The Taiwanese National Communications Commission recently found 12 of the largest mobile phone manufacturers to be violating local laws. Manufacturers on the list include Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), HTC Corp (TPE:2498), Sony Corp (ADR) (NYSE:SNE) (TYO:6758), Xiaomi, and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:0059935).
The NCC discovered the problems when investigating allegations against Chinese brand Xiaomi. The allegations claimed the company obtained and transmitted user data without their permissions. Yu Hsaio-cheng explained to Apple Insider, “The key issue is that companies have to tell consumers if they are collecting their personal data or transferring it elsewhere. Our law is quite strict.”
Apple violates privacy laws: A closer look at regulations
The particular law relates to regulation that involves how companies collect infomation from users and how they process the information. It also includes a small number of problematic provision including limitations on personal information transfers internationally. This could affect the companies that don’t operate data centers in Taiwan.
In other Apple related news, there is a new patent that could keep future iPhone displays from shattering. The new patent covers a protective mechanism for electronic devices. It would use a motion sensor to tell the processor when the phone is in freefall. The processor would then change the center of device’s mass to prevent the phone from falling on a sensitive spot like the screen.
Description of the new patent
The patent is described in the following: “The protective mechanism may vary the angular momentum and/or orientation of the device during freefall by activating a thrust mechanism. The thrust mechanism may produce a thrust force in one or multiple directions in order to reorient the device. For example, the thrust mechanism may include a gas canister that may deploy the compressed gas outside of the device to change its orientation. In yet another example, the protective mechanism may activate an air foil to change the aerodynamics of the mobile electronic device. The air foil may help to reduce a velocity of the free-fall of the device by producing a lift force.”
