Can we get a patent for an iphone application?

[saligh22]

I have a good idea for a simple iphone application. Is it possible to get a patent for it?

 

[cal6n]

Yeah, sure. Send me your idea via PM and I'll send you one.


Honest...

 

[bjquach]

Maybe if Apple adopts it as a standard iPhone app and they buy the idea off of you.

 

[steve knight]

Maybe if Apple adopts it as a standard iPhone app and they buy the idea off of you.

and if you have a few extra k laying around?

 

[skubish]

I have a good idea for a simple iphone application. Is it possible to get a patent for it?

Most software falls under copyright protection.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_patent

 

[w00master]

Not to stir up the pot, but I'm thoroughly against the notion of software patents. I am in favor of software copyright, but not patents. TERRIBLE idea.

Before anyone says anything, I have to ask: why is it we can't get a "patent" for a cooking recipe?

w00master

 

[chriszzz]

You don't patent software.

 

[CocoaPuffs]

Plus an idea is practically worthless until it becomes reality. There's a very large gap between a great idea and a great product.

 

[alphaod]

I have a good idea for a simple iphone application. Is it possible to get a patent for it?

Make it and then copyright it; don't think of something and hope to make money suing random people because you were too lazy to do any real work (this is for anyone considering it).

 

[9822679]

Make it and then copyright it; don't think of something and hope to make money suing random people because you were too lazy to do any real work (this is for anyone considering it).

exactly

It's really sad, I had high school friends that were brilliant, and now they are stuck working minimum paying jobs. A lot of them have this similar mindset " If I could just patent this idea I have, I would be a millionaire'

 

[MBHockey]

Plus an idea is practically worthless until it becomes reality. There's a very large gap between a great idea and a great product.

Yeah, you can't patent an idea either. You have to reduce your idea to practice before you can try to get a patent.

 

[craig1410]

Can anyone clarify what happens in the situation where two developers have been independently working on an application and their implementations and user interfaces are very similar but one of the developers releases his/her app first.

Does this mean that the second developer (that would be me in this case...) cannot release his application on the basis that it might be deemed to be a copy of the first app? I'm sure this sort of thing must happen all the time and there must be loads of overlap within the App store but I wanted to clarify the situation. To my mind the way it should work is that both apps (with presumably different names) should be allowed to co-exist and then the one which is best should prevail based on customer feedback, updates etc.

Thanks,
Craig.

 

[kdarling]

Can anyone clarify what happens in the situation where two developers have been independently working on an application and their implementations and user interfaces are very similar but one of the developers releases his/her app first.

Usually, nothing.

It's not uncommon for more than one person to come up with very similar implementations. Especially if the current state of the art naturally leads you there.

For example, Safari has Prev-Next buttons during input. I publicly predicted them (from personal experience), before anyone had seen them in action. Even the .com button while entering a URL isn't anything new.

Just using the core concept also isn't enough. Look at all the fart apps.

One developer would have to be really convinced that the other developer used their code or graphics... and take legal action, with proof.

To my mind the way it should work is that both apps (with presumably different names) should be allowed to co-exist and then the one which is best should prevail based on customer feedback, updates etc.

Yep, that's what usually happens.

 

[saligh22]

Thanks for the info guys.