Apple has responded to a lawsuit filed against a number of developers by patent holder Lodsys, arguing that they are protected under the company’s license, and that pursuing them in this way would adversely affect Apple’s business.

Applying for permission to intervene in the cases brought by the IP organisation earlier this month, Apple reiterated its view that developers were covered by an existing licence.

"The license expressly permits Apple to offer and otherwise make available to its...

A number of iOS developers in the US have been hit with lawsuits alleging patent infringement over Apple’s in-app purchasing features for Apps Store software.

Following a threat which gave developers 21 days to secure licenses for the sue of what it claims is patented software, Lodsys has now filed the lawsuit this week the U.S District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, a district known for providing a favourable outcome for patent holders.

The claim concerns the firm’s US patent for, "Methods and...

Software AG has announced the acquisition of the Metismo, the UK-based creator of Bedrock, the platform that allows developers to write applications for multiple smartpones using Java.

The platform helps smooth out problems caused by the many permutation of handset type and their various idiosyncrasies. The financial details of the deal have not been released.

Software AG specialises in enterprise applications, and says that this acquisition will allow its developers to solve the complex issues around...

Broadcasting giant Sky has launched its own developer ‘academy’ to research development of mobile and web apps.

The company is looking for software developers who are getting started in their career, to start work in September. Training will combine technical skills development with hands-on work around a number of projects across the business.

“For anyone looking to embark on a career in this industry it’s a great opportunity to access on the job training and a chance to work on some...

Google has added merchant sales reporting to its Android Market, enabling developers to access monthly reports detailing the financial performance of their apps.

Hosted in the Android Market Developer Console, the new reporting functionality will provide analysis of data from Google Checkout, including details of each application sale, device type, sale currency and conversion rate, allowing developers to better manage their pricing schemes.

Reports will be hosted within the Developer Console as well as being...

Despite headlines stating that Android has overtaken iOS as the best selling smartphone phone platform, it would seem that developers are holding on to their preference for Apple’s platform.

Research from Appcelerator, who interviewed almost 3000 developers, cited fragmentation and slow growth of the Android platform as a major reason for opting for iOS.

Distribution over so many different types of devices makes Android marginally less attractive to developers, the report suggested. The differing device...

The Android app store has more free apps and will soon be larger than Apple’s, according to a report from app store analyst Distimo.

Apple’s store has led the field since its inception in 2008, offering thousands more applications than any of its competitors, but that could all come to an end if growth trends continue.

Google Android Market will overtake its key rival in just five months if this happens, said the report, with Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 Marketplace growing to become the...