apple iphone 5 Used To Create Its ‘Powerful’ New Ad

Apple has a new ad out that you may have seen, featuring a track by The Pixies and a whole lot of iPhone users employing mobile software to cover the song. The ad harkens back to earlier Apple ads where people used a variety of software from the App Store to have fun with their devices, and as such represents a pretty strong return to form.
I’ll forgive them the obligatory dusk-on-the-desert-young-people-shooting-off-bottle-rockets shot that seems to make its way into most ads aimed at Millennials or younger these days, because the rest of the spot presents people doing stuff with their iPhones that I actually wouldn’t mind emulating. Apple anticipated that, of course, and created a micro-site to go along with the ad that offers a look at and links to each of six apps featured prominently in the video (which Apple officially refers to as a ‘film,’ by the by).
The apps in question are Star Walk, Instant Heart Rate, Word Lens, AmpliTube, Luminair, and Pacific Rim. They cover a wide range of features and functions, including one that you may have thought was exclusive to Samsung’s Galaxy S5 (Instant Heart Rate). Apple’s promotional pushes almost always seem to come with microsites these days, but that’s smart – giving ads an endpoint for further engagement makes a lot of sense when you’re generating buzz and want to do more than just fritter that away.

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samsung mobile phones models

Oh my, Apple strikes back in its ever so entertaining feud with Samsung… This time the occasion is Earth Day. Yes, really.
On April 22, ecologists celebrate Earth Day, a worldwide event dedicated to drawing attention to the problems of our environment. Earth Day also happens to be the perfect opportunity for Apple to take a swipe at Samsung and  show its commitment to all things green.
Apple placed full-page ads in two highly circulated British newspapers, The Guardian and Metro, whose headline reads “There are some ideas we want every company to copy,” a clear hint at archrival Samsung. “There’s one area where we actually encourage others to imitate us,” reads the copy of the app, to really drive the point home.

Full page ad. Click to enlarge. Via David McClelland on Twitter

The two companies have been embroiled in a vicious legal war for the past few years, with Apple repeatedly calling out Samsung for copying the design and features of the iPhone and iPad. Right now, in a courtroom in San Jose, the two companies are sparring in a suit potentially worth billions. Apple is accusing Samsung of infringing patents allegedly worth $2.2 billion, while the Korean company is in turn demanding $7 million as compensation for two patents that Apple allegedly encroached on.
Apple is, in fact, one of the greenest technology companies, at least when it comes to its cloud offerings. The company just launched a new section on its website where it showcases its environmentalist initiatives. CEO Tim Cook himself took the time to voice over this green-themed ad dubbed “Better”.
For its part, Samsung is no stranger of taking on Apple. The company regularly pokes its Cupertino rival in its ads. Here’s one of the most recent ones and here’s the ad that made Apple marketing boss Phil Schiller feel a bit insecure back in 2011.

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what is the latest samsung, Samsung argues Apple’sfeatures are worth cents

The latest chapter in the Samsung vs Apple war is winding down, as we enter what may be the last week of the trial before things are handed over to the jury.
As you may already know, the current U.S. patent battle primarily surrounds five patents that Apple says Samsung is guilty of infringing on. Should the jury rule in Apple’s favor, the company is seeking as much as $2.19 billion, but Samsung has now brought forth new testimony suggesting that Apple is asking 57 times more than what the patents are really worth.
The testimony comes from Yale University business school professor Judith Chevalier, who says that she has concluded that the value of the patents in question are worth “pennies”. Furthermore she says that, if the jury finds Samsung guilty of infringement, Samsung should only have to pay about $1.75 per device sold versus the $40 per device Apple is demanding. This would bring the total damages to just $38.4 million.

Samsung suggests Apple is asking 57 times more than what their patents are worth.

So how exactly did Chevalier reach her conclusion on the patent’s values? Citing a study on user purchase behavior, Chevalier noted that more than half of consumers make buying decisions based on reviews from technology websites.
With this in mind, she analyzed 66 professional reviews from 22 “leading media outlets” and scanned for mention of features related to the patents in question. She found that 1.07 percent of all sentences had to do with the patents, namely universal search and slide-to-unlock.
She also then pointed to Apple’s iOS releases for a bit more confirmation that Apple is overvaluing the patents in question. With each new version of the OS, Apple reveals 100 to 200+ new features and usually marks them down as $10 to $25 per device for deferred revenue. Dividing these numbers up led Chevalier to conclude that most of these features have a value of 5 to 25 cents.
Some might say that her math and methods are far from accurate, but it does seem to illustrate the fact that Apple is asking more than fair value for the five patents in question. Whether the jury buys Chevalier and Samsung’s line of thinking remains unseen.
What is your take on the situation? Let us know by voting in the poll and sounding off in the comments below!

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samsung galaxy s5 iphone 5s Update

If you’re in the market for a flagship smartphone, today is probably a good time to hunt for your next device, with several brands — both the big and independent ones — having released their latest flagships. Perhaps among the most important brands across the smartphone spectrum are Apple and Samsung, with their respective devices dominating the smartphone market. Samsung, of course, leads among Android device makers. Apple, meanwhile, holds its own as the top smartphone OEM in the US.
Let’s take a quick look at the two companies’ flagship offerings. On one side, we have the recently-released Samsung Galaxy S5, a welcome refresh to the Korean firm’s flagship series. On the other, we have Apple’s iPhone 5S, which is about six months old, but still going strong in terms of sales and activations for the Cupertino, CA-based company.

The two flagship devices are very powerful, although there are marked differences in philosophy, in terms of design and architecture. Many would consider the upgrades to be incremental over their predecessors, however, at least from the outside. Much of what has changed in the Galaxy S5 and iPhone 5S are in their respective specs and user interfaces.
Here’s a more in-depth look at the Samsung Galaxy S5 vs the iPhone 5S!
Design and Build Quality

In terms of physical construction, Apple follows the same philosophy with every “S” release of the iPhone. The 5S looks similar to its predecessor, except for the addition of the fingerprint scanner on the home button and the new dual-LED flash beside the camera. The home button now gets the chrome treatment and is markedly different from the recessed design of previous iPhones (as well as the current 5C). It may not have changed at all, but the aluminum unibody design still evokes that premium feel that you get with most Apple products.

