I don’t like some of the changes of the new App Store in iOS 6. That’s not a secret. But there is a single annoyance that goes way back before the iOS 6 days, all the way to when the App Store was relatively new in late 2008 and I got my first iPhone: the lack of a wish list.

I use the Wish List feature of iTunes a lot on my computer. Because I use iTunes mainly for buying apps and checking for updates, I rely on the Wish List to save interesting apps and games to check out later. However, I’ve dropped the occasional song or movie in the Wish List too.

The iTunes Wish List is simple and effective.

Too bad it doesn’t work on iOS devices.

While there have been some rumors on dedicated wish list features coming with an iOS update, in its current state the App Store (and iTunes Store) can’t use your iCloud account to sync items you’ve added to your wish list.

Recall by Overcommitted is not a wish list replacement in the sense that it’ll provide you with a list that syncs across devices. For that, I still use (and recommend) AppShopper, which is just phenomenal when it comes to tracking app updates and price drops with push notifications. Instead, Recall is about “never forgetting iTunes recommendations again”. It provides an alternative interface for the iTunes and App Stores, allowing you to save recommendations and create reminders for them. (more…)

The last 24 hours has seen a number of developments regarding various legal issues that involve Apple. It’s not the most riveting news, so rather than writing them up as separate posts, we’ve decided to combine them into one, easily digestible post.

Apple Responds to DOJ Allegations

Late yesterday, somewhat belatedly, Apple issued AllThingsD with a statement responding to the DOJ’s allegations of collusion with the big book publishers. It was a similar statement that the other publishers made earlier and conveyed the idea that Apple’s entrance into the e-book market disrupted Amazon’s prior monopoly in the market.

The DOJ’s accusation of collusion against Apple is simply not true. The launch of the iBookstore in 2010 fostered innovation and competition, breaking Amazon’s monopolistic grip on the publishing industry. Since then customers have benefited from eBooks that are more interactive and engaging. Just as we’ve allowed developers to set prices on the App Store, publishers set prices on the iBookstore.

Apple Permitted To Intervene in Lodsys Case

You may recall that Lodsys filed lawsuits against a number of iOS developers last year for allegedly violating their patents. Apple filed a motion to intervene in the case last year, claiming that the licensing it has attained from Lodsys itself also protects third party developers on the App Store. The court yesterday agreed with Apple and has granted permission to Apple’s motion to intervene. Unfortunately, for many developers this is too little too late, with many settling with Lodsys early on to avoid costly legal fees.

Apple Loses Attempt To Restore Push Email to German iCloud Users

Apple had been forced to suspend email push services for German iCloud users earlier in February this year after Motorola succeeded in bringing an injunction against Apple. Today the Mannheim regional court upheld that decision and Apple will be required to pay damages to Motorola Mobility.

Apple Required to Compensate Tokyo Couple For iPod Nano that Burst Into Flames

In July 2010, a first generation iPod nano spontaneously burst into flames and caused burns to the owner’s hand that took more than a month to heal. Apple was required to pay the owner approximately US$7,400 for medical fees and compensation for the pain and suffering. Apple began a worldwide replacement program of the device last November.

[via, AllThingsD, TUAW, TNW, Cult of Mac]

Manufacturers may have to recall their line of Mini DisplayPort to HDMI cables as this type of connection is unlicensed. TechRadar has confirmed with HDMI Org that straight through MiniDisplay Port to HDMI male-to-male connectors (which you can find on Monoprice for example) are affected.

“The HDMI specification defines an HDMI cable as having only HDMI connectors on the ends. Anything else is not a licensed use of the specification and therefore, not allowed.”

It also noted: “All HDMI products undergo compliance testing as defined by the Compliance Testing Specification. ”The CTS clearly defines necessary tests for all products defined in the HDMI Specification. Since this new cable product is undefined in the Specification, there are no tests associated with this product. It cannot be tested against the Specification.”

