Apple: Samsung violated code court order

The legal battle between Apple and Samsung continues. This time Apple are accusing Samsung of not fully complying with a court order requiring them to share source code on products such as the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Samsung reportedly only delivered source code from one of the infringing products, and withheld code on its other products.

Samsung were ordered to hand over source code by December 31st, but by that deadline only delivered the source code of one product. Apple now claim that even if the code for other devices were to be delivered, they would be left with insufficient time to analyze it and build their case. Expert reports are due in less than two weeks, with a trial date set for August 25th.
As a result, Apple are asking the court to deny Samsung the ability to later rely on source code that they failed to produce while at trial. Apple also want to build a case against each and every infringing product, and say they are unable to do so due to the lack of source code. Apple are requesting that the source code that has been delivered is to be “representative of all versions of that product.”
Apple first sued Samsung over the similarities between the Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab lines to the iPhone and iPad, not just in hardware, but also software. The ensuing legal fallout resulted in the Galaxy Tab 10.1 being banned briefly in Australia, and forced Samsung to build a redesigned Galaxy Tab 10.1N for the German market.

Samsung Galaxy S II Android 4.0 upgrade goes live [Updated]

Samsung has begun pushing out the Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade for the best-selling Galaxy S II smartphone, with Korea and select European countries kicking off a staged roll-out. Poland, Hungary and Sweden are the first to get ICS in Europe, while both older and newer models from Samsung’s line-up are also in line for newer versions of Android, though not all will see 4.0.


The Android 4.0 ICS update for Samsung’s Galaxy Note, Galaxy SII LTE, Galaxy R, Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus, 7.7, 8.9, 8.9 LTE and 10.1 will follow on “soon” the company says, with no more precise timescales available. From the end of March, meanwhile, the Galaxy S, original Galaxy Tab 7″, Galaxy S Plus, Galaxy S SCL (Super Clear LCD), and Galaxy W will all get Android 2.3 Gingerbread.
Update: Samsung UK tells Pocket-lint that the UK roll-out will kick off in the week commencing March 19, though availability “will be dependent upon each network’s own software approvals process.”
Among the Gingerbread advantages, Samsung has also apparently tweaked the ROM for its older devices. The upgrade for the Galaxy S, it says, includes Face Unlock, Snapshot, Photo Editor and other apps.
Meanwhile, most eyes are on the Galaxy S III, rumored to have a vast 4.8-inch HD display, a ceramic casing and mark a big push for NFC, with talk of Samsung working with the London Olympics 2012 on wireless payments. The handset is also expected to use a quadcore chipset of Samsung’s own making, and spawn multiple international variants.

SK Telecom Plans For Samsung Galaxy S II Update Starting March 13th

The Phillipines may have missed out on some delicious Sandwich action within the last few days, but that doesn’t mean other Galaxy S II markets will be missing out. We’ve just received word that courtesy of SK Telecom, South Korean GSII devices will be getting the coveted Android 4.0 upgrade starting tomorow, March 13th. According to a tweet that was posted (and immediately deleted shortly after), the GSII will get the updated starting at 10AM local time.

Sure it was thought some GSII phones would have gotten the Android 4.0 update a few days ago, but hey— better late than never as they say. If you own a GSII and are on SK Telecom, do let us know how the update works out for you. Keep it locked with Talk Android for any further news or updates regarding any other markets receiving the ICS update for the GSII.

Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G launching in select T-Mobile stores on March 21, Everywhere else on March 28

Who’s ready for another phone to be released without Ice Cream Sandwich? T-Mobile just contacted us to tell us the Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G will be available in select T-Mobile stores starting Mach 21, and eventually in all stores on March 28. This is no Galaxy S II successor, but more like a followup to the Galaxy S. It’s priced at $149 after a $50 mail-in-rebate and has the following features:

• 3.97-inch (800 x 480) Super AMOLED Screen
• 1.5 GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 processor
• 5MP camera capable of shooting 720p video
• 1.3MP front-facing camera
• Support for HSPA+ at 42/Mbps
• Android 2.3.6

No mention of RAM, but I think it’s safe to assume 1GB. Either way, I have to say disappointment is an understatement when it comes to the fact that this phone is being released 5 months after the Ice Cream Sandwich SDK was released, but is going to rock Gingerbread.

