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Apple Chief Patent Lawyer Leaves After Android Loss

Posted by Unknown on from the we're-all-friends-here dept.

Hugh Pickens writes "PC Magazine reports that Richard Lutton, Apple's current chief patent lawyer, is reportedly leaving the company after failing to block Android manufacturers from using iPhone-like features. 'It's possible that Apple's leadership wants the patent department to become more effective, especially in terms of litigation,' says intellectual property analyst Florian Mueller. 'They are probably disappointed that the first ITC complaint against HTC didn't go too well.' ... In addition Apple is aggressively seeking an injunction on Samsung's flagship Galaxy lineup." Samsung also happens to be displeased with Apple using their former legal counsel.

20 of 101 comments (clear)

  1. Or maybe... by chispito · · Score: 3

    'It's possible that Apple's leadership wants the patent department to become more effective, especially in terms of litigation,' says intellectual property analyst Florian Mueller.

    Hopefully they canned him because he counseled them to go after bogus patent infringement suits.

    --
    The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
    1. Re:Or maybe... by Kenja · · Score: 2

      This is Apple we're talking about. Unless he traveled back in time to tell them to go after bogus patent infringements they where doing it long before he was involved.

      --

      "Have you ever thought about just turning off the TV, sitting down with your kids, and hitting them?"
    2. Re:Or maybe... by JamesP · · Score: 2

      Above a certain level, no one is fired or resigns, everybody leaves "in mutual agreement"

      Of course, the juicy details are left to the reader to imagine.

      --
      how long until /. fixes commenting on Chrome?
    3. Re:Or maybe... by Blindman · · Score: 3

      He probably wants to spend more time with his family.

      --
      I don't practice what I preach because I'm not the kind of person that I'm preaching to.
    4. Re:Or maybe... by kakyoin01 · · Score: 2

      This is Apple we're talking about. Unless he traveled back in time...

      This is Apple we're talking about. They have Time Machine.

      --
      The more you know, the more you have to say and the more you should listen.
  2. Or... by geoffrobinson · · Score: 2

    He wanted to leave but wanted to see the case through. Or who knows?

    So instead of speculating on future Apple product we are now speculating on HR moves?

    --
    Except for ending slavery, the Nazis, communism, & securing American independence, war has never solved anything.
  3. After Armageddon by Virtucon · · Score: 2

    There will only be cockroaches and lawyers left. Of the lawyers that will be left, about 50% will be ambulance chasers, 30% patent trolls and 20% lobbyists.

    --
    Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
    1. Re:After Armageddon by cyberchondriac · · Score: 3, Funny

      There will only be cockroaches and lawyers left.

      There's a difference?

      --

      Look back up at my post, now look back down, you're on the Internet. Now look back up. I'm a signature.
    2. Re:After Armageddon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Stop insulting the cockroaches.

    3. Re:After Armageddon by dunkelfalke · · Score: 2

      Yep. The one is a hated pest, the other is an insect.

      --
      "It's such a fine line between stupid and clever" -- David St. Hubbins, Spinal Tap
  4. Hey Apple... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Suck it.

    Love,

    Android

    P.S.

    I am banging Windows Phone 7 on the side.

  5. Apple playing dirty by gubers33 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Using Samsung's former counsel is just plain dirty. Apple has an internal legal department and is purposely hiring lawyers who have inside information on Samsung. I mean come on, Apple is starting to act like Microsoft. Jobs wants anything that uses the same technologies as the iPad or iPhone to not exist because he sees as a threat for good reason. Apples only makes one model of each and there is little room for innovation. Android on the other hand has multiple manufacturers making the phones and tablets and because of they they are creating phones that can display HD and shoot video in 3D. I mean this getting shady in using former representation and then citing the Tariff Act of 1930 against HTC. I think Steve Jobs might react the same way as Eric in Billy Madison if he had to define "Business ethics".

    --
    Just because you are wrong and I called you out on it doesn't mean I am a Troll.
    1. Re:Apple playing dirty by gubers33 · · Score: 2

      I never said it was against the law to hire a competitor's former employee, however in court with legal counsel it can be against the law if the judge rules in favor of Samsung for conflict of interest. And yes this does fit the mold for counsel dismissal for conflict of interest.

      --
      Just because you are wrong and I called you out on it doesn't mean I am a Troll.
    2. Re:Apple playing dirty by LynnwoodRooster · · Score: 4, Informative

      Apples only makes one model of each and there is little room for innovation.

      Even worse, Apple makes 50% of their revenue - and over 50% of their profits - from a SINGLE product in a SINGLE market (iPhone in smartphones). ANY loss in growth or actual loss in marketshare in that market or with that product means a direct, corresponding 2:1 loss in their revenue and profit (lose 2% in iPhone sales, lose 1% of your revenue).

      Apple pretty much has a single product - the iPhone. Everything else totaled is the minority revenue and profit generator for Apple. If they take ANY hits to the iPhone, they're in a very bad position. This is why Apple is getting so aggressive about cell phones - they are so dependent on that single product in a single market that they cannot afford any loss in growth of that product in that market.

      --
      Browsing at +1 - no ACs, I ignore their posts. So refreshing!
  6. More spam from Florian Mueller by Trufagus · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's starting to appear that Florian Mueller is spamming /.?

    He was long ago discredited, and yet his useless posts are showing up quite regularly as the source of /. articles. Presumably he is using /. to increase his pagerank.

    1. Re:More spam from Florian Mueller by Dachannien · · Score: 2

      It would be marginally more correct to say that Florian Mueller is spamming PC Magazine, since the reason he's mentioned in the /. summary is because he was quoted in TFA.

    2. Re:More spam from Florian Mueller by Anubis+IV · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Exactly what I'm thinking. I've read coverage of this on 2-3 other sites today, and none of them indicated there was anything unusual about what was going on or that anything should be read into it. When higher-ups at Apple leave on poor terms, it's much more dramatic than this. You don't even have to look hard to find examples, since the breakups were so explosive. There's Fred Anderson, the former CFO and interim CEO who got embroiled with the SEC and made accusations against Steve Jobs (blasphemy!); Jon Rubenstein, who became the CEO of Palm and publicly made some harsh jabs at Apple while launching webOS; and Mark Papermaster, who was forced out during the antennagate brouhaha with the iPhone 4 last year.

      The timing with the HTC ruling that didn't go their way is likely coincidental, since it's just one minor ruling amongst dozens of cases that they have going on. You don't oust someone that high up over something that small, and Apple wins at least as often as it loses in court, so there's no reason his departure should signal internal legal troubles at Apple. Hell, we even had an article on /. just yesterday about how they fired off another round of attacks at HTC, and it mentioned that they had made similar attacks against Samsung not long before that.

      The guy probably just left because he got a better job offer. That does happen, as most of us here should know.

  7. Florian Mueller by bannable · · Score: 2

    I stopped reading this trash as soon as I realized he was involved in the article.

    --
    "If you see a man on a horse, he is likely an enemy. Kill the man and eat the horse."
  8. Re:Losing the innovation battle by X.25 · · Score: 2

    It's because it's innovating and people see it making massive inroads into areas once controlled by other players

    No, really, please tell me what is it that Apple innovated? What R&D are you talking about?

  9. Re:Losing the innovation battle by Actually,+I+do+RTFA · · Score: 2

    No, really, please tell me what is it that Apple innovated?

    Well, multitouch screens... oh no, that was Microsoft. Maybe tablet PCs? Oh, no wait, the first one of those I saw ran Windows. Well they at least created a whole new OS a few years ba... damn.

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