Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Why Apple’s ITC patent victory over HTC Android phones is scary

venturebeat.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 109 posts

Re: Why Apple’s ITC patent victory over HTC Android phones is scary

#21

Post by benihana »

microtonal wrote: post #6
llambda wrote: post #4

"The ruling is scary for competition because it could ultimately lead to the ban of all HTC Android devices and, to take things to the extreme, the ban of all Google Android phones and tablets." Yawn Sensationalist, at best. The article goes on to quote everyone's favorite authority on the matter, Florian Mueller. Have we had enough of this tripe yet?

As much as one can dislike the guy's drivel. There is some truth to his statements as well. It does not bear repeating that so many patents describe mathematical truths, trivialities, and common sense, that it is hard to make a product that does not violate a patent. Also, banning a product is one of the possible outcomes of a patent violation (besides working around the patent, or settling). Wouldn't it be nicer if…

Edit: nice downvoting. Do we downvote for disagreeing these days?

Do we care about our karma on a website on the internet?

Re: Why Apple’s ITC patent victory over HTC Android phones is scary

#22

Post by Terretta »

markokocic wrote: post #14
kiiski wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

US market is kinda big.

Not only big, the biggest one. But given increase in costs (MS tax, now Apple tax, tomorrow who knows) at some point it could be more cost effective for HTC to stop paying anyone and just not sell in the states. WO patents are much harder to get and very expensive to keep, so no big problem there.

> Not only big, the biggest one.

On the other hand, Nokia was the largest global handset seller at a time virtually nobody in the US market knew what it was. Ignoring the US market is viable, and the US market isn't for everyone. Look how many car manufacturers have tried and failed to make a go of it. (At least Americans can pronounce Nokia. Peugeot didn't stand a chance.)

Re: Why Apple’s ITC patent victory over HTC Android phones is scary

#23

Post by flocial »

rickdale wrote: post #13

I really think Apple needs to take a page from Google's book here and adopt the 'don't be evil' philosophy. This is very disappointing to me because I see Apple like a tennis player who can tell you where he is going to hit the ball, yet still beat you there every time. I think they should welcome the competition and view copycats with pride. You don't get it right all the time.

Well I think they remember all too well what happened last time with PC wars. This time they're playing for keeps.

Re: Why Apple’s ITC patent victory over HTC Android phones is scary

#24

Post by podperson »

rickdale wrote: post #13

I really think Apple needs to take a page from Google's book here and adopt the 'don't be evil' philosophy. This is very disappointing to me because I see Apple like a tennis player who can tell you where he is going to hit the ball, yet still beat you there every time. I think they should welcome the competition and view copycats with pride. You don't get it right all the time.

I'm sure it was nice viewing Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 with pride. It was probably wonderful being proud of Bill Gates trademarking the term "PDA" after hearing John Sculley use it in a talk. It's probably pretty flattering to see Google switching from designing Android as a blackberry clone to designing it as an iPhone clone.

To paraphrase a joke from the last depression: $5 and some pride gets you a nice cup of coffee at starbucks.

Re: Why Apple’s ITC patent victory over HTC Android phones is scary

#25

Post by va_coder »

fauigerzigerk wrote: post #18

The first patent is described as a "system and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data," which Apple says applies, for example, to tapping a phone number and being prompted options to call or look it up on the web. So they have basically patented the context menu. How broken can a patent system possibly become before it crashes an entire economy?

Apple patented a popup menu. lol

Re: Why Apple’s ITC patent victory over HTC Android phones is scary

#27

Post by [deleted] »

fauigerzigerk wrote: post #18

The first patent is described as a "system and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data," which Apple says applies, for example, to tapping a phone number and being prompted options to call or look it up on the web. So they have basically patented the context menu. How broken can a patent system possibly become before it crashes an entire economy?

[deleted]

Re: Why Apple’s ITC patent victory over HTC Android phones is scary

#28

Post by scrrr »

photon_off wrote: post #26

I dislike pretty much everything about Apple except the MacBook Pro.

May be so. But how does this comment help to create an interesting discussion? Don't take it personally, please. But HN has always been great because of good comments. I'm not saying I've always contributed well, but let's try. :)

Re: Why Apple’s ITC patent victory over HTC Android phones is scary

#29

Post by deepGem »

kiiski wrote: post #11
markokocic wrote: post #10

US patents can't be enforced outside of the USA. Why not just ignore US market and go on with the product in the rest of the world?

US market is kinda big.

Not really. China is possibly the biggest market and if cost factor is factored in, India is perhaps the second biggest market for smart phones. The middle class in both these countries far exceed the entire population of the US. While they may not be able to afford a 600$ smartphone, they can definitely afford a 200 - 300$ one. HTC may as well focus on this segment and make cheaper smart phones. To hell with Apple and it's patents.

Re: Why Apple’s ITC patent victory over HTC Android phones is scary

#30

Post by va_coder »

Terretta wrote: post #15
microtonal wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As much as one can dislike the guy's drivel. There is some truth to his statements as well. It does not bear repeating that so many patents describe mathematical truths, trivialities, and common sense, that it is hard to make a product that does not violate a patent. Also, banning a product is one of the possible outcomes of a patent violation (besides working around the patent, or settling). Wouldn't it be nicer if…

I've lived in countries where copyright and patents were not enforced. One country didn't even have a copyright law until this century. I've seen the results of your theory, and it's not pretty. > Wouldn't it be nicer if everyone just competes on quality and price? No. To be worth while , investment in R&D needs to be recouped. If cloning finished products is legal, the clone makers don't need to recoup R&D, so can u…

>>I've lived in countries where copyright and patents were not enforced

Which countries are not innovating because of weak copyright and patent law enforcement?

Post reply on HN