Do Patents Stop Companies From Creating 'Perfect' Products?

Posted by Zonk on Tuesday June 19, 2007 @07:31AM from the would-have-gotten-away-with-it-if-it-wasn't-for-those-darn-patents dept.

Chris M writes "In a recent CNET article, the mobile phone editor writes about what he thinks would make a perfect phone. Unfortunately, as someone in the comments section points out, much of the technology that is used in this concept phone belongs to separate companies. 'I'm sorry to be the Devil's Advocate here, but most of those feautres are patented to separate companies. It would require almost all the major manufacturers [working together] to do this, which is highly unlikely.' Do you think patents are stopping companies from creating 'perfect' devices, or are there other factors at work?"

1 of 292 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

Re:The Perfect Phone in 20 years by Anonymous Coward · 2007-06-19 07:54 · Score: -1, Redundant

All patents expire after 20 years. I'm sure this editor can wait that long to have his "perfect" phone, considering the fact that market and financial incentives drive the innovations (protected by patents) which he seems to cherish so much in the first place.

Curry