Apple and Foxconn have each responded to various claims made in ABC’s Nightline segment that took a look inside two Foxconn factories in an effort to shed light on their working conditions. Responding to a comment made by one worker who claimed she carves aluminum shavings from 6,000 iPad cases each day, Apple said this was likely the result of a miscommunication. “In manufacturing parlance this is called deburring. Her line processes 3,000 units per shift, with two shifts per day for a total of 6,000. A single operator at Ms. Zhou’s station would deburr 3,000 iPads in a shift,” Apple told ABC. Read on for more.

ABC noted in its report that the starting wages at Foxconn’s factories are so low that workers don’t even have to pay income taxes. “We have over 75 percent of the employees in the category of earning at least 2,200 RMB ($349/month) basic compensation standar,” a Foxconn spokesperson told ABC. “That means they are earning 13.75 RMB ($2.18) per hour. If they work overtime on the weekend, they will earn 27 RMB ($4.28) per hour. In order to reach 3500 to be taxable, they will have to work 47 OT hours to reach 3,500.”

The spokesperson continued, “If the overtime hours are in weekdays, they have to work around 63 hours per month to reach that level of salary to be taxable. Your statement is only true when applying to the entry-level workers while over 75 percent are already over the probation and earning more than 2,200 RMB basic salary.”

While nothing startling was uncovered by ABC’s look inside the “iFactory,” a number of concerning reports surrounding facilities maintained by Apple’s supply and manufacturing partners have emerged recently. The Fair Labor Association’s preliminary inspections found “tons of issues” in Foxconn’s factories, one report alleges that Foxconn hid underage workers while ABC filmed in its factories and two workers claiming to have been poisoned by a cleaning agent while working in a plant that assembles iPhone displays on Wednesday pleaded for the public to demand action.

Google on Monday responded to a new round of finger pointing, this time from Microsoft, which claimed Google was using falsified cookie policies to bypass certain security features in the Internet Explorer Web browser. The new accusations followed an earlier revelation that Google and other advertisers were using “a special code” to bypass Safari’s third-party cookie policies. Google had apparently heard enough, however, as the company issued a response to Microsoft’s allegations late Monday evening. Read on for more.

“Microsoft omitted important information from its blog post today,” Google wrote in a statement. “Microsoft uses a ‘self-declaration’ protocol (known as ‘P3P’) dating from 2002 under which Microsoft asks websites to represent their privacy practices in machine-readable form. It is well known – including by Microsoft – that it is impractical to comply with Microsoft’s request while providing modern web functionality. We have been open about our approach, as have many other websites.”

In the end, Google’s stance is essentially, no we don’t comply with the policy but it’s outdated and most other companies don’t comply with it either. “Today the Microsoft policy is widely non-operational,” Google wrote. “A 2010 research report indicated that over 11,000 websites were not issuing valid P3P policies as requested by Microsoft.”

Verizon Wireless on Friday announced that it is canceling plans to charge a $2 convenience fee to customers making one-time bill payments online or over the phone. The carrier announced earlier this week that the new fee would allow it to continue providing subscribers with the option to make one-time payments using its web-based and telephone payment systems. Following a rash of negative press and customer complaints, Verizon confirmed that it will scrap plans to introduce the new fee next month. “At Verizon, we take great care to listen to our customers, Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead said in a statement. “Based on their input, we believe the best path forward is to encourage customers to take advantage of the best and most efficient options, eliminating the need to institute the fee at this time.” The carrier’s full press release follows below.

Verizon Wireless Will Not Institute Single Payment Fee 

12/30/2011

Verizon Wireless has decided it will not institute the fee for online or telephone single payments that was announced earlier this week.

The company made the decision in response to customer feedback about the plan, which was designed to improve the efficiency of those transactions. The company continues to encourage customers to take advantage of the numerous simple and convenient payment methods it provides.