The Galaxy S5 retains the form factor of its predecessor, although the specs have certainly been bumped up. Noticeable are the addition of the fingerprint scanner, which is integrated into the home button, as well as the new recent apps/multitasking key, which replaces the capacitive menu button. The back plate now features a perforated soft-touch plastic design, the reactions to which have certainly been mixed, but is still a necessary move away from the glossy plastic found with previous iterations. 
Comparing the two in terms of form factor is obviously like comparing apples to oranges (or “Apples” to “Galaxies”?) because of size. The Galaxy S5 delivers a lot more screen real estate, but the iPhone 5S has a more compact and pocketable design and offers a much better one-handed handling experience. Preference of design elements and size is certainly subjective, so it really comes down to what you’re looking for in this regard. 
Display

Again, the size difference might mean an inconsistent screen comparison. With a large difference between the 5.1-inch screen of the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the 4-inch display of the iPhone 5S, each device is clearly aimed at different users. However, in terms of the display quality, there are marked differences.
The iPhone 5S’ screen has been praised by experts for its accurate color reproduction, brightness and superior viewing angles. However, it uses the same screen as its predecessor, with an 1136 x 640 px Retina display, resulting in a 336 PPI pixel density. This might disappoint those who expected a screen upgrade from the iPhone 5.

The Galaxy S5′s use of Super AMOLED results in very distinct blacks and vivid colors, and the higher 432 PPI on its 1080P display makes for crisper images. Of course, the clear benefit here is that the much larger surface accommodates more on-screen real estate, which will be useful for media consumption like reading, playing games, and watching videos.
Given that smartphone usage nowadays favors increased multimedia consumption, the larger screen is clearly an advantage. The iPhone 5S may offer better accessibility and pocketability with its compact design, but once you experience a bigger screen, you might not want to go back to using a smaller phone. A larger screen is much more fun.
Performance

Again, we’re dealing with two different philosophies when it comes to performance, so a straight-up specs comparison doesn’t really do either phone any justice. Because the Galaxy S5 and the iPhone 5S live in different ecosystems, we’ll consider real-world performance in our comparison.
iOS focuses on fluid animations and impressive optimization. The interface was greatly revised with the introduction of iOS 7, and Apple has already dealt with glitches and bugs that were found with an update to iOS 7.1. Performance was never in doubt, and the iPhone 5S can sail through most tasks you would throw at it. The 5S’ new 64-bit processor is a significant upgrade over its predecessor’s, which gives it an edge in terms of computational speed, as well as more capable use of its RAM.

The Galaxy S5, meanwhile, sports a 2.5 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, which is likewise a huge increase over previous models. Backed by an Adreno 330 GPU and 2 GB of RAM, the S5 is clearly one of the most powerful Android device in the market. You will rarely see any lags and stutters that may have plagued previous models in the S series, particularly with Samsung’s use of resource-heavy TouchWiz (more on this later).
Suffice to say that both the Galaxy S5 and iPhone 5S are great performers, and should satisfy even power users who want the most out of their devices.
Hardware

In terms of hardware design and features, Samsung may be the clear winner here, having put in a host of bells and whistles on the Galaxy S5. While the iPhone 5S also has a fingerprint scanner, the Galaxy S5 also features a heart rate monitor, which will come in handy for health enthusiasts. The S5 also has NFC support, a microSD slot for storage expansion, an IR blaster and comes with a removable/replaceable battery. In addition, IP67 certification means wear and tear will be kept at a minimum, with the Galaxy S5 being dust- and water-resistant to some extent.
While the iPhone 5S offers less in terms of hardware features compared to the Galaxy S5, having it all might not necessarily make a device the best one. The iPhone 5S does offer a more polished user experience. The verdict here will boil down to how useful you find the extra features on the Galaxy S5.

The fingerprint scanners on both devices are a welcome addition, providing an added layer of security that will come in handy for phone unlocking and, in particular, financial transactions. The two differ in operation, though, with the Galaxy S5′s mechanism requiring a swiping gesture, while the iPhone 5S only requiring the user to touch to scan.
While applications of the fingerprint scanners are limited at this time, the potential is quite great, especially considering wallet and mobile payment functionalities.
Battery

We might initially find the iPhone 5S’ 1,560 mAh battery as meager. However, with Apple’s optimizations, we found that we were able to squeeze out more than a day’s worth of power with moderate use. In real world scenarios, however, we personally know a handful of iPhone users who frequently find the need to recharge their devices in the middle of the day, so it really depends on usage.
The Galaxy S5 comes with a 2,800 mAh battery that provides excellent battery life, which can be further extended through various power-saving modes built into the smartphone’s OS. This includes an ultra saving mode that strips down the UI to a greyscale barebones version. And because Samsung’s batteries are removable, you can always carry a spare battery for those long trips away from a charger.
In terms of hardware, the Galaxy S5 does try to do everything at once. Of course, it depends on the kind of experience you want with your smartphone. If you want all the tools, bells and whistles, the Galaxy S5 is the one for you. Meanwhile, the iPhone 5S is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get affair, yet offering a perfectly good user experience if simplicity is your thing.
Camera

It’s a bit of a close call when it comes to the camera, with both devices offering their respective strengths. Samsung’s use of a 16-megapixel ISOCELL camera shows that it’s serious in providing the best smartphone camera experience, with the use of ISOCELL resulting in vivid photos. Samsung did away with the sheer amount of camera app features found on the Galaxy S4. Instead, Samsung added a couple of key features, particularly Live HDR and Selective Focus.
Google may have pre-empted Samsung’s inclusion of selective focus with its Lens Blur feature in the stock Google Camera app. Still, Samsung’s implementation does produce great quality pictures, although it can be hit-and-miss at times. Diving deeper into the camera app’s options will give you a world of options that can suit any smartphone photography need.
Image quality is good, and even zooming into photos will reveal a certain sharpness and level of detail. Low-light photography has improved, but you still get some graininess in these scenarios — something expected from smartphone cameras.

As for Apple, the 8-megapixel iSight camera is well-acclaimed. And even if it lacks in sheer number of features compared with the S5′s camera and app implementation, the iPhone 5S’ camera does come with interesting features, including Auto HDR. While the lack of options in the iPhone 5S’ camera may be its greatest weakness, the resulting images are usually very good in any case.
If you’re out to tweak and customize your smartphone camera experience, then the Galaxy S5 is the phone for you. Otherwise, if you’re the type to set-and-forget, then the iPhone 5S’ camera may be the best choice. Overall, however, both cameras are at par with each other. The Galaxy S5 provides one of the best Android camera experiences, while Apple upholds its tradition of fine smartphone camera optics.
Software

Apple revamped its user interface with the introduction of iOS 7 in 2013, which did away with the old skeumorphic design in favor of a flatter, brighter and more abstract interface. The UI is markedly simplistic, although the iPhone is responsive and reliable, which many an iPhone user can attest to. iOS 7 is definitely cleaner, sleeker and brighter than Apple’s previous releases.
A welcome addition in iOS7 is the Control Center, which can be accessed by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. This provides easy access to brightness, the music player, shortcuts to commonly-used apps like the calculator and torch, and connectivity toggles. iOS7 also gives better control over the notification center. Overall, however, iOS does provide a lower level of customization, which might be frustrating for those used to tweaking and customizing their user interfaces.

