Apple secures patent for SIM connector tech in iPhone, iPad

Apple has won a key patent in the battle to ensure that its SIM-card technology becomes the industry standard for mobile devices.

The patent pertains to connectors for Micro SIM cards (which Apple has now replaced with the Nano SIM) and the methods of transferring the cards in and out of smartphones or tablets safely and securely.

The ruling, published by the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) on Christmas Day, also covers "the plunger system" of ejecting the SIM card by using a metal pin, or SIM ejection tool.

The filing, uncovered by Patently Apple, specifically mentions iOS devices like the iPhone and iPad, but can also apply to MacBooks and media centers, Apple has pointed out.

Closer to becoming standard

Apple's victory comes after a long year of battling with Nokia over SIM card technology and the next industry standards.

Apple has offered royalty-free licensing to rival companies if the European Telecommunications Standards Institute backed its new nano-SIM technology, which ended up appearing in the new iPhone 5.

The ETSI did back Apple and this most recent patent victory in the United States may discourage other companies from continuing their fight against Apple's SIM tech as the industry looks towards standardised solutions.

Via Apple Insider

Samsung reportedly targeting half a billion phone sales in 2013

Samsung has set its sights on shifting an astonishing half a billion mobile phones in 2013, according to reports in Korea.

The Korea Times quotes unnamed sources at Samsung and its suppliers, who claimed the Seoul-based company wants to improve upon by 20 per cent upon a reported 420m sales in 2012.

That would take the total sales up to 510 million, with 390 million smartphone units and 120 million feature phone sales targeted.

Achieving such a figure would take Samsung further ahead of rivals like Nokia, which it overtook to become the world's largest phone manufacturer earlier this year.

Roll up for the Galaxy S4

Much of Samsung's ability to continue this year's incredible momentum will depend upon the success of the heavily-anticipated Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone.

The Galaxy S3 has been a sales juggernaut and the first handset to really surpass Apple's iPhone in terms of critical acclaim.

If the S4 has the same impact, then there's no reason why Samsung can't achieve its lofty goals.

Via LA Times

ZTE Nubia Z5 quad-core unveiled with slim body, big 1080p screen

As promised, the ZTE Nubia Z5 was unveiled in China on Wednesday, and the big new Android smartphone looks like a winner right off the bat.

Its previously rumored specs were not exaggerated, as the Nubia Z5 does indeed come in a 5-inch form with a Qualcomm 1.5GHz quad-core processor, full 1080p display, 2GB of memory, and 13MP/2MP cameras on the back and front, respectively.

Wednesday's announcement also revealed that ZTE's Nubia Z5 will come packing 32GB of storage, Wi-Fi display and MHL output for displaying content on larger screens, and either Yamaha or Dolby Digital Plus sound output.

Best of all, though, is the Nubia Z5's incredibly thin chassis - at just 7.6mm thick and weighing 126g, it's the slimmest 5-inch smartphone on the market.

Packing it in

Like we ourselves did at Christmas dinner on Tuesday, the ZTE Nubia Z5 packs a lot in, despite its extremely thin 7.6mm frame.

That includes a 2,300mAh batter in addition to everything mentioned above.

The Nubia Z5 manages to compare favorably in size with Samsung's Galaxy Note II and Galaxy S3, while still sporting a gorgeous screen and powerful innards.

It was even designed by Italian designer Stefano Giovannoni.

Please, take our money

As Engadget pointed out on Wednesday, Nubia is a new division of Chinese company ZTE, so thus far it's impossible to guess when the Z5 will be made available internationally.

In China, its cost ranges from ¥3,456 (US$554, UK£343, AU$535) to ¥7,890 (US$1,265, UK£785, AU$1,222) for the "titanium edition."

When it does become available internationally, Engadget reported, it will be LTE-compatible (no surprise there).

TechRadar will be on hand at CES 2013 to check out the ZTE Nubia Z5 if it does indeed make an appearance, so keep your eyes peeled as we head into the new year.

Via Engadget

HTC One S handsets finally receiving Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

Some HTC One S handsets are receiving the long-promised Android Jelly Bean update almost six months after it was initially touted.

The XDA Developers site has posted a host of CID (Customer ID) numbers that are eligible for the download, which pertain to Worldwide English versions of the device, mainly sold in Europe.

The overdue update comes after HTC promised some juicy Jelly Bean for the music-themed handset, first in July and then in October.

XDA has posted links to the direct download from HTC's site.

No US launch yet

The update comes following a roll out of Jelly Bean for the flagship HTC One X device last month

There's no indication of when Statesiders might receive the HTC One S update, but this European roll-out is surely a good sign.

Via Android Police

Smartphones murdering the iPod

We all love our shiny smartphones, but the latest stats on MP3 players prove that the sleek handset in your pocket is a cold-eyed killer.

Yep, according to Mintel's research sales of the humble MP3 player - and let's face it that means mainly Apple iPods - have dropped by a massive 22 per cent year on year.

And that's not all, with Mintel insisting that sales will halve again by 2017, making it a business worth just £25 million in the UK, which to the likes of Apple is pretty much the equivalent of the coins it has rattling together down the back of its sofa.

Natural selection

That, according to both experts and anyone with a modicum of common sense, is due to the rise and rise of the smartphone, all of which come with MP3 player functionality and make having an iPod a bit unnecessary.

But before you start feeling all sympathetic and wistful for the good old days, you should remember that the MP3 player pretty much assassinated both the Walkman and the mini-disc player in its climb to the top of our music buddy charts.

GIve it until 2017 and we'll see if Mintel are right, or if brain chips have made our phones obsolete by then anyway.

Via Telegraph