Do Patents Stop Companies From Creating 'Perfect' Products?

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?"

Comments

Re:Sometimes

[Husgaard]

Other times, someone patents "the way it's done" and the result is, when you try and find another way to do it, you actually find a better way.

Yes, like when ogg-vorbis was created as a free replacement for the patented mp3. The problem, however, is that those who have the patents for mp3 are still saying that ogg-vorbis is violating some (unspecified) of their patents, so almost no commercial entity has dared support this new and better format.

Originally I was only against patents on software and business methods. But after spending years learning more about patents and how they work in the so-called free market, I now think that it is time to completely abolish the patent system.

Patents are government-issued monopolies. Monopolies are incompatible with a free market.

And if you look at patent infringement cases, you will see that most cases are used to shut down new and innovative competitors in the market.

So the current state of patents today is that they stiffle both the free market and new innovation.