05/07, 12:07pm
Apple can't ask for 'global consent' for data use, court finds
A Berlin court has struck down eight provisions in Apple's terms of use for data because they violate German law, Bloomberg reports, citing local consumer group Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (VZBV). The ruling states that Apple can't ask for "global consent" to use personal data, including location information. Previous to the decision, Apple had already signed a binding agreement that it wouldn't use seven of the 15 provisions VZBV objected to prior to the lawsuit. Today's judgment invalidates the remaining eight, although Apple can appeal if it chooses.
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04/30, 4:20pm
Draws attention to otherwise low-key entrance
Apple has erected special displays promoting the iPhone 5 outside of its first Berlin Apple Store, scheduled to open May 3rd, notes German site ApfelPage. The displays -- featuring mock, oversized white iPhones -- are unusual for an Apple Store, but may be necessary to help draw attention to the outlet. Although the building the store is housed in has an elaborate facade, the only other signs of Apple's presence are two small logos by the doorways.
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04/25, 9:20am
Apple picks unusual Friday debut
Apple will finally open its first Berlin Apple Store on May 3 at 5 PM local time, according to the company's website. The timing of the Kurfürstendamm launch is unusual, as Apple normally prefers to host openings on Saturday mornings. Between May 3 and 5, the store will also be operating at unusual hours: on the 3rd and 4th it will be open until 10 PM, and on the 5th it will operate between 1 PM and 6 PM. The store's normal hours have it closing at 8 PM Monday through Saturday, and staying shut completely on Sundays.
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04/23, 11:29pm
Nokia suffers defeat after having settled with RIM, dealing with ViewSonic
Earlier today, the Mannheim Regional Court in Germany ruled on Nokia's assertion that HTC was infringing on its patent on "a communication network terminal for accessing Internet." Judge and Doctor Holger Kircher, presiding over the board of judges hearing the case, ruled that Nokia's case was dismissed based on a finding of non-infringement. The decision is appealable, but is unlikely to be overturned.
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04/22, 9:58am
Street View Wi-Fi data collection issue strikes again
Google has been fined 145,000 euros ($189,230) by a government regulator in Germany for collecting data from Wi-Fi connections in the country. The fine stems from when the company's Street View cars were in operation between 2008 and 2010, inadvertently collecting data packets from individuals and businesses as the fleet drove around the country.
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04/17, 11:27am
Construction workers remove black facade in front of future outlet
Long in development, the first Apple Store in Berlin is almost finished, photos obtained by AppleInsider show. The outlet is being constructed inside a former movie theater at Kurfürstendamm 26, and earlier today construction workers began removing a black facade that was masking the front of the location. Kurfürstendamm is a major shopping street in Berlin, home to many high-end stores.
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04/11, 9:35am
Comes shortly after invalidation of Apple patent
Germany's Federal Patent Court has ruled in favor of Apple, and invalidated the entirety of the German part of a Samsung patent on a "turbo encoding/decoding device and method for processing frame data according to QoS," says FOSS Patents. Samsung had declared the patent essential to the UMTS 3G standard. The ruling was handed down late Wednesday, and also discards any of Samsung's proposed amendments to the patent. Samsung still has the option of appealing the decision to the Federal Court of Justice.
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04/04, 5:49pm
Ruling helps Samsung, Motorola cases
Germany's Federal Patent Court has ruled that all claims of Apple's slide-to-unlock patent are invalid as granted, according to FOSS Patents. The court has moreover ruled that none of the 14 amendments Apple has proposed can be used. The decision comes after a full-day hearing in front of five judges, led by Judge Vivian Sredl; two of the judges are said to have come from an engineering background.
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03/18, 12:38pm
Leeds store marks rare Thursday opening
Plans for three new Apple Stores have emerged. Apple itself has announced a location in England; the Trinity Leeds outlet is launching on Thursday, in a shopping center opening on the same day. Thursday store openings are rare for Apple, which normally prefers weekends, especially Saturdays.