Samsung’s TouchWiz UI has also undergone some changes in the Galaxy S5, although it’s not as drastic as Apple’s design change. Overall, TouchWiz still looks and feels the same, with a few changes in the UI and on-screen elements. For one, Multi Window makes a return to TouchWiz. The floating Toolbox and Download Booster are welcome additions.
Those familiar with TouchWiz will feel right at home with the Galaxy S5, although there are some subtle changes, including a new circle motif in the Settings app and notification center. Also, the MyMagazine UI is now a second screen located towards the left of the home screen, easily accessible with a swipe. MyMagazine offers a gateway to one’s social media feeds, although it actually piggybacks off Flipboard, which is already a powerful newsreader app available for both Android and iOS platforms.
As with most upgrades, however, we feel that the new additions — both software and hardware — will tend to quickly lose their shine. We think of this as the “Galaxy Syndrome”, a term you may have heard us use before. However, the same may be said for the iPhone. Even with the interface changes, the functionality and user experience is still basically the same.
Specs Comparison

	Samsung Galaxy S5	iPhone 5S
Display	5.1-inch Super AMOLED, Full HD (1920 x 1080), 432 ppi	4-inch IPS LCD, 1136 x 640, 326 ppi
Processor	2.5 Ghz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800	1.3 Ghz dual-core Apple A7, PowerVR G6430 GPU
RAM	2 GB	1 GB
Cameras	16 MP rear LED flash, 2.1 MP front	8 MP rear dual-LED flash, 1.2 MP front
Battery	2,800 mAh	1,560 mAh
Storage	16/32 GB, expandable	16/32/64 GB
Networks	3G, LTE Cat. 3 2X2 MIMO	4G LTE - all
Connectivity	GPS, GLONASS, microUSB 3.0, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 LE	GPS, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0
Software	Android 4.4 Kitkat	iOS 7
Dimensions	142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm, 145 grams	123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm, 112 grams

Gallery
Final Thoughts

The two flagship phones represent their respective brands, ecosystems and companies quite well. The differences in form factor and ecosystem will mean that the choice between the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Apple iPhone 5S will be a subjective one. Here’s a quick recap:
Samsung Galaxy S5. Samsung’s latest flagship offers a bigger Super AMOLED screen, twice the megapixel count, twice the battery capacity and better resistance to the elements through its IP67 rating. The S5 is clearly one of the most powerful Android devices to date, and it does offer a high level of customizability, characteristic of this particular ecosystem. Between the two smartphones we compared here, the S5 is the multitasking powerhouse — a feature-heavy phone that gives you power and customizability out of the box.
Apple iPhone 5S. Apple’s latest flagship is a more accessible device due to its compact size. It offers a polished user experience and classy design that you can expect from Apple. Even with lower specs on paper, Apple has clearly optimized the iPhone 5S to take advantage of the 64-bit architecture, resulting in a fast and reliable user interface, decent battery life, and a phone that “just works.” If you want something simple and straightforward, or if you’re already deeply invested into the Apple ecosystem, then the iPhone 5S is the right device for you.
Of course, these are not the only flagship devices out there. You may wish to consider the likes of the HTC One (M8), Sony Xperia Z2 and we’ve compared the Sony Xperia Z2 with the Samsung Galaxy S5, too. In terms of price, however, you will find the iPhone 5S being offered at lower in-contract prices with most carriers, as it has already been in the market for a few months now.
You should still get a lot done on either the Galaxy S5 or the iPhone 5S, whether in terms of work or play. It’s a matter of choice and user preference.

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intellectual property attorney, Google will help Samsung pay some fees in Apple lawsuit

During testimony Tuesday a Google lawyer admitted that Google agreed to help defend Samsung against Apple in relation to certain patents involved in the ongoing lawsuit.
According to Re/code Google lawyer James Maccoun said during testimony that Google will offer full or partial indemnity in relation to four patents involved in the case. So, if Samsung has to pay for infringing those patents Google will pay at least part of the associated fees.
While Google agreed to help with four patents involved in the suit, only two of those patents remain active in the case: patents ‘414 and ‘959 which deal with background synchronization and universal search, respectively.
Google is obligated to help Samsung through the “Mobile Application Distribution Agreement” which lets Samsung include Google apps such as Gmail and the Play Store on its devices. Because of that agreement, it’s probable that Google is only helping Samsung when the aforementioned patents apply to Google apps like Gmail and the Search app. Google likely isn’t involved in the aspects of the case which apply more to the open source aspects of Android as Samsung is allowed to change that code as it sees fit.
Manufacturers aren’t allowed to change the code of Google apps, so if the patents apply to those apps it only makes sense that Google helps those manufacturers with any defense and indemnity.
While there is an argument to be made that Apple could cut out the middleman and sue Google over those patents directly, current patent law lets companies sue manufacturers who use software that infringe patents, even if they didn’t create that software. That plus the fact that Samsung makes money directly from Android devices make it the target of Apple’s lawsuits.
This isn’t the first time Google has gotten involved in court cases involving Android manufacturers. The company recently involved itself in the lawsuits between HTC and Nokia to be more involved with those patent disputes.
If the court rules in favor of Apple in the case Samsung could have to pay up to $2 billion in fees. Samsung, of course, argues that it doesn’t infringe on Apple’s patents, and that Apple’s patents aren’t even valid. Samsung also argued that, if it is found to have infringed the patents, it shouldn’t have to pay nearly the sum Apple is asking for.
Do you think Google should be doing more to help manufacturers in patent lawsuits, or is its current involvement good enough?

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Apple Takes A Swing At Samsung In Full-Page Print Earth Day Ad

Apple has a new full-page ad appearing in some print newspapers today (via 9to5Mac), and it celebrates the company’s environmental record while simultaneously digging slyly at Samsung, its longtime rival and current opponent in court. The ad features the phrase “There are some ideas we want every company to copy,” and has been spotted in The Metro and The Guardian to name just a few sources.

https://twitter.com/DavidMcClelland/status/458498117248512000/photo/1

Apple’s ad also includes copy that makes it clear Apple is talking about efforts like using 100% renewable energy sources to power its massive data centers, and its use of materials made without ingredients that include harmful toxins in building its devices. The ad is overlayed on top of an image of the solar farm that Appel built to power its data center in Maiden, North Carolina.

