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Apple faces potential anti-competition investigation in Europe, with claims that the European Union is quizzing carriers on whether the iPhone maker strong-arms deals and limits some devices in ways that could eventually spawn antitrust sanctions. The EU has been sending out a nine-page questionnaire, according to the Financial Times, collecting Apple tactics information following a number of “private complaints” from operators. Among the greatest concerns is that Apple has insisted on “most favored supplier clauses” which forces carriers to give the Cupertino firm the best deal.

For instance, it’s alleged that Apple demands “the same or better terms” for iPhone subsidies and sales incentives as any other smartphone carriers offer; part of the questionnaire reportedly concerns how those demands are communicated, for instance whether they are part of the written contract or instead expressed in other ways during negotiation. The EU also questions whether Apple insists on a minimum number of iPhone orders before it will finalize a deal.

Apple’s approach to marketing budgets has also been highlighted in the fact-finding process, with questions around how much carriers are required to spend during the launch of new models and over the lifespan of devices.

However, a second aspect of the early inquiry concerns how Apple approaches 4G networks in Europe, and iPhone support for them. “There are also indications that certain technical functions are disabled on certain Apple products in certain countries in the EU/EEA” the questionnaire states. “If the existence of such behaviour were to be confirmed, it might constitute an infringement of [antitrust law].”

It’s unclear exactly what sort of limitation the EU is referring to at this stage, though it supposedly could be either technical or contractual in nature. Currently, the iPhone 5 only supports certain LTE networks, though that’s more down to the issues of supporting the multitude of bands carriers have used for their 4G deployment.

The EU has not commented publicly on the questionnaire, which is an early-stage investigation and may not reach official inquiry stage. Before that could happen, the Commission would need to be convinced that Apple holds a market-dominance position in Europe.

Apple has said that it complies fully with European law with its contracts.

It’s not the first time Apple and its peers have made headlines in recent weeks over allegations of inappropriate business practices. Last week, a US Congressional committee claimed the firm was using incredibly convoluted financial systems – including setting up numerous offshore subsidiaries registered to “top officials” at Apple but with no employees – to shave an estimated $74bn from its tax bill over the course of four years.

Meanwhile, Google is under similar scrutiny in the UK and Europe, amid claims that its UK operation funnels money through a more tax-effective Irish division. The search giant has been accused of “immoral” handling of its tax obligation by UK government officials, something chairman Eric Schmidt has strongly denied.

Apple facing potential EU iPhone anti-competition investigation is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

On May 8, we reported that SlashGear was getting multiple hits from a device running Android Jelly Bean 4.3, indicating that the operating system is being tested somewhere out in Googleland and that we’ll likely be seeing it in the near future. It has been a couple weeks, and now we might have gotten our first look at the mobile operating system via a video purported to be of the next update’s new camera interface.

The video, which was uploaded on YouTube earlier today by user Ivan Brčić, is said to have been taken at the Thailand Mobile Expo and to feature Android Jelly Bean 4.3. While there’s a brief run through a couple system menus, they’re only seen in passing as the user zeroes in on the camera, which reveals a new user interface. The change isn’t surprising, and is only one of many updates and alterations we’re expecting to see.

Although many had hoped Google would show off Android 4.3 at its 2013 I/O event earlier this month, that alas was not the case, and we still have no official word from the Internet giant about what its plans include in the update from Jelly Bean 4.2 to 4.3. As such, this video is a nice look into what the near future holds for Android users, even if it does focus on only the camera.

While the current Jelly Bean camera interface is certainly usable, the one featured in the video looks altogether more intuitive, with dragging to enable the various options that you can check out in the video for yourself. We get a brief look at HDR info, some new icons, and a new timer feature, as well as a few others. This builds on the current tap for settings and hold for a circle of options.

Likewise, some pictures were also released earlier today of the alleged operating system running on a Nexus 4. It is the same handset shown in the attached video, but gives a short look at aspects of the mobile OS other than the camera interface. Included in the images is a shot of the “About Phone” screen, which confirms both phone mode and Android version. The images were released over on XDA.

