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Apple Sued Over Fundamental iTunes Model

Posted by Zonk on from the who-says-patent-reform-isn't-working dept.

tuxgeek writes "A suit was filed Wednesday against Apple over the possibility that the iTunes music store and iPod are 'illegally using a patented method for distributing digital media over the Internet.' ZapMedia Services filed the suit, accusing the well-known OS and computer manufacturer of violating patents obtained just recently. 'The patents in question cover a way of sending music and other digital content from servers to multiple media players, a broad description that could also apply to a wide swath of other companies selling digital media and the devices to play it. ZapMedia said it met with Apple to discuss licensing, but Apple rebuffed the offer.'"

3 of 257 comments (clear)

  1. Not the best article about the topic by Reality+Master+201 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Have a look at:

    http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/08/03/12/apple_sued_over_foundation_to_ipod_itunes_franchise.html

    ZapMedia claims in its suit that after filing for the patent, they went around to various tech companies - Apple included - and pitched the idea in great detail. This was before the launch of the iPod or iTunes.

    I still think this shouldn't be a patentable thing, but the suit is less wildly without merit than the article linked in this story would suggest.

  2. There's a lot of leeway in federal cases by Reality+Master+201 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    It's called venue or forum shopping, looking for a place to file suit where you're more likely to get a favorable result:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forum-shopping

    East Texas is apparently well known as a venue for patent suits, as the judges there tend to find in favor of the plaintiff more than the national average.

    Yay America!

    1. Re:There's a lot of leeway in federal cases by reebmmm · · Score: 4, Interesting

      First, Texas has typically been favorable to plaintiffs of all types.

      Second, the Eastern District of Texas has fashioned themselves as a Rocket Docket where litigation occurs much faster than elsewhere in the country. The Western District of Wisconsin is similarly situation.

      There's, of course, lots of advantages to being in a rocket docket: few delays, short discovery, and quick results.