The crux of Apple’s court battle against Samsung over the past few years has essentially been that the Korean company copied all of its designs in building their own line of Galaxy smartphones and tablets. That’s also a common criticism echoed in the media and among consumers. This year, Apple has made a special point of highlighting its environmental record and new initiatives as part of today’s Earth Day celebrations, with a new website and video featuring CEO Tim Cook.

Apple Patents Driver Distraction Lockdown Mode For iPhones

Apple has been granted a new patent by the USPTO (via AppleInsider), and it’s one that could potentially prevent a lot of careless driving. The tech described in the patent would use a phone’s on-board sensors, or a direct connection to a car using a technology like Bluetooth to limit the device’s functionality, cutting off access to stuff like SMS and email while you’re actually driving.

The patent would use information from the accelerometer and other onboard sensors to automatically determine when a car is in motion and when it’s at rest, and lock/unlock features accordingly. Some cars already feature similar functionality for onboard features, like preventing you from going through the laborious and distracting process of pairing a Bluetooth phone with a car while you’re actually moving. Apple’s system could also use direct input from a car to determine when it is and isn’t moving.

There’s also a provision described that would make it possible for the device to be used in a car by someone other than the driver. This feature is described as using visual input (i.e. a photo from the iPhone’s camera) to determine who’s a driver and who’s not behind the wheel, and then using its sensor data to determine where in the vehicle it’s being used. If used by a passenger, functions would unlock and be available for use.

The system described isn’t just about driving, however; it includes provisions for similar features integrated into a parental security mode, allowing functions like SMS to require a password or others authentication for use. Apple already lets users lock out certain functions on the iPhone via passcode, so this would likely be an extension of the range of those functions.

The truth is it would probably be unlikely for Apple to build something like this into its devices at this stage. The company seems to be more intent on offering drivers safer options for communication as found in the Siri-powered CarPlay integration Apple debuted with iOS 7.1. Actually locking out specific functions would, sadly, probably just frustrate a significant portion of users, even if it did result in safer smartphone use while driving. Look for the company to pursue more smartphone-assisted communication options with future versions of CarPlay instead.

Apple luring game developers into offering iOS timed exclusives, in exchange for more prominent advertising

Back in September of last year, EA ran into a bit of controversy over Plants vs Zombies 2, when an exec reportedly admitted that Apple had paid the company a ton of money to delay the Android launch. Later it was reported that the unnamed executive had really said something to this effect, but it had been meant as a joke.

Now according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, we learn that while money might not have changed hands, that doesn’t mean an exclusivity deal wasn’t reached. WSJ’s sources that are “familiar with the situation” claim Apple has been working hard to woo game developers into releasing titles to iOS ahead of Android.

Apple has been working hard to woo game developers into releasing titles to iOS ahead of Android.

What’s the incentive for developers, if not cash? In the case of games like Plants vs Zombies 2, the game was featured prominently in the app store in exchange for a delayed Android release, giving it more views in the AppStore and potentially more downloads. Another example of a game that reached a similar marketing/advertising agreement was ZeptoLab’s Cut the Rope 2 — which arrive to iOS in December but didn’t hit Android until March.

Why exclusivity matters for Apple

In the video game market, both full and timed exclusives are rather common. For developers, there are usually monetary or promotional/marketing advantages, and for the console maker exclusives can make their system seem more desirable when compared to the competition.

For Apple, having key exclusives not only allows the company to attract gamers interested in getting into the action ‘right away’, it also helps Apple continue to feed the false perception that Android is harder to developer for due to fragmentation and other “Android problems”. After all, a gamer will see apps hitting iOS months ahead of Android, and may assume there must be ‘technical reasons’ for such delays.

Having key exclusives helps Apple feed the false perception that Android is harder to develop for.

As Google Android continues to increase its marketshare (representing 80% of smarphones shipped in 2013), Apple is losing the war. This is why it is important to keep alive the idea that Android is less secure, more fragmented and has a weaker library of apps, as it gives Apple an edge when it comes to mindshare.

Now to be fair, there was a time when all of these above points were completely valid.

In terms of app development, Android has traditionally been harder to develop for, in large part due to the shear amount of screen sizes, resolutions, processors and Android versions that developers had to account for. As time has gone by, however, Android’s development tools have improved making this less of an issue than it once was.

Google strikes back

Before you start shaking that stick at Apple in anger, it’s important to mention that WSJ reports Google is also working to form exclusive arrangements with app developers. WSJ also mentions that Amazon has been working to bring timed exclusives and even full exclusives to its AppStore as well, in an attempt to lure consumers into buying Kindle-branded tablets and simply installing the App Store on their existing Android devices.

Of course, game and app exclusives probably don’t have quite as big of an impact on what devices consumers buy as it does in the world of home and portable gaming consoles. Still, this could change in time, especially as mobile games become increasingly more advanced.

What do you think, how important is gaming to your Android experience? For those that also own Apple devices, does the company’s tendency to get games first one of the reasons you own an iPad or iPhone? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

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Apple is trying to patent a gesture unlock method that’s dangerously close to Android

For the last couple of weeks, in a courtroom in California, Apple has been trying to convince jurors to award it hundreds of millions of dollars as compensation for Samsung’s alleged infringement of its infamous slide-to-unlock patent.

Meanwhile, the Cupertino-based company is applying for two patents on a screen unlocking method which channels a feature that Android had for years.

Unlock pattern on a Motorola Droid (2010) running Android 2.0.1

To be clear, Apple is not trying to patent the specific gesture unlock system we know from Android. It probably couldn’t, as the prior art is undeniable. Rather than that, the company is proposing an evolution of the idea of drawing a specific pattern across a matrix of elements to unlock a mobile device.

Apple’s idea is to make the matrix of dots configurable and to add invisible dots, that the user would need to be aware of in order to enter the correct pattern. The applications also mention variations in the pattern entry, such as different speeds and pauses, that would add an element of complexity, making it much harder for an unauthorized user to guess the pattern. The system also includes a pattern strength meter, similar to the password strength meters used on many sites.

To be granted a patent, an invention must be novel and non-trivial. Apple’s applications may meet these conditions, at least at first glance. The US Patent and Trademark Office will decide if indeed these core conditions are satisfied.

Apple has clearly channeled the Android implementation of pattern unlock, and arguably enhanced it. There’s nothing wrong with that, as there’s nothing wrong with protecting one’s ideas with patents.

