Apple Reportedly Disrupting iPhone Competitors With Legal Threats Backed Up by HTC Suit

[goobot]

It might be better if we got rid of patent system completely. As it stands right now, it rewards innovation, but it hiders it as well. Overall, I doubt it adds much value. Of course, it is financially very rewarding for lawyers, which means a big powerful political lobby to argue against it.

so if someone works there whole life to make a tec. and only for a big company to steal it is right?

they made a movie on this with ford stealing interloper windshield wipers from a guy. he worked on it forever just to make it and ford steals it. he spent his life just to justify that it was his. and he lost his family due to it. and you wana make it easier to steal?

 

[Stella]

And I'm sure Apple's lawyers have thought about all that.

Yes, that is what they are paid to do....

But Apple have lost several patent cases recently.. such as Visual Voicemail, and the Creative claim that was bought against Apple a few years ago...

 

[marksman]

I'll see how this 'll play out. But it's personally turning me away from Apple, no matter how legally entitled they are to sue the pants off of the competition.

I wish Apple would spend all this negative energy on good things like new Pro models and their software lineup.

You know that lawyers don't design and build macbook pros right?

Well at least not at Apple. Maybe at Dell and HP and others.

 

[eastcoastsurfer]

I'll see how this 'll play out. But it's personally turning me away from Apple, no matter how legally entitled they are to sue the pants off of the competition.

I wish Apple would spend all this negative energy on good things like new Pro models and their software lineup.

I agree, when you start suing everyone it generally shows you're running out of ideas. The iPhone has a multi-year head start on Android, and if the only thing Apple can do to hold Android back is start filing lawsuits that doesn't say much for the next iPhone or OS 4.0.

 

[Tones2]

If they have patents that are being infringed on why the hell should they not defend them?

Because it's always EXTREMELY questionable what "infringement" really is, especially when most "ideas" have been done 1000+ times before Apple had a patent, and probably Apple "infringed" on numerous patents in developing the iPhone as well.

The nature of patents are absolutely ridiculous, where anyone can scribble an extremely abstract idea on paper with no engineering expertise or any means or desire to implement. That doesn't describe Apple, but certain some of the "idea" patents they are defending had roots somewhere LONG before they received an undeserving patent for them.

Tony

 

[NT1440]

Which puts you in the small minority of folks who actually know what they're talking about (you must admit, there are so many around here who are proud to show how much they don't know....)

So ignore the halfwits that don't understand anything about IP patents, ESPECIALLY when related to software.

Thing is, most of Apple's patents are easy to get around because they are so specific (which is the right way to go) that others just have to implement a given feature in a slightly different way to be in the clear. Why companies don't think up how to do that sometimes astounds me...

 

[marksman]

Oh, **** you Apple. I hope the DOJ goes after them.

Dear Apple,

We are coming after you because you are too good at business and you are embarrassing everyone else.

You Opposition,

The Attorney General

 

[*LTD*]

Brilliant. Apple knew their competition was in violation of their patents a long time ago. Apple allowed them a reasonable level of market penetration, and now it's going after violators in order to make an example out of them, since at this stage there appear to be entire product lines that use Apple's patented tech.

Very smart, and if you consider it, Apple had no choice but to wait this long in order to have a strong case.

Apple has already embarrassed the hell out of the rest of this half-asleep, unimaginative industry, and now they're going to do it again.

 

[angrynstupid]

Good Deal

I think lawsuits like this increase innovation. These patent violators are simply copying what Apple did instead of creating their own unique inventions in order to cash in quick. Lawsuits like this force companies to move in other directions, which they should. And who's to say that the iPhone, iPod, iPad, etc. are the end all be all? Come up with something better, hosers.

 

[NT1440]

Because it's always EXTREMELY questionable what "infringement" really is, especially when most "ideas" have been done 1000+ times before Apple had a patent, and probably Apple "infringed" on numerous patents in developing the iPhone as well.

The nature of patents are absolutely ridiculous, where anyone can scribble an extremely abstract idea on paper with no engineering expertise or any means or desire to implement. That doesn't describe Apple, but certain some of the "idea" patents they are defending had roots somewhere LONG before they received an undeserving patent for them.

Tony

Ideas are not patented when it comes to software. Software patents have to go into HOW features are implemented, so if another company wants to have that feature, all they have to do is implement it in a different way, not that hard.

I agree with your second paragraph, but it doesn't really apply to software patents, not ones that will actually hold up in court (as I fully expect Apple's to from what I've seen they are VERY detailed and specific) anyway.

 

[griffd]

fanboy? whatever

Apple spent BILLIONS on R&D to develop the iPhone, and they patented the hell out of it to protect their investment, they have every right to defend their property.

 

[*LTD*]

I agree, when you start suing everyone it generally shows you're running out of ideas. The iPhone has a multi-year head start on Android, and if the only thing Apple can do to hold Android back is start filing lawsuits that doesn't say much for the next iPhone or OS 4.0.

