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

[*LTD*]

I dislike this move.

Yes you invented the iPhone and you have every right to protect it but how can smartphones or even cell phones progress if everything is sued or 'frowned at"?

By not violating Apple's patents and producing something of their own, going in a different direction.

If Apple has their own implementation of multitouch and whatever other tech implementations patented, then that technology (or rather, implementation of it) is *not* public domain.

This isn't a free-for-all.

 

[sinsin07]

Why can't everyone work together and share? That's what my parents taught me to do in life. I guess Apple is only out for themselves and doesn't care about other phone manufacturers.

Becuase this is not recess at a public school playground. Every business is out for themselves.

 

[Tampa Tom]

Why are a lot of people pissy about this??

I speak from the side of a person who had their unprotected idea stolen and used by a competitor. Fortunately I had documentation of prior art and how it was disclosed publicly before the other company filed their own patent on it, thus the patent infringement suit was dropped.

Intellectual property must be protected. Millions of dollars are invested in R&D and the stockholders demand their investment be protected. Yes, I've read the arguments that the patents shouldn't have been issued, but they were and from my looking at them, they are very valid patents. Apple needs to come out with guns blazing on any patent issue.

 

[Stately]

You know guys, I really do stand with Apple on this one. Some can argue that Apple is a big bully and this and that but if we remember correctly, Apple had this problem before. When Windows came out they stole their idea and pushed them of the throne that rightfully belonged to Apple.
A lot of phones, before the iPhone came out, were plain. They had their own unique OS, maybe some similarities but for the most part they were just plain. Apple comes along and introduces their version of the smart phone. What happens, well the innovation goes right out the door with the rest of the companies and they say "hey, look what they got lets use that." I have been a Mac user ever since my first computer. I know a lot you are Mac loyalists as well and would love to see windows burn , haha. These other companies that copy Apple are a bunch of little windows companies trying to make money of Apple's creativeness because clearly they don't have their own.

I'm on the Apple wagon! Who's coming with me?

I don't think anyone would want to see windows burn lol. The thing is competition is great and very welcome. But like you said, these other companies have no creativity and its because they just care about staying in the game to keep making money off of us with nothing to show for it. They loved staying in the squeaky rusty little rut that they had us in, hoping to continue to fool customers year after year by adding a new colored volume key here or a clearer speakerphone feature there or adding new corny little screen designs for your own supposed beautiful custom background, meanwhile 1,000,000 other people have that same phone and there are only like 7 backgrounds to choose from LOL, or switching the buttons around and bringing the same phones out in new colors that they could have put out in the first place and charge extra each time one of these things comes out. The designs were all ugly for the most part with the exception of a few, like the Blackberry. They ALL had buttons and the UI's were ridiculous as far as placement of whatever the phone had to offer and navigation. The OS's . . . oh hold on, there were none lol.

 

[meltingice]

Honestly it looks like Apple is doing this to try and get rid of all competition, no matter how they spin it.

What's this? Android does some things better than the iPhone? This can't be allowed, sue them!

Competition in the tech industry should lead to engineers pushing hardware further and further to greater innovations in order to better their opponents instead of people blaming each other for stealing ideas so fundamental that its like someone placing a patent on breathing.

 

[Stella]

Apple have the absolute right to protect their patents, just like any other company, such as Nokia or Kodak.. however, whether they win is another matter.

There is a lot at stake for Apple should they lose...

 

[Stately]

Honestly it looks like Apple is doing this to try and get rid of all competition, no matter how they spin it.

What's this? Android does some things better than the iPhone? This can't be allowed, sue them!

Competition in the tech industry should lead to engineers pushing hardware further and further to greater innovations in order to better their opponents instead of people blaming each other for stealing ideas so fundamental that its like someone placing a patent on breathing.

Lol, competition is good but Android is nothing for Apple to even be nervous about.

