Apple Ordered to Pay $3.3 Million in Japanese Lawsuit Over iPod Click Wheel Patent

Does he take cash, because Tim carries more than that in his wallet.

change between the couch cushions

Tim probably laughed at this verdict.

Sidenote: see attached... wut?!

I love the comments about how this is pocket change to Apple. While true - it's still a win for the plaintiff. But it seems people are fine with Apple violating patents and how insignificant any judgement is but when it comes to Apple suing others for their patents every other company is evil for violating them.

The hypocrisy is laughable.

hypocrisy is yours

samcraig said:

I love the comments about how this is pocket change to Apple. While true - it's still a win for the plaintiff. But it seems people are fine with Apple violating patents and how insignificant any judgement is but when it comes to Apple suing others for their patents every other company is evil for violating them.

The hypocrisy is laughable.

Click to expand...

It is not fine to ask $100 million for one small patent on something basic. An iPhone uses more than 100 patents on GSM/4G/Blutooth/WiFi alone. Even Apple's pockets aren't that deep - they'd have to raise prices.

If they had asked a more reasonable amount - Apple usually pays and this would not even be news.

bergert said:

It is not fine to ask $100 million for one small patent on something basic. An iPhone uses more than 100 patents on GSM/4G/Blutooth/WiFi alone. Even Apple's pockets aren't that deep - they'd have to raise prices.

If they had asked a more reasonable amount - Apple usually pays and this would not even be news.

Click to expand...

No hypocrisy of mine. Where is mine?

And where is evidence that Apple usually pays. Before? Most of the stories are about Apple (and others) having to go through litigation for refusing to pay patent fees.

And who are you (or I) to judge how much or how little a patent is worth. Isn't that why there are courts? If a patent is integral - then isn't it worth more than something that's a "throw away?"

It's clear the judge believed the amount was exorbitant here. Which is great for Apple.

You clearly missed the overarching comment of mine. It's cool.

bergert said:

It is not fine to ask $100 million for one small patent on something basic...

Click to expand...

something basic? the click-wheel is the only way to use the device. get your head out.......

It probably cost more than that in lawyer fees

We don't know the details of this case. This patent is not for the click wheel itself but for some component of it. It must not be all that critical if the damages awarded by the judge came down from $101 million to $3.3 million, especially considering how many click wheel devices were sold.

ValSalva said:

We don't know the details of this case. This patent is not for the click wheel itself but for some component of it. It must not be all that critical if the damages awarded by the judge came down from $101 million to $3.3 million, especially considering how many click wheel devices were sold.

Click to expand...

Damages awarded in court in Japan tend to be tiny.
If it was in an american court I'd imagine Apple would have happily settled with the company for ten times that amount.
There's never much point in suing people over here due to the meagre amount rewarded.

That's really low for something as profitable like the iPod.

samcraig said:

I love the comments about how this is pocket change to Apple. While true - it's still a win for the plaintiff. But it seems people are fine with Apple violating patents and how insignificant any judgement is but when it comes to Apple suing others for their patents every other company is evil for violating them.

The hypocrisy is laughable.

Click to expand...

you traitor

Why sue now and not in 2001 or whatever when the click wheel was debuted by apple.

theheadguy said:

something basic? the click-wheel is the only way to use the device. get your head out.......

Click to expand...

Read it again. It doesn't say the Japanese company patented the click wheel; it says the compnay patented a technology used in the click wheel. The click wheel might use a hundred different technologies... you can't tell from the article how prominent this specific one was.

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samcraig said:

I love the comments about how this is pocket change to Apple. While true - it's still a win for the plaintiff. But it seems people are fine with Apple violating patents and how insignificant any judgement is but when it comes to Apple suing others for their patents every other company is evil for violating them.

Click to expand...

I'm with you on the "evil" part. But unless you've been involved with development of a complex product, you might not realize that it is almost impossible to develop a complex product without inadvertently violating some existing patent.

the8thark said:

Why sue now and not in 2001 or whatever when the click wheel was debuted by apple.

Click to expand...

The click wheel was introduced for Japan in 2004. It was announced in 2003 for the US.

He didn't just sue now. Its been in court since 2007.

He has also attempted to negotiate(not stated whether its part of court ordered or voluntary) with Apple. So it is possible he may have attempted to negotiate before even lodging a complaint.

bergert said:

It is not fine to ask $100 million for one small patent on something basic. An iPhone uses more than 100 patents on GSM/4G/Blutooth/WiFi alone. Even Apple's pockets aren't that deep - they'd have to raise prices.

If they had asked a more reasonable amount - Apple usually pays and this would not even be news.

Click to expand...

Either MR updated the article or you chose to ignore this because it didn't fit your narrrative:

Saito had filed an injunction request against Apple back in 2007, and as settlement negotiations failed to result in any agreement, he eventually increased his damages request to ¥10 billion ($101 million). The court ruled, however, that Apple's infringement warranted the much smaller judgment.

Apparently he did ask for less initially. How much less I have no idea.

Now this is settled, build a new Classic already!

Keep that clickwheel though, defines the iPod!

samcraig said:

I love the comments about how this is pocket change to Apple. While true - it's still a win for the plaintiff. But it seems people are fine with Apple violating patents and how insignificant any judgement is but when it comes to Apple suing others for their patents every other company is evil for violating them.

The hypocrisy is laughable.

Click to expand...

are you talking about fanboism?

Know we know that a Japanese saved apple not jobs

If samsung had done the same people would be all over the koreans, now "its pocket change so who cares"

I wonder if its called Mr iPodunkan muputshituri

samcraig said:

I love the comments about how this is pocket change to Apple. While true - it's still a win for the plaintiff. But it seems people are fine with Apple violating patents and how insignificant any judgement is but when it comes to Apple suing others for their patents every other company is evil for violating them.

The hypocrisy is laughable.

Click to expand...

I salute you!

Just another unsuccessful patent troll trying to get his blood out of his turnip.

theelysium said:

Just another unsuccessful patent troll trying to get his blood out of his turnip.

Click to expand...

Its not a troll since the man actually did invent it.
He first offered to work with Apple but Apple rejected him and just stole the idea.
Its like you working your ass off but someone else just takes your payment.