You don't sound biased at all. The bottom line is Apple isn't obligated to use Imagination's PowerWhatever technology in perpetuity. Imagination needs to prove their claim that Apple infringed on their technology. Rather than hurl out claims that Apple couldn't possibly use a graphics technology that didn't infringe on their patents. Like there aren't more than one way to solve a particular problem.
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Imagination Technologies Remains For Sale as No Progress Made in Dispute With Apple
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You think half a BILLION dollars is free? You accept that money, you accept the terms.
Need to read a bit better there, mate. It is because Apple gets sued a lot by patent trolls for allegedly stealing IP, they would be sure that they would not actually be stealing Imagination's IP when they develop their own GPU for use in future iOS devices.
No. Apple should have paid for all that factory equipment and allowed it all to be used to make product for their own competitors.
According to that guy, anyway.
Why would Apple have to substantiate its assertions prior to putting a product on the market? Whether Apple goes to a new in-house solution, or switches to another vendor doesn't matter. Apple can bring a product to market, and if Imagination or anyone else believes Apple violated their patents, IP, or confidentiality, they can take Apple to court. If, however, their case is nothing more than, "We don't believe Apple can do it without stealing from us," the case is not going to go very far. They need evidence, and that evidence is generally a finished product.
Similarly, if Apple files for patents that infringe on Imagination's (and the patent examiners don't catch it), Imagination can make its case to have those patents invalidated.
I don't blame Imagination for trying - they have a responsibility to the shareholders to make best efforts. However, the only reason that Imagination wasn't caught totally flat-footed is because their current agreements require advanced notice prior to departure. I'm sure there are plenty of retailers who would like to bind their customers so firmly. If exit was as impossible as Imagination seems to claim, such a clause would be unnecessary. No, the clause is there because it's recognized that a departure of this magnitude is possible, and that a company needs time to adapt to the situation, just as a landlord needs time to find a new tenant.
Imagination insists that Apple is making "unsubstantiated assertions," as the iPhone maker has supposedly yet to present any evidence to prove that it will no longer require the British firm's technology, at least not without violating its patents, intellectual property, and confidential information.
"Apple's unsubstantiated assertions and the resultant dispute have forced us to change our course, despite the clear progress we have been making," said Andrew Heath, CEO of Imagination Technologies.
Article Link: Imagination Technologies Remains For Sale as No Progress Made in Dispute With Apple
That is one of the silliest/stupidest claims ever. It would be like if Apple suddenly said "We won't be using Intel processors any more after 2019." and Intel sued claiming there was no way Apple could make a Mac without an Intel processor.
There are other mobile GPU providers out there, even if Apple doesn't develop their own. Why would Apple need to "present evidence" that they aren't going to use Imagination's technology? It would be one thing to claim "we have a contract that says Apple will continue to pay us through 2025" or something. But they're not claiming that. They're claiming there is no way Apple could make their products without Imagination property...
I think the fact that apple poached a shedload of Imagination Technologies employees is proof that apple have done wrong here.
They all relocated to Ca, not just for the sunny climate and more money.
They all relocated to Ca, not just for the sunny climate and more money.
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Your bad mathematics reminds me of a certain UK Shadow Cabinet member’s arithmetic skills. Apple exploited the situation, not unexpectedly. They could have used 20% and suffered a minute profit loss for a day or two till the pound recovered. Since then the prospects for the pound seem pretty good but I don’t expect Apple to ever drop the prices.
It has no options until Apple debuts the new GPU.
British chipmaker Imagination Technologies today disclosed that its formal sale process continues, despite successful restructuring and a return to profitability in its fiscal year ended April 30, 2017. It also said it is reviewing options in its dispute with Apple, but added that no progress has been made.
These guys are real idiots. The placed all the eggs in one basket and failed to investigate and move into new markets. Imagine where they would be today if they had take Apples money and produced a real solid open source driver for Linux.
Possibly all in house or possibly partially licensed from AMD.
Of course they haven't presented any evidence as they haven't launched the new technology yet. As for violating patents it is foolish of Imagination to say they (Apple) will violate patents when it is obvious that they don't know what Apple is working on.
I realize they have to save the company but frankly you don't do that by looking like complete idiots. Frankly if anybody does buy the company the first thing they would need to do is to throw out the current management team.
As far as I now Apple has made few assertions, at least public ones.
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I kinda doubt it though it is a given that Imagination will try to paint a picture that has Apple stealing something. People need to remember that Apple hired a whole bunch of AMD GPU engineers a few years ago. If any IP is at risk it is probably AMD's. Considering how cozy the two companies are (AMD & Apple) I wouldn't be surprised to find out that the new Apple GPU is a combined effort of the two companies.
