Android accounts for one-quarter of mobile web traffic
Android is mopping up Apple and RIM's declining mobile mindshare in the US, you'll find nothing but corroboration from Quantcast. The analytics firm reckons a full one-quarter of mobile web traffic stateside comes from devices running Google's OS
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Silly patent offices
@harry20larry
Did Apple not know HTC has been in this game a lot longer than they have? Of course they have some really core patents like power management and dialing features.
Caution: Flamewar ahead. Take alternate article to avoid congestion.
@harry20larry I'm tired of all this lawsuit news. Dell sues Nokia, HTC sues Dell, Apple sues The World. It's all settled out of court for "undisclosed" amounts anyways. Good money spinner I guess, and I'm sure the judges love it for the financial kick back - I mean judges don't get paid enough anyways...
@harry20larry yes apple is trying to stifle competition and innovation instead of just making a better product. If they are going to Sue HTC then they better Sue the rest of the mobile smartphone world because all phones have a lot in common. I hope this comes back to bite them in the ass.
@harry20larry
Next up, Apple vs Apple
@JohnnyRocketpants
http://www.htc.com/uk/quietlybrilliant/index.html
inspiring.. taking into account they have the first touchscreen phones, first 3G handsets and first android phone.. real innovation, HTC ftw!
@JohnnyRocketpants
Lets not forget that Google can probably sue on behalf of HTC, as most of the claims were specifically against the Android OS - which HTC doesn't specifically develop but performs user modifications on (skinning, certain widget and service integration, etc.)
On a side note, I think it would be a fun project to build my own version of Android that specifically copied as many apply patents as it could, and then release it to the web for all to enjoy.
@commenter7
well, like they always say "Any publicity is Good publicity" Looks like all the tech manufacturers are getting plenty of it for free with all these lawsuits that never amount to anything
@JohnnyRocketpants
And Nokia have been in even longer. I dunno, I think their complaint holds more water than HTC's.
@N900
This is nothing. Waiting for the inevitable"HTC vs Apple - whos side are you on?" poll article... that will be the flame war to end all flame wars
@commenter7 There were touch screen devices way before HTC. HTC's case is much weaker than Apple's which includes multi touch and gestures. Capacitive v. Resistive is much more fundamental than what HTC is filing against Apple. I've spent a fair share working with patents in the US and the two sets are not even in the same ball park. Apple's case if proven can effectively kill HTC. They are already being squeezed on margin by the providers....
@skyblaze Lol. Can you imagine if Engadget put up a poll like that? Their blog would explode!
@harry20larry
Agreed. They should make it mandatory that a prototype of somesort be available when a company/person files for a patent and if not then detailed description and figures that show how it will be carried out along with underlying hardware. If none of those criterias met then toss the claims away until further improvement but retain the favour for the company that came up with it first for a period of time and should that period of time expire then the forementioned patents can be taken up by anyone provided they abide to the 2 criterias above. This should apply to all companies and all people, big or small.
@jaffreywali
Apple wont win because they claim things that are prior art and I bet Palm owns most patents along with RIM. So if they do win it will be a small margin and will have no effect on HTC. On the other hand, Apple has to contend with Nokia and that's a lost battle for sure, if they don't settle.
@harry20larry
end of iphone era is ahead
@commenter7
Sorry, but as a former Sony Ericsson employee (and Ericsson) I feel like I need to correct a few errors.
Probably the first touch phone was not HTC (Compaq, circa 2002 according to video).
Ericsson R380, 2000:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ericsson_R380
I don't like the patent wars but let's not forget that HTC went from OEM to original supplier on the back of other companies designs. They are not innocent in this idiotic war.
@tklr08 First off I want to thank endgadget for gathering up all the nerdtards so they can write their oh so funny Apple vs...whatever comments. Oh you guys are so hilarious please remember to pat yourselves on the back for being so witty. As for Apple vs Apple, that already happened...nerdterds. The Beatles Apple Corp. sued Apple Computer and number of times and won. Apple Inc. is still paying dearly for that one. They were legitimate lawsuits. These are like Chrysler suing Ford for patents on the design of a steering wheel.
@commenter7
"inspiring.. taking into account they have the first touchscreen phones, first 3G handsets and first android phone.. real innovation, HTC ftw!"
this is going to be some massive flamebait... but HA! they werent the first to build a touchscreen phone. that title actually goes to apple in 1983. look it up. :)
nevermind... found you a link:
http://www.techeblog.com/index.php/tech-gadget/apple-touchscreen-phone-circa-1983
but... if we are sticking with the common mobile phone, they still dont have the title. that goes to ibm in 1993. called the ibm simon.
so not exactly real innovation.
@angermeans The same can be said for HTC.. really, you're trying enforce a patent on a phone directory being able to dial a phone, better go sue Lotus back in 1991.
@jaffreywali
HTC is actually doing pretty damn well right now:
"Today, HTC reported its 2010 Q1 earnings, and the vitals from the mobile handset giant all seem to be positive. Q1 revenues jumped 19% from Q1 of last year to $1.2 billion, with a net profit of $158 million" -press release from last month
Not exactly Apple level profits, but certainly not being squeezed out of business
@travisonfire dont be stupid
@travisonfire No, the patents are going to be deemed unenforceable, as they should be.
@commenter7 "By 1998 we were designing SOME of the worlds first first touch and wireless devices." LOL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQhUEYvEl3c
If my math is correct 1992 comes before 1998.