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03/08, 7:35am
Patent involves combining map data with a database
A German court has revealed it is inclined to ban Google Maps in the country, as part of ongoing patent litigation. Judge Dr Matthias Zigann of the Munich I Regional Court told Google and Motorola Mobility that it is currently looking at holding them liable for infringing a Microsoft patent, as the patent covers a “big idea” and deserves a "construction commensurate with said big idea."
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02/23, 8:28pm
Parallel case could nullify Samsung patent at heart of dispute
Among the many other battles Samsung and Apple are fighting in various courts around the world, a particular case in Germany involves Samsung suing Apple, claiming that the latter's "VoiceOver" feature violates some Samsung patents. The case, being tried in Mannheim, has been put on hold as Apple has challenged the validity of the patents as a whole, which experts believe has a good chance of being successful. The judge in the case said that a possible nullification of the one remaining patent being asserted could render the current case moot.
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02/19, 3:01pm
UK store still stuck at 1-3 business days
The iPad mini is now officially "in stock" at Apple's online store in many countries. Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, and the US have all made the change. Some notable exceptions include places like the UK, Germany, and France, where the tablet is listed as shipping in one to three business days.
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02/01, 1:11pm
Continuing reorganizational plan will affect 29,000 jobs
As part of its recovery and restructuring plan announced under new CEO Meg Whitman, Hewlett Packard said today it is closing its Russelsheim, Germany site. In doing so, the manufacturer will cut 850 jobs, with another 250 possibly able to transfer to HP partners or clients. The company claimed that th emote would not affect HP's other major sites in Germany.
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01/29, 11:36am
Fourth SF outlet pegged for Castro Street
New information has emerged on anticipated Apple Stores in Berlin and San Francisco. Bloomberg sources indicate that as expected, Apple is planning to open up its first Berlin location in a former movie theater at Kurfürstendamm 26. Kurfürstendamm is one of the main shopping streets in Berlin, and the theater in question is across from a Hard Rock Cafe. The location was originally tipped over a year ago, and job listings began appearing in March. MacNN can confirm that Apple has already started hiring people for the store.
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01/25, 5:45am
German test connections used existing Vodafone Germany fiber
Huawei has successfully tested an optical fiber transmission over a live network, achieving speeds of 2Tbps. The terabit-connection speed tests were carried out over Vodafone's existing fiber network in Germany, and could potentially offer carriers a connection backbone that is twenty times that of commercial networks currently in operation.
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01/22, 9:47am
Similar device to G520, improved processor, RAM
Huawei has revealed the Ascend G615 Android smartphone on its German-language website. The mid-range mobile will have a 4.5-inch 1280x720 resolution display and overall seems similar to the recently-announced Ascend G520 heading to China, though the two handsets do have a number of small differences in specification.
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01/11, 11:49am
Service launched just earlier this week
Apple has added Watchever as a new streaming video option on German Apple TVs, reports say. The service is similar to Netflix, and offers up a mix of German and American movies and TV shows. Vivendi in fact only launched Watchever January 9th, charging customers €9 per month.
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12/18, 11:46am
Lawsuits still being pursued, Samsung says
Samsung has dropped patent injunction applications against Apple in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, a senior executive tells the Wall Street Journal. All of the injunctions were related to wireless communications. Samsung notes that despite the withdrawal of the applications -- which is said to have been voluntary -- lawsuits accusing Apple of patent infringement remain ongoing.
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11/01, 10:19am
Sync works despite delayed software
The iPad mini requires iTunes 11 to sync, some French boxes for the tablet are claiming. The oddity was spotted by iGen.fr, which yesterday noted that some people are getting their Minis delivered ahead of the official November 2nd launch. Significantly, though, accounts elsewhere suggest that boxes being delivered early in Germany list the current version of iTunes.
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10/05, 1:55pm
Ruling won't affect existing injunctions
A German court has issued a ruling that clears Motorola of infringing a Microsoft patent, preventing the latter company from enforcing a fourth sales ban in the ongoing case. Microsoft had accused the company of infringing a patent that describes a radio interface for application interoperability between different handsets.
