduction of the ARM-based A4 CPU in the first-generation iPad, and later in the iPhone 4 and fourth-generation iPod touch. This year, Apple released a successor, the A5, which is found in the iPad 2, and is expected to power Apple's fifth-generation iPhone.
Yet another non-issue for Apple. If it is the ARM processor, Apple has a license to use it. If the license is invalid, Apple probably has recourse against ARM. If it was a different processor, then the processor manufacturer would likely indemnify Apple.
That is, unless Apple's attorneys are idiots - and we know that not to be the case.
Massachusetts attorney general to investigate iTunes scams
Martha Coakley, attorney general of Massachusetts, was recently the victim of identity theft, as her stolen credit card was used to make unauthorized purchases on Apple's iTunes Store. That helped convince her to look into the issue, according to Threat Post.
Coakley revealed her own plight this week in statements made at an address to the Massachusetts Advanced Cyber Security Center. She said her office will be looking into the issue and "demanding answers" from Apple, which has not commented on the issue.
The attorney general said the fraudulent use of her credit card was detected when the purported thieves attempted to purchase a computer from Dell. However, "a slew" of fraudulent transactions allegedly went through Apple's iTunes Store without issue.
While Coakley's specific situation is related to identity theft, fraud on iTunes has been a persistent issue over the years, as iTunes accounts have credit card information tied to them. While there is no evidence that Apple's servers have been compromised, users do fall victim by having weak passwords, allowing outsiders to hijack their account.
Attention on the issue prompted Apple to bolster security for Apple ID accounts, requiring that customers verify their account information when they log into new devices. In addition, requirements for new iTunes account passwords were changed, and must now be at least 8 characters with mixed capitalization.
Idiot. He lost his credit card. It has been known for years that if you lose your credit card, someone can use it. If he reported the theft to the credit card company, he's already protected.
Sound like the AG is using his power to for personal gain here. sounds like conflict of interest.
Yet another non-issue for Apple. If it is the ARM processor, Apple has a license to use it. If the license is invalid, Apple probably has recourse against ARM. If it was a different processor, then the processor manufacturer would likely indemnify Apple.
That is, unless Apple's attorneys are idiots - and we know that not to be the case.
Idiot. He lost his credit card. It has been known for years that if you lose your credit card, someone can use it. If he reported the theft to the credit card company, he's already protected.
I realize it was a quick blurb you made, but if you are going to call a person an idiot, you might want to at least pay attention to obvious context clues like "Martha", "she", and "her".
Well, when you get the be the world number one it seems that everyone wants a piece of your pie.
Apple has had processors built based on licenses from ARM. I wonder how other ARM licensees sit in respect to VIA's complaint.
You are assuming the claim is about what Apple license from ARM, it could be any number of things in the processor they are claiming IP on it may have nothing to do with the ARM architecture.
Idiot. He lost his credit card. It has been known for years that if you lose your credit card, someone can use it. If he reported the theft to the credit card company, he's already protected.
What about "Martha Coakley" makes you think it's a dude?
That said, SHE is an idiot, and as someone from MA who's all too familiar with her track record, I'm not psyched about her using her own issues to spark an investigation. Even though I highly doubt Apple is responsible for the fraud, $100 says her iTunes password is "Password"....
People do get their credit cards stolen from time to time, and it's only just an issue right now because it happened to her?
And she is going to waste precious resources and tax payer money just to investigate a tiny, personal matter? She's not acting in anybody else's best interest. Like many politicians, she's just looking out for herself.
Shortest investigation ever
1) some one purchased a free game using her account. She got an email informing her a different device than her computers had been used for this transaction, but the Apple process didn't allow the transaction to be stopped, nor did it identify what device was used. Gets more interesting, in that the game that was purchased was actually attributed to a third person who did dispute the (non) charge.
2) the $100 back to school gift card she received from Apple, had previously been used by someone else. Apple initially scolded my daughter for buying a gift card from a sleazy discount broker, and suggested that she take the matter up with the credit card company to dispute the charge.
When I finally got involved, i suggested to Apple that these issues might reflect an inside job.
Not so long as readers keep clicking at an acceptable rate on the rehash articles. Readers are the product sold by AI, not stories.
You know, you could always find another forum to loath.
http://gigaom.com/apple/apples-a4-an...n-new-lawsuit/
For an oft-quoted blog, AI does precious little research into any of the featured stories.
Instead of rephrasing entire articles by others, is there any chance any of the writers here could actually make a phone call to get some original interviews? That would be a real shocker.
Tell you what: you make those phone calls and post the result on the forums. Deal?
No wonder Coakley couldn't beat Brown in Mass - how can she fail to understand why her bank didn't flag a $1 virtual download purchase versus a $500+ durable goods purchase with a billing/shipping mismatch? If every single purchase was flagged, the use of credit cards would grind to a halt.
Yup. iTunes has simply become the new gas station in the credit card fraud game. It used to be that someone with your stolen credit card number would first go to a pay-at-the-pump gas station to verify the card was still working (no face-to-face with a casher, no one to confiscate your card if it's rejected, no drawing attention to yourself). Then if buying a couple bucks of gas was successful, they'd go make a bigger purchase. Next time they want to use the card, again first go to the gas station to make sure it hasn't been reported as stolen yet. This was a known pattern credit card companies started to watch for to detect fraud.
Now the thieves are simply using iTunes instead of going to the gas station. How is Apple at fault for this? Apple doesn't know if the person is then making purchases elsewhere. There's no pattern of behavior for Apple to watch for. The credit card companies and the consumer themselves are the only ones in a position to see this happening.