“At Verizon, we take great care to listen to our customers. Based on their input, we believe the best path forward is to encourage customers to take advantage of the best and most efficient options, eliminating the need to institute the fee at this time,” said Dan Mead, president and chief executive officer of Verizon Wireless.

A group of security researchers recently demonstrated on video that they have successfully gained root access to the QNX-based operating system found on Research In Motion’s BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. The PlayBook jailbreak and related “mack truck” security hole these hackers identified could have some serious implications for future BlackBerry devices, but RIM says users should not get ahead of themselves. “Research In Motion (RIM) is aware of a claim made on Twitter by security researchers working together that suggests the ability to ‘jailbreak’ a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet,” RIM said in a statement, noting that no BlackBerry smartphone users are affected. RIM also said it will begin working on a patch for the claimed security hole if its investigation determines the hackers’ claims are genuine, and it will also investigate any PlayBook jailbreaking tool released to the public. RIM’s full statement follows below, along with a video demonstration of security researcher “neuralic” gaining root access to a BlackBerry PlayBook.

Research In Motion (RIM) is aware of a claim made on Twitter by security researchers working together that suggests the ability to “jailbreak” a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. The term “jailbreaking” is commonly used to describe altering the software on a smartphone or tablet in order to obtain access to systems or applications not officially authorized or distributed by the manufacturer. BlackBerry smartphone users are not affected. RIM is currently investigating this claim and has been in contact with one of the security researchers to discuss it.

RIM is currently not aware of a jailbreak being leveraged by anyone other than the researchers, who claim to have performed a jailbreak on their own BlackBerry PlayBook tablets only. If it is determined that the claim is accurate, RIM will follow its standard response process to develop and release a software update that is designed to minimize adverse impact to our customers or carrier partners. RIM is aware that the security researchers have stated they intend to release a tool to jailbreak the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. If such a tool is released, RIM will investigate it.

The security of mobile devices and major networked systems is tested by third-party security researchers every day. RIM also continually tests the security of its own products, and volunteers its products to recognized industry experts for security testing and certification to help identify possible issues. RIM is committed to the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet and to working with researchers to continue to protect our customers.

AT&T on Tuesday issued a statement after the Federal Communications Commission took preliminary steps toward blocking AT&T’s proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA. The FCC said it is not convinced the merger will in fact create jobs as AT&T has promised, and it said it will hold an administrative hearing to examine the deal. The hearing, however, will not take place until after the Department of Justice’s lawsuit against the merger, which will go to trial in February 2012, runs its course. ”The FCC’s action today is disappointing,” AT&T’s senior vice president of Corporate Communications Larry Solomon said in a statement. ”It is yet another example of a government agency acting to prevent billions in new investment and the creation of many thousands of new jobs at a time when the US economy desperately needs both. At this time, we are reviewing all options.”

HTC has issued a new statement addressing concerns over a security flaw recently discovered on several of its Android-powered smartphones. The vulnerability could allow third-party apps to access and steal private data including SMS messages, contact data, system logs, location information and more. ”HTC takes claims related to the security of our products very seriously. In our ongoing investigation into this recent claim, we have concluded that while this HTC software itself does no harm to customers’ data, there is a vulnerability that could potentially be exploited by a malicious third-party application. A third party malware app exploiting this or any other vulnerability would potentially be acting in violation of civil and criminal laws.” HTC says that it has not yet received any reports of malware exploiting the security flaw, and it recommends using caution when installing or updating applications from untrusted sources until a patch is issued in the near future. HTC’s full statement follows below (emphasis added by HTC).

HTC takes claims related to the security of our products very seriously. In our ongoing investigation into this recent claim, we have concluded that while this HTC software itself does no harm to customers’ data, there is a vulnerability that could potentially be exploited by a malicious third-party application. A third party malware app exploiting this or any other vulnerability would potentially be acting in violation of civil and criminal laws. So far, we have not learned of any customers being affected in this way and would like to prevent it by making sure all customers are aware of this potential vulnerability.

