The iPod Nation

AT&T has had the pleasure of being the exlusive U.S. provider for the Apple iPhone. But now AT&T wants to take that a step further. AT&T has introduced their plan to integrate the iPhone platform to connect to AT&T’s video and TV service, called U-verse, and other Internet Services. At an event yesterday, AT&T was able to showcase their plans for the future of the iPhone. Along with the new video services, AT&T demonstrated that the iPhone can be used a remote control for television sets. There was also a demonstration of how one can swing their iPhone to show that they are throwing tomatoes at the television screen. AT&T also stated that eventually, customers would be able to view Visual Voicemail on their television set as well as download recorded videos to their iPhone. It may take awhile for most of these services to be available, although AT&T has stated that some of these features might be available by the end of 2008. Please stay tuned as more information comes our way.

- Geoff

[Source: Guardian.uk]

Apple is said to be bound to an exclusivity deal with AT&T that is expected to last until 2010. In exchange for large-scale subsidies on the new iPhone 3G AT&T was granted a one-year extension on the sole rights for the iPhone in the US. This is an important deal as the cell phone market is very large and full of competition; this deal should give AT&T the edge for at least another year.

The original agreement said that Apple would have be allowed to sell their iPhone through AT&T’s competitor T-Mobile and a CDMA-based version with Spring and Verizon. While no official timeline has been set on the exclusive deal between AT&T and Apple both parties are said to be happy with the current arrangements.

-Ray

[Source: usatoday ]

Apple and AT&T have just finished up their lawsuit with Klausner Technology over the alleged patent infringement. Apple and AT&T have agreed to pay Klausner Technology a settlement in exchange for being official licsenced the visual-voicemail technology. Klausner Technology originally took Apple to court in December seeking $360 million dollars in damages and royalties.

“The patent litigation with Apple has been settled. The patents have been licensed to Apple,” said Klausner Technology founder Judah Klausner. The financial details of the settlement were not released, but I imagine that Klausner Technology made a pretty penny off this one.

[Source: iLounge]