The Cook Era Begins; Apple Faces Pollution Claims in China

Every week, makes news with technology developments, business deals and, more often than not, controversies.

That’s where our weekly "Core Bytes" column on Apple comes in. We’ll relay the past week’s news highlights from our favorite backyard tech giant.

Controversies
Apple was recently singled out in China for the large number of faux, albeit realistic-looking, stores found throughout the country. But now it’s come under critique by Beijing-based environmental group Institute for Public and Environmental Affairs. In a 46-page report, the group states that Apple’s Chinese suppliers are guilty of discharging pollution and toxic waste into surrounding communities, and as a result threatening public health.

Software developer Openware has filed a lawsuit against Apple and Research in Motion, alleging that the the companies infringed on five of their patents. All the patents cover technology that allows users to sign onto the Internet via their phones. The most well known is Openwave’s 212 patent, which allows users to access email applications on a mobile device even when their network is unavailable.

Apple was slapped with even more legal trouble this week. In a lawsuit, Canadian patent holder Wi-Lan aleged that the company, alongside the likes of Hewlett-Packard and Dell, violated its technologies used in the CDMA, HSPA, Wi-Fi, and LTE networks it owns.

Is there really another missing iPhone prototype? A San Francisco man has said that six men came to his door, claiming to be police, and requesting that they search the premises for a missing iPhone. Yet the SFPD stated that no such investigation took place.

Business Deals and Developments
The Tim Cook era has begun at Apple, the week after its former CEO left and made way for the new. Cook has already asserted his upper hand, deeming iTunes leader Eddy Cue in charge of iAds, iCloud and all Apple online stores. Like Jobs, Cook has begun answering the occasional fan email, such as that of a fellow Auburn University alum who wrote, “Don’t be Steve Jobs, be Tim Cook.” Cook’s reply? “Don’t worry, it’s the only person I know how to be.”

Lisen Stromberg penned a for Palo Alto Patch about the other Steve, her neighbor. She writes about the Steve Jobs who dresses up as Frankenstein for Halloween, proudly attends his son’s graduation, and says 'hi' to his neighbors. The story was picked up around the world, from MacMagazine Brazil who, roughly translated, states the story “Helps us remember Steve Jobs is a human being like everyone else,” to the Guardian UK, who localizes the title themselves as “My neighbour, Steve Jobs.”