New Apple Multi-Touch Patent Is Too Broad 310
adeelarshad82 writes "Nearly three and a half years later, Apple has finally been awarded the U.S. patent number 7,966,578, which according to the patent experts should worry rivals. According to exclusive interviews with patent experts, the incredibly broad patent puts Apple in a strong position when it comes to displaying content and using certain finger gestures on smart phones. The patent is so broad that not only will Apple's legal team target iPhone competitors but will also look to go after iPad and iPod rivals. Experts also discussed the scenario of Apple licensing its patented technology or for that matter, the courts completely scrapping the patent in public's interest."
Prior art: Jeff Han multi touch demo at TED, 2006 (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Mod me down, but... (Score:2, Interesting)
What about companies that manufacture these touchscreen devices? Aren't they the ones who should be holding the relevant patents? Why is it that apple has the power to artificially limit the touchscreen manufacturer's market just over "use cases" ??
Re:They all do this. (Score:5, Interesting)
Broad patents? Nokia holds some very specific patents related to the GSM communication hardware/software technology unlike Apple patenting a mechanism that has been around for ages. Example from 1991 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8lCetZ_57g [youtube.com]
Re:Don't hate the player ... (Score:2, Interesting)
Fine, hate the player ... I don't care.
Yes, they could push for that, and they quite possibly do.
But when we see stories that say that Oracle figures Google owes them 6.1 billion dollars [slashdot.org], then you'd have to be an idiot to think that Apple would be able to simply not patent this stuff and sing kumbaya and pass out flowers. If someone patented this very thing, and suddenly sues Apple for $6 billion ... well, they'd be screwed. And, they'd pretty much have nobody to blame but themselves.
Like I said, go ahead, hate the patent system ... hate Apple if you think it makes you feel better or bolsters your argument ... the reality is, in the current legal climate where the big players sue each other for vast sums of money, not patenting this would be stupid. Expecting Apple or any other company to act like some other company wouldn't fuck them over if they had half a chance is mostly just ignoring the realities of the situation.
But, hey, go ahead, pick something you think we should "fight the power on" ... start setting up a booth on the street corner to sell pirated copies of Microsoft windows and hit albums. Tell them it's unjust and that you're just trying to change the system. And, when they drag you off to the big house or seize all of your assets, you can feel all warm and cozy in the knowledge that you took a principled stand.
You seem to expect that Apple should throw themselves onto their own sword to make a dramatic point ... companies don't work like that. As long as this is how the patent system works, companies don't have much of a choice than to play by the rules of the game.
Re:Don't hate the player ... (Score:4, Interesting)
No, they really couldn't. It's basically the Prisoner's dilemma. If all agree to stop playing and reform, then things would work out better for everyone. However, because they are run by humans, that won't happen, because if even one company keeps playing, then all are fucked. And if only one stops playing, then that company is royally fucked.
So no, you can't really single out a single "player" for hating.