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Apple threatens UK market exit if court orders 'unacceptable' patent fees

appleinsider.com

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Re: Apple threatens UK market exit if court orders 'unacceptable' patent fees

#81

Post by arcturus17 »

bb101 wrote: post #77
arcturus17 wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can certainly imagine the UK doing well in some tech niches, but not in high-end, global scale consumer electronics like Apple, no. The high-end mobile phone market outside Apple is a shark-infested red ocean to start with. Then there's the fact that even if Apple stopped operating in the UK, you'd still have to compete with them globally. I cannot foresee a Black Swan event like a random dude from the Midlands bec…

To be fair, a random dude from Essex designed the original iMac, iPod and most Apple devices thereafter.

But Americans capitalized on it, and it’s not a coincidence.

Re: Apple threatens UK market exit if court orders 'unacceptable' patent fees

#82

Post by zabzonk »

mjburgess wrote: post #65
ben_w wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even as a Brit, I don’t feel that I understand the British system, though from everything post 2016 I’ve reached the conclusion that neither does the current British government, and therefore they may well censure the judges even though the judges are supposed to be independent. Or they might do nothing, because Apple isn’t a British company and they want to help Amstrad take over its market share.

The judiciary isnt supposed to be independent. That is the american system. In the UK all power is held by parliament and extends from parliament.

Parliament writes the laws - the judiciary interprets & implements them, as in all other democracies that I'm aware of.

Re: Apple threatens UK market exit if court orders 'unacceptable' patent fees

#83

Post by rio_de_mierda »

Brexit really helps the UK’s leverage here. As the dominant economy in Europe, the UK can unilaterally set policies and reasonably expect multinational companies to comply with them. Their threats bear real weight. If I were Tim Apple, I’d be experiencing existential terror right now.

Re: Apple threatens UK market exit if court orders 'unacceptable' patent fees

#84

Post by snarf21 »

onion2k wrote: post #30
mjburgess wrote: post #14

Let's be clear. This is a patent troll company engaged in anti-innovation rent-seeking behaviour. They're seeking billions in payouts and provide zero innovation, research, development, etc. Just because it's targeting Apple doesn't make it right. Companies of this type should be illegal. A patent is a government-sponsored monopoly which shouldn't be "pooled" by "patent companies" whose only purpose is to use the sta…

It shouldn't matter who owns a patent. If the person or company who registered it has decided to 'cash it in' and sell it to a company whose business is patent licensing is OK. Whether or not the patent is valid is the important issue. Optis 'won' $506m in the US as well, but the supreme court reverted the decision on Apple's appeal. The UK court has decided that it is valid (for now). Something very important to not…

I think that is the material change we need. Patents must be used as an active and relevant part of your product or you don't deserve protection. The point is to encourage innovation and from someone from basically just reselling your idea. If you aren't selling it, then why do you deserve protection?

Re: Apple threatens UK market exit if court orders 'unacceptable' patent fees

#85

Post by M2Ys4U »

mjburgess wrote: post #65
ben_w wrote: post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even as a Brit, I don’t feel that I understand the British system, though from everything post 2016 I’ve reached the conclusion that neither does the current British government, and therefore they may well censure the judges even though the judges are supposed to be independent. Or they might do nothing, because Apple isn’t a British company and they want to help Amstrad take over its market share.

The judiciary isnt supposed to be independent. That is the american system. In the UK all power is held by parliament and extends from parliament.

That's not strictly true. It's the Crown that is the font of all power.

Parliament legislates as the Crown in Parliament - hence the mace must be present in the chambers while Parliament is sitting and all bills must receive royal assent to become Acts of Parliament.

There also exist powers that are (currently) outwith Parliament - namely the royal prerogatives.

The court system is similar, courts derive their power from the Crown, although, of course, they are subject to statute passed by Parliament.

Re: Apple threatens UK market exit if court orders 'unacceptable' patent fees

#86

Post by ginko »

rio_de_mierda wrote: post #83

Brexit really helps the UK’s leverage here. As the dominant economy in Europe, the UK can unilaterally set policies and reasonably expect multinational companies to comply with them. Their threats bear real weight. If I were Tim Apple, I’d be experiencing existential terror right now.

The dominant economy in Europe is Germany. The UK has more or less the same GDP as France.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states_in_Eu...

Re: Apple threatens UK market exit if court orders 'unacceptable' patent fees

#87

Post by [deleted] »

jsbdk wrote: post #74
thaumasiotes wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you've gotten your example backwards. If you tell me "Pay $X or I'll break your legs", and I say I'll take the broken legs, and you break my legs -- you really want to argue that that's the decision branch where I wasn't really making a choice?

Of course you were... You could've paid.

[deleted]

Re: Apple threatens UK market exit if court orders 'unacceptable' patent fees

#88

Post by fallingknife »

marak830 wrote: post #71
DocTomoe wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure. On the other hand, this will create societal backlash, not against Apple, but against the government. Tracy needs her iPhone.

Maybe it's time Tracy grew up. Flippant answer aside, we need governments to learn to stand up more against the superlarge multinational companies that think they can bully their way over what a countries government thinks is good for the population. (I know a whole bunch of hand waving - elected by the people for the people that doesn't always work). We should applaud a government for standing up though.

> what a countries government thinks is good for the population

Sounds like China

Re: Apple threatens UK market exit if court orders 'unacceptable' patent fees

#89

Post by [deleted] »

ginko wrote: post #86
rio_de_mierda wrote: post #83

Brexit really helps the UK’s leverage here. As the dominant economy in Europe, the UK can unilaterally set policies and reasonably expect multinational companies to comply with them. Their threats bear real weight. If I were Tim Apple, I’d be experiencing existential terror right now.

The dominant economy in Europe is Germany. The UK has more or less the same GDP as France. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states_in_Eu...

[deleted]

Re: Apple threatens UK market exit if court orders 'unacceptable' patent fees

#90

Post by doublejay1999 »

mjburgess wrote: post #14

Let's be clear. This is a patent troll company engaged in anti-innovation rent-seeking behaviour. They're seeking billions in payouts and provide zero innovation, research, development, etc. Just because it's targeting Apple doesn't make it right. Companies of this type should be illegal. A patent is a government-sponsored monopoly which shouldn't be "pooled" by "patent companies" whose only purpose is to use the sta…

Apple are a patent troll company, often using their size and weight to beat down competition. They have stolen functionality at will to make the product they want, and then fought it out in court.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc._litigation#Trademar...

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