SOURCE: Android Community

Android 4.3 leaked on video showing refreshed camera interface is written by Brittany Hillen & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

The stage lights had barely dimmed at the Xbox One event before the internet started tripping over itself with questions about how the second-hand market was expected to operate — or if there was going to be one at all. Microsoft assured us there would be, but aside from whispers of a used game “activation fee” the finer details were kept under wraps. We may know a little more now, however, as MCV claims to have heard specifics from retailers who have been briefed by Redmond on the trade-in process. Allegedly, shops that wish to buy and sell a title will need to be hooked up to a Microsoft database so that access to the game can be removed from the previous owner’s account and transferred to a new one. A retailer can sell the game for whatever it likes, but the system will ensure that a cut goes to publisher as well as Microsoft. It all sounds fairly logical, but who knows? The truth could be even more complicated.

Filed under: Gaming, Microsoft

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Source: MCV

Used game sales on the Xbox One will use a digital authorization system requiring the console to validate titles against Microsoft’s servers every 24 hours, retailer leaks have suggested, also building in a cut for both Microsoft and publishers with each transaction. Microsoft had confirmed that pre-owned games sales would be permitted on the new console, but declined to detail exactly how the system would operate. Now, according to retailers speaking to MCV, details of the proposed system have been leaked.

The retailers claim that Microsoft has begun briefings this week on how the trade-in situation will be run, since it will be more complex than the existing process for Xbox 360 discs. According to the store chatter, Microsoft will require each retailer wanting to deal in pre-owned games to integrate its systems with an Azure-based cloud database, which will keep track of which titles Xbox One gamers have registered.

When a gamer wishes to trade in a game, it will be logged on the Microsoft database and removed from their account. The Xbox One will be required to check into Microsoft’s servers at least once every 24hrs, with sold titles automatically deauthorized from where they’ve been installed on the console’s hard drive.

By running all transactions through the cloud system, Microsoft and the publisher of the game will automatically get a percentage of the resale figure. Exactly what that cut will be – and what price the retailers will be selling the games for – is unclear; MCV’s sources indicate that stores will be able to set their own figures, but Console Deals‘ sources suggest that Microsoft will permit at most a 10-percent discount from the game’s recommended retail price (RRP).

Microsoft has declined to comment specifically on any of the possible systems for used games sales. “While there have been many potential scenarios discussed, we have only confirmed that we designed Xbox One to enable our customers to trade in and resell games at retail” the company told MCV. “Beyond that, we have not confirmed any specific scenarios.”

Nonetheless, if the leaks are true, the policies are unlikely to meet with a positive reaction from gamers and – as Don Reisinger wrote earlier this week – could give some cause to rethink upgrading to the new console. Microsoft has said that there won’t be a cost involved if you take a game to play on a friend’s Xbox One, as long as you are logged in with your own Xbox LIVE profile; however, you will not be able to loan them the game (to play registered to their own profile), as there will be a fee involved to unlock it.

Tackling the pre-owned games market – and, more importantly perhaps, monetizing it – has been one of the key goals with next-gen consoles. Sony has also confirmed that the PlayStation 4 will support used games, but is also yet to detail the process around that, and whether it will follow a similar approach to that which Microsoft is rumored to be following.

Xbox One used games policy leak claims limited discounts and publisher cut is written by Chris Davies & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Huawei’s upcoming Ascend P6 must be as slim as we’ve heard, because it just keeps slipping out — this time, in an official rendering obtained by @evleaks. The imagery appears to validate what we’ve previously seen in photos, including the wafer-like 6.2mm thick body, a metal chassis and an iteration of the Emotion UI layer that we just saw on the Ascend Mate. And in case there’s any lingering doubts, we’ve even received a possible launch window from the company itself. In a quickly deleted Sina Weibo post referring to the previous leak, Huawei Device Chairman Richard Yu told his followers that this device is indeed part of the P series, and should be revealed at the company’s June 18th event in London. At this rate, all that’s left for the company is to walk on stage and make its skinniest Ascend official.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

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Via: Engadget Chinese (translated)

Source: @Evleaks (Twitter)