Samsung outselling Apple by three to one in China

Here at TalkAndroid we’d be lying if we said we didn’t enjoy seeing Apple taking a spanking every once in a while and that’s exactly what’s happening in the Far East right now. Where Android remains the most popular Operating System across the world, the iPhone is generally the top selling individual smartphone in most countries. Most countries except for China, which just happens to be one of the biggest smartphone markets in the world. A recent report from Bloomberg shows Apple holding a 7.5% share of Chinese smartphone sales which actually places it as the fifth most popular manufacturer. Samsung is sitting pretty at number one with a healthy 24.3% share.
All gloating aside, much of the success is down to the backing of the major Chinese mobile carriers. Samsung has used all three of the major networks for the past 4 years including China Mobile (655 million subscribers), China Unicom (200 million subscribers) and China Telecom (129 million subscribers). Apple initially only sold the iPhone through China Unicom and only recently added China Telecom, China Mobile is likely to remain a huge omission due to Apple’s unwillingness to adopt the 3G standard that the network operates on.
It will be interesting to see if Samsung can hold on to such a big percentage of the market share. The launches of both the Galaxy SIII and the iPhone 5 (New iPhone, iPhone 4.5s?) will certainly shake up the market worldwide.

Apple Says Samsung Is Not Complying With Judge’s Orders

And the never ending war continues.  In recent news Apple is accusing Samsung of not following orders issued by a judge to turn over all necessary source code to be analyzed by the Cupertino based company.  According to Apple, Samsung had “only partially complied with” the court order which mandated that Sammy hand over the goods including 4G handsets and the Galaxy Tab 10.1.  Samsung had until December 31st to supply the code which they willingly offered by producing one version of code for each of the products accused of a patent violation, but withholding source code for other versions.  And with the new trial coming up in late August, Apple is claiming that there’s not enough time to seriously analyze any new source code that Samsung would provide so late in the game.  Apple states:

“At this point in the case, it is too late for Apple to make meaningful use of any late produced source code.”

Apple is now requesting that the court not allow Samsung to use any of the “undelivered” source code in their defense against Apple’s patent claims.  Apple is actually taking it one step further and requesting that Samsung’s undelivered code be “representative of all versions of that product.”  Stay tuned as we closely follow the two tech giants in their quest to dominate over the other.  So far, the two companies have filed 30 suits against one another on four different continents since last April.  Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Ice Cream Sandwich available now for Galaxy S II in Europe and Korea

It's official -- The Samsung Galaxy S II is getting the Ice Cream Sandwich starting today in parts of Europe and Korea. Folks in Poland, Hungary, Sweden, and Korea should soon see the OTA update they have been waiting for. Samsung also states that the update will roll out in other markets gradually, and to expect ICS for the Galaxy Note, Galaxy S II LTE, and Tab 10.1 and 8.9 versions "soon".

Of course for those who have a carrier branded Galaxy S II, "the availability and scheduling of the software update and specific models upgradable to Android 4.0 will vary by market and wireless carriers’ requirements". In other words, we're at the mercy of folks at Sprint, AT&T, and T-Mobile here in the U.S. Hopefully we'll soon hear something specific. If we do, you all will be the first to know

Korean carrier says Galaxy S II ICS update coming 'tomorrow'; Samsung promises announcement 'soon'

After a series of false starts, it appears the long-awaited Ice Cream Sandwich update for Galaxy S II (GT-i9100) owners may be about to land. Korean mobile network SK Telecom tweeted this morning that it'll begin rolling out the software update starting 10am KST tomorrow, March 13. (That's 1am GMT, or 9pm EST today, because time zones are crazy like that.) However, the tweet in question was quickly pulled down, and now SK Telecom is telling customers to check with the manufacturer for update information.

Samsung remains coy, however, saying on its official "SamsungTomorrow" Twitter account that Galaxy S II owners should make sure they're up to date through Kies, and promising an announcement "soon."

So, possibly great news for Korean Galaxy S II owners, and we're sure it won't be long before the update goes out to owners of the same hardware in Europe and other parts of Asia, too. But Galaxy S II devices in the United States will probably have a little longer to wait, due to the differences in phone hardware from carrier to carrier.

Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G available March 28 for $149

For those of you waiting on pins and needles for the T-Mobile Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G, we've finally got availability details. Starting March 28, you'll be able to pick it up for $149.99 along with a $50 mail-in rebate and two-year contract. (It'll hit "select" stores a week earlier, for what that's worth.)

We got a pretty good look at the Blaze 4G at Mobile World Congress. And while the 3.97-inch Super AMOLED display and 1.5GHz dual-core processor are nothing to sneeze at, it's still running Android 2.3 Gingerbread, you'll be left waiting for an Ice Cream Sandwich update. Perhaps T-Mobile's 42 Mbps data speeds will assuage that?

Galaxy S II ICS update leaked for March 13th on SK Telecom

Tired of the back-and-forth from Samsung on the release of the Ice Cream Sandwich update for its flagship Galaxy S II? Then how about some back-and-forth from  a Korean wireless carrier? SK Telecom, one of the largest wireless providers’ in Samsung’s home country of South Korea, tweeted out that updates for its Galaxy S II owners would begin tomorrow, March 13th (which is just a few hours away, with the time difference). Unfortunately, the tweet was deleted almost immediately. It said that the update would begin at 10 AM local time.