But these patent applications do raise a question – why? It seems unlikely that Apple would adopt pattern unlock for its devices, with Touch ID being well received on the iPhone and rumored to come to the iPads. Adopting the feature would also expose Apple to accusations of copying and, potentially, legal action from Google, who holds several patents on pattern unlock.

So if Apple won’t (or can’t) use pattern unlock on its devices, why would it try to patent this evolution of the idea? Probably just to make it unavailable to competitors. If Apple is granted the patents it seeks, Google would have a harder time enhancing pattern unlock to make it more secure or more useful for Android users.

If that’s the case, we’re again witnessing one of the uglier sides of the tech industry. Of course, it’s not just Apple that’s resorting to preventive patenting, as the entire industry is furiously seeking legal protection even for the most insignificant features. The problem is users are hardly winning anything from this state of affairs.

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More details on the Samsung v. Apple lawsuit

Anthony Muzonzini 2014-04-15T23:43:41Z16 hours ago

Anthony Muzonzini

Currently living out in the East Coast. When not on the AndroidPIT grind you can usually find me turning up or play footie.

The second trial between Apple and Samsung is underway with Apple claiming that Samsung infringed its patents in various devices which include the Galaxy S3, the S2 and the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Apple is seeking $2 billion in damages and with the last trial having gone Apple’s way with Samsung having to pay $903 million dollars, it seems as though Cupertino is confident of getting the W over Samsung this time round.

Apple v. Samsung / © Apple, Samsung, AndroidPIT

Samsung claims that the features which have been said to have been copied from Apple were developed first by Google and in order to back up this claim, Samsung has called upon a key figure within the Android team to the stand. Lockheimer walked the jury through the development of Android in its early stages.

Lockheimer said, “It was very important that we have our own ideas”. He said that the team that developed Android tried to make it very different from iOS and it was very passionate about what it was doing.

Apple is saying that Samsung infringed on its quick links feature. Cupertino holds a patent for this feature but Lockheimer is saying this feature was developed by Google around 2005 to 2006. Lockheimer says they had a head start on Apple which launched its iOS operating system in 2007 along with the first generation iPhone. Timing is key in Samsung’s argument and the South Korean giant plans on calling other Google executives in order to support its argument.

Samsung’s legal team said they may call as many as 17 witnesses by the end of Monday but most of them would be through dispositions. Judge Lucy Koh, who was at the helm of the last battle between these two tech giants told Samsung that it had to reduce the number of witnesses in its case.

What do you think about all this and who do you think will win this latest war between Apple and Samsung? Please leave a comment below and we will get back to you on this.

Source: CNET

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Apple Could Finally Adopt NFC On iPhone For Mobile Payment Plans And Touch ID

Apple’s 2014 roadmap was laid out in pretty considerable detail by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this week in an investor note, and while ordinarily analyst predictions aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on, Kuo has a solid track record of actually getting things right. Among Kuo’s predictions are larger iPhones, a Retina MacBook Air, improved Apple TV, iPad with Touch ID and iWatch launch later this year. But one small detail could have more potential impact than all the rest: NFC inclusion in iWatch and iPhone devices.

Apple has never thought much of NFC, at least when it comes to its own devices, and has avoided building the communication tech into its gadgets for years while the Android competition turned it into a device default. NFC had a lot of early buzz, but for the most part, its usefulness for the average person comes in its ability to act as a handshake tech to ease the process of Bluetooth pairing. It still has some utility as a mobile payments transfer tech, but even with mobile payment options built into Android phones that support it, it hasn’t taken off in that regard.

If Apple starts building NFC into its devices, as Kuo reports it will, that could all change. While Apple now offers iBeacons Bluetooth LE-based tech, which could replicate the payment functions of NFC, support for the other tech would mean broad compatibility with existing hardware that more and more merchants have now been adopting with their in-store point-of-sale systems. Both types of tech are early, but NFC has the virtue of having had longer to find its feet.

As Finextra notes, the WSJ reported earlier this year that Apple was looking to develop a mobile wallet for iPhone, using the existing iTunes accounts the company already uses for purchases within its own software and retail store ecosystem. That would give Apple an instant network of over 600 million users with credit card information on file, making it likely the largest mobile payments network of any kind without even trying. And with NFC, Touch ID could be used to authenticate those payments, or even to authenticate identify for store loyalty or other purposes, too.

Apple has previously patented tech related to NFC and mobile payments, and Apple CEO Tim Cook mentioned that payments was part of what drove the inspiration behind creating Touch ID, the fingerprint-based authentication tech on the iPhone 5s. Touch ID is reportedly coming to iPad Air 2 in 2014, as well, which expands the pool of potential payments applicability even further. Apple may have seemed disdainful of NFC in the past, but it has a habit of waiting on new and emerging tech until it becomes genuinely useful to a large swath of consumers, and NFC could be just about at that point, and a key route to Apple’s domination of the mobile payments space.

5 best Android-only apps Apple can be jealous of

Loie Favre (translation) 2014-04-08T13:00:01Z1 day ago

Loie Favre

Loie Favre is a Canadian-German, food-loving, live-music-craving globe-trotter. Coming from a humble background in the Canadian Prairies centred around nature and the Arts, she studied Translation and Languages in Edmonton. She left his home on the Pacific Coast of Canada, to seek her fortune in Berlin. She is now an Editor and Manager for AndroidPIT.com and is enjoying discovering about everything and anything under the sun about Android.

You can point your finger and say nananabooboo, because some awesome apps that we Android users enjoy on a daily basis don’t even exist for Apple. Usually I feel like it’s the other way around and Android users seem to have to wait forever for a cool Apple-only app to arrive to Android and in some cases, they aren’t as good or never come at all. Here are the top 5 Android-only apps that Apple can cry itself to sleep about.

 © Chepko Danil Vitalevich / Shutterstock (beauty girl cry)

Swiftkey

The reason why Swiftkey is exclusive to Android is easy to figure out: other OS’s don’t allow third-party keyboards. Not only is Swiftkey a nice example of Android's openness, it’s also a very effective and useful app and keyboard replacement, doing everything you would expect from a modern keyboard app, such as phenomenal word recognition, various designs, an ever-growing dictionary of words it learns from you and last, but not least, cloud-based storage so your typing habits are transferred to any smartphone.

