Apple Sues HTC Over Patents
The "patents" Apple is claiming (I don't know why they don't just sue every electronics maker)
Notice: My legalise is a bit rusty.. but I think these are what the patents translate into. Feel free to correct it if you're more versed than I.
Here is an example of the text:
An apparatus for enabling an object-oriented application to access in an object-oriented manner a procedural operating system having a native procedural interface is disclosed
1. Using a Gesture on the touchscreen to unlock (aka swipe to unlock)
2. Slide Transitions between windows (aka, that it looks pretty when you go from one window/app to the next)
3. On screen keyboards.. That's right, Apple is claiming the patent for USING A ...
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e.g.:
Sure, we didn't invent the Internet, we didn't invent phones, we didn't invent the Internet on phones, and we didn't invent email over the Internet, but we invented email on phones!
The USPTO must be completely illiterate in the world of software and electronics, because they will apparently grant a patent on anything.
It is especially ironic for Apple to play this game, given that the birth of the iPhone was followed by an immediate and as-of-now ongoing cry for Apple to add features which everyone else already has.
Take for example the keyboard patent. Apple isn't just patenting an onscreen keyboard but is instead patenting how the O.S. should respond to an on-screen keyboard and inputs regarding it. Quite honestly, nobody figured out proper on-screen keyboard behavior before Apple. Do you think Apple just crapped it out, or spent a good deal of time testing various scenarios?
Do you see the difference? The iPhone's UI isn't great because it's Apple, the iPhone's UI is great because Apple spent a significant amount of R&D getting it to work.
I don't recall HTC ever doing much for on-screen keyboards before the iP...
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They are suing a handset maker (htc) because they see them as a threat.
These lawsuits would only make sense if apple was going after everyone. But they're not. explain that to me.
In fact, pretty much NONE of them have anything to do with hardware, but are all software related.
How is HTC's implmentation of an onscreen keyboard any different than the default android one? or the LG keyboard? Or the one that is on Samsung WINMO phones? Or the one that is on Blackberries? Sure a blackberry has Surepress, but that doesn't change how the keyboard works, just the type of input needed (like resistive V capacitive).
And yet none of those companies are being sued... why only HTC?
HTC is likely the first. I'm not Apple's legal department, but my guess is suing HTC makes suing Palm that much easier.
My guess is Motorola is next. But I think the case against HTC is clearer because HTC has been knocking off the iPhone back to the days of the HTC Touch.
Quite honestly, with Verizon, the worse the phone the better it sells. How else do you explain the popularity of the Chocolate? 🤣
If they attacked Google (or microsoft) directly, they would find themselves countersued so fast they wouldn't have the time to find another lawyer team.
Palm has their own string of hardware and software patents in their warchest.
Google also doesn't profit directly from Android itself (only related software), but HTC does from hardware sales.
Pretty cut and dry, Menno.
and it doesn't matter who profits from it, it's who created it. If I created an OS that operated exactly like OSX and started selling it to Alienware. Apple could go after alienware for selling it, but they have to go after ME for the copyright infringement.
Circuits and wiring are no different than lines of Code. But Nokia's patents were frankly out of date or no longer relevant. Some of Apple's are (some of which apply to rudimentary GUI commands).
Nokia's lawsuit against Apple is like Apple suing Google over H.264 patents. 😳
Interesting statement because many of HTC's early smartphones did have a form of touchscreen. These predated the iPhone by 2 years. (the Apache and the tilt) You used a stylus to touch the icons and launch the function. Palms also used the stylus. Almost every phone manufacturer was working on touch screen technology when the iPhone launched. Many put the project on hold to find out how Apple's fared before investing tons of money on it.
My opinion is that since HTC is the fastest growing competitor to the iPhone, Apple is going to do what they have always done and that is stifle competition before it makes inroads into their business with litiga...
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I think there isn't much debate that they are two very different experiences as a result of the software heuristics Apple developed with the iPhone- the same ones Apple is suing HTC over.
The problem is, for HTC to implement a decent keyboard they had to rip off these heuristics. On the one hand, it's going to stifle competition. On the other hand, HTC had been making smartphones for years ...
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But that same technology existed in ATM machines and certain computers designed for people with special needs years before the iPod touch was out. Why is Apple not suing Fujitsu, Xerox, or HP if the patent was stolen? Or better yet why not sue Archos, Microsoft (Zune HD), Nintendo (DS) Sony (PSP).
By being selective in the suit it is understood it is a defensive maneuver to slow the biggest Android competitor or they would have named others as co defendants.
Take for example the Hero/Eris/G1/etc.'s scrolling behavior- it's directly copied from the iPhone in how it responds to a swipe that registers at 90 degrees from the horizontal vs. 45 degrees.
This is what Apple is getting at, and it's completely valid.
You mentioned that one, but the other one I'm familiar with is in regards to scrolling on a document, whereby continuing to scroll when you reach the end of the document reveals a background underneath and upon releasing, the document will spring back.
That's a pretty specific behaviour for a touch screen device if you ask me. (And probably the courts too!)
exactly Menno! apparently Apple invented user interfaces; nay, input / output! i guess i better throw away my microwave, those patent infringing jerks!
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