Apple gets a spanking in UK patents court

[Flibb]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-18709232

HTC is claiming victory in a patent dispute with Apple after a ruling by the High Court in London.

The judge ruled that HTC had not infringed four technologies that Apple had claimed as its own.

He said Apple's slide-to-unlock feature was an "obvious" development in the light of a similar function on an earlier Swedish handset.


It would be interesting to see how Apples "anything with a screen that's sort of square" patents would get on.

[JimmyBoy]

Shame apple keep getting away with their stupid lawsuits everywhere else!

[jimbouk]

Do you think the US lawyers just need the prior art demonstrated in front of them before they'll stop being so protectionist?

[Biscuit]

i love this:

The judge ruled that the first three patents were invalid in this case, while the fourth did not apply to HTC's devices.

Patents
were
invalid

awesome

[capt_cornflake]

Do you think the US lawyers just need the prior art demonstrated in front of them before they'll stop being so protectionist?

Except if the products demonstrating that prior art were never sold in that region, they don't count as prior art :s

A large number of the patents Apple's being using recently seem on the surface to have quite obvious prior art. I assume there's some reason why this argument isn't used more often?

Also the US patent system seems to massively biased in favour of US organisations / citizens. Their patent applications seem to get waved through with little scrutiny, UK residents I've known who've tried applying for US patents are usually bounced with spurious arguments, making it more expensive and time consuming to fight and actually get the patent granted.

[CarrierPigeon]

If I remember correctly, Apple also got into a patent lawsuit with Samsung recently. Well, this one happened in the U.S. but regardless.
Apple seems to be going downfall ever since Steve Jobs's death.

[deejayburnout]

Apple seem to be suing for anything now.

Don't they have enough money already.

Sickens me how bad they are getting. About time they got a roasting.

[CarrierPigeon]

Apple seem to be suing for anything now.

Don't they have enough money already.

Sickens me how bad they are getting. About time they got a roasting.

Apple: doesn't hurt to get more money. It's "our idea" (yeah pretty much Apple stole everything from other people, including iPAD) so pay us if you are copying or else we are suing you

pretty much the principle of Apple and other businesses, except Apple has gone a bit far this time.

[Agent]

Apple are not doing it for more money directly from the patents, they are doing it to stop others competing in the first place.

[kopite]

Which ultimately hurts the consumer as innovation is suffering but apple dont care as if they get their way they`ll be the only player left in the game

[G-STAR01]

Agreed with Kopite.

[Godric]

Apple are not doing it for more money directly from the patents, they are doing it to stop others competing in the first place.

exactly Agent, Apple want to be the only players in the game