In line with Steve Jobs Tim Cook’s statement (see below) Apple just obtained a couple of new patents, regarding Multi Touch displays.
This is of course, quite disturbing. Plainly said, this sucks.
In a way we cannot really bear with them, rather than with the current US software patent system, which somewhat encourage organizations to file patents even for defensive purpouses. Despite of that, Apple’s declaration of intents doesn’t leave many doubts about the purpouse of their new patents (so, sorry, you’re *plain* wrong):
We approach this business as a software platform business. And so I think we approach it fundamentally different than people that are approaching it only from a hardware point of view. And, so, as I’ve said before, we’re very, very confident with where we are competitively. We are watching the landscape. We like competition, as long as they don’t rip off our IP. And if they do, were going to go after anybody that does.
And:
Well, I don’t want to talk about any specific company. I’m just making a general statement that we think competition is good. It makes us all better. And we are ready to suit up and go against anyone. However, we will not stand for having our IP ripped off, and we’ll use whatever weapons that we have at our disposal. I don’t know that I could be more clear than that.
(Tim Cook [source])
Seems like the scope of the patents is limited but anyway significant. This should remind us why software patents are bad and that in no way shall we drop the vigilance in Europe.
Further Reading
- CleverMonkey break down (discusses patents and links the official documents)
- Engadget breakdown (discusses patents scope)
- NoSoftwarePatents petition (did you already signed, didn’t you ?)
Oh, BTW, I just got a MacBook.
