On CE - For Dealers, Distributors and OEMs of Consumer Electronics throughout EMEA

The legal battle between Apple and Samsung hits the San Jose courts, marking the beginning of the patent jury of the year, if not the century-- one forcing the two companies to reveal a few interesting secrets.

As we all know, this US-based legal battle is just one of many spread all over the globe. Recent Apple vs Samsung decisions already took place in British and German courts.

Will Apple convince the jury it can claim monopoly on a design amounting to a rectangular screen with rounded corners? Samsung hopes not, accusing Apple of stifling "legitimate competition" in order to "maintain its historically exorbitant profits."

Apple claims Samsung infringes 4 design patents and 3 utility patents, and demands $2.5 billion in damages. Meanwhile Samsung demands a 2.4% royalty rate on iOS device prices for the infringement of 5 communications patents.

We all know the iPhone is already replacing most remotes. But a recent Apple patent application details extensive plans for a future iPhone acting as a controller for virtually all devices via Near Field Communications (NFC).

The 114 page "System and Method for Simplified Control of Electronic Devices" document shows an extensive variety of devices being controlled by an NFC-equipped iPhone-- from multiple Apple TVs, iMacs and a variety of iPods to 3rd party devices such as STBs, a Playstation console, security systems or home sprinkler systems.

The NFC-capable iPhone on the patent uses a radio frequency identification (RFID) app to search and pair up with nearby RFID-capable devices. Once it discovers a device, the iPhone automatically installs the appropriate controller plug-in.

An optional barcode-based pairing system (where the user scans a barcode using the iPhone camera) provides additional security.

The patent application also details how users can select and control any number of devices, with an NFC app allowing the sorting of devices by category ("Entertainment," "Home," Office") and proximity to the iPhone.

Other proposals include using a weather app to automatically adjust thermostat settings or previewing photos from a digital camera on the iPhone display.

For those following, rumours of an NFC-capable iPhone are not exactly news. This patent all but confirms such rumours-- should remote vendors start worrying on how the iPhone might oust them even further?

Go System and Method for Simplified Control of Electronic Devices

Global Q2 2012 tablet shipments reach 25 million units according to IDC estimates-- up from 18.7m in Q1 2011, with growth reaching 33.6% Q-o-Q and 66.2% Y-o-Y.

As one can predict, Apple continues to own the tablet market with 68.2% market share and Q2 2012 shipments reaching 17m units thanks to the "strong" March new iPad launch. IDC says "the vast majority" of customers still favour iPads over the competition despite slowdown in mature markets, while vertical markets also show "increasingly strong" iDevice interest.

Far behind is Samsung, in 2nd place with shipments reaching 2.4m units (up from 1.1m in Q2 2011) and 7.3% market share thanks to "exceptional" 117.6% Q-o-Q growth. Amazon also sees something of a rebound, with the US-only Kindle Fire shipping 1.2m units.

Asus shipments total 855454-- but it is worth nothing shipments of the well-reviewed Asus-made Google-branded Nexus 7 will only start to factor in analyst totals from Q3 2012.

The tablet market should become even more interesting from H2 2012 onwards. Aside from new products from both Amazon and (most likely) Apple, we should be seeing Microsoft's Surface tablet and Windows 8 and RT-powered devices from October 2012. Will customers manage decide between the various mobile flavours of Android and Windows, or simply go straight for familiar iOS staple?

Go IDC WW Quarterly Tablet Tracker

According to senior Best Buy executive J.D. Wilson Best Buy founder (and ex-chairman) Richard Schulze is looking for a few good men-- execs able to lead should Schultze manage to buy the retailer back.

“He is talking to people he trusts,” Wilson tells Bloomberg. “There is a small group he’d like to have with him... He is serious as a heart attack.” More than serious, that.

Wilson was apparently approached by Schulze, and will work with him should the deal actually happen.

Schulze is also reportedly talking to is former CEO Brand Anderson, who expresses interest in such a position to (anonymous) Bloomberg sources deep within the Best Buy hierarchy.

Other sources claim Schulze is yet to reach an agreement with anyone yet, even if he is in talks with potential investors and private-equity firms.

Back on June 2012 the WSJ first reported on Schulze's plan to take over Best Buy, turning it into a privately owned company in order to "preserve the value of his holding." While Best Buy might be struggling in the face of online retail, it is still not an easy purchase-- Wall Street estimates it probably costs over $11 billion. Schulze owns the biggest chunk of Best Buy, a 20% stake valued at around $1.4bn.

However analysts suggest a Best Buy buyout would only be possible should the retailer "sweeten" the deal by selling off its European and Chinese units.

Schulze founded Best Buy 46 years ago, and he led until 2002. He was forced to resign from his position as Best Buy chairman back in May 2012, following his failure to report the "improper relationship" between former CEO Brian Dunn and a 29-year old female employee.

Go Best Buy Founder Schulze Recruiting Executives for Buyout (Bloomberg)

Go Best Buy Founder to Buy Best Buy?