HTC is working very diligently to quickly release a security update that will resolve the issue on affected devices. Following a short testing period by our carrier partners, the patch will be sent over-the-air to customers, who will be notified to download and install it. We urge all users to install the update promptly. During this time, as always, we strongly urge customers to use caution when downloading, using, installing and updating applications from untrusted sources.

The already-bloody battle over AT&T’s proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA recently became an all-out war. Sprint has been vocal with its opposition of the merger since day one, and comments from company CEO Dan Hesse on Wednesday may have shed some light on a previously undisclosed reason for Sprint’s stance. “I don’t believe that what the DOJ said in any way, not even a little bit, should be viewed as we want to keep four,” Hesse said at an investor conference. “My view is [the Justice Department] would look at other consolidation very differently.” Hesse went on to suggest that a “very strong argument” could be made that regulators would approve a merger between Sprint and T-Mobile. In light of these comments, AT&T has gone on record in stating that Sprint has been lying about its motives for the past several months. Read on for more.

“Yesterday, the CEO of Sprint said the Department of Justice should block AT&T from merging with T-Mobile, but would have good reasons to instead allow Sprint to purchase them,” Jim Cicconi, AT&T’s Senior Executive Vice President of External and Legislative Affairs, said in a statement delivered to BGR via email. ”For months Sprint has spoken disingenuously about their motives for opposing AT&T’s merger with T-Mobile. Now, Mr. Hesse’s public musings have made their motives much more clear. That they would act in their own economic interest is not surprising. That they would expect the United States Government to be a willing partner certainly is.”

In late August, the United States Department of Justice filed suit against AT&T in an attempt to block the T-Mobile merger. Sprint issued a statement later that day supporting the DOJ suit, stating, “By filing suit to block AT&T’s proposed takeover of T-Mobile, the DOJ has put consumers’ interests first.” AT&T responded as well by saying, “The DOJ has the burden of proving alleged anti-competitive affects and we intend to vigorously contest this matter in court.”

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse has been an outspoken opponent of AT&T’s proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA since it was announced earlier this year. Hesse has repeatedly warned that such a merger would “stifle innovation” and put “too much power would be in the hands of two,” and it is understandable that the CEO of the nation’s No. 3 wireless carrier would take such a stance. The Sprint chief may have given the world a bit more insight into his motives on Wednesday, however, when he made some interesting comments at an investor conference. Read on for more.

“I don’t believe that what the DOJ said in any way, not even a little bit, should be viewed as we want to keep four,” Hesse told investors.”My view is [the Justice Department] would look at other consolidation very differently.” The CEO continued, suggesting that a “very strong argument” could be made that antitrust regulators would approve a hypothetical Sprint/T-Mobile merger.

Rumors of a potential marriage between Sprint and T-Mobile made the rounds several months ago, but they were obviously squashed when AT&T announced its plans for an acquisition. While Sprint and T-Mobile use different technologies for their cellular networks, Sprint’s “Network Vision” efforts allow the carrier to easily make use of multiple network technologies including WiMAX, LTE and even T-Mobile’s HSPA. BGR took an in-depth look at Sprint’s Network Vision gear this past summer.

Hesse made it clear that he was speaking hypothetically on Wednesday, however it was also quite clear that the executive has given the matter much thought. A merger of Sprint and T-Mobile would create a true competitor to Verizon Wireless and AT&T according to Hesse. If Sprint, the Justice Department and other opponents end up successfully blocking the proposed AT&T deal, don’t be surprised if Hesse is caught flying out to Bellevue for some closed-door meetings shortly thereafter.

