4 ms·

Seems similar to me. Lots of rounded rect products existed before iPhone. Like say, cassette tapes, vhs tapes, 8track tapes, bars of soap, cans of spam, license

by nox100 3y ago

Seems similar to me. Lots of rounded rect products existed before iPhone. Like say, cassette tapes, vhs tapes, 8track tapes, bars of soap, cans of spam, license plates, sardine cans, etc...

andsoitis 3y ago
> Lots of rounded rect products existed before iPhone. The design patent is very specific. It isn't about rounded corners in general. Patent (incl. prior art): http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1701443/USD670286S1.pdf http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1701443/USD670286S1.pdf How to think about it: https://www.theverge.com/2012/11/7/3614506/apple-patents-rectangle-with-rounded-corners https://www.theverge.com/2012/11/7/3614506/apple-patents-rec...
- deaddodo 3y ago
  Did you read the patent or the article you linked? The patent is very specifically regarding the highlighted region of the patent application, which is (strictly speaking) just a general rounded corner device. Although an IP case would probably hinge on it being a full screen touch device, as well; so "rounded corner phones, tablets, touch interfaces, etc", if you want to be really charitable to the patent + Apple.
theshrike79 3y ago
Design patents cover, for example, the famous Coca-Cola bottle. Everyone can make bottles, they just can't use that exact shape. What Samsung did that forced Apple to enforce their design patent was copy the design EXACTLY down to the _exact_ radius of the corners. All they had to do was not 100% copy Apple's design, just by changing the ratios a bit and they would've been unaffected.
- fennecfoxy 3y ago
  Form follows function, do we really expect large corporations to be able to enforce a patent like this given that it _doesn't really matter_? Apple didn't come up with anything new or incredible, it lends nothing to their brand or to the function of the device. There's no negative impact on Apple if their competition uses the same rounded corner radius. Saying so otherwise is just playing into the Apple vs Samsung vs Everyone else team based Robert measuring contest where everyone waves the flag of their favourite corporation that they love so much.
  - theshrike79 3y ago
    Now do the same logic for Coca-Cola. If I just invent Foxy Cola and use the exact same style of bottle and font, that should be just OK? Branding doesn't matter. I should also be able to copy any car's design exactly and slap my own brand on it, no repercussions whatsoever right?
jb1991 3y ago
[flagged]

by nox100 3y ago

Seems similar to me. Lots of rounded rect products existed before iPhone. Like say, cassette tapes, vhs tapes, 8track tapes, bars of soap, cans of spam, license plates, sardine cans, etc...

andsoitis 3y ago

> Lots of rounded rect products existed before iPhone. The design patent is very specific. It isn't about rounded corners in general. Patent (incl. prior art): http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1701443/USD670286S1.pdf http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/1701443/USD670286S1.pdf How to think about it: https://www.theverge.com/2012/11/7/3614506/apple-patents-rectangle-with-rounded-corners https://www.theverge.com/2012/11/7/3614506/apple-patents-rec...

deaddodo 3y ago
Did you read the patent or the article you linked? The patent is very specifically regarding the highlighted region of the patent application, which is (strictly speaking) just a general rounded corner device. Although an IP case would probably hinge on it being a full screen touch device, as well; so "rounded corner phones, tablets, touch interfaces, etc", if you want to be really charitable to the patent + Apple.

theshrike79 3y ago

Design patents cover, for example, the famous Coca-Cola bottle. Everyone can make bottles, they just can't use that exact shape. What Samsung did that forced Apple to enforce their design patent was copy the design EXACTLY down to the _exact_ radius of the corners. All they had to do was not 100% copy Apple's design, just by changing the ratios a bit and they would've been unaffected.

fennecfoxy 3y ago
Form follows function, do we really expect large corporations to be able to enforce a patent like this given that it _doesn't really matter_? Apple didn't come up with anything new or incredible, it lends nothing to their brand or to the function of the device. There's no negative impact on Apple if their competition uses the same rounded corner radius. Saying so otherwise is just playing into the Apple vs Samsung vs Everyone else team based Robert measuring contest where everyone waves the flag of their favourite corporation that they love so much.
- theshrike79 3y ago
  Now do the same logic for Coca-Cola. If I just invent Foxy Cola and use the exact same style of bottle and font, that should be just OK? Branding doesn't matter. I should also be able to copy any car's design exactly and slap my own brand on it, no repercussions whatsoever right?

jb1991 3y ago

[flagged]