“The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that Motorola’s Droid smartphones do not violate three Apple patents, dealing a blow to Apple’s legal offensive against the Android smartphone ecosystem,” David Hamilton and Josh Lowensohn report for CNET.
“The ruling is preliminary and needs to be approved by the ITC’s full six-member commission. An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment,” Hamilton and Lowensohn report. “In a press release, general counsel Scott Offer declared Motorola ‘pleased’ with the ITC’s decision.”
“Today’s decision comes after a delay in the case. The ITC originally planned to issue an initial determination by November 30, 2011, with a final decision this March.”
Read more in the full article here.
Florian Mueller reports for FOSS Patents, “It’s a given that Apple will file a petition for review, and the final decision, which could still be somewhat different, will be due on May 14, 2012.”
“Apple’s ITC complaint against Motorola, filed in October 2010, was its ‘smallest’ one to date in terms of relating to only three patents,” Mueller reports. “By comparison, Apple asserted nine against Nokia, ten in its first complaint against HTC, five in its second complaint against HTC, and seven (five technical and two design-related) patents against Samsung.”
Mueller reports, “Apple has many more patents in play in other litigations. For example, last month a lawsuit involving 15 Apple patents was transferred to the Northern District of Illinois, where it may go to trial later this year. Before it goes to trial, Apple will presumably narrow the case and drop some of the patents, but there are lawsuits in other districts as well (Western District of Wisconsin, Southern District of Florida, District of Delaware).”
Much more in the full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dow C.” for the heads up.]
The politically correct lobbyists claiming credibility are at it once again. Ignoring fact over their sorry political careers.
I seriously expect this decision to be flipped. In any case, it’s more entertainment for us as well more hassle for the tech biz mimics. 😯
Hey, Apple…you could make some really interesting malware…I mean, apps…for a few million bucks. That’s just a few hours of interest on the $81B. And it can’t really be illegal. After all, Microsoft has developing malware for years while making a profit. Google does it too, but theirs is all in beta.
Android apps, that is…
It’s galling to read the idiotic comments on stories like this from those who don’t have a clue as to why Apple is suing. Nonsensical stuff like:
“Apple suing Motorola is like a Chinese car factory suing Ford for patent violation. Its about time Judges start fining Apple for frivolous Lawsuits. Another blow to Apple, good.”
They know not what they do, or say. It’s unbelievable that any neanderthal with a computer can post comments that are part of another reality or more importantly, another agenda. There are those who think Apple is being “frivolous” (don’t you want to grab them by the scruff of their necks through the broadband connection and wring their brain deficient heads!?) and don’t see the very clear genesis of the current smartphone and that if the iPhone hadn’t come out first these others wouldn’t have later. Apple is completely justified protecting it’s interests and there are those who minimize this right and accuse Apple of not innovating their way out of this situation instead of filing lawsuits and it was that same innovation that was copied to begin with! At what point then do you pick your patent battles if your technologies are constantly being ripped off, take a stand and proceed to fire with guns blazing?
It’s just common sense to me. They’ve been ripping Apple off since Jobs and Woz started in the garage. Jobs wanted to fight to the death at the end over the principle. Google and Samsung in particular have absolutely no shame.
Right-on Peter.
It`s CNET after all.
To quote Obi-wan Kenobi: ” You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious.”
I would like to see Apple step up its legal offensive even more. Really pour it on. Send a message to all competitors that Apple will blast you into outer space if you steal their intellectual property.
“if the iPhone hadn’t come out first these others wouldn’t have later.”
Are you saying that if Motorola had not invented the Cell Phone, Apple would not have come out with something similar?
What you are saying absolutely does NOT follow from the quoted statement. If anything, it says that Motorola’s own invention would never have evolved into its present form without the iPhone. Motorola’s basic cell phone had been around for ages with virtually no significant improvement. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, the iPhone appears. You could say that there would have been no Ferrari without the inventor of the original wheel; but that would be totally missing the significance of the Ferrari.
I am guessing by their ruling, the ITC does not believe the iPhone suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
A very simple-minded repy. The iPhone did appear out of nowhere. Nothing even remotely like it had ever been seen before. The fact that Apple made use of existing technology to come up with something so completely different doesn’t change the basic truth of my assertion.
It’s just plain biz. The legal industry takes the spirits of humanity seriously only when the highest amount of capital has been redistributed to them from the tech industry. Oh. The attributes of those spirits are not important at all.
I’m afraid this patent war will be “a war without end”… for instance, Just look at the ultrabooks spawned by Intel and friends on AppleInsider: they all look like the MacBook Air.
when someone ask them what kind of laptop is that, they will answer is like the MacBook air, but better and cheaper (yeah right), same way as droid users response, when somebody ask the same question, is like the iPhone but better and cheaper.
To this idiots there is nothing better than the apple products. And we don’t need answer that kind of questions because we don’t need to compare our iDevices with any other droid or whatever junk.
Bunch of misinformed fanboys. If it where to your beliefs Apple created everything. Hell the multi touch alone has several sources predating 2000. Not one of them was affiliated with Apple.
Yea, and Microsoft invented the tablet a dozen years ago. Apple hasn’t invented everything, but they sure know how to use industrial design, intuitive software, and simplicity to make the most sought after products on the planet.
Riots in China yesterday over iphone 4 availability is one example. Go away and enjoy your android phone.
It has started, the decline is upon Apple. This is the first year of the second decline of Apple. You gotta love the irony.
I can see Apple frustrates you to no end.
LOL
Ah yes, 2006, Apple switched to intel processors. I heard trolls on this site saying this was the end of Apple.
2009, I am in a Radio Shack getting a firewire 800 cord. The (very) young adult asked if I was getting it for a macbook pro. When I said yeah, good guess!! , he followed up with a tirade about how Windows 7 was coming out soon and would spell the end of Apple. I just smiled inside and let him spew his beliefs.
All things arise and decline, but Apple?? Not now, not just yet.
I wonder, as someone mentioned before, if the trade commission is politically correct, thinking that patents are irrelevant if Apple has enough money. Or is this commission in the pockets of Google, Motorola and others whose interest it is to see this suit fail. Either way, someone in charge is looking the other way while the system is breaking down.