In this Business English News lesson: we take a look at recent courtroom battles over technology patents.
In what some have dubbed ‘The Patent Trial of the Century’, Apple and Samsung have been fighting tooth and nail in recent weeks. Samsung was found to have infringed on 7 of Apple’s patents, in what became a $1B levy.
In what some have dubbed “The Patent Trial of the Century”, Apple and Samsung have been fighting tooth and nail in recent weeks. Samsung was found to have infringed on 7 of Apple’s patents, in what became a $1B levy; but as GMA Network explains, this could just be the beginning:
“Despite its initial court victory against smartphone rival Samsung, Apple’s legal battles are by no means over – especially with Motorola and Google still in the mix.”
The ‘patent wars’ began in October 2009 when Nokia sued Apple over alleged infringement of its wireless standards. Then, in March 2010, Apple initiated the next round when it sued HTC over 20 patents dealing with its user interface and Android operating system. In his posthumous biography, Steve Jobs vowed to get even, saying that:
“I’m going to destroy Android, because it’s a stolen product. I’m willing to go thermonuclear on this. I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple’s money to right this wrong.”
With scores of legal proceedings ongoing, it’s difficult to understand who is suing who. However, Apple’s victory over Samsung could cause developers to think twice before they release their products. From Forbes magazine:
“Apple’s key rival here is Google, whose Android software Samsung used to build its phones. But Apple can only go after the handset makers that implement Android, not the creators themselves; even so, by winning, it will have nervous engineers, who are using Android in ever-growing numbers, pausing as they compare their latest products with the next iPhone. Is it too similar? Will this trigger a lawsuit? Should I change it?”
Naturally, reactions have been mixed, with everyone hoping that in the end, common sense will prevail. As one Google executive explained to Bloomberg, they were blindsided by Apple’s win:
“We actually didn’t invest in the patent ecosystem. We weren’t patenting things as aggressively as we should have been. We didn’t really believe rounded corners were patentable. We just didn’t buy into that notion of protecting your IP, and it was a wake-up call.”
Even Apple co-founder, Steve Wozniak, was stunned by the outcome of the trial, claiming that the best way for the mobile industry to progress is for companies to stop the bickering and get down to business. As he commented to Bloomberg:
“I hate it. I don’t think the decision of California will hold. And I don’t agree with it – very small things I don’t really call that innovative. I wish everybody would just agree to exchange all the patents and everybody could build the best forms they want.
With Apple currently in the driver’s seat, the future remains murky. Google’s Public Policy Director told CNET that the current patent system is at fault as it only serves to add another weapon to the arsenal of companies hoping to squash their competition:
“One thing that we are very seriously taking a look at is the question of software patents, and whether in fact the patent system as it currently exists is the right system to incent innovation and promote consumer-friendly policies. We think that these patent wars are not helpful to consumers.”
But as Forbes magazine concludes, although Apple has won the first battle, the wars are likely far from over:
“The ‘Patent Wars’ may re-erupt when armies of device-ladened insurgents take their positions at Christmas. Litigation is a competitive tactic to reduce threats, and as such, Apple’s legal team could remain on the offensive for a long time.”