T-Mobile on Friday issued a new statement to the press, reasserting its belief that AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile USA will ultimately be approved. Last week, attorneys general from seven states joined the United Stated Department of Justice’s lawsuit attempting to block the $39 billion deal. The DOJ’s suit argues that the takeover would eliminate T-Mobile as “an independent, low- priced” wireless option for U.S. consumers, adding that it would also remove a great deal of competition from a market already dominated by giant telcos. T-Mobile’s senior vice president of government affairs Tom Sugrue disagrees, obviously, and he says the merger will benefit consumers rather than harm them. “Given the numerous benefits the merger will bring to consumers, businesses, and the US economy in the form of greater innovation, enhanced competition, and increased jobs, we remain confident that the facts will prevail and the acquisition will proceed,” Sugrue said in a statement to the press. AT&T and T-Mobile have made consistent arguments in favor of the deal since it was first proposed but the companies have a long battle ahead, with opponents that now include Sprint, multiple U.S. states and the U.S. government.

HTC on Friday responded to user allegations that at least two of its smartphones, the HTC Sensation and the HTC EVO 3D, spy on users. BGR reported on Thursday that a new Android software update issued to these two handsets included tweaks that cause the OS to log users’ behavior. As discovered by InfectedROM forum member TrevE, Carrier IQ and four other processes in Android 2.3.4 purportedly gather usage stats and transmit them in the background. HTC has confirmed to BGR that these functions are all tied to an opt-in service however, and the Taiwan-based firm says it is not spying on anyone. Read on for more.

HTC confirmed to BGR that all of the data collected by the devices in question is encrypted, and any identifying data is stripped prior to transmission. Moreover, the vendor insists that the data collected by the processes in question is only sent to HTC if the user has previously opted in to an error reporting feature. “HTC, like most manufacturers, has an opt-in error reporting function built in to our devices,” an HTC spokesperson said in a statement delivered to BGR via email. “If your phone experiences an error, you have the option of ‘Telling HTC’ so we can make improvements to our phones. Details about this are in our privacy policy on each device and in order for data to be collected, you have to opt-in. If you do opt-in, we protect your privacy by de-identifying and encrypting the data.”

The statement goes on to reassure users that any data that might be transmitted with regard to the processes discovered on InfectedROM is tied to opt-in functions. The company also notes that none of the data is used to spy on users, but rather to investigate crashes and other unexpected errors. “HTC is committed to protecting your privacy and that means a commitment to clear opt-in/opt-out as the standard for collecting any information we need to serve you better,” HTC said in its statement.

In response to the U.S. government’s lawsuit against AT&T’s planned $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile, Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski issued the following statement on behalf of the FCC :

By filing suit today, the Department of Justice has concluded that AT&T’s acquisition of T-Mobile would substantially lessen competition in violation of the antitrust laws. Competition is an essential component of the FCC’s statutory public interest analysis, and although our process is not complete, the record before this agency also raises serious concerns about the impact of the proposed transaction on competition. Vibrant competition in wireless services is vital to innovation, investment, economic growth and job creation, and to drive our global leadership in mobile. Competition fosters consumer benefits, including more choices, better service and lower prices.

AT&T responded to the DoJ lawsuit earlier and said that it plans to ask for an expedited hearing and is confident that the merger is “in the best interest of the consumers and our country.”

AT&T has issued a formal response to the U.S. government’s lawsuit seeking to blocking the carrier’s $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA. “We are surprised and disappointed by today’s action, particularly since we have met repeatedly with the Department of Justice and there was no indication from the DOJ that this action was being contemplated,” said AT&T Senior Executive Vice President and General Counsel Wayne Watts in a statement delivered to BGR via email. “We plan to ask for an expedited hearing so the enormous benefits of this merger can be fully reviewed. The DOJ has the burden of proving alleged anti-competitive affects and we intend to vigorously contest this matter in court.” Watts continued, “We remain confident that this merger is in the best interest of consumers and our country, and the facts will prevail in court.” AT&T’s full statement follows below.

UPDATE: The FCC has issued a statement regarding DOJ lawsuit, as has Sprint.

