4 ms·

> Apple license fees and royalties, as disclosed in Imagination’s Annual Report, represented revenue of £60.7 million for the year ended 30 April 2016 and are e

by vosper 10y ago

> Apple license fees and royalties, as disclosed in Imagination’s Annual Report, represented revenue of £60.7 million for the year ended 30 April 2016 and are expected to be approximately £65 million for the year ending 30 April 2017 > Imagination believes that it would be extremely challenging to design a brand new GPU architecture from basics without infringing its intellectual property rights. Well Apple has a ~$75m per year incentive to do just that, so I Imagination better hope they've really got a stranglehold on all the necessary IP.

raverbashing 10y ago
And they better not infringe on any Apple IP as well (or IP that was acquired)...
my123 10y ago
Apple can build a GPU without infringing ImgTec patents, through a patent agreement with another GPU maker(including ARM, so they're pretty much covered).
- bryanlarsen 10y ago
  Perhaps not. Existing GPU makers protect themselves through cross-licensing their patents: you can use mine if I can use yours. However, it sounds like ImgTec is considering going full-on troll, so they won't need access to the other patents any more and can just sit under their bridge extorting tolls.
  - pcwalton 10y ago
    Patent trolls are non-practicing entities. Imagination Technologies is hardly a non-practicing entity.
    - bryanlarsen 10y ago
      Sure, today. But they're "concentrating on the licensing business".
laxd 10y ago
> Imagination believes that it would be extremely challenging to design a brand new GPU architecture from basics without infringing its intellectual property rights Can't believe they would try to use this as an argument in their own favour. It's either (yet another) proof that the patent system is broken, or that their patent are as invalid as can be.
- kakapupu 10y ago
  > It's either (yet another) proof that the patent system is broken, or that their patent are as invalid as can be. Right. Well, you could say it's both. The patent system is broken, and no matter how "valid" their patents are, they're bullshit anyway because patents are bullshit in and of themselves. A patent is just the government granting you a huge barrier to competition. If you don't want to develop new tech because someone else might "steal" it, then just leave it to others. Someone will develop what you would have, and make plenty of money with it.
- sangnoir 10y ago
  > It's either (yet another) proof that the patent system is broken, or that their patent are as invalid as can be. Why did you assume the patents would be invalid? It is possible that they hold patents fundamental to the field so every other GPU make has to (cross-)license the tech. There is also no obligation for FRAND licensing on GPUs, to my knowledge.

by vosper 10y ago

raverbashing 10y ago

And they better not infringe on any Apple IP as well (or IP that was acquired)...

my123 10y ago

Apple can build a GPU without infringing ImgTec patents, through a patent agreement with another GPU maker(including ARM, so they're pretty much covered).

bryanlarsen 10y ago
Perhaps not. Existing GPU makers protect themselves through cross-licensing their patents: you can use mine if I can use yours. However, it sounds like ImgTec is considering going full-on troll, so they won't need access to the other patents any more and can just sit under their bridge extorting tolls.
- pcwalton 10y ago
  Patent trolls are non-practicing entities. Imagination Technologies is hardly a non-practicing entity.
  - bryanlarsen 10y ago
    Sure, today. But they're "concentrating on the licensing business".

laxd 10y ago

> Imagination believes that it would be extremely challenging to design a brand new GPU architecture from basics without infringing its intellectual property rights Can't believe they would try to use this as an argument in their own favour. It's either (yet another) proof that the patent system is broken, or that their patent are as invalid as can be.

kakapupu 10y ago
> It's either (yet another) proof that the patent system is broken, or that their patent are as invalid as can be. Right. Well, you could say it's both. The patent system is broken, and no matter how "valid" their patents are, they're bullshit anyway because patents are bullshit in and of themselves. A patent is just the government granting you a huge barrier to competition. If you don't want to develop new tech because someone else might "steal" it, then just leave it to others. Someone will develop what you would have, and make plenty of money with it.
sangnoir 10y ago
> It's either (yet another) proof that the patent system is broken, or that their patent are as invalid as can be. Why did you assume the patents would be invalid? It is possible that they hold patents fundamental to the field so every other GPU make has to (cross-)license the tech. There is also no obligation for FRAND licensing on GPUs, to my knowledge.