HTC Sues Apple Using Patents Obtained From Google Last Week

[afv011]

HTC Corp., Asia’s second-biggest maker of smartphones, filed infringement claims against Apple Inc. (AAPL) today, using patents obtained from Google Inc. (GOOG) last week.
The nine patents originated with Palm Inc., Motorola Inc. and Openwave Systems Inc., with Google taking ownership within the past year, according to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office records. Mountain View, California-based Google recorded transfer of the patents to HTC on Sept. 1, according to the agency’s website.

Payback time? As the saying goes, "you reap what you sow".

Source

[kartu]

Instead of competing on quality / price, corps compete on "who's patent portfolio is bigger / who got more nuclear lawyerheads".

If devices are actually produced by Foxconn and the likes, no wonder.

[RainingLemur]

"We shall litigate instead of innovate!"

Something's gotta change, here. This incessant patent trolling on both sides just gets old.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by RainingLemur

Something's gotta change, here. This incessant patent trolling on both sides just gets old.

It's only patent trolling if they lose. But I still hope that they will reach a pact of non-aggression at some point.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by kartu

Instead of competing on quality / price, corps compete on "who's patent portfolio is bigger / who got more nuclear lawyerheads".

If devices are actually produced by Foxconn and the likes, no wonder.

With so many of the devices using the same parts sourced from the same locations, quality and price can largely be moot points, since many will end up with the same price floor. Their options are to either be increase features and draw more customers in that way, slash features to remove any cost they can to try to lower cost (such no wifi, cheaper style display, cheaper materials, less memory, reducing size as to reduce amount of materials needed, etc), or building brand loyalty and brand awareness.

All three of these points are being done in some capacity by everyone. Most have removed the ability of flash card usage, no longer supplying cases, having the devices not require software or have the software on the device removes the need to make and ship disks, and amount of materials (or type) needed.

Also, many are adding features, to try and make the devices easier to use, and more desirable. Nook Color now has app support, touch screens, etc.

The brand building is in effect big time, especially for B&N and Amazon. You see the commercials, the product placement, etc. You know the devices without even researching them. This is a point Sony has failed at, since for so long they've not needed to do much because everyone knows Sony. You see commericals for nook, iPad, Kindle, etc all the time, but when was the last time you saw ANYTHING for sony? I can only remember the Justin Timberlake and Peyton Manning Commercial from late '09 that saw very little airplay. This is one thing that Sony seems to be trying to change, due to the Pottermore partnership. I can only hope they don't fall on their laurels yet again, because more competition is good for the market as a whole.

[=X=]

Originally Posted by afv011

Payback time? As the saying goes, "you reap what you sow".

Is that the right cliche? I always thought that cliche was used to imply you will benefit from your hard work.


Wouldn't a better saying be "Revenge is a dish best served cold." or "Paybacks a b****". Come to think of it I don't really know what would be a good cliche any body got idea?

[=X=]

Originally Posted by afv011

Payback time? As the saying goes, "you reap what you sow".

This is a good counter strike. The difference between the litigation when MS sued them and Apple was MS wanted money from HTC. Apple wants HTC to stop their production.

I personally think Apple's law suites are a huge mistake as they are forcing makers into a corner and forcing them to fight. Apple is either going to completely win or completely lose.

At least with MS tactics both sides won.

=X=

[Lazybones]

I've always thought of the screwed-up nature of our patent system is just evidence of how rich we are as a society, that we can afford such gross and stupid inefficiencies and still manage to make products.

The big players are engaged in MAD with their patents, but I really feel for the little guys who get tromped on with lawsuits as soon as they start to gain some success. This American Life had a good story on this some time back, which basically showed how vulnerable small businesses are to "patent trolls".

[afv011]

Originally Posted by =X=

Is that the right cliche? I always thought that cliche was used to imply you will benefit from your hard work.


Wouldn't a better saying be "Revenge is a dish best served cold." or "Paybacks a b****". Come to think of it I don't really know what would be a good cliche any body got idea?

It can be used both ways. It basically means "you actions will have consequences". I would say "tlhIngan Hol: bortaS bIr jablu'DI' reH QaQqu' nay'", but that's just me.

[afv011]

Originally Posted by =X=

This is a good counter strike. The difference between the litigation when MS sued them and Apple was MS wanted money from HTC. Apple wants HTC to stop their production.

I personally think Apple's law suites are a huge mistake as they are forcing makers into a corner and forcing them to fight. Apple is either going to completely win or completely lose.

At least with MS tactics both sides won.

=X=

I agree with your point of view, Apple's demands are totally unreasonable, especially given the fact that the patents hardly hold water.

[kjk]

Originally Posted by =X=

This is a good counter strike. The difference between the litigation when MS sued them and Apple was MS wanted money from HTC. Apple wants HTC to stop their production.

=X=

Great point, and often overlooked in the patent discussions-different companies have different motivations, which makes each battle quite different.

[Pinecone]

Originally Posted by =X=

Is that the right cliche? I always thought that cliche was used to imply you will benefit from your hard work.

It can also mean if you don't sow, you don't reap.

Or if you sow weeds, you reap weeds.

[OtterBooks]

This industry stuff is better than following sports.

[afa]

So while Apple is going around filing patent lawsuits against competitors, Google has decided that they're going to fight fire with fire, and are teaming up with HTC to take the fight to them.

Serves them right, I say.

[emellaich]

Anyone have any details on this? I was surprised to read that Google 'transferred' the patents. If they are any good, then surely Google needs them to protect other Android licensees?

I suspect that Google either licensed them to HTC or that they retained a Google license that also gave Google some pretty broad rights.