MacRumors

Apple has applied for a patent with the U.S Patent and Trademark Office (via AppleInsider) on methods for using hyperlinks embedded into audio streams that could offer content creators the capability to link to other forms of media or control a device altogether. The main concept of the patent is outlined in the abstract of the filing, and explains how audio hyperlinks could be used to allow listeners to access such content within audio:

Hyperlinks within an audio stream provide a way for a listener to access linked resources. An audio hyperlink encoded in an audio stream indicates the presence of an audio hyperlink in the audio stream, as well as providing information for traversing the hyperlink to the linked resource. The hyperlink may be conditionally traversed upon a user interaction or automatically upon detection in the audio stream, possibly pausing the audio stream containing the hyperlink during the traversal of the hyperlink and resuming the audio stream if the audio stream is returned to from the linked material. The linked material may be other audio content, but may also be any other type of desired content that may be accessible by the system processing the audio stream.

In the patent application, Apple gives an example of a podcast which could link to other podcasts, websites, or other media, and Apple describes how software could either automatically activate audio hyperlinks when detected or offer a user interface to allow users to have control over activation of the links.

While the patent application does not make any references to specific devices, examples and drawings outline how the process could be applied to such mobile devices such as iPhones, iPads, and iPods.

Apple today added movie support to its iTunes in the Cloud service in Japan and seven additional European countries, enabling customers in those countries to re-download content previously purchased from the iTunes Store. New support for Austria and Switzerland was noticed by iFun.de [Google translate], but the full list of new countries includes Austria, Estonia, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Switzerland.

iTunes in the Cloud was first launched for music in June 2011 in the United States, with Apple adding movie and TV show support for U.S. users in March 2012. Movie coverage has been gradually expanded since that time, with the most recent addition prior to today coming back in February.

With today's expansion, there remains only a handful of countries where Apple offers movie content in the iTunes Store but not iTunes in the Cloud support for those films. That short list does, however, include several major markets for Apple such as Germany and Spain.

The five book publishers who settled with the U.S. Government in the e-book antitrust case have filed an objection with the court arguing that the Department of Justice's proposed punishments for Apple would violate their settlement agreements from before the trial began, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The DOJ has recommended that the "agency model" deals with publishers be nullified and that Apple require competitors such as Amazon to put direct purchase links to their own e-book stores inside their iOS apps. Some experts have said that Apple could owe as much as $500 million in penalties.

In a court filing Wednesday afternoon, the publishers said that the U.S. Department of Justice's demands on Apple would eliminate the use of the "agency model" for the sale and distribution of e-books for a period of five years, by prohibiting Apple from entering such agreements.

Under the agency model, publishers, rather than Apple, set the retail price for e-books.

"The provisions do not impose any limitation on Apple's pricing behavior at all; rather, under the guise of punishing Apple, they effectively punish the settling defendants by prohibiting agreements with Apple using an agency model," lawyers for the publishers said in papers filed in federal court in Manhattan.

Apple has consistently defended its behavior and called the DOJ's proposal a "draconian and punitive intrusion into Apple's business".

Microsoft is continuing its anti-iPad ad campaign, today releasing a new commercial comparing the Surface RT to the fourth generation iPad. The ad, which displays a Surface RT tablet and an iPad side-by-side, highlights both pricing and size differences between the two products.

Microsoft also uses the spot to summarize other iPad shortcomings that it has highlighted in previous ads, including the iPad's lack of an integrated kickstand and keyboard, the absence of dedicated productivity software on the tablet, its poor multitasking capabilities, and its failure to offer expandable storage.

Despite its vigorous advertising campaign, Microsoft revealed last week that its Surface lineup had earned just $853 million in revenue for the company, less than a $900 million writedown the company took for the Surface RT earlier this month.

As a result of the tablet's weak sales, Microsoft was forced to drop the price of the Surface RT by $150 in July, pricing its entry level offering at just $349.99. The company has since dropped the price of the Surface Pro as well, offering it for $100 off through the end of August.

Apple has seeded the fifth Developer Preview of OS X Mavericks to developers, approximately two weeks after the release of the fourth developer preview. The release comes as Apple continues to work on restoring full functionality to its Developer Center after bringing software downloads back online last week.

As noted by MacRumors forum members, the fifth Developer Preview of Mavericks includes both a new beta version of iPhoto (9.4.6) along with the iBooks app for Mac that was first unveiled at WWDC.

OS X Mavericks, which is expected to be released this fall, includes multiple new features like a tabbed Finder, full screen dual monitor capabilities, Safari improvements, and a new Maps app. Developers can receive the update via the Software Update tool in the Mac App Store.

Apple has also simultaneously seeded a new version of OS X 10.8.5 to developers.

A clear photo comparing the iPhone 5 camera module to what may be the camera module for the iPhone 5S surfaced today, showing a distinct design change that may hint at a separate flash component in Apple's next iPhone.

Shared by Nowhereelse.fr [Google translation], the photo of the alleged iPhone 5S camera part does not include a flash component attached via ribbon as the iPhone 5 does, which may be because the iPhone 5S is expected to come equipped with a more powerful dual-LED flash.