We are surprised and disappointed by today’s action, particularly since we have met repeatedly with the Department of Justice and there was no indication from the DOJ that this action was being contemplated.

We plan to ask for an expedited hearing so the enormous benefits of this merger can be fully reviewed. The DOJ has the burden of proving alleged anti-competitive affects and we intend to vigorously contest this matter in court.

At the end of the day, we believe facts will guide any final decision and the facts are clear. This merger will:

• Help solve our nation’s spectrum exhaust situation and improve wireless service for millions.
• Allow AT&T to expand 4G LTE mobile broadband to another 55 million Americans, or 97% of the population;
• Result in billions of additional investment and tens of thousands of jobs, at a time when our nation needs them most.

We remain confident that this merger is in the best interest of consumers and our country, and the facts will prevail in court.

It may seem that Google’s other Android partners would be upset by the search giant’s decision to acquire Motorola for $12.5 billion but that’s apparently not the case. Execs from HTC, LG, Samsung and Sony Ericsson spoke in support of the purchase earlier on Monday, and now HTC has issued a second statement on the deal. “We are supportive of Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility as this is a positive development to the Android ecosystem, which we believe is beneficial to HTC’s promotion of Android phones,” an HTC spokesperson told BGR on Monday. “The partnership between HTC and Google remains strong and will not be affected by this acquisition.” HTC’s CEO Peter Chou said his company welcomes the acquisition and noted Google’s commitment to defending Android, its partners and the entire ecosystem. Google’s CEO Larry Page said that the acquisition will allow Google to “better protect Android from anti-competitive threats from Microsoft, Apple and other companies.”

Apple and Microsoft are playing dirty, according to a new blog post by Google’s Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer David Drummond. Instead of attempting to build innovative products and features, Drummond says Apple and Microsoft are content with filing repeated patent complaints in an attempt to impede Android’s rapid growth. Apple, Microsoft and others are carrying out “a hostile, organized campaign against Android by Microsoft, Oracle, Apple and other companies, waged through bogus patents,” Drummond wrote in his post. “They’re doing this by banding together to acquire Novell’s old patents (the “CPTN” group including Microsoft and Apple) and Nortel’s old patents (the ‘Rockstar’ group including Microsoft and Apple), to make sure Google didn’t get them; seeking $15 licensing fees for every Android device; attempting to make it more expensive for phone manufacturers to license Android (which we provide free of charge) than Windows Mobile; and even suingBarnes & Noble, HTC, Motorola, and Samsung. Patents were meant to encourage innovation, but lately they are being used as a weapon to stop it.” Drummond goes on to write that Google intends to support its partners who are being targeted by these patent complaints. ”In this instance we thought it was important to speak out and make it clear that we’re determined to preserve Android as a competitive choice for consumers, by stopping those who are trying to strangle it,” Drummond stated.

Read

Minnesota Senator Al Franken sent a letter to the heads of the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice earlier this week, stating that AT&T’s proposed $39 billion acquisition of T-Mobile USA was not in the best interest of the American public. “The competitive effects of a merger of this size and scope will reverberate throughout the telecommunications sector for decades to come and will affect consumer prices, customer service, innovation, competition in handsets and the quality and quantity of network coverage. These threats are too large and too irrevocable to be prevented or alleviated by conditions,” Franken wrote. The Minnesota democrat also said that the deal could cost thousands of Americans their jobs. T-Mobile issued a statement in response to Franken’s note late on Tuesday, stating plainly that Franken’s assessment of the deal is wrong. “While we respect Senator Franken, his analysis of our pending transaction is just wrong,” T-Mobile said in a note to the press. “The combination of T-Mobile and AT&T should be approved because it will deliver what consumers are looking for in the age of smart phones, tablets and mobile internet – speed, service quality and reduced costs. As is documented in our government filings, the combination of our two networks creates significant efficiencies that will trigger strong benefits for consumers. We are confident that a thorough review of the record will demonstrate the transaction advances the public interest.”