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Since the iPhone is currently a very successful product I wonder what Apple see's coming down the road that scared them into this patent lawsuit? I suppose it c

by jsz0 17y ago

Since the iPhone is currently a very successful product I wonder what Apple see's coming down the road that scared them into this patent lawsuit? I suppose it could be pure greed but it almost feels like they know the iPhone is in trouble long term and this was the only viable strategic move to protect the market. Otherwise they could just stay ahead of the competition with innovation and nice bouncy scrolling lists and "slide to unlock" would be old features not even worth protecting. Lots of Apple investors seem pleased at this patent lawsuit but I think they should be asking themselves if maybe Apple knows the iPhone's current success is unsustainable.

stcredzero 17y ago
Do they really want their market dominance to continue? I thought the Apple brand was about well designed, highly refined, seamlessly integrated devices. In other words, they want commodity imitators to be the sea of dreck which they can fly above. The disappointment that emanates from that sea is the driver for their high margins.
GHFigs 17y ago
Apple is about to launch a new product that (if successful) will undoubtedly spawn dozens of imitators. They want to prevent the competition from this product from getting a free ride on their technologies (let's assume that each is a credible invention and valid patent), as they undoubtedly have to some degree with the iPhone. they could just stay ahead of the competition with innovation The usefulness of this strategy is diminished when the competition can simply copy what you've done. Bouncy scrolling lists (etc.) may seem trivial, but if they didn't represent added value why would they be copied? And if they do represent added value, why shouldn't that be protected?
roc 17y ago
In general, large companies don't bring software patent lawsuits against competitors to prevent competition. Large companies bring software patent suits against competitors to win cross-licensing agreements; to get something their competitor has. (And counter-suits are typically about trying to block such a forced cross-licensing) The exceptions to this process are notable as being exceptions. So I'm not sure why everyone automatically assumes Apple has the 'evil'[1] motive for patent prosecution. What I wonder, is whether the license HTC has to Nokia's GSM patents is transferable. That is: could Apple be forcing a cross-licensing agreement with HTC, to end-run Nokia's lawsuit against them? [1] that is: suing to strangle competition. e.g. Amazon
- halostatue 17y ago
  That's really my thinking. Since some of the patents in question against HTC are the same patents in question against Nokia, I wonder if the HTC move is just to strengthen the claims against Nokia. If Android is hurt in the process, Apple doesn't care.

by jsz0 17y ago

stcredzero 17y ago

Do they really want their market dominance to continue? I thought the Apple brand was about well designed, highly refined, seamlessly integrated devices. In other words, they want commodity imitators to be the sea of dreck which they can fly above. The disappointment that emanates from that sea is the driver for their high margins.

GHFigs 17y ago

Apple is about to launch a new product that (if successful) will undoubtedly spawn dozens of imitators. They want to prevent the competition from this product from getting a free ride on their technologies (let's assume that each is a credible invention and valid patent), as they undoubtedly have to some degree with the iPhone. they could just stay ahead of the competition with innovation The usefulness of this strategy is diminished when the competition can simply copy what you've done. Bouncy scrolling lists (etc.) may seem trivial, but if they didn't represent added value why would they be copied? And if they do represent added value, why shouldn't that be protected?

roc 17y ago

In general, large companies don't bring software patent lawsuits against competitors to prevent competition. Large companies bring software patent suits against competitors to win cross-licensing agreements; to get something their competitor has. (And counter-suits are typically about trying to block such a forced cross-licensing) The exceptions to this process are notable as being exceptions. So I'm not sure why everyone automatically assumes Apple has the 'evil'[1] motive for patent prosecution. What I wonder, is whether the license HTC has to Nokia's GSM patents is transferable. That is: could Apple be forcing a cross-licensing agreement with HTC, to end-run Nokia's lawsuit against them? [1] that is: suing to strangle competition. e.g. Amazon

halostatue 17y ago
That's really my thinking. Since some of the patents in question against HTC are the same patents in question against Nokia, I wonder if the HTC move is just to strengthen the claims against Nokia. If Android is hurt in the process, Apple doesn't care.