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Solomani

macrumors 601
Sep 25, 2012
4,785
10,477
Slapfish, North Carolina
If I remember well, the surface cover is under a license agreement with Apple and Microsoft

Possibly correct. In the past couple years, Apple and Microsoft had quietly sat down and cross-licensed a crapload of things.

THIS is the primary reason why Apple has not gone PATENT-NUCLEAR against Microsoft. Because MS was smart enough to have licensed some things from Apple in the first place, therefore shielding Microsoft from further patent suits by Apple. This is the Apple-Microsoft Frenemy relationship at its best. They despise each other, and yet sometimes they need each other to get a leg up against common rivals. The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of the tech era.
 

Tankmaze

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2012
1,707
351
Well, this is the first time (that I know of) Apple would copy Microsoft implementation.

ready your photocopier cupertino.
 

Turk 182

macrumors newbie
Jun 19, 2010
12
7
Apple's future product set

To me it seems that Apple is about halfway to completely merging their OS with iOS. Meaning one platform across their mobile and desktop devices.

I can foresee a future where Mac and iPads merge into one device. Your iPad will be docked and become your 'Mac' on your desk and be undocked to become your iPad. All with one touchscreen iOS-like interface.
 

Rogifan

macrumors Penryn
Nov 14, 2011
24,147
31,204
Well somebody's getting a lot of hits on their website/blog this morning. Well played. :)
 

justin216

macrumors 6502
Mar 31, 2004
409
151
Tampa, FL
Last time I checked, the Surface products were not the first with detachable keyboards -- so they're not copying Microsoft so much. Microsoft just has the most marketing dollars behind their push, and is the most recent "new" thing with it.

If I recall correctly, right after the iPad came out, there were some third-party keyboard cases that started cropping up, long before the Surface was even a thing. I know there were a few models of those before the Surface came out, mostly made by Belkin, Logitech, et al.

If I'm mistaken on timing on that, then we should remember ASUS beat them both to the punch, since the Transformer Android line had the snap-in keyboards at their first release.

Apple usually takes an idea, improves it, and iterates on it until it's a great experience. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it's very hard (and rare) to come up with something perfect out of thin air, but iterating and improving something that already exists is much more feasible, and shouldn't be frowned upon.
 

dec.

Suspended
Apr 15, 2012
1,349
765
Toronto
Lol, where are all the "COPYERZZZZZZ" post?

Apple is clearly copying The Surface, but I'm sure the fanboyz will find a way to justify it.

But we all know when another phone with a finger scanner comes out everyone's going to be like "THESE PPL ALWAYS COPY APPLE!?!"

I was surprised/irrated by the amount of people saying "omg it has a keyboard" when the Surface was introduced. Seems like their brains were on vacation or something when third parties like Zagg released keyboard covers for the iPad far before that.

So no, Mircosoft did NOT invent the keyboard cover, therefore Apple is NOT "clearly (lol) copying the Surface", but just working on a product type that has been introduced far before the Surface.
 

GenesisST

macrumors 68000
Jan 23, 2006
1,802
1,055
Where I live
"But if Apple did this I'd bet it would be better than Microsoft's implementation."

So typical - pooh-poohed when Microsoft puts it out BUT deemed brilliant when Apple takes it market.

The fanboyz rhetoric is tiresome, ain't it.

I'd take it a step further with "the my <favorite tech company> is better than yours" rhetoric is tiresome... I read it here from Mac/iOS nerds and I hear it at the office from Linux/Android nerds...

At the end of the day, it just a ****ing phone/tablet/computer and these companies don't need to be defended by a bunch of whiny nerds...

I cringe when I read forums (any forums!)... But yet I still read them... so it is my fault if I'm annoyed....
 

Winni

macrumors 68040
Oct 15, 2008
3,207
1,196
Germany.
So something Apple hasn't released, and may never release is a copy of Microsoft?

Exactly. You know, just like Samsung's smartwatch is a copy of Apple's never-released and maybe never developed iWatch, like Samsung's SmartTV is a copy of the non-existent iTV...
 

Solomani

macrumors 601
Sep 25, 2012
4,785
10,477
Slapfish, North Carolina
I'd take it a step further with "the my <favorite tech company> is better than yours" rhetoric is tiresome... I read it here from Mac/iOS nerds and I hear it at the office from Linux/Android nerds...

At the end of the day, it just a ****ing phone/tablet/computer and these companies don't need to be defended by a bunch of whiny nerds...

