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Apple Reportedly Settles Multi-Touch Patent Lawsuit from Elan for $5 Million

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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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elan_logo_small-150x100.jpg


Reuters reports that Taiwanese company Elan Microelectronics has issued a statement announcing the settlement of a patent infringement dispute with Apple regarding multi-touch technology. According to Elan, Apple has agreed to pay $5 million and the two companies will cross-license certain patents to avoid future issues related to the intellectual property in question.
Elan Microelectronics Corp, a Taiwanese touch design company, said on Thursday that Apple Inc will pay $5 million as part of a settlement in a patent infringement case.

The statement said the two companies would also exchange authorizations to use each other's patents.
Click to expand...
The patent dispute between the two companies dates back to 2009, when Elan sued Apple over alleged infringement of a patent related to the detection of multiple-finger input as on the company's iOS devices, notebooks, and several accessories. Apple had also counter-sued Elan in 2009 in an attempt to gain leverage in the dispute.

Elan turned to the U.S. International Trade Commission in 2010, seeking a ban on imports of Apple's products, but the ITC ruled in Apple's favor last year.

Article Link: Apple Reportedly Settles Multi-Touch Patent Lawsuit from Elan for $5 Million
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2012/01/05/apple-reportedly-settles-multi-touch-patent-lawsuit-from-elan-for-5-million/
T

The Great Boony

macrumors regular
Nov 23, 2010
195
0
When will Google settle copying iOS?

I wish Apple sue the hell out of Google, they stole a whole operating system.

This is what makes all these small lawsuits a joke, Apple have had their iOS inside developers taken by Google in 2006 and all of a sudden, Android looked like iOS copy rather than Blackberry copy.

GO AFTER THE THIEVES APPLE - GOOGLE

Android before poaching Apple iOS employees 2006/early 2007:

android-prototype.jpg


Android post poaching iOS employees:

android-iphone.jpg
 
Last edited:
M

Meandmunch

macrumors 6502
Jan 3, 2002
496
143
Not knowing the details or depths of the infringement on the surface it looks like Apple got off real cheap.
 
*LTD*

*LTD*

macrumors G4
Feb 5, 2009
10,703
1
Canada
Tim Cook: Hey Scott, we're settling with Elan. It's for 5 million. Have you got any change on you?

Scott Forstall: Uh yeah, just hang on a sec. I think I had a few mil on me when I went to get coffee this morning. *fishes around in his pocket* Ok, here's around 4. Bum the rest off Jony.

Tim Cook: k.
 
T

The Great Boony

macrumors regular
Nov 23, 2010
195
0
*LTD* said:
Tim Cook: Hey Scott, we're settling with Elan. It's for 5 million. Have you got any change on you?

Scott Forstall: Uh yeah, just hang on a sec. I think I had a few mil on me when I went to get coffee this morning. *fishes around in his pocket* Ok, here's around 4. Bum the rest off Jony.

Tim Cook: k.
Click to expand...

How much would it cost for Google to settle with Apple for the theft of a rather **** copy of iOS?
 
L

lukarak

macrumors regular
Jul 29, 2011
180
4
The Great Boony said:
When will Google settle copying iOS?

I wish Apple sue the hell out of Google, they stole a whole operating system.

This is what makes all these small lawsuits a joke, Apple have had their iOS inside developers taken by Google in 2006 and all of a sudden, Android looked like iOS copy rather than Blackberry copy.

GO AFTER THE THIEVES APPLE - GOOGLE

Android before poaching Apple iOS employees 2006/early 2007:

Image

Android post poaching iOS employees:

Image
Click to expand...

Well it's pretty obvious, first it was intended as a BB ripoff, then as an iphone ripoff.
 
Z

zoetmb

macrumors regular
Oct 8, 2007
158
8
The Great Boony said:
When will Google settle copying iOS?

I wish Apple sue the hell out of Google, they stole a whole operating system.