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09/21, 10:37am
German court defends companies in two separate cases
Germany's Mannheim Regional Court has ruled against an Apple claim that some Samsung and Motorola devices based on Android are violating a "touch event" patent, according to FOSS Patents. The judgment technically covers two separate lawsuits, but Samsung and Motorola were both accused of infringing on European Patent EP2098948, documenting how software can recognize or ignore touch interactions. Unlike the patented Apple concept, Android doesn't save a "multi-touch flag" for each UI window, says presiding judge Andreas Voss.
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09/18, 11:54am
California, Spain, Germany, France, and Italy getting new shops
Apple is preparing to open five new Apple Stores this week. The first is the Rio Shopping outlet, based in Valladolid, Spain. That shop will launch at 10AM local time on Thursday, likely in anticipation of the iPhone 5's debut on Friday. Three stores elsewhere will in fact launch at 8AM on Friday, an unusually early hour reserved for iPhone rollouts.
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09/13, 12:08pm
Move could block Motorola phones, tablets
A court in Munich has granted Apple the right to an injunction against Motorola products, reports say. The ruling follows a five-week delay; if the injunction isn't successfully appealed, it will see some Motorola phones and tablets banned in Germany. At the heart of the dispute is the "rubber-banding" element in many phone and tablet interfaces, which makes a page spring back after reaching the end of a page. Apple has argued that Motorola's implementation of the concept in Android violates a patent.
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09/04, 10:38am
Stuttgart store due on September 20th?
A pair of developments involving Germany appear to point to an impending iPhone release. Most notably, a future Apple Store in a mall in Sindelfingen -- located near Stuttgart -- has reportedly had its opening moved up to Thursday, September 20th, from a previous launch date on September 22nd. Earlier this year Apple brought forward the opening of the Highland Village Apple Store in Houston, Texas, a decision which accurately predicted the launch of the third-generation iPad. Rumors have a new iPhone being announced on September 12th, and shipping on the 21st.
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08/28, 4:38pm
More openings, re-openings coming this weekend
Apple will be offering one new store opening and one re-opening this weekend, with a store opening its doors for the first time in Cologne, Germany on Saturday September 1 and the Bellevue, Washington store hosting a grand re-opening party. In addition, construction is underway on a second Apple retail store for Hong Kong and a larger refurbishment for the store in New York's Walt Whitman mall. There's also information on stores in Montreal, Canada, and a change in Sweden.
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08/21, 12:33pm
Mobilecom Debitel tips hand early
A German phone carrier, Mobilecom Debitel, has announced that a new iPhone is coming in September. "In September, it’s finally time for a new generation of smartphone to go on sale. mobilcom-debitel allows you to find free e-mail about everything worth knowing about iPhone," a translation of an announcement email reads. On a teaser page the carrier avoids using the term "iPhone," but does refer to common rumors about the upcoming refresh, such as it getting faster processors, 1GB of RAM, and a 4-inch display with an in-cell touchscreen.
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08/20, 12:09pm
Pressure from German bookseller association blamed
Apple is now preventing shoppers at the German iBookstore from using discount iTunes cards to buy books, according to a local report. The ban is said to be a result of pressure from a German bookseller's association, which sent a cease-and-desist letter to Apple last week. German law mandates that a book be offered at the same price throughout the country, something an iTunes discount in theory circumvents, if likely unintentionally. A national supermarket chain, REWE, is informing customers that iTunes cards can't be used to shop at the iBookstore.
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08/14, 12:28pm
Deutsche Telekom first entry into market
European carriers are already beginning to offer pre-order reservations for the next-generation iPhone, reports say. The first of these appears to be Deutsche Telekom, which is now issuing tickets to interested customers through its distribution partners. Although they're only available on a first-come first-served basis, getting a ticket is said to ensure express delivery as soon as phones are available.
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07/17, 11:26am
iPad design patent nevertheless withstands scrutiny
A German court has ruled that the Motorola Xoom tablet doesn't infringe on three Apple design concepts for the iPad, according to Dow Jones. Had the court ruled in Apple's favor, the Xoom could potentially have been banned across Europe. The court has also, however, rejected a counterclaim by Motorola alleging that the iPad's design patent is invalid. As a result, Apple has been ordered to pay two-thirds of the costs of legal proceedings, and Motorola a third.
