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Apple's Patent War Against Android May Lead to Settlements Under Tim Cook's Influence
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Rodimus Prime
macrumors G4
I never thought sharing ideas (or even techniques) would hurt human evolution... Human beings are evolved to learn, in other words, stealing ideas.
It's also happening in the pharmaceutical industry. Sometimes it makes me wonder if it is ethically right to prevent anyone producing the same drug just because you hold the patent.
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Will do good
macrumors 6502a
I agree, why let people steal from you and settle? What's $400 million to Apple.
Samsung and others must understand stealing people's idea is costly to their profit, if not, they'll all steal.
Fraaaa
macrumors 65816
charlituna
macrumors G3
Wirelessly posted
I wouldn't be so quick to say that Tim is going to back off on all the suits. Remember that some of them relate to FRAND patents. If Samsung is playing unfair with those there will be no settlement.
And for all we know any talks between he two sets of lawyers could be hashing out some new part contract, not something to do with the patent suits
I wouldn't be so quick to say that Tim is going to back off on all the suits. Remember that some of them relate to FRAND patents. If Samsung is playing unfair with those there will be no settlement.
And for all we know any talks between he two sets of lawyers could be hashing out some new part contract, not something to do with the patent suits
longofest
Editor emeritus
As much as Steve was great at what he did, it's a bit refreshing to not have someone prone to personal vendettas or going of the deep end at the help of Apple. Where as Steve had a beautiful vision for the company and did wonders for the convergence of life and technology, he often seemed to make very rash business moves.
I look forward to less rash business moves under Tim, and hope that Steve's legacy of marrying life and technology can continue to live on in others in the company (not sure Tim has that piece of the puzzle).
I look forward to less rash business moves under Tim, and hope that Steve's legacy of marrying life and technology can continue to live on in others in the company (not sure Tim has that piece of the puzzle).
Samsung has copied many different aspects from Apple, not just through the Android OS. This was made even more clear to me as I recently setup a Samsung laptop for a friend, and found that many of the additional "apps" that Samsung includes make Windows 7 look and feel incredibly similar to how my Macbook pro running Lion looks and feels (system preferences, application dock, and a few others). Unsurprisingly, I had to uninstall many of them because they were causing excessive system hangs on Windows 7, but they are an attempt to replicate as much of what Apple does as they possibly can on a Windows machine. When you combine that with the construction similarities of some of Samsung's hardware line (laptops, smartphones, etc), it is just more reason for Apple to pursue litigation. Additionally Samsung has stolen many interface components in its smart tv line from both Apple and Microsoft. To me settlement just does not seem likely.
koruki
macrumors 65816
Correction, Samsung has copied many different aspects from MANY COMPANIES. They copy whoever is hot, its not even new.
Windows Hangover
Didn't Jobs once say that one of his biggest regrets was not pursuing the patent suit against windows more vigorously?
Maybe with $100 billion in cash and a string of industry changing innovations, he felt equipped to save the world from another Frankenstein's monster.
Didn't Jobs once say that one of his biggest regrets was not pursuing the patent suit against windows more vigorously?
Maybe with $100 billion in cash and a string of industry changing innovations, he felt equipped to save the world from another Frankenstein's monster.
IJ Reilly
macrumors P6
Companies are accusing each other of stealing. So how do you know who's in the right? The courts have to decide the complicated questions of who owns what patents, what they cover, and who if anyone owns prior art that could invalidate or limit the patents. This is not a lot like getting caught walking out of a supermarket without paying for a six-pack.
It's also not really about the money, it's more about the loss of opportunity, and about ending a huge distraction that could easily drag on for years, very likely to a muddled and unsatisfying conclusion.
An example: In 1988 Apple decided to sue Microsoft over the "look and feel" of Windows. This was at a time when Apple was starting to lose ground to Microsoft. They figured it was easier to beat Microsoft in court than in the marketplace. Big mistake. They'd have been far better off using that time, money and energy keeping steps ahead of Microsoft on the innovation front. Even if they'd managed to win something in court, they'd still have been better off without it.
I know to some it might be "bleeding heart" but 400 million, geez. I think of the people out of work in this country or those on the street or starving.
Another 400 million to courts and lawyers.
