Comment Defensive litigation (Score 1) 130
Maybe Apple isn't just getting this patent to create an offensive, but rather as a defense.
Companies are attempting to overcome their lack of creativity/ingenuity by litigating a profit.
Thanks to the patent office's less-than-picky gratning process, there are a LOT of seemingly obvious and redundant patents floating out there.
I think that more situations will come up as companies attempt to assault Apple's #1 iPod/Music Store slot and incresingly their other software and hardware ventures.
What I'm talking about is the Creative situation - Creative gets mad that they're getting their ass handed to them by Apple and they can't pull together a decent product - so they look in their patent portfolio and find something to beat Apple with and shut them down legally . . .
Except that Apple turned around with a stack of way scarier patents to shove in Creative's face and said "Ok, we were playing nice and just plain out-smarting you but you've made us mad and we're going to match your 'play dirty' scheme"
Creative didn't really stand a chance.
A patent like this, and probably many others that Apple has, means that Apple can defend off OTHER company's offensive patent challenges.
Companies are attempting to overcome their lack of creativity/ingenuity by litigating a profit.
Thanks to the patent office's less-than-picky gratning process, there are a LOT of seemingly obvious and redundant patents floating out there.
I think that more situations will come up as companies attempt to assault Apple's #1 iPod/Music Store slot and incresingly their other software and hardware ventures.
What I'm talking about is the Creative situation - Creative gets mad that they're getting their ass handed to them by Apple and they can't pull together a decent product - so they look in their patent portfolio and find something to beat Apple with and shut them down legally . . .
Except that Apple turned around with a stack of way scarier patents to shove in Creative's face and said "Ok, we were playing nice and just plain out-smarting you but you've made us mad and we're going to match your 'play dirty' scheme"
Creative didn't really stand a chance.
A patent like this, and probably many others that Apple has, means that Apple can defend off OTHER company's offensive patent challenges.