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06/20, 5:49pm
Lack of Windows Phone 8 upgrade seen as stumbling block
T-Mobile in Germany will not be stocking the Nokia Lumia 900 Windows Phone. A forum post by a member of T-Mobile's support team advises that it is due to not having an upgrade path to Windows Phone 8, followed by customer frustration if the handset was bought then found not to be included in future updates, according to The Unwired.
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05/29, 3:33pm
Facebook ad credits offered despite polled click-rate
Facebook is offering free advertising to small businesses in an effort to encourage more advertisement sales in Europe. Qualifying companies operating in the UK, Germany, France, Italy, and Spain can receive a free advertising credit on the social network through its Small Business Boost promotion. This comes at a time when the effectiveness of advertizing on Facebook is questioned, with General Motors dropping paid Facebook ads altogether.
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05/18, 11:44am
Jack White, Norah Jones among free concerts
Apple has announced details of the 2012 iTunes Festival, to be held at the Roundhouse in London, England. The event will consist of 30 nights of free concerts by over 60 artists, including the likes of Jack White, Norah Jones, and Usher; only a handful of artists have been announced so far. For 2012, the festival has been moved from July to September.
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05/13, 6:28pm
Company could have helped in creation of Apple TV
A German TV maker, Loewe AG, is denying rumors that it has been in talks with Apple about a possible buyout, according to Heise Online. A tip to AppleInsider recently suggested a deal worth $113 million, and that Loewe's board of directors were going to make a decision before May 18th. A Loewe spokesman now insists, however, that there is "absolutely nothing" to the claims.
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05/11, 9:47pm
Third case stayed, more incoming
A third Apple patent suit versus Samsung was stayed today pending the resolution of a separate required proceeding before Germany's Federal Patent Court. The stayed patent in question is a general patent that covers, amongst other things, the basic pinch to zoom interface action as found in OS X and iOS. The court that stayed the trial today is the first of two courts that operate in parallel, but on different timetables. One court is responsible for the scope of the infringement, and the other court is responsible for the validity of the patent.
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05/04, 3:59pm
Stay based on pending invalidation ruling
Germany's Mannheim Regional Court has stayed an Apple lawsuit against Samsung over a photo gallery page-flipping patent, says FOSS Patents. The case is now waiting on the resolution of a invalidation proceeding at the country's Federal Patent Court. Regional courts are noted to stay patent infringement cases only if the defendant shows a high chance of a patent being invalidated.
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04/23, 8:35pm
Deliberations begin July 5
Judge Janis Sammartino has scheduled July 5th as the date for deliberations on the latest chapter in the legal maneuvering between Apple and Motorola. Apple filed the countersuit in question in February with the intention of gaining declaratory and injunctive financial awards as a result of Motorola's short-lived injunction against the iPhone 4S in Germany. The July 5 hearing is likely to not be open to the public.
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04/13, 5:00pm
Eluga available in Germany now with UK April 24
The Panasonic Eluga is now on sale in Germany, with the UK receiving it on April 24. Amazon.de shows the first smartphone outside of Japan from the manufacturer as available for €406 ($531) unlocked, and in the UK at around £390 ($618).
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03/27, 1:00pm
Judge intiially sides with Motorola
Apple and Motorola faced off in a court hearing in Düsseldorf, Germany earlier today, Dow Jones reports. Motorola is being sued by Apple over three different design concepts, as well as alleged violation of a competition law. Specifically Apple is upset over the Motorola Xoom, which it says imitates the first-generation iPad with only minor design differences. Motorola is exploiting Apple's reputation unfairly, Apple counsel told the court.
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03/26, 1:45pm
Three more German locations planned
Plans for several new international Apple Store have been discovered, notes ifoAppleStore. In Germany Apple has posted jobs for two new outlets, located in Stuttgart and Cologne. A third store, in Hanover, is said to be under construction at Bahnhofstraße 5; iFun.de remarks that windows have been blacked out for construction.
