Bose and Beats Electronics each have until Monday to file a “discovery statement" at the International Trade Commission describing information and evidence that each side plans to submit “to prove its own case” as well as evidence to be sought from “other parties and third persons,” said an evidentiary order signed Monday by Administrative Law Judge David Shaw (http://1.usa.gov/1rpJb1b). Bose has alleged Beats noise-canceling headphones violate five Bose patents, and Beats has denied the allegations on grounds that the patents are not “valid or enforceable” (CED Sept 23 p6). The discovery statements also need to contain a “proposed procedural schedule” of important dates in the case, including the scheduling of an evidentiary hearing and how long the hearing is expected to take, Shaw’s order said. “In view” of Shaw’s “current docket,” it’s “likely” the hearing will take place in early May, the order said.

The FCC unlicensed devices rulemaking notice approved by the agency Tuesday (CED Sept 1 p4) asks questions about how to improve white spaces databases, as well as dozens of other often highly technical questions. The FCC posted the notice, which runs 87 pages without commissioner statements, Wednesday (http://bit.ly/1vxJFBU). The NPRM says the FCC is examining whether it should allow white spaces devices to operate in the whites spaces that remain in a larger part of the broadcast band than is now permitted. “We believe that it is appropriate to revisit the Commission’s previous decisions to prohibit personal/portable device operation on channels 14-20 and below channel 14,” the FCC said. “Since the time the Commission made these decisions, it has designated multiple TV bands database administrators and has had extensive experience working with their databases.” Comments are due 45 days after publication in the Federal Register, replies 20 days later. The size of guard bands and the duplex gap will depend on how much spectrum is recovered in the auction, the agency said. The guard band between wireless downlink services and TV spectrum could be 7, 9 or 11 MHz wide, the notice said: “The duplex gap will be 11 megahertz wide under all spectrum recovery scenarios, but its frequency location will depend on the amount of spectrum recovered."

JVC Americas and Kenwood U.S.A. completed their merger, announced in April, that aims to streamline operations and spur innovation, the companies said Wednesday. JVC and Kenwood brands will remain distinct in their respective user markets and sales channels, the companies said. Sales and marketing of car electronics for both brands, along with JVCKenwood USA headquarters, will continue to be based in Long Beach, California, while sales and marketing of communications and security products will be in Suwanee, Georgia, they said. Sales and marketing of AV and professional camera products will remain in Wayne, New Jersey. The combination of the two companies will lead to new product and system areas for consumer and professional markets, they said. In 2008, JVC and Kenwood said they would combine businesses, R&D and other work in under the corporate structure JVC Kenwood Holdings but with plans to retain their identities as separate operating companies.

LG began selling a 21:9 curved 34-inch monitor in the U.S. Wednesday, incorporating an in-plane switching screen and Ultra Quad HD panel with 3400 x 1440 resolution. “Many people spend more time in front of computer monitors than they do in front of TVs, and yet the industry hasn’t delivered the same level of innovation when it comes to monitors,” said Tim Alessi, LG’s U.S. head of new product development, in a news release. The curved screen provides a more immersive viewing experience, Alessi said. The $1,299 monitor is compatible with PCs and Macs and supports Thunderbolt 2 for high-speed data transfers, the company said. On the audio side, the 34UC97 also features MaxxAudio and a 7-watt stereo speaker system. LG’s 34UC97 will be available nationwide in October at online and regional retailers including Adorama, Amazon, Fry’s B&H, Newegg and Tiger Direct, LG said.

Sinclair’s court challenge of the FCC incentive auction order would deprive the broadcasters in the Expanding Opportunities for Broadcasters Coalition of the chance to participate in the auction, the EOBC said in a motion to intervene filed Wednesday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit Wednesday. The EOBC motion seeks only to intervene against Sinclair’s challenge, not the narrower NAB filing it has been consolidated with, the motion said. CEA also asked to intervene solely against Sinclair (CED Sept. 30 p4). “EOBC member broadcasters have relied in good faith that the auction will occur under the rules adopted in the Report and Order and on the timetable set forth by the FCC,” the motion said. By asking the court to vacate or enjoin the auction order, Sinclair’s petition is a threat to the EOBC plans, the motion said. “If successful, Petitioner’s appeal will harm EOBC’s members,” the motion said.

Correction: An FCC declaratory ruling said that in the incentive auction process the agency will permit only 0.5 percent interference to another station’s viewers (http://bit.ly/1vxTOOR) (CED Oct 1 p5).

