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Motorola Ordered To Recall Android Phones and Tablets In Germany

Posted by Soulskill on from the continuing-to-go-thermonuclear dept.

puddingebola sends word of a German court decision yesterday which found that Google's Motorola Mobility must recall all of its Android tablets and phones that infringe on Apple's patent for "rubber-band" scrolling. From the Guardian: "The dramatic decision, the latest in an escalating war between Apple and the smartphone and set-top box company MMI, follows earlier cases in which Apple had to disable automatic "push" delivery of email to its iPhone and iPads after MMI won a separate patent fight in Germany. The recall will not take effect immediately because Apple will have to request a ban on specific products and provide a €25m (£20m) bond, while MMI can appeal. However, the court indicated that it was unlikely that an appeal against the validity of the patent would succeed. MMI, with Google's backing, is expected to continue the appeal. The court also ruled that MMI owed Apple damages for past infringement."

7 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. Stop supporting APPLE!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Get a clue people. Apple just wants to corner the market and stop consumers of having choices, that are cheaper than theirs. WAKE UP STUPID PEOPLE!...

    Stop buying Apple products...

    1. Re:Stop supporting APPLE!! by gnasher719 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Look at the patent is question. It's an idea, not an implementation. I don't imagine Motorola copied Apple's code to implement it. This is the problem with software patents. Even if Motorola's implementation is vastly more efficient ... still 'infringing'.

      It's not an "idea". It is a user interface element that gives users intuitable feedback about what is happening, and that user interface element didn't exist before Apple invented it. And I thought by now anyone would know that for patents it doesn't matter whether you copy someone else's implementation, what matters is that your implementation does the same thing.

    2. Re:Stop supporting APPLE!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Actually, you can very easily. Any movies that you buy (not rent) on Play can permanently be downloaded to your device. You just click on the little push-pin icon and it will be downloaded and stored. I currently have 4 movies from Google play on my Nexus 7 and Asus Transformer that I can watch anytime, anywhere.

      I also have 13 movies available from Flixster/Ultraviolet on my tablets because I started using them first.

    3. Re:Stop supporting APPLE!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      This is an Apple problem. They are terrified of consumers having a choice, and they are systematically using trivial enhancements to existing idea as ammunition to block alternative products.

      They could quite easily stock pile their silly little patents and use them as an arsenal against patent trolls that come after them. They don't have to remove other companies' products from markets.

      It really is foolish. There might be some short term gains, but the customer will change their minds down the road, it's already happening. Sony are nothing like they used to be thanks to their attitude. Apple are accelerating down the same path.

  2. Sense? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So they are forced to recall their devices because of a GUI animation effect? How the hell is that proportionate? Was that a major advertised feature or something?

  3. Re:Bounce is obvious to any engineer by mclaincausey · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I am not an IP advocate, but I'm not sure that logic applies. Just because something is obvious in the physical domain, applying it to a control on a device isn't also obvious necessarily... it's not a skeumorphism for a spring or something, for example, which might make this connection less tenuous. Not defending the IP or IP-based attack, just don't necessarily trust your rationale for saying it's an obvious invention.

    --
    (%i1) factor(777353);
    (%o1) 777353
  4. IP is clearly killing healthy gadget evolution by klek · · Score: 5, Insightful

    All these microscopic patents on tiny "innovations" are preventing the positive evolution of excellent devices. Our devices should be getting better (easier to use, more capable, etc) by using the earlier innovations that truly work better. Yet these copyright battles force companies to create clunky workarounds... Windows GUI is a great example. Why can't we find a way to credit the creator, and still make the best and widespread use of the innovation? Gaah!