Live data from Hacker News

Google Sues Apple, Seeks To Block iPhone, iPad & Mac Imports To U.S.

techcrunch.com

71–80 of 218 posts

Re: Google Sues Apple, Seeks To Block iPhone, iPad & Mac Imports To U.S.

#71
post #68

I stopped buying Apple products because of this patent nonsense, so I guess that means I can't buy that Nexus 7 I was eyeing either. Why is it that giant companies consistently act so evil?

While I would obviously prefer to see no patent lawsuits, Motorola's lawsuit here is very different from Apple's against Samsung. Apple refuses to license their patents - Samsung et. al. went to Apple and said "won't you please allow us to pay you to use your technology?" to which Apple emphatically answered "NO!". Here, Apple is using Motorola's technology and Motorola said "Apple, will you please pay us if you're g…

Pretty sure it was revealed recently that Apple approached Samsung and gave them the opportunity to license a bunch of stuff. That is pretty rare, Samsung refused and Apple sued.

Re: Google Sues Apple, Seeks To Block iPhone, iPad & Mac Imports To U.S.

#72

I stopped buying Apple products because of this patent nonsense, so I guess that means I can't buy that Nexus 7 I was eyeing either. Why is it that giant companies consistently act so evil?

That's the wrong way to think about it. Now that they're equally evil, you can buy whichever one you want. Or else you can't buy any and you might as well go out and play in the sun. Either way, you win. But if you are planning on buying something, do it now. Soon you might not be able to buy anything.

> Now that they're equally evil

nuance at its finest

Re: Google Sues Apple, Seeks To Block iPhone, iPad & Mac Imports To U.S.

#73
post #9

Just to be clear, this Motorola suing Apple, and it's not the first time they've done so. I think The Verge has a much less linkbait-y headline for this: "Motorola files new patent case against Apple with ITC, wants import ban on iPhone and iPad" [1] [1]: http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/17/3250656/motorola-files-new...

Yes. It's Motorola suing Apple and Not Google. Google, the current owner of Motorola has nothing to do with this. Just like Romney had nothing to do with what the other executives at Bain Capital did.

I'm not trying to suggest that Google has nothing to do with this, they obviously do, but I think saying that Motorola is suing them using Motorola patents is more accurate. Anyone paying attention to this field would know that Motorola is a Google subsidiary these days, and the verge even states that in the article.

Anyways, the "Google sues Apple" headline just seemed picked because it would draw more clicks rather than for accuracy.

Re: Google Sues Apple, Seeks To Block iPhone, iPad & Mac Imports To U.S.

#74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IIRC, big companies used to claim they were gathering these patents to _prevent_ this situation from happening, using a similar logic to that of hoarding nuclear weapons to mutually assured destruction. But it appears that something in the balance has changed, and I'm not really sure what. Are the lawyers just doing a bad job of agreeing on the licensing fees (i.e. penalty for having less cross-targeted bombs for a g…

What changed was that Nokia was on the rocks, so they launched their missiles. And, as is the way with mutually assured destruction scenarios, Apple responded, and everyone else got dragged in one way or another.

Yep, MAD only works until the first guy pulls the trigger.

Re: Google Sues Apple, Seeks To Block iPhone, iPad & Mac Imports To U.S.

#75
post #49
post #9

Just to be clear, this Motorola suing Apple, and it's not the first time they've done so. I think The Verge has a much less linkbait-y headline for this: "Motorola files new patent case against Apple with ITC, wants import ban on iPhone and iPad" [1] [1]: http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/17/3250656/motorola-files-new...

It's Motorola, a subsidiary of Google, suing Apple. Yes, Motorola sued Apple before. But this is after Google acquired Motorola, so Google is now in charge, and it's relevant to put Google in the title - this is now all part of the battle between Google and Apple.

I agree, see my comment to the above poster.

Re: Google Sues Apple, Seeks To Block iPhone, iPad & Mac Imports To U.S.

#77
post #71
post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I would obviously prefer to see no patent lawsuits, Motorola's lawsuit here is very different from Apple's against Samsung. Apple refuses to license their patents - Samsung et. al. went to Apple and said "won't you please allow us to pay you to use your technology?" to which Apple emphatically answered "NO!". Here, Apple is using Motorola's technology and Motorola said "Apple, will you please pay us if you're g…

Pretty sure it was revealed recently that Apple approached Samsung and gave them the opportunity to license a bunch of stuff. That is pretty rare, Samsung refused and Apple sued.

In a sense, you're right. Apple offered to license it's tech to Samsung in 2010 for a whopping $40/device - personally, I don't think that a fee that exorbitant counts, but that's personal opinion. I thing Apple knew they were offering an untenable fee and that Samsung would have no choice but to refuse.

Re: Google Sues Apple, Seeks To Block iPhone, iPad & Mac Imports To U.S.

#78

I stopped buying Apple products because of this patent nonsense, so I guess that means I can't buy that Nexus 7 I was eyeing either. Why is it that giant companies consistently act so evil?

Just think of all the money you'll save. :)

Re: Google Sues Apple, Seeks To Block iPhone, iPad & Mac Imports To U.S.

#79
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Don't be evil" doesn't mean sit back and get sued to oblivion by your competitors like a selfless martyr.

Don't be evil means use your patents as a defense not to sue others. It means amass a big enough trove that others feel that suing you is going to be futile. Evil is attacking the opponent with the new patents you just "bought" not even developed in-house

The reason having a large trove of patents makes it futile for others to sue you is precisely because you can respond to their suits with countersuits of your own.
Post reply on HN