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Apple starts patenting mobile app ideas

unwiredview.com

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Re: Apple starts patenting mobile app ideas

#31

Post by sahaj »

metachris wrote: post #20
Timothee wrote: post #10

One thing that surprises me in the images was that one of them is exactly "Where to?" by tap tap tap: http://taptaptap.com/#whereto

Wow, it's just blatently ripped off! Wonder what else they got "inspired" by... Direct links to the images: taptaptap: http://taptaptap.com/img/screenshot/whereto/1.jpg the patent: http://www.unwiredview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Apple-... (upper right "mockup")

maybe they are trying to protect the app, so that folks on other platforms (cough-google-cough) don't rip it off?

Re: Apple starts patenting mobile app ideas

#32

Post by sachinag »

jlgosse wrote: post #25
metachris wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, it's just blatently ripped off! Wonder what else they got "inspired" by... Direct links to the images: taptaptap: http://taptaptap.com/img/screenshot/whereto/1.jpg the patent: http://www.unwiredview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Apple-... (upper right "mockup")

This can only mean one of two things: Either Apple is being extremely hostile and alienating one of their top developers, or they are preparing themselves for an acquisition of taptaptap in the immediate future.

They'd have to pry it from Disney.

Re: Apple starts patenting mobile app ideas

#33

Post by [deleted] »

sahaj wrote: post #31
metachris wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, it's just blatently ripped off! Wonder what else they got "inspired" by... Direct links to the images: taptaptap: http://taptaptap.com/img/screenshot/whereto/1.jpg the patent: http://www.unwiredview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Apple-... (upper right "mockup")

maybe they are trying to protect the app, so that folks on other platforms (cough-google-cough) don't rip it off?

[deleted]

Re: Apple starts patenting mobile app ideas

#34

Post by Timothee »

sachinag wrote: post #32
jlgosse wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This can only mean one of two things: Either Apple is being extremely hostile and alienating one of their top developers, or they are preparing themselves for an acquisition of taptaptap in the immediate future.

They'd have to pry it from Disney.

I think you're mistaking tap tap tap and Tapulous, no?

Tapulous is the maker of the Tap Tap Revenge series that was recently bought by Disney. tap tap tap is another very successful iPhone app company but to my knowledge they haven't been bought out. (and with their huge marketing machine, they would let it be known)

Re: Apple starts patenting mobile app ideas

#35

Post by mortenjorck »

aaronblohowiak wrote: post #9
spoiledtechie wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You have to think about it. If Apple were a type of government, what type would they be? Wait, Ill let you guess. Socialist Dictatorship. Think about how closed they are as a system... Would you really want a Socialist Dictatorship running your country?

Depends on who is in charge. Not sure if it fits your description, but Singapore is analogous for Apple, and I'd live there.

Not to belabor the analogy, but...

Flash == chewing gum?

Re: Apple starts patenting mobile app ideas

#36

Post by dedward »

smiler wrote: post #2

The article only looks at it from the 'Apple is evil' perspective. I wonder if Apple are patenting these purely so that others can't and thereby allowing freedom for developers to develop these apps without worrying about patent infringement

That, and in the current business climate, and the way the US patent system works, they pretty much have to do this - it's just good business strategy. If they don't patent it, someone else will, and will go after apple for buckets of cash.

In general, it's just a patent cold-war style arms race between large companies - they all keep huge patent portfolios so they all don't bother suing each other for patent infringement, because they're pretty much guaranteed to be infringing on a bunch of each other's patents - it creates a legal situation that neither party wants to get involved with in the first place.

Re: Apple starts patenting mobile app ideas

#37

Post by mortenjorck »

sahaj wrote: post #31
metachris wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wow, it's just blatently ripped off! Wonder what else they got "inspired" by... Direct links to the images: taptaptap: http://taptaptap.com/img/screenshot/whereto/1.jpg the patent: http://www.unwiredview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Apple-... (upper right "mockup")

maybe they are trying to protect the app, so that folks on other platforms (cough-google-cough) don't rip it off?

The goal of Section 3.3.1, pursued through patents.

Re: Apple starts patenting mobile app ideas

#38

Post by vlucas »

This seems like a direct conflict of interest for Apple. Patenting app ideas will only serve to further alienate developers from the platform.

I don't see any good coming from this, and I really hope "generic idea" patents like this start getting shot down by the patent office with regular frequency.

Re: Apple starts patenting mobile app ideas

#40

Post by [deleted] »

spoiledtechie wrote: post #8
asnyder wrote: post #5

For years I've said that Apple is by far one of the scariest software companies out there. The enthusiasm for their products and CEO seems to have a blinding effect on the very same people that would normally be up in arms. I think it would be an interesting social experiment to outline many of their business practices without mention of the products, company or brand, even possibly an alias, or dummy co. and survey…

You have to think about it. If Apple were a type of government, what type would they be? Wait, Ill let you guess. Socialist Dictatorship. Think about how closed they are as a system... Would you really want a Socialist Dictatorship running your country?

[deleted]
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