MacDailyNews Take: Actually, that little secret wasn’t revealed first at this year’s D8, but at least as early as in January 2008 by Wired’s Fred Vogelstein who reported, “Apple’s hardware engineers had spent about a year working on touchscreen technology for a tablet PC and had convinced [Jobs] that they could build a similar interface for a phone.
Purcher continues, “Well, today the US Patent and Trademark Office officially published one of Apple’s classic tablet and handheld patents first filed in 2005. It didn’t look like much at the time and the naysayers said that Apple would never ever bring a tablet of any kind to market because of the failed Newton and Tablet PC.”
Purcher reports, “Patent graphics are presented for the purpose of conveying a concept and Apple’s Classic iPhone Patent Figure FIG. 10 shown below is one to remember for the history books. It sure didn’t look like a sexy cellphone when this patent figure was first publically published by the US Patent and Trademark Office sometime between 2005 and 2006 – but it ended up being the patent figure that would kick start the smart device revolution.”
Read more in the full article, which includes patent illustrations, here.
Will this help Apple defend their designs? Will it be of any use against the Android copycats and others who imitate the iPhone in every way they can?
What do you say now, HTC? Shake much?
“…at least 5 years ahead of the competition”
Better believe it.
Better understand the ramifications…
Apple can now officially KICK ASS in court. Well, it at least protects them from those trying to cash in against Apple. It’s one huge patent covering several current and future touch products. Niiiiiiiice.
We’re looking at history in the making. When I’m 90 I’ll be reading or watching this documentary on PBS. “It was Apple in 2007 that started the smart device revolution with the iPhone. The historic documents of 2005 and earlier show us the craziest little box imaginable. Who knew that this crazy little box would turn out to be owned by 20 billion people in 2070…..” Ha!
Remember Go Corp. or General Magic from early 90’s?
Agreed that 2007 was historic as the iPhone was born! The patents will reinforce Apple Inc. claims and get the copycats! Keeping the revenue stream steady for years to come. New products can be adopted by Apple only!
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The AAPL stock is safe and will steadily go Up because the Profits is going Up. So simple
BUY AAPL … 2010 = $301; 2011 = $401 bucks!
I think at D5 Steve pointed out that he had been shown tablet prototypes and shelved them, and said the screen tech could be used in a phone.
“General Magic from early 90’s”
reverse split into oblivion….
If you read the article, the patents cover touch screens in general (don’t know if that’s defensible), multi-touch, rotating objects with 2 fingers, the pinch and spread, and the design of the first 3 generations of iPhones (among others). The iPad is also covered. There is also a patent on the iTunes icon for iPhone/iPod touch.
Cupertino, fire up your lawyers!!!
“Who knew that this crazy little box would turn out to be owned by 20 billion people in 2070…..”
Damn, glad I had that Asian chick last year and not a few years down the road.
I suspect Google, HTC, and all the iPhone copycats will continue with business as usual for years to come. Patent infringement doesn’t stop them dead in their tracks until the courts finally say so, after years of delays and appeals. Then they wander off to copy something else instead.
There are always trade-offs in the battle between competition and innovation. Whichever side you favor, one day you are the hero, the next the goat.
With that said, I love my iPhone. It was/is innovative, and Apple has yet to release the full Dogs of Law to squelch competition–perhaps it is a slight nod to its belief (hubris? I can see Jobs at play here) that it can and make better products and has little to worry from the crap that others produce. I am sure the business and sales units have different perspectives.
And this too shall pass.
Fig. 10 in the article seems to look a little more like the new nano than the iPhone in terms of form factor. (And yes, the phrase “form factor” is used everywhere in manufacturing.)
MDN says it was wired that first told of the secret. But technically, it was Steve Jobs who told Walt Mossberg it was a secret, as the PA report claims. Read the link back to D8 and it’s clear:
Jobs: “I’ll tell you a secret. It began with the tablet. I had this idea about having a glass display, a multitouch display you could type on with your fingers. I asked our people about it. And six months later, they came back with this amazing display. And I gave it to one of our really brilliant UI guys. He got [rubber band] scrolling working and some other things, and I thought, ‘my God, we can build a phone with this!’ So we put the tablet aside, and we went to work on the iPhone.”
Can’t get any clearer.
the planet can’t sustain 20 billion people.
@ theloniousMac, There’s an app for that.
Mr. Jobs. Release the KRAKEN!
Not the KRAKEN Jubei! Ahhhhhhhh!
“When I’m 90 I’ll be reading or watching this documentary on PBS.”
I think you mean iPBS….