CalTech wins $1.1B patent case against Apple, Broadcom
The California Institute of Technology has won a $1.1B jury verdict in a patent case against Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO), though the latter two tech firms intend to appeal the verdict.
At issue: CalTech alleges that Broadcom wi-fi chips used in hundreds of millions of Apple iPhones infringed patents relating to data transmission technology.
Broadcom derived about a fifth of its sales from the iPhone maker in its fiscal 2019, and last week signed deals to sell as much as $15B worth of chips to Apple.
Apple topped Q4 smartphone shipments
Apple’s (AAPL -0.6%) iPhone shipments hit 72.9M in Q4 (+11% Y/Y), according to new data from Counterpoint Research.
Samsung sold 70M smartphones in the same period.
Counterpoint attributes Apple’s strength to the better-than-expected iPhone 11 performance and associated upgrade cycle.
For CY19, Samsung led the global smartphone market with 296.5M units, followed by Huawei with 238.5M and Apple with nearly 200M.
Samsung confirms new foldable device plans
Samsung (OTC:SSNNF,OTC:SSNLF) confirms that it will release another foldable phone this year but didn’t provide additional details.
Samsung exec, on the Q4 call: “Currently we are focusing on launching the new foldable model of a new form factor and also focusing on further enhancing the level of completeness of the product in terms of the display, the design and the UX.”
Citi launches new digital investment platform
Citi (NYSE:C) rolls out Citi Wealth Builder, a low-cost digital investing platform with professionally managed portfolios.
Customers can start using the new digital platform with an initial investment of $1,500 and no advisory fees for Citi Priority and Citigold clients on their initial portfolio; additional accounts have a 0.55% advisory fee.
The platform matches customers to one of six portfolios based on their responses to questions ranging from their level of comfort with market volatility to their retirement goals and how much they’ve saved to date.
The new digital advisory tool is powered by Jemstep, a subsidiary of Invesco (NYSE:IVZ).
The $1,980 device finally launched in September.
Mastercard invests in AI-powered authentication technology
Mastercard (NYSE:MA) makes an investment in Trust Stamp, an AI-powered authentication services company.
Trust Stamp applies advanced cryptographic techniques and AI-powered presentation-attack detection tools to biometric and other identity data to create a proprietary non-PII Hash, or EgHash.
The EgHash is unique to the subject and provides a tokenized identity that cannot be reverse engineered can be matched and deduplicated using Trust Stamp’s probabilistic AI, and verified via zero-knowledge-proofs.
The technology is used in multiple verticals, including humanitarian and development services, banking, fintech, KYC/AML compliance, real estate, and law enforcement.
