HTC Responds to Apple Patent Lawsuit

[Digital Skunk]

Did they pay Apple a licensing fee? Did HTC buy Apple? Did HTC ask Pretty Please with Sugar on Top? No, no and hell no! They simply took. But Apple is the bastard for suing HTC?

You are making all kinds of sense today.

The innovation Apple brought was the iPhone OS. They didn't take multi-touch from Apple, Apple cares little of that since they didn't develop it themselves anyway.

The part that people are really concerned with is probably the pettiness of the suit. So what that Android unlocks phones with a swipe. Or a phone has pinch to zoom. I wouldn't go as far as saying Apple is the bastard for suing, but what does a company with as much street cred as Apple care for a company like HTC?

How did Palm escape this Apple onslaught with the Palm Pre, and all the iTunes syncing garbage that went on?

Perhaps the only part of your comment I disagreed with was the trollish intro?

That's the SPIRIT! It was one hell of a troll comment wasn't it?

I still believe it with all my heart though, some fans are just SHEEP when it comes to that iPhone and Apple.

 

[Eminemdrdre00]

Good for you, HTC. I'm rootin' for you! Don't forget you have two gorillas in your corner: one is named "common sense" and the other is named "Google".

 

[LagunaSol]

No, let alone have an opinion that differs from certain members. It's even worse in the PSRI forums.

That's absurd. Having differing opinions is healthy and expected. Peppering commentary with lame blanket statements about Apple's customers being mindless sheep, worshipping at the altar of Jobs, Apple products being reserved for Starbucks poseurs (the list of tired talking points goes on and on) on a site called MacRumors is flamebait, pure and simple. Some people have so much anti-Apple fear and loathing you wonder why they're on this site at all.

Others are here with clear motivations to promote Apple's competitors while denigrating Apple at every opportunity, because they do so exclusively.

I still believe it with all my heart though, some fans are just SHEEP when it comes to that iPhone and Apple.

Every company has its share of undiscriminating clientele that will buy anything based on brand alone. Heck, Microsoft built an empire on the concept.

 

[Digital Skunk]

^^^ that is true. Personally, I wish members in general would just come with fresh perspective.

There is nothing wrong with controversy or opinion. Generally, baseless comments that attack members of a community are not appreciated though. Saying that Apple users are mindless sheep on an Apple board is trolling. If you don't want people to call you out for being a troll, then don't troll. The "RDF field" is really total BS. We use Apple products because Apple appeals to our sense of reason not because our reality is distorted.

This is a whole 'nother' discussion, because your reality is distorted when members can say this and that about Apple and the rest of the tech world, and we get:

> HTC

As a reply or comment. Calling members mindless sheep may not apply to YOU specifically, but they exist and they are on these threads from time to time.

Either way, get over it. If you aren't a mindless sheep why take offense.

 

[PsudoPowerPoint]

Patent law is often times very difficult to maneuver around even for experienced companies due to the complex nature of patents in general. It is very likely that HTC honestly believes that it is not in violation of any of Apple's patents whatsoever. We just don't know.

Another possibility is that Google attempted to license Apple's multi-touch capability back when Google and Apple were playing nice, and that Apple just said NO. Google then made a best attempt at implementing multi-touch without violating Apple's patents knowing that eventually they'd wind up in court. Google may have determined that the likely cost of the court case and settlement was worth it to keep from being shut out of the mobile market.

 

[Eminemdrdre00]

This lawsuit has NOTHING to do with multi-touch!

 

[PsudoPowerPoint]

Multi touch shouldn't be patentable, it's a logical step in touch input, and it's too important a technology for restrictions to be placed on its use by classing it as IP.

The courts will decide if Apple's multi touch patent's are valid.

What makes a particular IP or piece of property too important for somebody to own? The proper response by Apple's competitors is to create new technologies that allow them to compete without violating Apple's IP. That's what innovation is.

