Apple - the story so far...

Just to ease you in to the swing of things, post new year, how about a run-down of potential spanners aimed at Apple's works? AP has run a convenient summary of what faces the company (below). Meanwhile, what price an Apple iPhone finally being released at this month's MacWorld (even though it turns out that Cisco owns the trademark...) or a touch-screen iPod?

NEW YORK (AP) As if its options woes were not trouble enough, Apple Computer Inc. said it is facing several federal lawsuits, including one alleging the company created an illegal monopoly by tying iTunes music and video sales to its market-leading iPod portable players.

The case, filed July 21, is over Apple’s use of a copy-protection system that generally prevents iTunes music and video from playing on rival players. Likewise, songs purchased elsewhere aren’t easily playable on iPods.

The plaintiff is seeking unspecified damages and other relief. The court denied Apple’s motion to dismiss the complaint on December 20.

Another lawsuit, filed November 7, alleges that the logic board of Apple’s iBook G4 fails at an abnormally high rate. The plaintiff is seeking unspecified damages. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Apple said its response to the complaint is not yet due.

The Cupertino, California-based company also disclosed Friday that PhatRat Technology LLC filed a lawsuit October 24 alleging patent infringement. The Nike-iPod product in question, developed jointly with Nike Inc., allow runners to keep track of how far and how fast they’ve gone.

The company’s response to the complaint is not yet due.

Separately, Apple is facing a securities lawsuit accusing the company and some of its current and former officers of improperly backdating stock-option grants, failing to properly account for them and making false financial statements. Defendants responses to the complaint are not yet due.

The lawsuits, many of which seek class-action status, were disclosed in Apple’s delayed regulatory filing with the SEC.

The company cleared Chief Executive Steve Jobs and the rest of its current management of misconduct involving the stock-option practice, despite Jobs’ awareness of favourable grant dates. The company restated past earnings Friday as a result of its three-month probe.

Comments

[Travelina]

You've neglected to mention the most insidious new Apple-wannabe product of all-- the Apple iPad:

http://www.banterist.com/archivefiles/000218.html