This is what makes all these small lawsuits a joke, Apple have had their iOS inside developers taken by Google in 2006 and all of a sudden, Android looked like iOS copy rather than Blackberry copy.

GO AFTER THE THIEVES APPLE - GOOGLE

Android before poaching Apple iOS employees 2006/early 2007:

Image

Android post poaching iOS employees:

Image
Click to expand...

I'm no fan of Android, but that screen on the right looks nothing like Apple's screen on the left. In fact, it looks more like something derived from Microsoft Windows. It's just a bunch of ugly file folders. What does this have to do with Apple's iOS or its interface? While Apple may have been the first to implement a file folder interface in a mass consumer device in the Mac (licensed from Xerox PARC), they don't own the concept of a UI featuring file folders. They lost that lawsuit with Microsoft years ago.

And your comparison is unfair anyway since the first display you show is a browser and the screens below are the UI of the device. Big difference.
 
FakeWozniak

FakeWozniak

macrumors 6502
Nov 8, 2007
428
26
I suspect the $5M was a token to cover the legal costs. The real win was for Elan getting rights to Apples Patent arsenal. This isn't that great for Apple if Elan decides to make computers, phones, televisions, software, etc.
 
Amazing Iceman

Amazing Iceman

macrumors 603
Nov 8, 2008
5,283
4,030
Florida, U.S.A.
zoetmb said:
I'm no fan of Android, but that screen on the right looks nothing like Apple's screen on the left. In fact, it looks more like something derived from Microsoft Windows. It's just a bunch of ugly file folders. What does this have to do with Apple's iOS or its interface? While Apple may have been the first to implement a file folder interface in a mass consumer device in the Mac (licensed from Xerox PARC), they don't own the concept of a UI featuring file folders. They lost that lawsuit with Microsoft years ago.

And your comparison is unfair anyway since the first display you show is a browser and the screens below are the UI of the device. Big difference.
Click to expand...

I think that interface was a creation of HTC. Please correct me if I'm wrong. The photo of that phone may have been a bad choice made by the poster, as it doesn't prove the point.

I have seen other Android phones that do look almost identical to the iPhone in the UI. And no need to mention Samsung... We already know.
 
T

TWSS37

macrumors 65816
Feb 4, 2011
1,107
232
The Great Boony said:
When will Google settle copying iOS?

I wish Apple sue the hell out of Google, they stole a whole operating system.

This is what makes all these small lawsuits a joke, Apple have had their iOS inside developers taken by Google in 2006 and all of a sudden, Android looked like iOS copy rather than Blackberry copy.

GO AFTER THE THIEVES APPLE - GOOGLE

Android before poaching Apple iOS employees 2006/early 2007:

Image

Android post poaching iOS employees:

Image
Click to expand...

Please stop posting this over and over again. Just link to where you've made this point before.
 
B

Bilbo63

macrumors 6502
Apr 27, 2010
299
34
FakeWozniak said:
I suspect the $5M was a token to cover the legal costs. The real win was for Elan getting rights to Apples Patent arsenal. This isn't that great for Apple if Elan decides to make computers, phones, televisions, software, etc.
Click to expand...

I'm betting that there is provisions for that in their agreement.
 
C

crazy4apple

macrumors regular
Jan 26, 2010
127
0
London (UK)
zoetmb said:
I'm no fan of Android, but that screen on the right looks nothing like Apple's screen on the left. In fact, it looks more like something derived from Microsoft Windows. It's just a bunch of ugly file folders. What does this have to do with Apple's iOS or its interface? While Apple may have been the first to implement a file folder interface in a mass consumer device in the Mac (licensed from Xerox PARC), they don't own the concept of a UI featuring file folders. They lost that lawsuit with Microsoft years ago.

actually there was a deal which Xerox PARC agreed to in 1979 that in return for apple shares they would disclose all new ideas including the GUI concept. which bagged Xerox PARC at that time 17million dollers because of the apple 2

in Fact Xerox PARC had realeased a product which flopped so badly because it had cost consumer nearly $17000
Click to expand...
 