© AndroidPIT/SwiftKey

Tasker

Even Tasker is only permitted on the Android open platform and not on any other existing OS, like iOS or Windows. Tasker gives the user deeper access to some core functions. The app does nothing more than give commands to launch a specific action when a specific event happens, like when you plug in your headphones, the music player will start. A more complex example would be when our phone automatically goes into silent mode when you are in a specific area or for a specific time of the day. Tasker is great for every Android phone, though if you want even more access to your phone’s core functions, you’ll have to root it.

© AndroidPIT

ES File Explorer

Here is yet another app that is unique to the Google OS: Android users have complete access to system data, just like on a desktop computer. ES File Explorer, the best app in its class, lets you achieve this. Almost all of the known file types will be displayed in one easy to view interface: here you can work on them, copy, paste etc, plus get some extras like cloud storage and a special root explorer mode. Check out our list of the top 5 root apps.

© AndroidPIT

Friday

If you don’t have time to write in a journal or diary anymore, then this Android-only app can prove to be very practical. Just like a personal assistant, but one that is running in the background, it will keep track of your life on your smartphone: where you go, what you do, the music you listen to, your posts in social networks and more. All of this is stored and you can take a look back at your activity and see what you’ve been up to.

AirDroid

The remote desktop app for Android smartphones gives the user access to their device right from a computer via the internet browser. Using this app, you can send files back and forth from computer to phone as well as send messages right from your PC which are transmitted via the smartphone. Apps can be installed and uninstalled with it as well and it’s also possible to delete all the data from your phone incase it has been stolen. Check out our list of the top 5 remote access apps for Android.

© AirDroid

These are 5 cool apps that are exclusive to the Android platform. Do you know of any other cool ones?

(originally by Andreas Seeger)

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Apple closes the gap on Samsung’s advertising budget

The US smartphone market is a big competitive business, to keep yourself ahead of the pack you have to spend big bucks on making sure that consumers know about your products. Samsung is still the biggest spender on advertising in the US, but it’s rival, Apple, is quickly closing the gap.

Research conducted by Kantar Media shows that Samsung spent a $68 million more on advertising than Apple in 2012, but last year the gap closed to just $12 million. This swing came from a combination of Samsung dialing back its ad spending, whilst Apple embarked on an expensive TV-led campaign.

As for the actual figures, Samsung splashed about $363 million on US phone ads, down 10 percent from 2012’s cost of $401 million. Samsung was also the only smartphone company to cut its advertising budget last year. Apple, on the other hand, spent around $351 million on phone advertising in 2013, up 5 percent from $333 million in the previous year. As a side note, Apple spent more on TV ads in 2013 than it spent on all advertising in 2012.

To give you an idea of just how big the smartphone advertising market is, seven of the biggest smartphone manufacturers spent a little over $1.3 billion on advertisements in the US last year. This covers a wide range of advertising mediums, including TV, print, radio, and online ads. Total spending for 2013 was up a staggering 33 percent from 2012, when manufacturers spent roughly $1 billion on advertising.

It probably comes as no surprise in this day and age that spending on telecommunication ads — that’s TV and internet content — is growing the fastest. Spending in this sector grew by 8 percent through 2013, which is nine times faster than the wider US ad industry’s growth figure of just 0.9 percent.

Samsung’s and Apple’s ad budgets dwarf those of the five other largest spenders.

As for the other big US spenders, Nokia came in third place and was the company which increased its spending by the largest amount year over year. Nokia paid out $221 million in 2013, which is 15 times the amount that the company spent in 2012. Motorola was a similarly high spender, throwing $189 million into the advertising pot. The company tripled its ad spending following the acquisition by Google in mid-2012.

Blackberry, HTC, and LG form up the lower ranks of the seven largest spenders, purchasing $90 million, $76 million, and $46 million worth of advertisements respectively.

With such huge budgets dedicated just to advertising products, it’s easy to see why many smartphone companies are starting to feel a pinch in their profits. But I suppose the most important thing is that all this money spent on advertising appears to be working. Well, at least most of the time.

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Despite apparent confidence, Apple is anxious about Android, internal emails show

CNET Competition is not as “confused” as Tim Cook would want it to be

Apple’s top executives, including CEO Tim Cook and marketing boss Phil Schiller, often dismiss competition in their public appearances, sometimes in disparaging terms. But in spite of this outward cockiness, the Cupertino company is fretting about Android, and Samsung in particular, as internal documents revealed this week clearly show.

The documents are emails penned by Steve Jobs and Phil Schiller showing that the rise of Samsung has left Apple scrambling for an adequate response. The emails were brought as evidence by Samsung’s legal team in the Apple vs. Samsung trial that began this week in San Francisco. Apple alleges the infringement of five patents and demands two billion in compensation, while Samsung has a much smaller claim of about seven million, over two patents that Apple has allegedly infringed.

The Next Big Thing

Samsung’s successful marketing strategy made Phil Schiller doubt Apple’s own efforts, to the point that he considered changing ad agencies. Here’s what Schiller wrote (via The Verge) to a Media Lab Arts (Apple’s agency) executive, referring to Samsung’s Super Bowl ad:

I watched the Samsung pre-superbowl ad that launched today. It’s pretty good and I can’t help but thinking ‘these guys are feeling it’ (like an athlete that can’t miss because they are in a zone), while we struggle to nail a compelling brief on iPhone.

And then:

I now have Apple board members asking 'what is going on with advertising and what are you going to do to fix it. The team is too good to be in this spot.

Schiller was apparently referring to this spot, that mildly pokes fun at Apple’s litigation against Samsung:

Then Schiller told Tim Cook that a new agency might be needed, as Media Lab Arts was apparently losing faith in Apple:

Instead of getting charged up to do great work on an iPhone campaign for us, they came back and asked to be able to talk to us about how much Apple needs to change as a company (corporate responsibility, greed/margin, channel strategies, sales spiffs, etc) and they compared 2013 to 1997 and the need to reboot a beleaguered Apple. Nothing about creating a great iPhone campaign. They don't seem to accept that first and foremost they need to do a better job for us this year.

“Consumers want what we don’t have”

Another document, a slideshow used at a meeting where the company’s top executives discussed strategy for 2014, shows Apple’s core problem – “Consumers want what we don’t have”, referring to affordable, large screen devices. Here’s how Apple describes competitors (read Samsung):

• Competitors have drastically improved  their hardware and in some cases their ecosystems
• Spending “obscene” amounts of money on advertising and/or carrier/channel to gain traction

Even as far back as 2010, Apple was acknowledging internally that it had some catching up to do with Android and Google. One of the points that CEO Steve Jobs proposed for a strategy meeting was “catch up with Android where we are behind (notifications, tethering, speech, …) and leapfrog them (Siri, …)” 

Another bullet point mentions a “Holy War with Google” for 2011, a grand effort to catch up with the Mountain View company in the crucial cloud services area, where Steve Jobs thought Google was “way ahead” of Apple.

