Apple sues HTC for patent violations
It's a festival of lawsuits. This morning Apple has announced it is going after Taiwan based phone giant HTC for infringing on 20 patents concerning the iPhone user interface and the underlying hardware and architecture. The lawsuit was filed with the U.S. International Trade Commission and in the U.S. District Court in Delaware."We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it. We've decided to do something about it," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours."
Although the Google Android phone is not mentioned in the lawsuit, HTC makes several Android handsets, and the touchscreen models look quite a bit like the iPhone screen. HTC has not yet reacted to the lawsuit.
Apple's lawyers are busy. There is ongoing litigation with Nokia over patents and technology licensing.
For more detailed dissection of each of the patent claims, check out Engadget's post.
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It's a festival of lawsuits. This morning Apple has announced it is going after Taiwan based phone giant HTC for infringing on 20 patents...
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Is it just me or is that quote just a bit hypocritical coming from Steve Jobs? I bet there was someone who had the right to make that claim shouting at the top of their lungs at Xerox back in the 70's.
April 13 2010 at 5:15 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyApple a software company?? i thought everyone agreed that apple was a hardware company after the whole pystar vs apple case.
And then now apple is suing due to HTC stealing ideas from them. Well, wasnt it not that long ago that apple was getting sued for stealing Creatives ideas when designing the iPod.
Look, apple making this statement contradicts everything they've said and designed. And if you dont believe me, you must be a new mac user and havent done any research.
Apple is the new Microsoft. In fact, i think they are much worse.
Hypocrisy at its best
Look what Jobs has to say here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CW0DUg63lqU
It's about time Apple started this process. I was wondering what was taking so long in the first place.
As for all the Mac haters, you're on the wrong blog. Go to Engadget or Gizmodo and spread your Apple hate somewhere else. One guy said that Apple shouldn't sue for patents they invented and just fight with innovation. Well, they did fight the phone industry with innovation and everyone just basically copied them. So if they innovate more and those companies steal/copy that then what?
Put your self in their shoes. You invent something, everyone starts copying it and making money from your idea. And not just something similar but THE EXACT SAME THING!
Corporate giant or not that's the game. Don't hate the player...
This story was a Trending Topic on Twitter today http://bit.ly/98RjsK Will there be backlash for Apple?
March 02 2010 at 5:17 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI'm suing Apple. I hold a patent on things with screens that fit in a pocket.
March 02 2010 at 3:36 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyWhat people commenting here, and the "anti-Apple fanboys" over at Engadget don't seem to grasp is the fundamentally Apple is a software company.
Let me say that again for the anti-Apple fanboys"...
APPLE IS A SOFTWARE COMPANY.
Yes, they make hardware - but that's just a means to distribute and 'sell' their software.
The core iPhone hardware (capacitive multi-touchscreen excepted) was nothing special. It was the SOFTWARE and in particular the GUI/UX that caused it to become such a game-changer (and I don't use that term lightly, but accurately).
Therefore it's entirely acceptable, if not prudent, to lock down their ideas and designs - via patents - as that's the only real method available to them, for their UI/UX software designs and implementations.
So back off everyone bitching and moaning at Apple for this.
This stuff isn't just their 'bread and butter', but it's their CORE BUSINESS.
They must defend against the not-so-subtle attacks that Android, Palm, HTC and even Microsoft are throwing their way.
Google and MS are behaving like Chinese KIRF's... cloning and copying rather than doing what Apple to best... INNOVATE.
Without securing their software and UX - Apple have nothing substantial to differentiate themselves.
And as a professional games programmer for a worldwide leading games company - software is the key...without it you've got heavy doorstops.
Really, it seems to me that Apple has been resting on their laurels for a while now. Innovation? What have we seen that is innovative since the introduction of the iPhone/iPod touch?
I've been an Apple fan since my Apple ][+ way back, but lets be realistic here.
It's hard to differentiate at this point, but Apple's money does primarily come from hardware...it's just that they have to create the right type of software to sell it, and the software is what gets the spotlight.
March 02 2010 at 7:23 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyWow it is great to read about what the experts have to say. If this was Google doing the same thing everybody would clap their hands, and tell them how great they are because they are the "underdog". So because Apple defends what they think is their right, they are evil lol. Come on guys and get real, Apple has every right to defend their patents, you know that´s what patents are for o O
March 02 2010 at 2:23 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyGoogle an underdog? This isn't 1999 anymore. Google is a 600 pound gorilla, and this is the opening salvo in another Google/Apple conflict. Apple is, rightly, fearing Google's entry into their product space. Google has some of the top talent in the industry, and are poking their fingers into just about everything. And this lawsuit is aimed squarely at Google and Android. Make no mistake about it.
March 02 2010 at 6:32 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyWith every day Apple looks more like Microsoft. I really don't like this. :(
March 02 2010 at 1:57 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIt seems like Apple and Microsoft switched sides. I own a MacBook Pro and a iPhone, but I loved my old HTC Orbit, too. Apple is starting to produce junk and is calling it inovation. Hello Apple the iPad is a giant iPod touch. And then they sue everybody that produces good cell phones, because they are afraid of them. If Apple is becoming a company like that I will go back to a windows mobile or androide phone from HTC, a Asus Notebook and will start buying my music on Amazon. Please, Apple stop this insanity. Fire your lawyers and hire engineers. I like your products but this is a really stupid policy.
March 02 2010 at 12:29 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHot Apps on TUAW
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