The camera module in the photo appears to be the same as one that was published last week and tied to the iPhone 5C, but rumors have suggested that the iPhone 5C will share multiple parts with the iPhone 5, making it more likely that the new component design is intended for Apple's iPhone 5S.

Photos of iPhone 5S components have depicted a pill-shaped dual-LED flash to replace the current circular flash on the iPhone 5. A dual-LED flash would improve the performance of the iPhone's flash, creating better lit, less harsh flash photos in low light conditions.

While the camera module does not reveal information about the camera's specs, the iPhone 5S is expected to come with a 12-megapixel rear camera with a larger aperture for improved low light photography. It is also rumored to feature a new slow motion photography mode to complement its current panoramic capabilities.

Apple's iOS is losing ground to Android when it comes to smartphone operating system market share, according to a new report from research firm IDC. Apple's share of worldwide smartphone shipments dropped to 13.2% during the second quarter of 2013, while Android climbed to 79.3%.

During the same quarter last year, Apple held 16.6% of the market, while Android held 69.1%. Despite its slight loss of share, iOS remains the number two operating system, with Android and iOS combined making up 92.5% of shipments.

"The iOS decline in the second quarter aligns with the cyclicality of iPhone," says Ramon Llamas, Research Manager with IDC's Mobile Phone team. "Without a new product launch since the debut of the iPhone 5 nearly a year ago, Apple's market share was vulnerable to product launches from the competition. But with a new iPhone and revamped iOS coming out later this year, Apple is well-positioned to re-capture market share."

Windows Phone continues to gain market share as well, coming in at 3.7% during the second quarter of 2013, up 77.6% from its 3.1% share during Q2 2012.

Other operating systems are consistently losing ground to the top three operating systems with BlackBerry OS representing 2.9% of shipments, Linux at 0.8%, and Symbian at 0.2%.

Last week, IDC released its estimates on worldwide mobile phone sales, showing slowing growth for Apple's iPhone. Apple shipped 31.2 million iPhones during the second quarter of 2013, representing 13.1% of the market. Samsung shipped 72.4 million, for a market share of 30.4%.

Those numbers may shift in the coming quarters as Apple gears up to launch its next generation iPhone and a new low-cost iPhone, possibly as early as September.

Apple is preparing to launch several enhancements to its AppleCare services including 24/7 access to chat support services, reports 9to5Mac . The company is reportedly planning to launch the expanded chat services on August 12, although that target date may not yet be firm.

Alongside the expanded chat services, Apple will also be launching a redesigned AppleCare support website, featuring large, easy-to-click buttons similar to those that have appeared in other areas of the company's site.

The interface has been retooled with large, easy-to-understand controls that are more in line with the colorful icons in iOS. The new design makes it simpler for users to drill-down and provide Apple with information about the issue.

Apple is in the middle of a significant revamp of its AppleCare services, making plans to shift to per-user subscription offerings rather than specific device coverage. The company is also making a move to perform more repairs rather than replacements on iPhones at its retail store Genius Bars, as seen with the new iPhone 5 display replacement program.

According to a new report from market research company NPD DisplaySearch as related by CNET, Samsung has supplied more 9.7-inch panels for the fourth-generation iPad in recent months than any other Apple supplier, including longtime partners LG and Sharp.

Apple, in fact, has been boosting purchases of displays from Samsung since January, according to the market analyst. Apple got about 2.3 million units from Samsung in the first quarter. That figure jumped about 80 percent quarter-to-quarter to more than 4.1 million units in the second quarter, according to DisplaySearch.

The report also claims that Samsung, LG, and Japan Display will also begin supplying 7.9-inch panels for the next-generation iPad mini, although it declines to state whether the displays will be of Retina resolution or not. A Wall Street Journal story last week stated that the next-generation iPad mini is indeed likely to feature a high-resolution display from Samsung, with screens also being supplied from LG and Sharp. The next-generation iPad mini is expected to launch sometime in the fall.

Apple has been reported to be seeking to reduce its reliance on Samsung as a component supplier due to continuing tensions between the two companies as they have increasingly become top competitors in the mobile device market. But it has been reported for several months now that Apple is returning to Samsung as a display supplier due to its technological advantages and production capacity.

A customer satisfaction survey of streaming video services by analytics firm ForeSee has placed Apple’s iTunes Store in first place with a score of 80, ahead of other popular video services such as HBO GO and Netflix, which both finished with a score of 79. The survey also revealed tendencies about individual usage, such as how often users make visits to premium video services and the number of minutes users spend on streaming services per visit.

iTunes is the de facto experience when consumers are using Apple’s iOS platform. The iTunes app comes pre-installed on iPhones and iPads. It is a significant market advantage that users do not have to elect to download the app. Also, it provides guidance to other content and media apps since the iTunes app’s user experience has become the standard for how other apps look, feel, and behave. Millions of consumers then actively choose to engage with iTunes to download content.

Last year, ForeSee ranked Apple second in mobile shopping satisfaction behind Amazon. Apple originally started selling videos on the iTunes Store in October 2005, and expanded movie content to 42 new countries in December of last year, bringing the total number of countries with access to purchased and rental iTunes Store movie content to over 100.