Those waiting for the official update to the international version of the Galaxy S II must fee like they’re listening to a broken record. Last week the Korean branch of Samsung said that the software would be released on Saturday the 10th, or the 15th, or possibly the 1st. Obviously at least two of these haven’t come to pass, but the continuing leaks and rumors would certainly seem to indicate that the update is due very soon. Keep in mind that an Ice Cream Sandwich update for the various international versions of the Galaxy S II would probably precede the US variants by a couple of months at least.
There’s been no shortage of alpha and beta versions of the official ROM, three of which have already made it to the outside world and are probably running on thousands of rooted phones right now. Based on the leaked ICS software, it’s extremely similar to Samsung’s TouchWiz-flavored Gingerbread, with the expected added features and Nova theme thrown in. Updates to most of Samsung’s high-end offerings, including the Galaxy Tabs and Galaxy Note, should follow shortly.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Galaxy S II

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : AT&T

Announced Date : February 13, 2011

Release Date : April 28, 2011

Also Known As :

Display

• Screen Size : 4.27 Inch
• Resolution : 480x800
• Screen Type : Super AMOLED Plus

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 4.93 Inch
• Width : 2.6 Inch
• Depth : .33 Inch
• Weight : 116 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Ion

• Battery Capacity : 1650 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : 710 hours

Software

Android OS:
• 2.3.x

Audio Playback:
• AAC
• AAC+
• MP3

Video Playback:
• h.263
• h.264 / AVC
• MPEG-4 (MP4)

Messaging:
• SMS
• MMS

Hardware

CPU : Exynos

CPU Clock Speed : 1200 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1000 MB

Internal Storage : 16 GB

Front Facing Camera :

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 goes to South Korea with LTE and voice calling

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 7.7 has been one of the companies most hotly-anticipated tablets, due in no small part to its 7.7-inch Super AMOLED screen. While WiFi versions have been available for some time in Europe and the US has an LTE version from Verizon, Samsung’s home country of South Korea has been sadly bereft of a 7.7 model of its own. Until now: Samsung announced that the Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE is coming to South Korea from SK Telecom. It’ll be priced at 800,000 won without a contract, or just a little north of $700 USD.

Interestingly, the South Korean version of the Galaxy Tab 7.7 will also be able to make voice telephone calls. This capability is usually included in international Android tablets, but is almost always disabled for their American counterparts. (Thanks, US cell carrier system.) Other than that and the obvious switch to a GSM radio, the specifications remain identical to the US version: a 1280×800 screen, 16GB of internal storage, a 1.4Ghz processor, 1GB of RAM, 3.2/2.0 megapixel cameras and Android 3.2 with TouchWiz.
In our recent review, we concluded that the Galaxy Tab 7.7 is a great device, in spite of the high price tag and (currently) outdated software. We’re still waiting on a WiFi version in the US, but phone functionality might go a long way towards tempting those who only need it occasionally, and don’t mind toting a bigger device around. Hopefully it’ll be available to more carriers around the world sooner rather than later – especially since an upgrade to the original hardware can’t be too far away.

Device Specifications and Information

Device Info

Device Name : Galaxy Tab 7.7

Manufactuer : Samsung

Carrier : NA

Announced Date : September 01, 2011

Release Date : March 01, 2012

Also Known As : Verizon Galaxy Tab 7.7 LTE

Display

• Screen Size : 7.70 Inch
• Resolution : 1280x800
• Screen Type : Super AMOLED Plus

Dimension & Weight

• Height : 7.74 Inch
• Width : 5.24 Inch
• Depth : 0.31 Inch
• Weight : 335 Grams

Battery & Power

Battery Type:
• Lithium Polymer

• Battery Capacity : 5100 mAh
• Talk Time : NA
• Stand By Time : NA

Software

Android OS:
• 3.2.x

Hardware

CPU : Exynos

CPU Clock Speed : 1400 Mhz

Core : 2

Ram : 1024 MB

Internal Storage : 16GB GB

Front Facing Camera :

Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G hits T-Mobile March 21 for $149

Another member of the Galaxy family from Samsung is all set to launch on T-Mobile in a few short days. The new 4″ mid-range Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G has been officially announced by T-Mobile. Originally detailed as coming this March we now know it will be officially available March 21st in select stores, and with full retail availability on the 28th nationwide.


For a higher end mid-range phone this device has some decent specs and a fair price although I’d hardly call it budget friendly. T-Mobile will be selling the Galaxy S Blaze 4G with a new 2-year contract for just $149. This does however require a $50 mail in rebate making it not so budget friendly at first, but later you’ll get the rebate.
However, for $149 you’ll get an awesome device with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, a 3.97-inch Super AMOLED display, 5 megapixel camera on the rear with flash. Under the hood we have the popular Qualcomm 1.5 GHz dual-core processor and 1GB of RAM, making this a pretty powerful phone for the price. If you missed our previous coverage or the hands-on from Mobile World Congress, check out the links below or head to T-Mobile.com to learn more today.