End to HTC / Apple patent disputes

[EarlyMon]

I think that everyone pays Microsoft at least $5/phone for bogus Linux patents they bought.

 

[SUroot]

I'm really skeptical. Here's what I think happened.

Tim cook: *rubs hands* HTC are going DOWN! Yehaaaa!

Corporate Lawyer: do you think that is a good thing?

Tim: Yeah huh. One less to compete with...

Lawyer: So HTC customers will come to Apple?

Tim: Sure

Lawyer: They won't stick with Android?

Tim: Oh, well maybe

Lawyer: Most likely candidate?

Tim: Samsung?... Wait.... SAMSUNG? Oh no, oh no, oh no....... No more power to Samsung..... What can we do?????? ARRGGHHHHHH

Lawyer: Settle with HTC, keep them in the market. The more Android OEM's the better. Power is distributed.

Tim: Make it so.

 

[Gmash]

I think that everyone pays Microsoft at least $5/phone for bogus Linux patents they bought.

I knew Microsoft was getting paid a fee, I wasn't sure what the amount was, but last I heard, they were making more from Android than from Windows Phone. Not sure if that's still the case, but since that's old and settled I guess it doesn't bother me as much. Plus, I _almost_ feel sorry for MIcrosoft these days lol.

I was thinking if HTC was paying Apple a buck or three per phone, ok, that's the cost of doing business. $6-$8 seems like admitting they were wrong, and who knows, maybe Apple actually had some legit claims.

Anyway, I'm sure they were in consultation with Google through all of this, and all of these guys are way smarter than I am, so I'm sure the deal must make sense for them, I just hate to see the Apple campaign of legalized extortion working for them.

 

[EarlyMon]

^Me too.

Anyway, we don't know if those numbers are true or not.

 

[AntimonyER]

Even if it is 6-8 per device, how much is HTC getting in return? When you compare actual device sales, even a 2 fee per device sold by Apple will probably end up financially a wash for both companies, at least in the near term... (Apple sold 3x the units HTC did, according to Gartner).

 

[Stuntman]

There is some speculation that some LTE patents were also involved in this agreement. So far nothing has been confirmed regarding LTE. It has been reported that Samsung was going to file a suite to block the iPhone 5 with the LTE patents. So far, nothing has happened on that front either.

 

[Gmash]

Some new-ish details about the settlement came out via one of the countless Samsung lawsuits.

Apple-HTC settlement unsealed: No “cloned products,” no helping trolls | Ars Technica

 

[mjandroid]

As HTC and Apple have resolved their patent lawsuits does that apply to patent 647 - data tapping? This feature allows you to dial phone numbers in emails, websites etc. I used to have this functionality on my HTC phone but it was removed with an OTA "Update" from Verizon after HTC was sued. I really miss this feature and I am hoping that with the resolution of these lawsuits - data tapping will return. I understand the terms have been heavily redacted - so I have been unable to find out if this particular patent is included in the settlement. Anyone know anything?

 

[mjandroid]

.

 

[Gmash]

I'm not sure. I think that was taken out of Android on ICS and up. My phone is still on Gingerbread and I still have that function. Agreed it is handy.

 

[mjandroid]

I found this on a website. If true then data tapping or linkify will be available once again on HTC phones. Hope so....




Well, they just posted it, and as expected the design patents were totally off limits. The only thing they could use are the utility patents (slide to unlock, linkify, search, etc.), but HTCs implementation has to be different than apple's. they pretty much licensed everything Samsung was found guilty of infringing, save for the iPhone trade dress. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, since apple clearly doesn't have a problem licensing them.

 

[dan330]

i feel that htc got rolled..

 

[EarlyMon]

i feel that htc got rolled..

Given that one of patents they settled on may be overturned soon, I agree.

That's the way it goes, it's always on sale the next day.

 

[zuben el genub]

There's still scads of appeals to be made.

 

[TheAtheistReverend]

Scads is a great word.

...just sayin'

 

[kevincott]

Given that one of patents they settled on may be overturned soon, I agree.

That's the way it goes, it's always on sale the next day.

I would guess that the lawyers have 'valid patents' type wording in the agreement; I doubt precautions were ignored.

 

[EarlyMon]

I would guess that the lawyers have 'valid patents' type wording in the agreement; I doubt precautions were ignored.

I would think that the patents are specifically called out by number, with consideration (legal term) for each or the sum.

I don't know that it's a moving target where there was an expectation that one of Apple's patents, the one that spearheaded their big Samsung win, could be overturned.

You're going to have to describe valid patent precautionary language, I don't see how that applies.