Apple Files Patent for Mobile Social Networking

[0iD]

Apple Files Patent for Mobile Social Networking

Apple is tapping into the social arena with plans to launch a social-networking application. The Cupertino, Calif.-based company has filed a patent with the U.S. Patent & Trade Office describing a social-network application dubbed iGroups.

Is this as a reaction to Facebook patenting Social Networking?

Direct Link to Patent
The patent credits Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, along with other top Facebook executives with the invention.

[MadduckUK]

throw us a bone, what do you think?

[0iD]

Been watching this since they filed the patent. Much cheekyness imo.
Will try & dig up the link to the patent

[Shurike]

</sadly shaking head>

[Lucio]

Ya know, I'm sure the patent system was supposed to be for ORIGINAL ideas, not endlessly rehashing varients of the same concept. I say we should scrap the entire patent system for software and concepts and only allow them for physical gadgets.

[Lee H]

It shouldn't get allowed as it's prior art.

Before facebook we had myspace and before that I bet people used MSN spaces and even AOL homepages.

Patents at the moment need a radical overhaul, or failing that someone at the patent office with a brain and an ounce of common sense.

Who cares on how they are accessed? PC, mobile, via smoke signals... they all do the same thing (update people with random information)

[Bunjiweb]

So is this yet another ridiculous software patent that could only be upheld in the US? I'm absolutely sick of Apple's seemingly tight-knit relationship with the US Patent Office. It does nothing but stifle creativity.

Ben

[kalniel]

It doesn't really stifle anything - any threats using the patent are just discarded on the grounds of prior art.