Government

Obama Administration vetoes ITC’s US sales ban on Apple products

Cody Lee ∙ Updated August 9, 2013

Huge news out of Washington this afternoon, as reports are coming in that President Obama has stepped in and vetoed the ITC’s decision to place a US import ban on a handful of Apple's older iOS devices. The ban came after the International Trade Commission found some of Apple's products infringed on 2 Samsung cellular patents.

The ruling was handed down on June 4, and exclusion orders were sent to the White House, giving Obama's Administration 60 days to veto the ban based on "public policy." And that 60-day deadline would've ended soon, but it looks like the President has heeded to the requests of Verizon, AT&T and others to overturn the ITC's decision...

Verizon asks Obama to prevent upcoming iPhone sales ban

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 25, 2013

In April, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) ordered an import ban on the iPhone 3G/3GS/4 after determining Apple had violated Samsung's 3G cellular technology patent. Apple was hoping the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) would overturn ITC's decision on the basis that Samsung was asserting a standards-essential patent.

Needles to say, Apple asked ITC to stay an order while the court considered the appeal, arguing the sales ban would "sweep away an entire segment of Apple's product offerings." And in an interesting twist earlier this week, the nation's top carrier Verizon Wireless pressured President Obama to intervene in the Apple v. Samsung case and veto the impending ban...

Apple could have to pay nearly $500 million in ebook case

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

According to a new report, Apple could have to pay half a billion in damages in its ebook pricing case. That amount is based on the settlements the book publishers, named in the case, have already paid.

For those who haven't been keeping up with the ordeal, federal judge Denise Cote found Apple guilty earlier this month, of colluding with five publishers to fix ebook prices at the launch of its iBookstore...

US government gets approval to continue tracking phone records

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 3, 2017

In June, an order granted by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to the FBI leaked, revealing that Verizon was handing over millions of private telephone records to the US government. Of course, we later found out that it wasn't just Verizon giving up user data.

As you may have known, that court order was set to expire today, meaning that the government would no longer be authorized to collect such records. But according to the office of the Director of National Intelligence, FISA has just renewed its authorization...

Security experts contracted to attempt to bypass iOS 7’s Activation Lock feature

Cody Lee ∙ July 18, 2013

Earlier this year, San Francisco's district attorney George Gascón met with Apple's government rep Michael Foulkes to discuss the rising number of iPhone thefts. He felt like the company could be doing more, on a technological level, to thwart these would-be thieves.

Apple responded in a major way. In June, the company introduced a new feature in iOS 7 called Activation Lock, which can prevent thieves from activating a stolen handset without the proper credentials. But while Gascón says he appreciates the effort, he's not convinced...

Apple joins alliance of tech companies in push for better NSA transparency

Cody Lee ∙ July 17, 2013

Apple is reportedly teaming up with Google, Facebook, Microsoft and a number of other tech companies that will demand dramatically increased transparency from the US government regarding surveillance by the NSA and other agencies.

In a letter to be published tomorrow, the alliance—which includes 63 companies, investors, and non-profit orgs—will call upon President Obama and congressional leaders to allow them to report more specifically on security requests...

New FIPS 140-2 level 2 certification could spur government adoption of iOS

Cody Lee ∙ June 30, 2013

As BlackBerry continues on its downward spiral, more and more of its government clients are jumping ship. And it's no secret that pretty much every other handset manufacturer out there is looking to lure the RIM refugees into their respective mobile platforms.

At least it seems that Apple is working hard to earn their business. Just a few months after receiving Level 1 FIPS 140-2 certification—a security standard developed by the US government for use in its computers, comes word that it's gained Level 2 compliance...

Apple applauds Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage

Cody Lee ∙ June 26, 2013

Normally, the words 'Apple applauds' and 'Supreme Court' don't go together. The Cupertino company isn't on the greatest terms with the US government at the moment, what with the whole tax evasion thing and the ongoing e-book trial.

But today is a different story. In a pair of 5-4 decisions this morning, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex couples in two major cases, effectively allowing federal benefits for gay couples. And Apple says it applauds the ruling...

Eddy Cue talks Steve Jobs, page curls and iBooks launch at e-book hearing

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Eddy Cue once again took the stand today in Apple's ongoing antitrust case with the Department of Justice. The company's SVP of Internet software and services took the stand on Friday to talk about Steve Jobs' involvement in Apple's iBooks project. And this morning, he offered up a few more details.

Cue spoke more candidly on the witness stand today, providing several interesting tidbits about Jobs' participation in Apple's iBooks launch back in 2010. Apparently, the then-CEO had a big hand in the project, doing everything from designing minor UI details to choosing which book to offer for free...

Apple posts open letter regarding PRISM accusations and customer privacy

Cody Lee ∙ June 17, 2013

Apple has just issued a statement regarding its customer privacy policy, following accusations that it is involved in a US government-run PRISM program that offers up user data without warrant. It's already commented on the situation, but it obviously felt it needed to be more clear.

Tonight the company posted an open letter to its website entitled 'Apple's Commitment to Customer Privacy.' The letter reiterates that Apple knew nothing about the so-called PRISM program, and offers insight into its relationship with the government and what it means for users...

Prosecutors combine to fight smartphone thefts

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated November 29, 2016

While its no case of Elliot Ness against Chicago's rum runners of Prohibition days, prosecutors in two major U.S. cities are teaming up with local police to fight a wave of violent smartphone thefts. Law enforcers Thursday issued an SOS of sorts, or 'Save Our Smartphones'.

The announcement comes as Apple and other smartphone makers meet with the New York State Attorney General and San Francisco's District Attorney. It's unknown whether Apple's new Activation Lock feature unveiled during Monday's WWDC keynote as part of iOS 7 will be enough to satisfy calls for handset makers to create a kill switch to disable stolen smartphones...

Leaked court order reveals Verizon is handing over call records to NSA

Cody Lee ∙ June 6, 2013

According to a new report, a newly leaked court order has revealed that the National Security Agency (or NSA) is currently collecting the telephone records of millions of United States cell phone users on Verizon Wireless.

The order, which was granted to the FBI by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA), requires the carrier to give the NSA information on all telephone calls in its system from both within the US, and between the US and other countries...