My Strawberry tablet is better than your Cyborg phablet!

android_apple_shove.png
 

zhenya

macrumors 604
Jan 6, 2005
6,929
3,677
This would be good. The covers and the kickstand are the two things that Microsoft really got right with the Surface. It's a great concept, especially being extended now to include an extra battery capable of powering the tablet.

I don't expect Apple will go that route - I would expect bluetooth connection rather than a physical one, but speaking from extensive experience (I own a Surface Pro), there is still a lot of room to perfect the execution of these keyboards.
 

Nevaborn

macrumors 65816
Aug 30, 2013
1,086
327
Apple has patents going back to 2011 on this. Maybe something will finally get released.

This first one is from early 2011 and covers a lot of different features;
http://www.patentlyapple.com/patent...e-display-solar-panels-built-in-keyboard.html

6a0120a5580826970c017616f5160a970c-pi
6a0120a5580826970c017743db54c7970d-pi


And here are some others:

http://www.patentlyapple.com/patent...w-more-features-for-the-ipad-smart-cover.html

6a0120a5580826970c017ee9cd8963970d-pi


http://www.patentlyapple.com/patent...t-cover-with-built-in-inductive-charging.html

6a0120a5580826970c017ee94c942e970d-pi

If Apple can release an iPad cover with built in keyboard and Stylus storage with an Apple designed precision stylus it will be worth £100.

After that a proper iPhone wallet case will be great.
 

Gasu E.

macrumors 603
Mar 20, 2004
5,033
3,150
Not far from Boston, MA.
"But if Apple did this I'd bet it would be better than Microsoft's implementation."

So typical - pooh-poohed when Microsoft puts it out BUT deemed brilliant when Apple takes it market.

The fanboyz rhetoric is tiresome, ain't it.

That's not my impression. I read a lot of people here saying MS got some things right with the Surface; a keyboard cover being one of those things.

Apple has a great track record of making well-integrated products where the majority of features work very well together. They seem to do this better than anyone else. Do you disagree?
 

Glideslope

macrumors 604
Dec 7, 2007
7,944
5,373
The Adirondacks.
It just said Apple has been considering a keyboard case, not that it was coming out. Apple prototypes many things that never see the light of day.

But if Apple did this I'd bet it would be better than Microsoft's implementation. Apple obsessive iterates before releasing things. They are not perfect but have a much better track record with hardware than anyone else.

It's not worth attempting these clarifications. Haters will Hate. Large numbers in MR. Mostly from Mid 2012 to current. :apple:
 

juanmanas

macrumors 6502
Apr 7, 2010
336
0
Lol, where are all the "COPYERZZZZZZ" post?

Apple is clearly copying The Surface, but I'm sure the fanboyz will find a way to justify it.

But we all know when another phone with a finger scanner comes out everyone's going to be like "THESE PPL ALWAYS COPY APPLE!?!"

Actually you are wrong, and Microsoft had to license this from Apple.

Not your finest hour...
 

Zodiac.mj

macrumors member
Mar 10, 2013
85
10
"But if Apple did this I'd bet it would be better than Microsoft's implementation."

So typical - pooh-poohed when Microsoft puts it out BUT deemed brilliant when Apple takes it market.

The fanboyz rhetoric is tiresome, ain't it.

It's just how this works in most cases. If Apple does something, it's done right. Microsoft takes the opposite approach (Windows 8 UI, Xbox One technical aspecs, Office on Mac, and the list can go on and on).
 

KPOM

macrumors P6
Oct 23, 2010
18,031
7,872
Possibly correct. In the past couple years, Apple and Microsoft had quietly sat down and cross-licensed a crapload of things.

THIS is the primary reason why Apple has not gone PATENT-NUCLEAR against Microsoft. Because MS was smart enough to have licensed some things from Apple in the first place, therefore shielding Microsoft from further patent suits by Apple. This is the Apple-Microsoft Frenemy relationship at its best. They despise each other, and yet sometimes they need each other to get a leg up against common rivals. The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of the tech era.

Microsoft and Apple are competitors, no doubt, but the fact that they are both (along with Microsoft partner Nokia) two of the most aggressive at IP-related lawsuits against Android OEMs but have entered into a cross-licensing agreement with each other make me think that they both realize that Android is a bigger threat to each of them than each other is. If Surface gains significant market share, it will be at the expense of Android.

As for the Surface keyboard, it is one thing that Microsoft got right. They licensed Apple's Smart Cover and improved upon it. Apple may well have licensed the Surface keyboard with the intent of improving upon it, or they may have had the underlying patents already.
 
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