Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt says his company and Apple are friendly, despite some evidence to the contrary. Speaking to reporters in South Korea today, Schmidt said Apple “is actually a very good partner” of Google’s. According to the Korea Times, which was first to report on his comments, Schmidt went on to say that …

Samsung Galaxy S3 owners are subject to a vulnerability that can actually be fixed with an over-the-air update. Samsung today said that users can install a security update over the air that will safeguard them from a vulnerability that could allow someone to remotely delete all of their personal data from the handset. Security researcher Ravi Borgaonkar discovered the flaw …

Apple’s iOS users seem more willing to try new things than those running Android. Advertising network Chitika yesterday released the results of a report on browser usage across mobile platforms. The company found that Safari, the default browser in iOS, is used by 85 percent of the folks running that operating system. Chrome, which sat atop the App Store’s listing …

Nokia today unveiled two new Asha handsets in a concerted effort to appeal to customers in emerging markets. Dubbed the Asha 308 and the Asha 309, the devices come with 3-inch touchscreens and 2-megapixel rear cameras. Unlike the company’s Lumia line, the handsets aren’t running Windows Phone. Instead, they run Nokia’s Series 40 operating system, which it offers to consumers …

Nokia has found a vulnerability in Apple’s armor, and it’s taking advantage. The mobile company yesterday posted a blog on its site discussing the value of its mapping applications. Although some gloating might have been warranted, Nokia just couldn’t help itself from taking a few swipes at Apple and Google. “Unlike our competitors, which are financing their location assets with …

Samsung today won an important ruling against Apple in Germany. The Mannheim Regional Court ruled today that Samsung does not violate a patent Apple holds related to touchscreen functionality in mobile devices. According to the Korea Times, which was first to report on the judgement, the patent in question relates to the way a touchscreen interprets finger inputs. Apple and …

Patent troll Unwired Planet has gone on the offensive against Apple and Google. The company has reportedly filed patent-infringement complaints against the companies over their alleged use of its intellectual property in mobile products. Unwired Planet charges Apple with violating 10 patents related to everything from its device designs to cloud services. Google, too, was hit with 10 claims. RRT …

Groupon Payments, the daily-deals provider’s answer to Square, is going nationwide. The company announced on its blog yesterday that its merchants across the U.S. will now be able to sign up for Groupon Payments. Upon doing so, they’ll be able to accept major credit cards by simply popping the Groupon card swipe accessory into an iPhone or iPod Touch and …

ZTE, one of China’s most prominent handset makers, plans to launch smartphones running the new Firefox OS early next year. Speaking today to reporters in China, the company said it will launch handsets running Firefox OS in the first quarter of 2013. According to the Wall Street Journal, which was in attendance at the press event, the company didn’t say …

Apple is helping accessory makers out with a neat new look at its latest iPods. The company recently published the full schematics on its recently announced fifth-generation iPod Touch (PDF) and seventh-generation iPod Nano (PDF). The drawings might not be all that useful for the average consumer, but they’re an important resource for developers and accessory makers. With help from …