Google responds to Apple lawsuit against HTC

The timing is important. It can't be just about the iPhone or there would be more lawsuits, like Palm Pre for instance.

I think that the lawsuit isn't so much about the iPhone but about building a legal wall around the iPad. Remember the iPad is the product that Jobs said is "the most important thing he's ever done." By Attacking HTC, high profile but a relative weakling in the device and software patent area they may be able to set certain legal precedents. This should put a chill on a lot of manufacturers thinking about making Apple like devices. Especially companies looking to partner with Google for tablets. Google knows this, hence the unusual response to the lawsuit they are not named in.

Apple is trying to make clear that copying the iPhone/iPad look and feel and then adding an extra bell and two whistles like Google isn't actually innovating. We'll see what the courts think.

@Rob. Let me correct Nokia does not want to trade IP, Nokia wants to force Apple to give them there IP's

And surely Apple didn't copy anything from Nokia or HTC, right?

Right?

That's what I thought.

I'm amazed at all the pundits who say that Apple is trying to stifle innovation. That's ridiculous: they are trying to stifle theft of intellectual property. Letting other companies steal their ideas stifles innovation by removing incentive for other companies to innovate. Apple is doing the right thing for both their shareholders and the markets.

I'm curious to see where all this goes. I understand there are lot of people who will bring up the whole Xerox mouse bit ect, but bottom line, it's pretty hard to prove these guys DIDN'T copy the iPhone. Since it's come out, the iPhone has pretty much shaped what phones look and act like now today. It doesn't surprise me that in the process of making an "iPhone killer", they copied so much it went outside legal bounds.