@blitr
None of these companies is innocent. I think they should all sit on a giant oval table and negotiate cross-patent licenses that way you can use whatever technology you desire as long as you have the approval of the owner. No one will have to pay anyone at all and the market will be filled with great gadgets and we won't have to hear Nokia, HP, SE, LG, Sam,Apple, HTC or anyone else out there whinning about infrengement. Grow up folks and act like smart people we know you are.
@blitr I love sony ericssons. i have one from 2002 (t300) thats still going strong. se ftw.
I don't know if anyone has said this yet but you deserve a Thank You for putting this post together, Nilay.
Thank You.
@JohnnyRocketpants Did Apple not know that HTC has power management, one of Apple's claims to fame, under patent (well, on the 2nd patent they didn't count on it happening). I also find that saying that Apple has a better case without specifically detailing how much value Apple has to its power management techniques a little bit, um, skimming the surface, especially when weighed against all the coverage that Apple suing got. But hey, there could always be an analysis update.
@hero785
I agree. I love Apple, but they've gone too far!
@commonman
oh, suck my toe.
HAR HAR
@tklr08 LOL!
@Slick
haha, on a side note, make sure you buy a reinforced door or jobs will be sending round the feds!! XD
@N900
Well said N, I was going to post, then I read your note and thought better of it.
@skyblaze
I knew this was going to happen.
HTC give a Lesson to Apple and kick their A$$, so hard.
Like this fatality:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkzMhoo7_Ks
I will always be on the good boys side: HTC, Linux - Free Open Source Software and Hardware, Google and Android.
@JohnnyRocketpants you mean the game of filing patents and then suing over them .
one thing that is going to be a major issue is the dates the patents were filed and granted and whether Apple can cite anything as "prior art". because if there is something prior to the patents, particularly if patented by Apple, that they can say they just expanded on, then the HTC claims that Apple stole it from them weakens.
like the whole address book dialer thing. when was the first cell phone that let you store numbers, select one off a list and select an option to dial etc. smartphone or not. Apple could claim they just did a spin on that idea and if it was before HTC filed anything, they could get that claim dropped.
@blitr
First touch phone: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_Simon (1993)
@harry20larry Man these patents are just as silly as the ones Apple used (and no Engadget Apple's 20 claims were not any stronger than these) but Apple basically forced HTC to do this with their absurd lawsuit, so HTC is basically only using these to play defense. The sad thing is that if you don't file for these moronic patents, then you get trolled by all the companies that do file hundreds of nonsensical patents.
I do hope that HTC gets some leverage with these though because that Apple lawsuit is plain ridiculous.
@elijahblake "well, like they always say "Any publicity is Good publicity""
I think the ECA would beg to differ.
Go to patents.google.com and search "High Tech Computer Corporation". They have 15 patents, and none of them seem to be applicable in a suit against Apple. Some of them seem close like "operating a button with mulitiple functions", until you actually start reading at least the summary. Because they were an OEM builder, HTC hasn't built up their portfolio of patents like other companies.
@tklr08 That's already been ongoing since at least the 90's since Apple Corps which has been around for 40 years sued Apple Computers. It's an ugly drawn out suit and it's why The Beatles aren't on iTunes.
@angermeans they won't, HTC is 'small' compared to nokia,samsung and S.E. Easy pickings...
@hero785 If you haven't worked with patents I don't blame you. Nikia and Apple are counter suing where both are claiming rights on fundamental technologies. The HTC case as described here will be thrown out. They have identified products that don't even offer the features they accuse it of infringing!
If the iPhone was the first capacitive multi touch phone Apple will have a stronger case than address look up or power management, when HTC wasn't the first smartphones with these features - palm most likely was.
For what it's worth, HTC is going to pay MSFT for all Android phones they sell. Guess what, HTC did that for a reason. They know they are abusing IP. That's how all Asian companies have grown. Stealing Western IP then squeezing out the innovator. I'm glad Apple and Microsoft are not taking this lying down.
Nokia v Apple is a legitimate fight. IP v IP. Nokia wanted a cross license agreement, Apple refused. Nokia sued... HTC just stoke from Apple, MSFT etc.
@jaffreywali
I'm not arguing with capacitive vs resistive, I'm talking about a broad number of issues. It's unhealthy when big timers like Apple, Noki, HTC, Google go against one another when they know that they are using each others creative works. I just want this mess to be over, sign some agreements and then move on. It's not going to help anyone because Apple can win this and lose against Nokia and what if HP files against Apple, and refuse to settle then apple goes down. It's about understanding that the needs and desires of many will always outweight the needs and desires of individuals. Apple needs to start playing nice because I'm sure they are infringing in alot of patents themselves but some people are sparing them from shame
@tklr08
Sort of like those Coke Zero commercials, huh?
@jaffreywali Apple does NOT hold a patent on multi-touch!!!! Stop spreading this BS!
@mudpud HTC files a claim with the ITC, and Apple has gone too far?
@HighestRanked2 who exactly is a thief here? NONE of the patents on which Apple has build its case against HTC are so specific you can argue they have a case ( for crying out loud : patenting "slide to unlock" ?? ) ,in fact none of what Apple- or any of the others - is doing is new or can even be construed as new . They basically applied what was already there . The only ones which have a truly solid basis for any lawsuit are the ones who have the first and original patents in this market ( Motorola and Nokia ) concerning GSM technology,3G etc.
And the ones who hold the patent for touchscreen technology ( not multi-touch ,that is simply derrived from the original idea of touchscreen technology ) ,probably still Elotouch .
Apple's gonna bowl them over.
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@travisonfire That's the best news i've heard all day.
@Ignition1 Judges are actually paid pretty good. I must say around $200,000 or so.