Previous post: BT sues Google claiming Android patent infringement
Next post: Here’s why Apple just spent $500m on Anobit
Magbooks
New Issue
Reviews
Empire: Total War - Gold Edition
Fission
Folding Text
Road Movie 2.5
Chartwell
NEC SpectraView 241
OKI C822
TP-Link TL-PA511 AV500 Gigabit Powerline Adaptor Starter Kit
Sony NEX-F3Also inside:
Quark App Studio: We take a good look at Quark's HTML5-based tablet publishing solution?Adobe Edge: The lowdown on the big news in web design.
-
-
Doing the graphics for our awards night next week. Makes a change to open an image maximised on the 27in iMac and see "5%" in the title bar! -
@liambrazier MD510LL/A black, MD513LL/A white; 4th gen overall has model identifier A1458 but nobody seems to use thisMentions
RT @macusermagazine: RT @counternotions: NEW POST: "Apple's design problems aren't skeuomorphic" http://t.co/DuYCbGVi <-- the human interface challenge ahead
@macusermagazine thanks!
ADVERTISEMENT
Why Apple’s ITC victory over HTC is not as big a deal as it seems
by Kenny Hemphill on December 20, 2011
On the surface, the decision by the US International Trade Commission to order HTC to stop importing smartphones which infringe Apple patents to the US sounds hugely significant. Scratch away at the detail, however, and the reality is that it borders on meaningless.
For starters, the ban doesn’t take effect until April next year, so has no immediate impact. HTC can import as many handsets as it likes until April. Secondly, the ban only affects new handsets, not refurbished units or warranty replacements.
Finally, the ban is very narrow. HTC was found by the commission to have breached only two of the 10 patents it had originally been accused of infringing upon. And the technology covered by those two patents is far from essential, it seems. HTC, in a statement after the ruling, said: ‘We are very pleased with the determination and we respect it. However, the ’647 patent is a small UI experience and HTC will completely remove it from all of our phones soon.’
It now has four months to implement the workaround, something the company seems comfortable with.
There are lots of battles yet to be fought where Apple and Android patents are concerned and many more involving the likes of BT, Microsoft and Oracle. Some of them may have significant outcomes, but this isn’t one.