One of every eight U.K. homes uses streaming services to watch TV, while tablets and smartphones are the “go-to” browsing devices in a third of British homes, and one in every 10 millennials doesn’t own a PC or laptop, said a survey report released Monday by the U.K. firm Post Office HomePhone and Broadband. Streaming or downloading TV programs ranked as one of the top three most popular uses for broadband at home, with 12 percent of homes viewing TV shows mainly via online channels, the report said. The survey of 2,000 British consumers in mid-August also found that nearly a third of U.K. homes use a smartphone or tablet as their main browsing device at home. But PCs and laptops still remain popular for accessing the Internet at home, though not among the youngest consumers, it said. Only 15 percent of 18-24-year-olds use PCs as their main browsing platform compared with two in five consumers over 55, it said. “Streaming and on-demand entertainment services respond to the needs of the time-poor consumer and our report demonstrates how the convenience of these entertainment channels is beginning to dominate the UK’s home browsing activity,” the company said. “While smartphones and tablets provide convenience when accessing the Internet away from home, it’s interesting to see that they are now superseding the PC and laptop as the device of choice in nearly of third of households as well."

Apple said the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available in China beginning Oct. 17, with pre-orders available from Apple online beginning Oct. 10 (bit.ly/1uyNoBb). IPhone 6 and 6 Plus customers will have access to 4G/LTE networks from China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom across mainland China, Apple said Tuesday. At Tuesday currency conversion rates of roughly 6.14 yuan renminbi = $1, the iPhone 6 price for the China market was given as $860.57 for the 16GB model, $990.76 for the 64GB model and $1,122 for the 128 GB version. Prices for the iPhone 6 Plus were given as $990.76 for the 16 GB version, $1,120.95 for the 64 GB model and $1,267.41 for the 128 GB model, Apple said. U.S subsidized pricing with two-year contracts started at $199 for the iPhone 6 and $299 for the iPhone 6 Plus at Apple.com and carrier websites. No-contract U.S. pricing for the 16 GB versions of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus were $649.99 and $749.99 at AT&T Wireless Tuesday, we found.

Global shipments of branded tablets will rise by a “disappointing” 2.5 percent in 2014, ABI Research said Tuesday (http://bit.ly/1tegvnG). Apple and Samsung continued to lead branded vendors in unit share during 2014’s first half, but with “mixed fortunes,” it said. First-half unit shipments of iPads fell 13 percent from a year earlier, while Samsung units were up 26 percent, it said. “The roller coaster ride from the leading two tablet vendors has market watchers looking to other vendors to create sustainable growth,” it said. “All eyes are on Lenovo as it is one of few to demonstrate consistent growth over the past year.” Lenovo remains the world’s biggest PC supplier, but now sells more smartphones and tablets than it does PCs, and is the world’s third-largest tablet supplier, Lenovo said in the run-up to the IFA show last month in Berlin (CED Sept 3 p6). Meanwhile, DisplaySearch similarly sees tablet shipments rising only 2 percent this year, the company said Tuesday (http://bit.ly/1uagAwO). That’s a marked downgrade from the 14 percent growth DisplaySearch predicted in a previous forecast, the company said. It sees tablet demand growing by single digits through 2018, as leading brands “are changing their business plans,” because the rapid growth of tablets over the past several years “is ending,” it said. “We can expect to see more competitive overlap among display sizes for tablet PCs, notebook PCs, and smartphones, as Apple has announced its new iPhone 6 Plus, with an increased screen size of 5.5 inches, and Microsoft has introduced its new Surface Pro 3 models, with 12-inch screens.” It sees tablets up to 7.9 inches becoming “cannibalized somewhat” by 5.5-inch-and-larger smartphones, it said. Shipments of tablets with 11-inch-and-larger screens will rise from a 2 percent share this year to 14 percent in 2018, as tablets directly compete with smaller laptops with screen sizes up to 13 inches, it said.

Delphi Automotive will acquire media connectivity module supplier Unwired Technology in a deal that’s expected to close in Q4, terms undisclosed, the companies said Tuesday. “Media connectivity is a high-growth segment as auto manufacturers respond quickly to consumers’ increasing desire to integrate their smartphones and tablets in their vehicles,” said Delphi CEO Rodney O'Neal in a statement. “Unwired’s products strengthen our overall electrical architecture and electrical connector offerings, which is supporting increased electronics content per vehicle.” As CE products become more advanced, “automakers are integrating increasingly complex modules and hubs,” Delphi said. Unwired’s connectivity products provide two-way data connections between smartphones and tablets and in-car infotainment systems, “allowing consumers to safely access content in the vehicle,” it said. “These media connectivity modules can handle multiple devices, provide high-speed charging capabilities and enable seamless access to content through emerging infotainment software solutions."