Apple and its patent

Now this could become a huge wave:

Apple was awarded U.S. patent number 7,966,578. It basically means a multi-finger-gesture driven display belongs to Apple, and everyone re-inventing it (e.g. Samsung, HTC, Windows 7, Android, etc.) will have problems.

I don't think, Apple will destroy the market, but I'm sure all will get much more expensive, because they will let the firms pay for using the technology, and the firms will get their money back from the customers.

What do you think?

Link to an article: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2387401,00.asp

Link to the patent: http://patft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Par ... /7,966,578

My dislike for Apple seems to just keep growing, even though I love my iPod Touch.

The only upside to it that I can see from that article is that

(i) The patent may still be invalidated at some point.

(ii) Apple would have to prove that competitors have copied the finger-gesturing techniques to quite a high degree for them to win in court, which I believe most phones and pads don't because they're just based on the idea.

(iii) The courts could scrap the patent if Apple use it to stifle the market and create a monopoly.

I'm sure Apple aren't going to find it easy to control the market.

Are Apple really going to try and take on Google?

I'd love to see them give Apple a good kicking.

Krush.

<img src="http://walyou.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/apple-iboard-imat-design-gadget.jpg">

Yeah, it's an old thread.

But this update is worth mentioning, I think:

On September, 9th, a german court "D�sseldorfer Landgericht" confirmed Apple's preliminary injunction, whereupon Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 is too close to the iPad. Samsung was forbidden to sell the Galaxy Tab in germany and even more the court prohibits Samsung to offer any Tablet-PCs with certain characteristics (rectangular shape, rounded edges, flat clear surface, curved back) europe-wide.

There's no english version of the news, I'm afraid. But I summarized it as conscientiously as possible.

"rectangular shape, rounded edges, flat clear surface, curved back"

so should I file a patent on paper that's rectangular, white, and has lines on it to get rich in europe?

even more the court prohibits Samsung to offer any Tablet-PCs with certain characteristics (rectangular shape, rounded edges, flat clear surface, curved back) europe-wide.

What ?

How could a german court talk/act/legislate for all europe ?

> even more the court prohibits Samsung to offer any Tablet-PCs with certain characteristics (rectangular shape, rounded edges, flat clear surface, curved back) europe-wide.

>

What ?

How could a german court talk/act/legislate for all europe ?

Because of the EU, they all act like their following the same rules.

>

> > even more the court prohibits Samsung to offer any Tablet-PCs with certain characteristics (rectangular shape, rounded edges, flat clear surface, curved back) europe-wide.

> >

>

> What ?

> How could a german court talk/act/legislate for all europe ?

Because of the EU, they all act like their following the same rules.That is incorrect.

Gives me another reason to hate Apple.

btw HTC is now suing Apple -

http://www.xda-developers.com/android/the-tables-have-turned-htc-sues-apple/

I've read that the prohibition to sell the tablet applies only to Germany in one article and in another one that it applies to whole EU. So, where is the truth?

Google gave HTC some patents (the ones they got from Motorola?) to help them defend against Apple. :)

As for the Samsung tablet thing...

<img src="http://img847.imageshack.us/img847/3284/ipadtabevidence.jpg" border="0" />

I really dislike their ways. x(

Oh Jobs why must you exploit something that once protected your frail company. One day you will have an epiphany just like Bill and resign and give half your fortune to charity.

The "all europe is forbidden to sell samsung galaxy" is because a law suit already was filled in netherland (which is the mother company of samsung for Europe).

It was ruled that the products shouldn't be sold, and so applies to all europe (since the mother company is targeted).

But on the other hand, netherland court didn't accept the botched pictures stuff that germany did (concerning the design). What was ruled was against android code relying on Apple code, and Google already stated that they should release an update soon to workaround this ruling. (using their own code).

As far as the "design" of the tablet goes, only Germany ruled against it, based on fake pictures.

I guess there is more to come.