There is an exception, however, in that Mini DisplayPort to HDMI female adapters (such as Moshi’s cable that Apple recommends with the purchase of a MacBook) are acceptable. MacBook Pro and iMac owners who need to connect to the big screen have viable workaround — you’ll have to use two cables instead of one while the current batch of unlicensed cables are yanked off the shelves. Apple sells Moshi’s Mini DP to HDMI adapter for $34.95 and an Apple HDMI cable for $19.99 in their online store.

[via TechRadar]

Image via Cables.com

Reports surfaced earlier today indicated Apple was in the process of recalling Verizon iPad 2 models that were being shipped from China (where they’re made) to the United States, leading to speculation that faulty units had been produced by Foxconn. In a brief note to All Things Digital, however, Apple has confirmed that they have recalled an “extremely small” number of Verizon iPad 2 due to a problem with device identifiers, otherwise known as ”mobile equipment identifiers” (MEIDs), which play a key role when setting up a new iPad for cellular data activation. Due to a problem with Verizon flashing the same MEID on different iPads, users could run into the impossibility of activating their device as it’s already registered on the carrier’s network.

Duplicate MEID numbers were flashed onto an extremely small number of iPad 2 units for the verizon 3G network,” an Apple representative said on Friday.

Although most of the small number of devices involved were still in the process of hitting the market, a few had already found their way into customers’ hands.

Some iPad 2 customers have reported receiving credits and free accessories as a compensation for the delay, although Apple hasn’t issued an official statement or policy in regards to this recall. It is also unclear what the company will do for those customers who have already got their hands on a Verizon iPad 2 with the wrong MEID, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if Apple contacted this small number of people to issue a full refund or send a new unit free of charge.

While Incipio isn’t giving anyone any freebies, they will give you five bucks towards one of their awesome cases. Macworld reports:

Incipio on Monday announced its “We Love Our Customers Too!” Bumper Trade-In Program. The short of the long is: you send Incipio your Apple iPhone 4 Bumper (which you presumably will obtain for free soon), and it will give you $5 off any Incipio product from its online store.

So get a rebate or a free bumper from Apple, turn yours into Incipio, get a $5 dollar coupon, and buy big baby.

[Incipio via Macworld]

It’s questionable whether Apple is silently recalling iPhones, yet iFixit is adamant to find out. Apple PR won’t confirm or deny the issue, so they’d like readers to confirm their problems via decoding the serial number and testing the impedance of the metal frame. They’d like to narrow down a particular manufacturing week in which the new changes took place — you can find all the information necessary to take on the task at the source link below.

[via iFixit]

If Apple were to recall the iPhone 4 (it’s likely they won’t), how much would it cost America’s most expensive company? Estimated at 1.5 Billion dollars, a recall which would be an incredibly expensive venture that Cupertino isn’t interested in perusing. Though if Apple doesn’t act on the iPhone 4 issues, the company is prospected to lose $900 Million anyway, possibly losing up to $200 Million each week the issue isn’t resolved. A cost effective solution could be to distribute free bumpers to customers; Apple sells the bumpers at $30 a pop, but it would only cost Apple $1 per iPhone to distribute free bumpers to customers as a patch according to Bernstein Research analyst Toni Sacconaghi.

[via AppleInsider (Recall and Loss Estimates) and TUAW]

Take this with a grain of salt for the time being. A Gizmodo reader detailed a recent iPhone 4 replacement that seems to be… different. It has a slightly different stainless steel edge than the launch model, and doesn’t drop calls.

So yeah, I’m skeptical. If Apple was replacing models, I imagine the Internet would explode.

(more…)

The Antenna issue is getting a bit out of hand, and while we didn’t explicitly cover Consumer Reports’ redacted statement in which they cannot recommend the iPhone 4 to consumers, Apple may be forced to recall their handset because of it. Cult of Mac recently spoke to quite a few PR Experts who are not only astounded at the “crisis,” but are placing bets that Apple will be forced to recall the iPhone 4 as the antenna issue is hardware related (and cannot be fixed by software).

(more…)