Another 400 million to courts and lawyers.
koruki
macrumors 65816
you say iOS 5 like it was the first iteration. Android was a different creature before the iPhone came out, suddenly they rewrite their entire OS to be like iOS. The only reason why android fans think they have the right to say iOS 5 copied Android at all is cause the throw every single idea that pops up into android without checking or testing it for usability. The result is iOS5 would pick a set of tested features but still be accused of copying why? because they didn't just throw the feature out on a Wednesday afternoon and name it over whatever snack the the developer just gobbled down 10 mins earlier.
IJ Reilly
macrumors P6
I don't see how he could have, since that lawsuit was filed in 1988 and finally dismissed in 1994, years when Steve had nothing to do with Apple. In fact one of Steve's first acts as CEO was settling another big festering lawsuit with Microsoft. It is kind of ironic that he was prepared to go nuclear in his battle with Google.
If Apple should settle, i pray that it not be a cash settlement. The only settlement that they should accept is that Android fundamentally change some aspect of their os, so as not to resemble iOS.
apart from that, the battle should continue. why would apple settle for a 1 billion $ if they have so much at the bank already?!? Its like their are settling for money and loose market share.
apart from that, the battle should continue. why would apple settle for a 1 billion $ if they have so much at the bank already?!? Its like their are settling for money and loose market share.
It's been shown statistically that patents give more innovation and inventions. What you may ask is whether those "statistics" are designed to lie to us, which I am when I think about this stuff. But the first roadblock you hit is that information.
Sigh. And that is why you aren't in PR, and if you are in PR, buddah help your company.
The only people being hurt here are consumers, and I have yet to see a patent story (in recent months) from Apple or another company that wasn't utterly absurd. Slide to unlock, REALLY? The basic UI design, REALLY?
Take a picture to unlock, are you serious?
These patent cases are tarnishing the reputations of all involved, Apple needs to go back to what it is good at... selling really cool shiny things, not suing people for absurdities.
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So Apple is 'sharing' the notification drop down whilst Android 'stole' the UI design?
SJ fought for principles, not money...while Cook doesn't seem to care about them, similarly to what happened dividend-wise - sad outcome, indeed.
Apple should continue to go thermonuclear until Android and Google's criminal track record are finished.
Swift
macrumors 68000
Everybody hates patents
Except inventors and developers.
There is no Silicon Valley without patents. We should be smarter about what does and what doesn't get patents, but I'm not going to object to the whole idea of patents.
If you let Apple develop a new platform that is 100 times more integrated than their rivals, then they will have to pay the piper at least. License.
In the meantime, Apple gets the iPad for at least one and maybe two more years.
And $400 million? Piffle. Nothing to Apple. But it makes all the OEMs of Android really itchy.
Except inventors and developers.
There is no Silicon Valley without patents. We should be smarter about what does and what doesn't get patents, but I'm not going to object to the whole idea of patents.
If you let Apple develop a new platform that is 100 times more integrated than their rivals, then they will have to pay the piper at least. License.
In the meantime, Apple gets the iPad for at least one and maybe two more years.
And $400 million? Piffle. Nothing to Apple. But it makes all the OEMs of Android really itchy.
Rodimus Prime
macrumors G4
Steve Jobs had a massive ego issues. I am willing to bet the only reason he settled with MS is Apple could not afford to keep it going.
Icaras
macrumors 603
And how is this "tarnished reputation" affecting Apple's bottom line? The new iPad sold greater and faster than the past two iterations. Did i miss something?
kdarling
Contributor
Actually, being nice can generate revenues, and hurting the competition can backfire.
Smart people at Apple knew it could never win most of these battles. As some have said all along, their primary intention was clearly to throw out short term stumbling blocks to slow down the competition, while Apple figured out their next gameplans.
In the long term, waging patent fights without the willingness to license them is very counterproductive. All it does is force the competition to come up with newer and perhaps better ways of doing something, which is the opposite of what you want them to do. Also, patents that are overturned in court become worthless.
It's far better to license patents and make money off them. In that respect, Microsoft is pretty smart. They're making money both from Apple and Google for ActiveSync, and from Android makers for all sorts of mobile related items.
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IJ Reilly
macrumors P6
Possibly, but he had a pragmatic side too. The sense you get from the biography is that his overriding interest was in doing what he thought was best for Apple at any given moment. If that was settling, then he'd settle. If it was fighting, he'd fight.
Why can't others stop stealing and profiting off the ideas Apple spent hundreds of millions of dollars creating, perfecting, patenting, and trade-marking?