 

[Compile 'em all]

What's this? Android does some things better than the iPhone? This can't be allowed, sue them!

Android is a half-assed mobile OS with an extremely poor UX designed by engineers for nerds.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

I speak from the side of a person who had their unprotected idea stolen and used by a competitor. Fortunately I had documentation of prior art and how it was disclosed publicly before the other company filed their own patent on it, thus the patent infringement suit was dropped.

Intellectual property must be protected. Millions of dollars are invested in R&D and the stockholders demand their investment be protected. Yes, I've read the arguments that the patents shouldn't have been issued, but they were and from my looking at them, they are very valid patents. Apple needs to come out with guns blazing on any patent issue.

On a national scale, hundreds of billions per year.

 

[Frisco]

Becuase this is not recess at a public school playground. Every business is out for themselves.

Okay then, but that is the definition of greed. In many Asian cultures people work towards bettering the community and not themselves.

 

[JamesKay32]

lol

Someone's trying to out evil Microsoft. If you have a problem with Google go after them head on instead of fighting by proxy. Guess people becoming tired with the walled garden is a bit frightening. Sorry Apple, love OSX but you lost me with the phones/touches. Way to waste an opportunity to make things more open and push things further back.

 

[Davey782]

Defend your property. If it was some guy sleeping on your front lawn won't you ask him to move along because it's your property...

 

[*LTD*]

Someone's trying to out evil Microsoft. If you have a problem with Google go after them head on instead of fighting by proxy. Guess people becoming tired with the walled garden is a bit frightening.

The only people that are becoming tired with the walled garden are a segment of perpetually disgruntled Apple tech site goers and a special interest group that could never catch a break against Apple. Lemme grab a Kleenex, I'm tearing up.

Consumers at large and developers alike couldn't be happier with Apple's business model.

In fact, the nice thing is that Apple's move will blow the door wide open on just who has patented what technology, and we'll be sure to see which industry players need to change up their game. I have a feeling none of them reside at 1 Infinite Loop. You can bet Apple has all their ducks in a row on this one.

 

[pcconvert]

u guys so US centric

You guys are so US-centric... why anyone outside of US should care about US patents... what is 300M market vs. 6B... let's not downplay this but let's not upplay this either... like HTC would sell mostly in US... it's fraction of their revenues... Get ready guys for a new world... where US consumer and law doesn't really matter...

 

[satcomer]

Apple is going after the clones of the iPhone. Just take a look at the CNET story (and video) Attack of the iPhone clone and then wonder why Apple is suing.

Apple suit has nothing with squashing competition. It has not said a word at Microsoft for Windows 7 because Microsoft didn't clone the iPhone. They just did a Zune interface and this is probably fine with Apple.

 

[sinsin07]

Okay then, but that is the definition of greed.

You say that like someone is denying it. Are you shocked?

In many Asian cultures people work towards bettering the community and not themselves.

OK, but how do you explain the the Asian cultures rising or at the top of the economic scale? They came together around the village well and decided to make Honda's for the benefit of mankind?

 

[Friscohoya]

I am only surprised that it all took this long.

 

[pdjudd]

You guys are so US-centric... why anyone outside of US should care about US patents... what is 300M market vs. 6B... let's not downplay this but let's not upplay this either... like HTC would sell mostly in US... it's fraction of their revenues... Get ready guys for a new world... where US consumer and law doesn't really matter...

Uhh US patents matter a great deal when you are being sued in a US court by a US company against a company that does business in the US.

The country that hosts HTC matters not. The rules do not go away simply because you are based in another country. If you do business in the US, you have to obey US law - and that includes US patents.

There is a lot at stake for Apple should they lose...

IANAL but I picture Apple seeing as not having much to loose. From Apple’s perspective, their patents have been violated and HTC is profiting by it in multiple models. They are already being screwed! From Apple’s POV, if they loose - well, they loose patents that nobody was obeying anyway. But if they win, well they get damages. Or they can settle and send a message to other potential copycats. Nonetheless, Apple probably sees a loss as not much worse than things are today.