Apple should be the last company to buy Imagination. Even if Imagination went into Administration (UK equivalent of Chapter 11) they should stay well clear. Therer are several groups of Lawyers in London would love to get Apple into the Dock.
The Imagination BOD might well be in the dock with them.
I think the Imagination board, most probably the head of the board, forgot how lucky they were with the apple deal.
Also a character clash happened that caused something that went seriously wrong in those early negotiations for purchase.
If I was to put money on it someone offended someone else without even realising they'd done it.
USA is a foreign country and although we share the same values and language sometimes we forget we are different, and we need to respect this.
Shame as all this could have been avoided as the two Companies would have been a great fit.
Also a character clash happened that caused something that went seriously wrong in those early negotiations for purchase.
If I was to put money on it someone offended someone else without even realising they'd done it.
USA is a foreign country and although we share the same values and language sometimes we forget we are different, and we need to respect this.
Shame as all this could have been avoided as the two Companies would have been a great fit.
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And those employees most likely signed non-disclosure agreements with their former employer. Even if they hadn't, their former employer's IP still belongs to the former employer. The best example I can give at the moment is the current situation with Uber (well, one of Uber's current situations
).Employees are not slaves. They are free to leave their jobs and absent a no-compete cause (for which, hopefully, they are compensated), are free to offer themselves for hire to competing companies. It doesn't mean they're free to give their former employer's secrets away - stealing secrets is stealing, regardless of how you came to know them. However, they are free to apply their expertise to technologies owned by/being developed by their new employer.
Some years ago, a number of prominent Silicon Valley companies, including Apple, were found guilty of making no-poaching agreements - they'd agreed to not hire each others' former employees. The basic purpose was to prevent employees from peddling their services to the highest bidder.
Companies try to hire the best-qualified people for the job. A student fresh out of engineering school is valuable, but less valuable than someone who has been applying those skills in the workplace. And they're even more valuable if they've been applying those skills at a company that's known for the quality of its products. It's likely that Imagination did not solely hire its staff directly from university - many undoubtedly had previous job experience, and some were likely (gasp) poached from other companies that produce GPUs.
It seems likely that national rivalries play a part in your opinions. Might you feel differently if it was a company in Cardiff hiring from a competitor in Holyhead? Around here they say, "No man is an island," but it seems some people who live on islands are unfamiliar with that phrase.
It is like the management team at IT is hanging "I'm stupid" placards on their shoulders. To say something like that, that is obviously false, puts you in really bad credibility position. You have to wonder if the management team is getting any professional guidance on what to say.
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I'm not sure xenophobic apples to Brexit. The problem appears to be people rejecting the way the EU is evolving, especially the heavy handed central government. I would expect other countries to do the same thing if the general trend continues.
Apparently people forget the new rather quickly these days. Last I knew Apple had a rather large contingent of former AMD GPU engineers working for them.
Considering the pedigree of Apples GPU engineering team, I'm not sure how IT can claim that Apple can't design a GPU without their IP. If anybody would have a claim it likely would be AMD. Even the recently hired IT engineers that Apple picked up are too late to the game to have much of an input on any GPU coming this fall. This is really strange behavior on the part of IT. You would have too wonder what they (Imagination) would have done if Apple simply embraced Mali.
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Actually it pretty much has to come out with A11. If not Apple will have a hard time reaching their goal of dropping Imagination.
A12 will be far too late.
Products like HomePod and iPod need to move to PowerVR-free. Those products are using n-2 chips. Apple won't be putting in a brand new A12 chip in those products in 2018. Production of A10 and older chips need to stop by 2018/2019.
Excellent decision ?
Apple took thier top employees, it's actually a below the belt sucker as apple did not have to buy them out.
It's how a big player screws over the little guy. Apple realised they could just get the
Knowledge via hiring imaginations employees.
Imagination learned a very good lesson in how to structure employees contracts.
Very below the belt, Apple definitely did the dirty here, but I imagine the staff they poached weren't entirely happy otherwise they would have been Loyal, despite the attractive offer.
I think non-compete clauses in the UK are difficult to enforce.
In a case where an employee with access to a customer database leaves and then contacts customers, that is 100% wrong.
As a hairdresser cutting the hair for a regular clients saying "I'm starting on my own soon, can I give you my new business card" again 100% wrong.
In this Imagination Tech instance there its IP but no sealing of customers, just knowledge, I think a judge would just say "can't stop them from earning their bread and butter, case closed".
Doesn't detract from apple being in the wrong here though.
Yep, we use them more as a deterent, hoping the employee would think twice. In reality they aren't worth the paper they are written on.
I think employers need to be careful with contracts as if they pop an unfair clause in, there is an argument that the whole contract if unfair, therefore making the entire agreement null and void.