 

[cmaier]

The patent wasn't approved until a few weeks ago. Anyone in my profession would've thought it wouldn't be, either. Cmaier, what's the deal with violating pending patents in cases like this?

Except in certain situations you cannot get money damages for a pending patent. One such situation is if the infringing party had "actual notice" of the pending application, the application was published (which normally happens 18 months after filing, but the inventor can ask that it not be published), and the claims are substantially the same as they were in the published application (which is often not the case).

However, Apple is asking for injunctions, which is a forward-looking remedy. It's not just about monetary damages.

 

[cmaier]

When it comes to IP Apple as of lately has been a fire now, damage control later. Perfect example would be Apple v. Cisco, Apple v. Nokia, Apple v. Shenzhen Great Long Brother Industrial Co., etc. etc. etc. What people forget is Apple is new to the game. Companies have portfolios that span decades.

Huh? Apple is several decades old and has lots of patents too.

 

[lex750]

I still believe it with all my heart though, some fans are just SHEEP when it comes to that iPhone and Apple.

The "sheep" mentality is not just limited to Apple products, although Apple "sheep" bring this concept to a whole new level . Most people just blindly follow brand X not because it's the best device, with the best service, for the best price, just because it's popular, and they want to keep up with the Joneses.

 

[PlayRadioPlay]

Of the many, many tech sites I frequent, this is the only one where people are brainwashed and dumb enough to be defending Apple in this scenario. Someone posted a screen shot in another thread about Apple getting sued for something, and it received mostly negatives. Then Apple goes off to sue someone, and it's reacted to positively.

Stop being fanboy sheep. Apple is potentially going to limit VERY heavily the innovation in the smartphone market. If they do so, they will have killed one of the things that makes the iPhone so universally important to every single person: the innovation it has brought about. The iPhone has single handedly raised the quality of the entire smartphone market, and not because of intellectual property, *new* ideas, or ******** patents. It simply put things together the way everyone knew they should be for a long time. And now that everyone else is catching up and Apple has been sitting on their thumbs doing absolutely nothing, Apple has no choice but to either slow the market down or lose the top spot. That is a horrible strategy, and it really makes me sick.

Apple, shut up and make your products better. Stunting the growth of the market is not the way to stay viable.

I'm really sick of Apple being Big Brother. Every day I get more and more frustrated with their stupidity. Perhaps I won't be upgrading my iPhone to another iPhone. It's simply hard to stand behind this company anymore. They've all but abandoned their hardware, and their "i" crap is getting ridiculous. Stop it Apple. Just stop it.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Another possibility is that Google attempted to license Apple's multi-touch capability back when Google and Apple were playing nice, and that Apple just said NO. Google then made a best attempt at implementing multi-touch without violating Apple's patents knowing that eventually they'd wind up in court. Google may have determined that the likely cost of the court case and settlement was worth it to keep from being shut out of the mobile market.

I can see that happening. Early on in this fiasco, the iPhone's only advantage was it's UI, and giving that up would mean Apple would have to pull other tricks.

Now with that the App Store is Apple's defining point, the UI has taken the back seat.

 

[lex750]

Patent #7,657,849: Unlocking A Device By Performing Gestures On An Unlock Image

This patent was granted on February 2nd 2010. Why was it not patented when the iPhone first came out in 2007? Was apple waiting (almost 3 years) for others to use a similar way to unlock a phone so they can turn around and sue them? Nice business model.

 

[jayducharme]

"HTC quietly brilliant"

That sounds like:

"HTC: We're really good but you'll never know it."

 

[cmaier]

Patent #7,657,849: Unlocking A Device By Performing Gestures On An Unlock Image

This patent was granted on February 2nd 2010. Why was it not patented when the iPhone first came out in 2007? Was apple waiting (almost 3 years) for others to use a similar way to unlock a phone so they can turn around and sue them? Nice business model.

Are you joking? They filed for this patent on Dec. 23, 2005. It takes years for the patent office to grant a patent. Do you think it's instantaneous or something?