 

[miketcool]

Android is a half-assed mobile OS with an extremely poor UX designed by engineers for nerds.

Hey, not everyone can rip of Dieter Rams a second time around...

 

[Stella]

IANAL but I picture Apple seeing as not having much to loose. From Apple’s perspective, their patents have been violated and HTC is profiting by it in multiple models.

Other cell phone companies holding back for whatever reason will be able to implement those Apple patents without fear of litigation.

Uhh US patents matter a great deal when you are being sued in a US court by a US company against a company that does business in the US.

Should HTC lose, HTC could create dumb down phones for the US and full featured phones for the rest of the world.

The cell phone market in the US is fairly small, in comparison to the rest of the world.

 

[pdjudd]

Okay then, but that is the definition of greed. In many Asian cultures people work towards bettering the community and not themselves.

Newsflash! It is the responsibility of all companies (excluding non-profits and charities) to do one thing first and foremost - and that is to maximize money. You cannot run a business on hopes and dreams and optimism. All companies have the goal to make money. That includes Apple, Google, Microsoft, HTC, and all for-profit companies worldwide - including Asian countries.

 

[AidenShaw]

You Anal ?

IANAL but....

That's probably an acronym that should be retired.

 

[pdjudd]

Other cell phone companies holding back for whatever reason will be able to implement those Apple patents without fear of litigation.

I understand that. That is not what I meant. Apple already sees themselves as loosing. They see their patents today being violated. From Apple’s POV if they loose, well they were already being copied anyway. It is kinda pointless if more people copy if that is already happening by HTC. It looks as if this activity is happening ever since they filed.

Should HTC lose, HTC could create dumb down phones for the US and full featured phones for the rest of the world.

The cell phone market in the US is fairly small, in comparison to the rest of the world.

Possibly. I was not commenting on what HTC might do if they loose or not. I was commenting on the person ragging on us thinking too US - about a case taking place in the US.. The international ramifications are irrelevant to this discussion since this is about the US market. Not to mention that they case has not even started yet.

That's probably an acronym that should be retired.

Sheesh! It’s still funny though and it’s practical too!

 

[ShiftyPig]

Hard to argue -- they have copyrights and patents that appear to have been ignored.

What an epic first reply. You mean like GSM and "iPhone"..... oh, right.

 

[RiCEADDiCTBOY]

It's rather amusing how everyone is cheering for Apple. If it was anyone else they would be yelling, "why not promote competition and innovation instead!"

I agree with protecting intellectual property, but most of Apple's patents are broad and absurd to begin with that even were awarded such patents.

Apple is like a timid animal cornered in the back of a cage and attempting to bite anything and everything that scares it. They have such horrible industry relations these days (more so than in the past) because of their piss poor attitude towards anything.

As much as I used to admire Steve Jobs for his creativity and ideas galore - he is but a mere shell of his former self in my own honest opinion.

This quite simply sums up how I view Apple:

"If you move forward to commercialize it, I'll just sue you."

According to Jonathan Schwartz—then Sun's CEO—that's what Steve Jobs told him over the phone after Sun presented Looking Glass, a desktop concept similar to Mac OS X's. After that, Schwartz verbally cockpunched His Steveness and shut him up:

"Steve, I was just watching your last presentation, and Keynote looks identical to Concurrence – do you own that IP?" Concurrence was a presentation product built by Lighthouse Design, a company I'd help to found and which Sun acquired in 1996. Lighthouse built applications for NeXTSTEP, the Unix based operating system whose core would become the foundation for all Mac products after Apple acquired NeXT in 1996. Steve had used Concurrence for years, and as Apple built their own presentation tool, it was obvious where they'd found inspiration. "And last I checked, MacOS is now built on Unix. I think Sun has a few OS patents, too." Steve was silent.