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Apple Loses Bid For Emergency Ban On HTC Phone Imports

Posted by Unknown on from the itc-being-sane-you-don't-say dept.

New submitter tukang writes "The US International Trade Commission has rejected an emergency request by Apple to detain some HTC phones (including the One X and EVO 4G) at the border while the agency investigates Apple's claims of patent infringement. In May, HTC's phone shipment was held up at the border and was only allowed to pass after U.S. Customs and Border Protection received assurances that HTC worked around Apple patents, a claim which Apple disputes."

4 of 305 comments (clear)

  1. When will it end? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    "The patent covers a system to detect telephone numbers in e-mails so, when the number on the screen is tapped, they can be stored in directories or called without dialing."

    1. Re:When will it end? by Terry+Pearson · · Score: 4, Informative

      http://cdn.techpp.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/apple-slide-to-unlock.jpg

      Slide to unlock was their idea, they have a right to patent it.

      No they do not "have a right to patent it."

      They have the power to patent it under our current legal system, but patents were not meant for such trivial functionality. This whole "we have a right to patent intuitive design" crap needs to stop. It is not helping spur innovation when you give large companies the right to patent common sense design.

      If you want to patent a design on an advanced engine, fine. You want to patent an advanced chemical compound that cures something fine go ahead. But patents should be as limited in duration as they can be and the should only be allowed for complicated subject.

      Simple user interface ideas, curved corners, touch screens, and the like should not be patentable. And even if they are patented (because of stupid politics), it should be for a couple years tops.

  2. Re:Only a little evil by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Yes, but if you buy one of Apple's pocket-sized computers you need to constantly fight with the manufacturer to install any Unapproved Software on it.

  3. Re:Only a little evil by walshy007 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Give it time, while apple's future is hard to predict the general trend seems to be going to more lock down the better, hell with the next os x having developer signing they are paving the way for the future lock down. All they'd have to do is change a setting to refuse to run things not signed by them and the transformation would be complete.