2 Apple Stories Flying Under The Radar This Week

• Shares of Apple Inc. AAPL are down roughly 4.8 percent since the beginning of the year on concerns regarding iPhone production cuts and some other less discussed news.
• The company is being sued, accused of feigning a partnership with Valencell.
• Management is said to be preparing an aggressive retail expansion into Latin America.

Two Apple stories have been flying under the radar this week. Let's take a look into these developments and into what JP Morgan's Rod Hall and his team think about them.

The Lawsuit

On the first working day of 2016, biometrics firm Valencell filed a lawsuit against Apple for patent infringement, deceptive trade practices, and breach of contract. The company has accused Apple of feigning interest in a partnership – which never occurred, consequently gaining access to critical information and prototypes.

The patented technology was later allegedly implemented without authorization in the Apple Watch heart rate sensor, Valencell said.

"From a sentiment point of view this could turn into a slight negative, though considering other larger IP disputes, we doubt this ends up being material for earnings," Hall said in a report issued Wednesday.

All About LatAm

Apple is reportedly planning an aggressive retail expansion into Latin America. The company plans to open new Apple stores across Mexico and South America. It seems like the two first outlets will be in Mexico City.

Analysts at JP Morgan explained that the Latin American market is already an important one for Apple. However, they "like the idea of an increased retail presence there."

Disclosure: Javier Hasse holds no positions in any of the securities mentioned above.