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03/19, 1:40pm
Italian case could be first of many
European consumer groups in 11 countries -- including Italy and Germany -- have issued letters to national regulators, asking them to put a stop to the way Apple currently markets its warranties, Bloomberg reports. Apple typically markets its products as having one-year warranties unless a person buys into an AppleCare plan. Under European Union regulations, though, manufacturers are obligated to cover a product for at least two years, making Apple's marketing potentially misleading.
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03/16, 6:00pm
Ruling covers both music and book downloads
A German appeals court has ruled that RapidShare musit monitor the traffic being uploaded by its user to look for and try to stop pirated content. The ruling upholds three lower court decisions against the storage and sharing service. In each case, the company was told to do more to prevent any violation of any copyrights.
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03/08, 7:15pm
Update brings Sense 3.6 UI
As expected, HTC has begun pushing Android 4.0 updates for its Sensation and Sensation XE handsets for users located in Germany. The update brings the standard set of Ice Cream Sandwich improvements, along with HTC's Sense 3.6 interface overlay.
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03/07, 1:50pm
Upgraded with Retina Display, quad-core A5X chip
Apple today announced the third-generation iPad at an event in San Francisco. The device's main feature is a 2048x1536 Retina Display, twice the resolution of the iPad 2, rated at 264 pixels per inch; existing apps will be upscaled automatically. Color saturation is said to be 44 percent higher. The tablet also makes the switch to a new dual-core but quad graphics processor, the A5X, which Apple says is built with the Retina Display in mind. Interface-wise the tablet has been improved with features like voice dictation.
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02/27, 12:20pm
Motorola asked to accept revised licensing terms
Apple has won a ruling in a German appeals court, undoing a temporary ban secured by Motorola on some iPhone and iPad models in the country, according to Bloomberg. The court says that Motorola must accept a recently-revised licensing offer from Apple. "At the current state of the proceedings, it is to be assumed that Motorola Mobility would violate its duties under antitrust rules if it continues to ask Apple to stop the sales," a court statement reads.
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02/22, 3:10pm
German workers seek to improve retail
Apple has set an official date for the opening of the Amsterdam Apple Store. The location is scheduled to open Saturday, March 3rd at 10AM, situated in the Hirsch Building at Leidseplein 25. Regular hours will run from 9AM to 9PM Monday through Wednesday, 9AM to 10PM Thursday through Saturday, and 11AM to 7PM on Sunday. The shop will be Apple's first in the Netherlands, based in the same building as regional operating offices.
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02/21, 2:50pm
Date consistent with reported US timetable
The iPad 3 will ship to Germany on March 23rd, local news site iFun.de claims to have learned. The assertion challenges ones made elsewhere that the country would only get the tablet in April. A March 23rd date would be roughly consistent with recent reports suggesting a product reveal in the first full week of March, followed by a launch in the US and/or several other countries mid-month.
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02/14, 12:40pm
Could be linked to hard drive shortages
Apple's Time Capsule routers are seeing delays or shortages in different parts of the world, notes 9to5Mac. The company's online stores in the US, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, and France are sometimes seeing delivery times of one to three weeks for 3TB models, or one- to two-week delays for 2TB routers. Third-party vendors Amazon and Best Buy are out of 3TB models, and some Australian Apple Stores may be completely out of stock.
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01/13, 3:35pm
New countries offer cash instead of gift cards
Apple has expanded an iPhone and iPad recycling program to the UK, France, and Germany, accounts say. In the US, people can trade in old iPhones and iPads for Apple gift cards. The program is operating differently in the new countries, where people are instead getting cash deposited directly into their bank accounts.
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01/12, 2:30pm
Attempts to deflect Apple lawsuit
Samsung has reportedly unveiled a new Galaxy Tab model, the 7.0N. The tablet is a new version of the original 7-inch Galaxy Tab, but does have some modest upgrades, including a forward-facing speaker and the inclusion of Android 3.2 by default. An Android 4.0 update is promised in the future. The tablet's main purpose though is the presence of a 10.1N-style metal frame, a design trait Samsung has been using to deflect Apple legal action in Germany.
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