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HTC Hits Apple with Patent Lawsuit Targeting Mac and iOS Devices
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I'm sick of all these patent dispute stories, but I realise that some people find them interesting. So I'd like to add my voice to those who have suggested a separate patents tab on the site. Then they are out of the way for those, like me, who could not care less, and within easy reach for those who like to keep up to date with this sort of thing.
Why don't these companies just get a huge sack, fill it with money, and then have it for a month each in strict rotation. The outcome would be about the same but nobody would have to pay any lawyers (until the lawyers muscle into the sack business).
Looking forward to a savvy person explaining these for the average minded folk
Its really not that complicated. The gist of the situation is closer to a 'flame war' than you think.
Apple is flush with cash. They probably decided to sue to:
1. At worst, slow their multiple competitors down
2. At best get injunctions against competing devices or features.
Some people might claim legitimate infringement, but it is hard to take such claims seriously when there is so much prior art and so many overlapping patents for obvious methods in the wild.
Large companies respond to lawsuits by starting their own lawsuits, which largely devolve into he-said/she-said arguments. Sometimes the companies can settle it nicely (cross patent licensing agreements), sometimes compromises are made (courts force 'fairly priced' licensing for critical patents), and sometimes one side just wins the case.
It is important to note who apple has and hasn't sued. Sony makes tablets and Android phones, but Apple probably doesn't want to jeapordize iTunes access to Sony's music library by antagonizing their parent company.
HTC's lawsuit is simply self defense. There is no reason to not fight back when you're being picked on by a bully who has already decided to beat you up.
Stay tuned for Apple to claim collusion against them when all the companies they have picked fights with (Samsung, Motorola) decide to fight back.
Many people won't want to admit it, but deep down, the reason Apple is suing now is because they completely understand that they cannot hope to perpetually stay ahead of 4 or 5 of the biggest electronics manufacturers in the world who only have to do half the work to put out a tablet (Google is supplying them with software for free).
Either the quality of the product or their profit margins will take a hit in the long run. Apple is just doing what it can as soon as it can to maintain their current position.
Good post. There are two problems here:
- innovators being copied (and presumably then being undercut by others who don't have the overhead for research)
- broad 'roadblock' patents which will inevitably be violated by anyone working in the same area (even if completely unaware of the patent)
It's hard to strike a balance between the two. But there are other issues as well. Patents can be expensive, more so if you need to patent in many countries, and thus larger companies are more likely to patent their original work than smaller companies and individuals. Plus, patents are useless if you don't defend them, and court cases are expensive and potentially very risky for smaller companies.
And don't ignore the size of the patent database. The backlog alone in the US patent office is something like 700K patents. Is there any company out there that can keep track of all the patents which they might possibly be violating in every single jurisdiction? The system is becoming increasingly unwieldy and possibly counter-productive.
Look what Apple started by kicking the bees nest
yeah, and the bees are putting up a fight.
Meh!
Patent stories = Comment Bait
HTC (and the rest of them) gotta pay Apple for ripping off the iPhone and if all these patents hold water, Apple will have to pay HTC (and the rest of them) to use the tech - end of story. It's just business - protect your IP and USP or die.
All this stuff about Apple wanting to kill Android is utter crap, they don't need to be the biggest seller, just the one with the highest margins (which at the moment they are). However, they do also need to protect their designs and why shouldn't they. Android/Windows phone users, please remember that without the iPhone there would be no smart phones at all.
At the end of the day, people only buy non Apple products coz they can't afford the real thing. Anyone who says otherwise is just deluding themselves, this is not fanboyism, it's just a fact.
Patent stories = Comment Bait
HTC (and the rest of them) gotta pay Apple for ripping off the iPhone and if all these patents hold water, Apple will have to pay HTC (and the rest of them) to use the tech - end of story. It's just business - protect your IP and USP or die.
All this stuff about Apple wanting to kill Android is utter crap, they don't need to be the biggest seller, just the one with the highest margins (which at the moment they are). However, they do also need to protect their designs and why shouldn't they. Android/Windows phone users, please remember that without the iPhone there would be no smart phones at all.
At the end of the day, people only buy non Apple products coz they can't afford the real thing. Anyone who says otherwise is just deluding themselves, this is not fanboyism, it's just a fact.
This is soooo borrriinnggg. How many time can you read "it's not 
fault",
"it is fault, "it stifles competition", "it stimulates competition"....
The idea of a "Patents" tab is, no joking, a good idea.
And, yes, before anyone else says "if you are not interested, don't read it" - I acknowledge in advance that you are correct.
So in the future...
fault","it is
fault, "it stifles competition", "it stimulates competition"....The idea of a "Patents" tab is, no joking, a good idea.
And, yes, before anyone else says "if you are not interested, don't read it" - I acknowledge in advance that you are correct.
So in the future...
Revisionist history at its best. You should remember that the iPhone was not a smartphone at all during its introduction. It only became so because iPhone users and buyers wanted more "smarts" out of their phones, just like the Palm, Windows Mobile, Symbian and Blackberry users had been getting for years prior.
The smartphone is not an Apple invention. It wasn't even Apple's intention with the iPhone, they caved to public pressure to release an SDK, an App Store and make the iPhone a smartphone so it could compete with the other smartphones.
And now, it's not even the most popular smartphone platform. While its a good one, iOS 4 is quite showing its age and iOS 5 resorts to copying other innovators for features instead of coming up with fresh ones.
Apple are now trying to catch up again, like they were doing in 2007.
Name at least 3 copies that Apple made in iOS 5 and where there from...
('Cause I don't really believe you :S)
If you are going to talk about Platform, then you can't select Android vs. iPhone. Android is mostly on smartphones because Google cannot track or serve ads to non-connected iPod touch class devices.
iOS = platform, including iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Fact: iOS is a larger platform than Android.
Also, Apple is SURELY trying to play catch up, considering that iPhone is the most sought after profitable smartphone. In contrast, Android makers are basically losing money to "gain" market share, won't work for the long term.
You could also just not read them, not click on the forum thread and not post you know.
Fair point.