War talk

Of course, there’s nothing wrong or surprising for a company to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, all while showing a carefully constructed mask of indifference to the public. But Samsung’s lawyers are hoping that this evidence of internal anxiety will help portray Apple as a player that’s no longer able to compete, so it’s using litigation to hamstring competitors. Apple, for its part, downplayed the significance of the emails brought up by Samsung. Phil Schiller said the slideshow above was not Apple’s official point of view and that he didn’t agree with much of it.

For us tech enthusiasts, this treasure trove of internal information (much like Samsung’s similarly embarrassing internal presentations from the last trial) gives us a peek inside the workings of the multi-billion corporations that influence so much of our digital lives.

Samsung’s internal design slides were a key part of Apple’s success in the 2012 trial

They also help us put in context the moves of big players. Apple, for instance, is reportedly abandoning its long time preference for small screens, with a recent Reuters report pegging a 4.7-inch and even a 5.5-inch iPhone model coming this year. While we always knew Apple is eventually going to react to the rise of large Android devices, we now have some solid proof that the move is reactionary, rather than voluntary.

More internal documents from both sides could emerge in the following days, as the Apple vs Samsung trial is expected to last about a month.

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Apple and Samsung back at it in court

Anthony Muzonzini 2014-04-01T17:33:20Z1 day ago

Anthony Muzonzini

Currently living out in the East Coast. When not on the AndroidPIT grind you can usually find me turning up or play footie.

Apple is set to go head to head with Samsung again in the court room over the Android operating system made by Google. Apple’s co-founder, Steve Jobs, promised to promised to go to war against Android which he believed Google stole from Apple. Samsung is the company making the most money off Google’s operating system and naturally this would be Cupertino’s prime target.

Samsung and Apple step in the ring once again this time over the Galaxy Note 3 and the Galaxy S3 / © Samsung, Apple, Google/AndroidPIT

The bottom line is that Apple is saying that Google stole some of the iPhone’s patented software. Among the patents that are being disputed in this case are one for synchronizing the connection between your phone and another computer and another one if for the ability to spot and fix errors in spelling. Samsung is expected to bring in witnesses from Google to help shore up its defence as Google is the company that develops the Android operating system upon which the Galaxy S3 runs.

Patent evaluation experts think that Apple is targeting Google as much as it is Samsung in this case. Both company recently just signed a deal regarding patents. Apple may be looking to see how the relationship between Samsung and Google plays out.

Apple claims that the trial is about theft and is asking for a considerable amount of damages. Apple is asking for $40 per device sold which will be a considerable amount if it is granted. The devices in question are the Galaxy S3 and the Galaxy Note 2 which sold quite considerably.

It is also feasible that in addition to the actual damages, Apple is likely to ask for an injunction against sales of the devices in the United States but this will probably have little effect since the phones where released way back in 2012 which in smartphone terms is eons ago.

What do you make of this constant struggle between Apple and Android? Please leave your views below in the comments section and we will get back to you.

Source: NPR

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Amazon launches Amazon Fire TV to compete with Chromecast, Apple TV

Kris Carlon 2014-04-02T15:53:27Z22 hours ago

Kris Carlon

Putting down roots in Berlin after six years of traveling is a major step for Kris Carlon, who has spent more time living out of a tent lately than sitting at a desk. Kris comes to the AndroidPIT Editorial Team via a lengthy period spent writing on art and culture in Australia and other places he has lived. He joined the Android community while resurfacing in civilization back in 2010 and has never looked back, using technology to replace his actual presence in other people's lives ever since.

Amazon has just announced its very own streaming television service in the battle for your living room, after the weekend's rumor of a Amazon set-top box. Couch commandos can rejoice at the addition of a new service, especially one as well connected as Amazon's platform, Fire TV. The launch cleanly wraps up Amazon's control of content, making their licensing of Amazon Instant Video software to third-party hardware manufacturers like Roku no longer necessary.

Amazon Fire TV is officially here to compete for your streaming living room content. / © Amazon

The streaming set-top box setup will bring you not only television and movies, but also gaming. As Google pushes Chromecast, free apps pop up left right and center in the Play Store, and Apple TV continues to expand its empire, Amazon has a nicely thrown down gauntlet to set its sights on. But if anyone knows how to push content it has got to be Amazon.

This is the controller recently seen at a Brazilian regulatory agency, now confirmed. / © Amazon/Anatel

Amazon presented three problematic areas of current devices: search, performance and a ''closed'' ecosystem, clearly taking shots at their competitors in the set-top box world. Fire TV will feature apps like Hulu Plus, Netflix, Crackle and Pandora amongst others. The set-top box features a quad-core processor, 2 GB of RAM and dual-band MiMo Wi-Fi to handle all that buffering, which, incidentally, will reportedly give it triple the speeds of Chromecast, Apple TV and Roku. You can control all that 1080p content with the Bluetooth remote, which you can also talk to for voice search. An average paid game on Fire TV will cost $1.85, and there are over 1,000 free games.

Amazon's Fire TV costs 99 USD and ships today. 

What are your thoughts on Fire TV? Would you prefer Amazon's effort to Google's or Apple's?

Via: The Verge Source: Amazon

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Report: Apple Considers Building An On-Demand Music Service To Take On Spotify

Apple already has iTunes Radio, but it’s hoping to go further in the direction of on-demand music, according to a report in Billboard that cites “three people familiar with the talks” between Apple and music labels.

To be clear, Billboard describes these as “exploratory talks,” so it doesn’t sound like anything is definite. Citing Nielsen SoundScan, the article also points to double-digit declines in iTunes music sales in the United States as big reason for these discussions.

At the risk of stating the obvious, iTunes Radio allows users to listen to a range of Internet radio stations (similar to Pandora), while an on-demand service would allow you to listen to the songs you choose when you choose (similar to Spotify). Apple has been reportedly been developing new mobile ad technology with a focus on iTunes Radio, so a new music service could also be a way to create new ad inventory (though presumably there would be paid component, too).

I’ve emailed Apple for comment. If the company responds (it won’t), I will update this post.

Apple vs Android: iPhone 5s vs Samsung Galaxy S5

Today we will put two devices head-to-head in a classic iOS vs Android smartphone battle, and this time the competitors are the shining stars from Apple and Samsung: the iPhone 5s and the Galaxy S5. We’ll analyze various components of both devices, like design, camera and processor, and see if one manages to make it to the top, although this may prove to be difficult because at the end of the day, we are comparing apples and oranges.