 

[tzeshan]

Patent #7,657,849: Unlocking A Device By Performing Gestures On An Unlock Image

This patent was granted on February 2nd 2010. Why was it not patented when the iPhone first came out in 2007? Was apple waiting (almost 3 years) for others to use a similar way to unlock a phone so they can turn around and sue them? Nice business model.

Great find! If Apple can force HTC(Google) to use a different way to unlock the home screen then it will be strong differentiator between iPhone and Android phones.

 

[Eminemdrdre00]

Apple is shooting themselves in the foot with this lawsuit. Half of their patents are going to be thrown out!

 

[cmaier]

Apple is shooting themselves in the foot with this lawsuit. Half of their patents are going to be thrown out!

No. No they won't.

 

[Juventuz]

Great find! If Apple can force HTC(Google) to use a different way to unlock the home screen then it will be strong differentiator between iPhone and Android phones.

What's so great about the find? The patent infringements Apple's alleging are found within the suit. Furthermore, as it's already been pointed out, the application for the patent is years old.

 

[tdmac]

And by the way: anyone noticed that MS will not bring cut/paste in their new Phone series upon launch? Reminds me of the Apple bashing a year or so ago... Now: where all the PC lovers who were criticizing Apple for not implementing "such a simple / trivial feature"? They are a joke...

Not only that but from what I have read. No multitasking either. Just a way to save the place where the app let off. Ala what the iPhone does, if programmers build their App's correctly.

 

[lex750]

Great find! If Apple can force HTC(Google) to use a different way to unlock the home screen then it will be strong differentiator between iPhone and Android phones.

Patent #7,657,849: Unlocking A Device By Performing Gestures On An Unlock Image

Apples patents tend to be not very specific and very broad. Thus attempting to cover a wide area of use. "Unlocking A Device By Performing Gestures On An Unlock Image" is not limited to "slide to unlock" it can also be tapping (also a gesture) a button (image) on the device screen to unlock.

 

[cmaier]

Patent #7,657,849: Unlocking A Device By Performing Gestures On An Unlock Image

Apples patents tend to be not very specific and very broad. Thus attempting to cover a wide area of use. "Unlocking A Device By Performing Gestures On An Unlock Image" is not limited to "slide to unlock" it can also be tapping (also a gesture) a button (image) on the device screen to unlock.

No it can't. You keep posting wrong information about this patent. The patent is very narrow and only covers the use of gestures with specific other features. You need to read from "What is claimed is" in column 19. Nothing before that point determines the scope of the patent.

 

[*LTD*]

It's interesting that HTC still has not responded in any substantive way to Apple's claims, whereas Apple seems very clear about their own position. HTC gives the impression that they're running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to figure out what to do. Nor have they made any concrete mention of *their own* patents.

When it comes to IP Apple as of lately has been a fire now, damage control later. Perfect example would be Apple v. Cisco, Apple v. Nokia, Apple v. Shenzhen Great Long Brother Industrial Co., etc. etc. etc. What people forget is Apple is new to the game. Companies have portfolios that span decades.

Apple's portfolio goes back decades, and is as deep as anyone's can get. Some of Apple's claims are based on patents that go back to the earliest Apple years. Apple was founded in 1976.

 

[cmaier]

Apple's portfolio goes back decades, and is as deep as anyone's can get. Some of Apple's claims are based on patents that go back to the earliest Apple years. Apple was founded in 1976.

Patents are only valid from 20 years from the filing date (or 17 years from the issue date for older patents). So being based on patents from the mid-to-late '70's makes no sense.

 

[hitekalex]

i think Apple is wrong and i hope HTC wins. is no one allowed to say that here?

We can say it all day. Apple's behavior during the last ~18 months has been worthy of contempt. And not just in terms of this HTC lawsuit, but on a bunch of different fronts. They are quickly alienating even some of their loyal customers, and I think they are just on the wrong path.

I sincerely hope that the outcome of this lawsuit will be like a bucket of icy cold water on Apple's corporate head. Go HTC.