Amazing Iceman

Amazing Iceman

macrumors 603
Nov 8, 2008
5,283
4,030
Florida, U.S.A.
lukarak said:
Well it's pretty obvious, first it was intended as a BB ripoff, then as an iphone ripoff.
Click to expand...

Lol, yeah, they started copying the wrong company. BB is becoming a dinosaur, at least here in the U.S. it has already lost its momentum.
I have tried to work with a BB before, setting it up for email, and it's crap. Same with a Palm OS phone. The iPhone is as easy to configure and use as a walk in the park.
 
dokujaryu

dokujaryu

macrumors 6502
May 3, 2011
359
12
Irvine, California
MacRumors, I am dissapoint. :(

OK, Where are the Apple supports saying that the poor innovator Apple is getting TOTALLY SCREWED for something that wasn't even close to the same thing. Where are the Apple people saying, WTF, you can't patent FINGERZZZZ. GOD patented FINGERZ. HERP DERP ELAN. WTF ELAN: Shut up and innovata-compete!

And where are the Elan supporters going. ZOMG WTF APPLE WHY U COPY MY BRAND? JUST LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE:

mcintosh.jpg

Apple 1811

photo-fingers-p11485.jpg

ELAN 1812

photo-fingers-p11485.jpg

Apple 2006 AD
 
K

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,023
7,867
FakeWozniak said:
I suspect the $5M was a token to cover the legal costs. The real win was for Elan getting rights to Apples Patent arsenal. This isn't that great for Apple if Elan decides to make computers, phones, televisions, software, etc.
Click to expand...

Likely they have mutual patents (i.e. Apple need's Elan's and Elan needs Apple's). This is a no-brainer deal for Apple and a decent deal for Elan. They aren't a competitive threat to Apple, but in the meantime both companies can just move on.
 
Winni

Winni

macrumors 68040
Oct 15, 2008
3,207
1,196
Germany.
The Great Boony said:
When will Google settle copying iOS?

I wish Apple sue the hell out of Google, they stole a whole operating system.

This is what makes all these small lawsuits a joke, Apple have had their iOS inside developers taken by Google in 2006 and all of a sudden, Android looked like iOS copy rather than Blackberry copy.

GO AFTER THE THIEVES APPLE - GOOGLE

Android before poaching Apple iOS employees 2006/early 2007:

Image

Android post poaching iOS employees:

Image
Click to expand...


And in the next installment of your fact-ignoring posts, you will tell us what Apple infringing on somebody else's multi-touch patent has anything to do with Android and iOS. Or why the HARDWARE of an old prototype Android phone looking like an old Blackberry phone is in any way related to this article. You're just trying to divert the attention away from the fact that Apple stole somebody else's ideas, and that, of course, is something that just cannot be.

But it's actually quite interesting that the "boy, have we patented it" company does not even own a patent that is at the very core of the user experience of their "revolutionary" product line...

You know, putting technologies that OTHERS invented into a nicely designed case and adding some pretty graphics design on top of an Open Source operating system foundation (FreeBSD) doesn't make you the mother of all inventions, no matter how much money you burn in marketing campaigns.

This is just one of the many cases where Apple clearly stole from a much smaller company, only this time they had to pay a small speeding ticket for it. Usually, the smaller companies that get ripped off by Apple don't get so lucky since they can't afford to pay the IP lawyers that they would need to defend their interests.
 
H

huntercr

macrumors 65816
Jun 6, 2006
1,039
0
KPOM said:
Likely they have mutual patents (i.e. Apple need's Elan's and Elan needs Apple's). This is a no-brainer deal for Apple and a decent deal for Elan. They aren't a competitive threat to Apple, but in the meantime both companies can just move on.
Click to expand...

Yeah it seems that way to me too. The whole company is valued at $165M USD ( if I did my conversaion from NTD correctly ... they're around $5B NTD )
so it would seem that it would be in Elan's best interest to look for future partnerships either directly with APple or with 3rd party peripheral companies.
 
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