The folks at Otter Products patented a number of designs for foldable-screen phone cases. The patents just came to light this week and seem pretty specifically tuned for a couple of different sorts of phones. The existence of these designs does not definitely point toward one brand having a phone like this - but the potential for such is pretty interesting.
Microsoft has announced that it is joining the Open Invention Network, a collective that aims to protect open source software and Linux from patent issues. The company acknowledges that joining the OIN is "surprising to some," that due to its previous "friction" with the OSS community. Despite that, Microsoft has made more than 60,000 of its patents open source.
A pair of new Walmart patents reveal potential big plans for virtuality reality and the technology's ability to revolutionize the shopping experience. Though the company recently introduced a virtual showroom in which users can tour an apartment stocked with Walmart-brand items, the patents indicate the company may be planning something much bigger.
When you are slapped with a patent lawsuit, one of the best ways to turn the tables is to have those patents invalidated. It is definitely easier and perhaps cheaper than arguing in court that you didn’t infringe on them anyway. Apple is no stranger to that tactic and is now pulling the same strategy on Qualcomm over four of the chip maker’s patents. Those same patents are, of course, the ones that Qualcomm is suing Apple for.
Samsung's plans for the future with the Galaxy S10 are coming on quick - even before the Galaxy Note 9 is fully revealed. What we're looking at today is a set of plans for a Galaxy smartphone with the potential for more than one display. And before you say it - no, this isn't the Galaxy X with a folding screen and another screen on its back, this is a completely separate device with two displays - because why not?
Another Amazon patent has appeared at the United States Patent and Trademark Office. In the document, Amazon details a new type of drone designed specifically for its warehouses. Unlike quadcopters and similar drones consumers are familiar with, Amazon's illustrations show a unique bubble-like drone with a claw similar to the one found in crane arcade games.
Uber has submitted an application to patent an artificial intelligence technology that identifies drunk passengers. The patent, which is dated June 7 with the US Patent and Trademark Office, is titled "Predicting User State Using Machine Learning," and it hints that such a system may be used to accommodate riders who are outside of their "normal behavior" state.
The Apple vs Samsung patent war that started in 2011 has experienced a new twist, with a jury revising the amount Apple was awarded from its original $1 billion to about half that amount. Apple has ultimately been awarded $539 million in damages, that following around four days of jury deliberation. The ruling brings to a close seven years of legal fighting.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has granted Samsung a patent for a folding smartphone, as well as a transparent display for phones. Illustrations show the phone folding horizontally across the display, resulting in a landscape arrangement for certain usage scenarios. The company also patented a different design that features a phone folding in two different places.
Samsung has patented a smartphone design that features a "notch" similar to the one popularized by the iPhone X. The controversial design element has appeared in a growing number of smartphones, and the patent hints that a Samsung model may one day be featured among them. The patent was filed with China's SIPO patent office late last month.
Encryption technology research firm PACid Technologies has filed a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics for allegedly infringing upon its biometric patents. The complaint was filed in the Texas Eastern District Court on April 6. In it, PACid claims Samsung has violated three of its patent, two of them filed in the United States and the third in South Korea. All three relate to data encryption.
Essential Phone PH-2 might well be the most excellent offbeat smartphone ever made. But only if Essential sticks to their guns. Only if Essential does not give into the trends that are ruling the smartphone community right now. And only if Essential keeps their display like it should be - super flat. What we're looking at today is a concept rendering of what the next Essential Phone might look like, ideally.