If Google or HTC is messing with Apple's IP, Apple has an obligation to pursue them and anyone else.

As far as I can tell, Google hasn't come up with any meaningful iPhone-Killers. The Nexus One's a total flop. But if Android proliferates with Apple's patented tech inside, that's a very real problem.

 

[macduke]

Well the competition was good while it lasted. Though it still sucked. I've tried a few devices with "multitouch" and none of them are even close to an iPhone. I don't know if it's the superior touchscreen noise filtering, the software algorithms or what, but nothing is as buttery and reactive as the iPhone for touch input. Most people can't argue with that. Apple got it right on day one.

 

[yg17]

Sorry Apple, please forgive me, I multi-touched myself today. I will now be doing everything in life using only one finger at a time...

I've got one finger for Apple

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Yes folks, we've patented the hell out of our products

and with over 3,000 new patents since 2004 I'm surprised people are complaining that Apple is defending their IP, especially when they approached these companies behind the scenes in hopes to resolve issues before they must defend their R&D.

Apple filing suit against HTC who for all their wealth [nearly $270 Billion in stock valuation] having only amassed 58 patents since 2004 should not be surprised that they will be targeted.

For all of HTC's massive reserves they should have invested in R&D and Patents before bringing these solutions to Market.

 

[mscabot]

I little perspective please

If anyone of you posting negative about this invented something and someone ripped it off, you would sue to, think about it.

 

[DaveSW]

I've got one finger for Apple

good. as long as you don't use multiple fingers (multi-touch) you're safe

 

[breatheasy]

Section 2. Every person who shall monopolize, or attempt to monopolize, or combine or conspire with any other person or persons, to monopolize any part of the trade or commerce among the several States, or with foreign nations, shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and, on conviction thereof, shall be punished by fine...."

For example..smartphones?

 

[wonderbread57]

I'm not purchasing an iPad because of Apple's lawsuit against HTC, a company that gets the idea of personalization and is pretty much everything the iPhone OS is not.

Terrible move Apple, pick one someone your own size, like Google. Why go for a company 5% the size of Apple.

 

[Unspeaked]

why crush competition that can't really even compete?

How else is Apple going to become the new Microsoft?

 

[Soliber]

People are making way to big a deal out of this...
Negative energy, positive energy... Let's not kid ourselves, it's just business. It may be harsh, cold and ugly and people may condemn Apple for going this route, but I'll bet you my nice hat that none of those people even come close to owning a company the size of Apple and all that that entrails.
Besides, everybody sues nowadays ^^

 

[mscabot]

I'm not purchasing an iPad because of Apple's lawsuit against HTC, a company that gets the idea of personalization and is pretty much everything the iPhone OS is not.

Terrible move Apple, pick one someone your own size, like Google. Why go for a company 5% the size of Apple.

So let me get this straight. If you invented something and another company decided to just copy it, you wouldn't sue? Come on you know you would and you have every right to. Competition is made by people being inspired by who knows what, and coming up with an original idea. Making a better phone or car or whatever. Not by stealing ideas.

 

[Dogpilot]

Apple should sue, if it is their intellectual property, then a vigorous defense is necessary.

If nobody defends their software, then we will only see software that others perceive as successful and then become 'Fast Followers.' This forces developers to try new paths, which gives new vitality to the variety of software systems available to the user. What, do we only want iPhone like software on all phones? I am pleased with the iPhone OS, but new and creative systems need to be developed to follow on, not close knock offs.

Lack of completive vitality will give of bunch of phone OS's that resemble the Chrysler K cars of the 70's. The smug copycat mentality of the car manufactures gave us a couple of decades of look alike POS cars. I really don't want that mentality to invade the phone OS market. Look what good it did our automotive industry.

 

[farmboy]

It might be better if we got rid of patent system completely. As it stands right now, it rewards innovation, but it hiders it as well. Overall, I doubt it adds much value. Of course, it is financially very rewarding for lawyers, which means a big powerful political lobby to argue against it.

Yeah, well, if you had a patent or two, you might feel differently. I do. The patent systems worldwide are pretty damned good, as is the case law supporting it. Practicality and fairness tend to prevail. Of course, we would all like to hear the details of your alternate system that would be so much better.

I'm not getting how it "hinders innovation." You have to innovate to get a patent. You have to innovate to not infringe on a patent. Let's see a list of patents that have hindered innovation--the hindrance not based on any other aspect of design, marketing, engineering, trends, new technology, just hindered by a patent. Don't bring up patents that you think *might* hinder innovation, but ones that demonstrably have hindered. You won't find much.

 

[SandynJosh]

oh no I really hope they aren't gonna focus on this instead of making a better iphone for may/june... common Apple I want a new iphone!

You do realize, don't you, that the people that write the legal briefs aren't the same ones the write the software code?