Apple and Samsung have been conducting private talks about working out their ongoing patent disputes, with Samsung pushing for a cross-licensing deal that would settle all outstanding litigation, according to a report. Drawing from heavily redacted legal documents and unnamed people familiar with the discussions, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the two companies …

Apple has quietly acquired a location-based data company, an Apple spokesman confirmed Friday. Related stories Apple Confirms iPhone 14 Pro Camera Shake Issue, Says Fix Coming Next Week How to Take iOS 16’s Most Annoying Features Off Your iPhone Apple SharePlay Makes Movie Night From Afar Easy Speaking to All Things Digital, Apple confirmed its acquisition of Locationary. The small …

We’ve got woes in different area codes — number shortage woes, that is. Ringing your neighbour from your landline could require more button presses in future as Ofcom, the UK’s telecoms watchdog, gets people in several areas of the country to dial the area code. Callers in Aberdeen, Bradford, Brighton, Middlesbrough and Milton Keynes could have to add on their …

There’s yet another version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 on the cards, and it’s even faster. Leaked benchmarks from Antutu show off the performance of a new version of the Samsung Galaxy S4 LTE-Advanced, which adds even faster 4G to the S4. The benchmarks register a Qualcomm quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor clocked at 2.3 GHz. The model number is I9506. …

AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless have each introduced new “early upgrade” programs that allow wireless customers to trade in their smartphones as often as every six months. Are these plans really worth the cost? And which one offers the most value? I try to answer these questions in this Ask Maggie. As T-Mobile CEO John Legere said when he introduced …

The next edition of Google’s Nexus 7 tablet will outdo the current model with a speedier processor and two cameras, at least according to a photo served up by Engadget. An image showing alleged product details for the much-rumored new Nexus 7 spills more than a few beans. Manufactured by Asus, the 7-inch tablet will reportedly come with Android 4.3 …

Google’s experiment with the smartphone business continues to be a costly one. Motorola Mobility, which Google acquired a little more than a year ago, posted a loss of $342 million — 75 percent wider than its year-earlier hit. Revenue, meanwhile, rose 18 percent year over year to $998 million. Related stories Here’s How to Turn Your Old Android or iPhone …

LG has confirmed the long-awaited G2, in the process revealing it’s ditching the Optimus name for premium phones. LG confirmed the G2 would be its next flagship smart phone, and the first of a premium range to be branded with just a G. But the company for whom life is good stopped short of offering any details about the G2, …

Now playing: Watch this: Sprint’s 4-inch, LG Optimus F3 1:25 Prepaid carrier Virgin Mobile announced today that it will begin selling the LG Optimus F3 for $179.99. Related stories Virgin Hyperloop Lays Off Employees, Scratches Plans for Passenger Transport, Says Report Inside Virgin Hyperloop, I glimpse our high-speed transport future Virgin Hyperloop could revolutionize travel (with levitating pods) Already available …

Verizon posted a 21 percent gain in its second-quarter profit thanks to a one-time benefit from the recalculation of its pension plan and continued strength in its wireless business. Big Red posted a second-quarter profit of $5.2 billion, or 78 cents a share, compared with a year-earlier profit of $4.29 billion, or 64 cents a share. The company’s net income …