© Samsung/Apple/AndroidPIT

Design

	iPhone 5S	Samsung Galaxy S5
Dimensions	123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6	142 x 72.5 x 8.1
Weight	112 g	145 g
Material	Aluminium and glass	Polycarbonate plastic

It seems that Samsung paid no heed to user complaints, staying faithful to plastic as their choice of material. We have our theories on this though. Since it really comes down to a matter of taste, I won’t beat around the bush to admit that I personally am not a fan of the Galaxy S5 design, and must admit, even as an Android fan, that Apple’s choice of material and design is more aesthetic. Both devices are expensive, but at least you feel the worth of your money when holding the iPhone in your hand.

Samsung is faithful to the plastic, yet wanted to change the design slightly and add another type of texture. / © AndroidPIT

Both devices are encompassed by silver frames, although in the case of the iPhone 5S, they’ve used metal and the S5 sticks with silver plastic. One of the biggest differences is that the Samsung Galaxy S5 chassis can be removed, giving users access to the removable battery and slots for the microSD and SIM cards. On the other hand, it has a textured design, which caused me to wonder, at the first moment when our paths crossed, if the design department was on vacation at the time of its production. Harsh yes, but first impressions mean a lot. Many have gone as far as to compare it to a Band-Aid.

Display

	iPhone 5S	Samsung Galaxy S5
Dimensions	4-inch	5.1-inch
Resolution	1,136 x 640 pixels, 326 ppi	1,920 x 1,080 píxeles, 432 ppi
Material	IPS, Retina Display	Super AMOLED

The screen of the S5 is one of the brightest in the market. / © AndroidPIT

While the first paragraph supports the iPhone 5S, this round is where the Samsung Galaxy S5 shows what it can do. The Super AMOLED screen on the S5 is spectacular, not only for its size but also because it offers ridiculously bright and vivid colors. Furthermore, the density of pixels per inch is considerably higher than that of the iPhone 5S (432 ppi vs 326 ppi). Samsung has managed to offer a good screen size, perfect for displaying enough information and enjoy multimedia content on a compact smartphone.

Camera

	iPhone 5S	Samsung Galaxy S5
Picture resolution	8 MP/ 1.2 MP	16 MP/ 2 MP
Video resolution	1080 p	4K
Extras	Dual Flash	HDR in real-time, ISOCELL

The iPhone 5S features a dual flash. / © Apple

Samsung is catching up in this area and stocked its new device with double the resolution of the iPhone 5s’ camera sensor. Instead, the Apple device offers an extra which the S5 lacks, being the TrueTone double flash that makes colors in nighttime pictures look much more natural. Meanwhile, Samsung's smartphone offers an ISOCELL camera sensor which produces better color reproduction even when the lighting is bad. You can read all about why the Samsung Galaxy S5 camera is so good.

The South Korean company packed its flagship’s camera once again with numerous modes which are not found on the iPhone 5S, although the latter does offer filters and effects in real time. The S5 on the other hand received a new feature called real-time HDR, which could come in handy for seeing the effects before shooting the pic as well as selective focusing after the fact.

Processor, operating system and interface

	iPhone 5S	Samsung Galaxy  S5
Processor	Apple A7 + M7 co-processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 / Exynos Octa
Properties	Dual-core, 64 bit, 1 GB RAM	Quad-core, 2.5 GHz / 8 core, 2.1 GHz / 2 GB RAM
OS	iOS 7	Android 4.4.2

The Samsung Galaxy S5 processor is no competition for the 64-bit architecture used for the chipset found in the iPhone 5s. On the other hand, the Apple device has less RAM, which will affect background processes and multitasking.

Like we mentioned earlier in our iPhone 5S and Nexus 5 comparison, the biggest difference is the operating system. Though I don’t want to repeat what I’ve previously written, here’s a brief summary of what is running on either device.

The Galaxy S5 settings menu © AndroidPIT

The Samsung Galaxy S5 comes with Android 4.4.2 right out of the box, the latest Android version you can get. It also has an improved TouchWiz UI design, which is now more modern with two-dimensional icons among some other changes. In fact, the newly adopted aesthetics of the icons are closer to what iOS usually offers. Samsung has revised and improved some of its applications such as S Health and or S Translator. Meanwhile, the iPhone 5s comes with the latest version of its firmware, iOS7 and offers its typical series of software, such as iTunes, iPhoto or applications like Instagram.

On the left, the iOS Control Center, and on the right, the Samsung Quick Settings. / © AndroidPIT

Connectivity and extras

One of the advantages of the S5 compared to iPhone 5S is the micro SD slot, which allows users to significantly expand the smartphone’s memory. Another difference is the NFC chip. The Samsung Galaxy S5 incorporates it just like most Android handsets and Apple still remains undecided as to whether they would like to add it to future iPhones.

Now lets talk fingerprint scanners: Both devices have this new feature on their home buttons and their uses are the same: to be able to lock and unlock the device more safely. Samsung has added an extra something though, and that is the capability of authenticating PayPal payments or your Samsung account with your thumb.

	iPhone 5S	Samsung Galaxy S5
Connectivity	LTE, HSPA+, Bluetooth 4.0, WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n	HSPA, LTE, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, Wi-Fi, dual bandwidth 802.11a/b/g/n
Extras	Touch ID	Fingerpring scanner, heart-rate monitor, water-resistant IP67
Internal storage	16 / 32 / 64 GB	16 / 32 GB + micro SD

The iPhone 5s was the first Apple phone to incorporate a fingerprint sensor. / © Apple Samsung has also added a fingerprint scanner in your Home button © AndroidPIT

Another Galaxy S5 bonus is that it is IP67 certified, making it resistant to water and dust. I haven’t been able to test this out yet though.

Battery

	iPhone 5S	Samsung Galaxy S5
Capacity	1,570 mAh	2,800 mAh
Duration (according to the manufacturer): Standby mode	10 h / 250 h	21 h / 390 h
Removable	no	yes

Final verdict

The flagships delivered by Apple and Samsung are quite different, therefore it’s hard to compare the two. If I had to choose one of the two, I would have to go with the Samsung Galaxy S5 because of its immaculate display which immediately caught my attention. However, considering the price for both the Galaxy S5 and iPhone 5s, which is around 850 USD (for an unlocked Sim-Free 64GB iPhone 5s), I can’t imagine I would buy either of them.

What is your opinion? Did Samsung or Apple make a better fingerprint-scanner-packing flagship? Or are you waiting for the HTC One 2014  to come on March 25th?

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