Posted on 03/03/2010 5:42:40 AM PST by webschooner
As you’ve undoubtedly heard by now, Apple has filed a lawsuit against device-maker HTC over 20 patents they control. As you might imagine, Google has something to say about it too.
“We are not a party to this lawsuit. However, we stand behind our Android operating system and the partners who have helped us to develop it,” a Google spokesperson emailed us.
A little odd that Google would proactively send us a statement for something they’re not technically involved in. But, as we’re all well aware, this suit is much more about Google’s Android operating system than HTC. And it seems that Google is well aware of that too.
As we noted earlier, the clear focus of the suit centers around the HTC devices that are Android-based, including the Nexus One, the Magic/myTouch 3G, the Dream/G1, the Hero, and the Droid Eris. And in fact, with the Nexus One, Google worked closely with HTC to make the device, and is completely in control of selling it.
Still, for whatever reason, Google is not named in the suit — at least not yet. You’ll recall that exactly one month ago, Google decided to turn on multi-touch support for Android users with Nexus Ones. As we noted at the time, Apple was probably not going to be too happy about that. After all, it had been previously reported that the reason Android phones in the U.S. didn’t support multi-touch up until that point was a gentleman’s agreement between Apple and Google when the two were still all buddy-buddy. And now we’re starting to see the fall-out.
What’s odd is that these HTC phones have actually supported multi-touch (only one of the many patents Apple is disputing here), but it’s only now after Google just enabled it (specifically pinch-to-zoom) in the software that we’re seeing the lawsuit — of the hardware company involved. Still, this looks to be Apple multi-punching back. And Google doesn’t sound like it will back down.
Tech ping
If you read the list of “patents” Apple is claiming are violated, one would think Apple invented breathing.
Pop some corn, battle royale!
Maybe Apple thought that they could pick off HTC while Google stood idly by. Uh ... no ... Apple poked a very large bear with a very large stick. Who knows? — maybe a move they may regret one day.
Apple did the innovation. Apple took the risks. Apple should be permitted to reap the rewards.
I think they should call this the Attorney Employment Act of 2010. The only winners will be all the lawyers both sides will hire…. The lawyers will bleed both sides dry …
Care to tell us what innovation or risk Apple took when it was allowed to patent “slide to unlock”?
It won’t be long before Windows 7 Phone Edition will be available. Then all will be right with the world.
http://www.windowsphone7series.com/
Since Al Gore is on Apple’s board, and he is the one who invented the internet, I am not surprised.
Apple did the design. They had the technology, but needed a way to prevent accidental activation by the touch screen. So innovated when they came up with the slide to unlock function, which used the convenient touch screen but did not constantly turn on and unlock your phone.
They took a risk when they incorporated this feature into their iPhone. If the customers did not like it, they could have lost a lot of business, or had to do an expensive re-working of the whole interface.
It is only after the design had been created and incorporated into a marketed product that it was clear that the innovation paid off and the risk was worth it. For every "slide to unlock" type feature that succeeds, there are a lot of Newtons out there that never make it to the big time.
From your point of view, it seems like a silly, little, obvious thing. It is not silly, or little, or obvious, when you are putting out a brand new class of product with billions of dollars on the line.
But Apple took the risk, and Apple should get the reward.
You do know that Apple did not invent this?
In fact most of these patents are so broad its a joke that they were even awarded.
Google must pay for the lawyers. Chip in for the lawyers and get the best ones possible. Google knows who they are. HTC is Taiwanese and will be slaughtered without excellent lawyers
Huge legal bills are about to be run up
I had the G1, the first Android phone, from Day One, then got the Droid on Day One. The Droid is a very very solid phone, but when the N1 is released on Verizon, I will be looking at it closely, and will consider upgrading to it, as I don’t use the physical keyboard anymore.
I would buy nothing but Android OS phones from here on out.
Do you have any 3G reception problems with your N1 as some do?
there are multiple skin apps for windows and blackberrys that duplicate that concept.
What else are they patenting?
I remember seeing the same style in old sci fi movies.
That’s a matter for the courts to decide. But you can’t blame Apple for enforcing their patents. It will, of course, obstruct competition and raise prices (and profits for Apple). That’s the nature of the beast.
Apple did the work. Apple got the patents. Now they will defend them. Good for Apple.
Is that a graphic of a band or a homosexual threesome. The implications are numerous.
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