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Apple Wins Injunction Banning Import of HTC Devices
Newly accepted submitter squish18 writes "All Things D reports that Apple has won an injunction banning the import of some HTC phones starting in April 2012. The ruling by the ITC stems from two claims of the '647 patent concerning software used to enter personal data in mobile devices. It is interesting to note that the ITC has also reversed previous rulings regarding regarding infringement of two other '647 claims, as well as patent '263 claims."
It looks like Apple's victory is relatively minor. They lost claims on all patents except for one, and HTC/Google can work on implementing similar functionality in a non-infringing way.
It looks like Apple's victory is relatively minor. They lost claims on all patents except for one, and HTC/Google can work on implementing similar functionality in a non-infringing way.
It seems like this is exactly what Apple wants, other companies coming up with their own solutions. This should also be want Slashdot wants. Isn't competition what drives innovation? Where's the innovation if everyone just does what everyone else is doing?
This theory doesn't hold true. Apple makes more money from the iPhone than all of the rest of the mobile industry combined. They set their price based on perceived customer value and struggle to make enough devices to meet demand.
Google on the other hand gives away "free" software that it knows infringes other peoples patents, but has argued in court (the Oracle, Java case) that it shouldn't have to pay anything because it gives the software away free. Fact is their business model is to raise revenue from advertising once Andriod users are into their eco-system. They don't get paid up front but they do get paid down the road.
Everybody else pays to use other peoples patents, but Google thinks it's advertising and giving away free model makes it immune from having to pay. Why on earth should a $200B market cap company like Google not have to pay to use other peoples technology and fly in the face of 200 years of establish business process regarding other peoples inventions?
Heck even Apple pays Nokia for the use of Nokias GSM and related industry standard patents. Apple have offered to pay Motorola and Samsung for their GSM and other industry related patents under FRAND terms like they pay Nokia. Apple even offered to license one of the key iOS scrolling patents to Samsung when it licensed it to Nokia and IBM.
But no, the Andriod way is to use other peoples patents and inventions for free because the money comes from advertising???.... Samsung, HTC have already agreed to pay Microsoft for their technology but refuse to recognize Apple's patents and get a license before using technology that is known to be patented.
So Apple is the bad guy for saying that Andriod needs to recognize the existing laws and patents granted. I don't like the open road speed limits but if I get caught speeding I pay my fine. Andrioid doesn't like the current patent laws because it means they need to pay people money for technology other people have got patents on, but instead just ignores the law. Come on guys, its not like Google can't afford to pay to clear up this whole mess, they made $2.5B from mobile advertising revenue in the last 12 months. They just don't like 200 years of convention and are too cheap to pay. What a bunch of dicks.
Nonsense. Even when it was pointed out that HTC is doing the exact same thing, the only response was somebody defending HTC.
You don't need to look hard at Slashdot to figure out the bias.