July 27, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) formally announced the S3 Graphics on the graphics chip maker and Apple's patent disputes between the ruling. Ruled that documents show that Apple's Mac OS X system S3 Graphics patent infringement, while iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad tablet is not a tort.
This is the HTC in patent litigation with Apple more than a bargaining chip. July 6, HTC announced a $ 300 million acquisition of S3 Graphics, in response to Apple's recently launched its patent litigation.
July 15, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) administrative law judge initially ruled that Apple HTC violation alleged in March this year the 10 patents in two.
However, published information from the current point of view, ITC's decision is still unfavorable for HTC. Because it is a smart phone HTC Apple products suspected of infringing the patent, and Apple's patent infringement S3 Graphics is a Mac product, not related to iPhone and other devices. As reporters before the deadline, HTC in this official response yet.
For how this dispute will ultimately end up, intellectual property attorneys Yunting (microblogging) that can refer to Nokia and Apple before the patent infringement case is likely to be the two sides reached a "settlement agreement", or by one party to pay a compensation fee . However, some senior industry source pointed out that things may not be so simple, "HTC recently in North America increasingly competitive market, Apple's core purpose is to combat the growth momentum of HTC products to delay their entry, rather than compensation."
Patent race
"The patent issue must not only for HTC, but the Android camp."
In the IT industry, patent disputes between enterprises seem to already have become commonplace. Recently, this trend intensified in the smart phone storm. As the market becomes hot smartphone, Nokia, Apple, Microsoft, Samsung, HTC, Oracle have been involved in patent disputes.
HTC Ren Weiguang, president of China , July 21 interview with reporters when he said that for the HTC and Apple's patent disputes for him to comment directly. But he also believes that the patent issue is not just for the HTC, but the problems facing the Android camp.
Ren Weiguang said, "In the high-tech fields, the so-called you sue me, I sue you for patent disputes occur almost every enterprise, so the company can not because these problems do not do anything, or will to go their own way . "
In response to Apple's lawsuit, HTC hesitate to spend $ 300 million acquisition of graphics chip maker S3 Graphics, as is the latter in the hands of the patent. In response to Apple's own patent war, the joint Microsoft and other vendors are also heavily scored more than 6,000 Nortel Networks patents.
Recently, Google's chief legal counsel Kent Walker to the smart phone industry is undergoing changes described as "patent arms race." He believes this will make the company into a variety of patent litigation, and ultimately harm the interests of consumers. "Technology industry clearly a problem that software patents have been disrupted to some extent innovative." Walker said.
Patent system, the intention is to promote the establishment of innovation. Intellectual Property Law Yunting also believes that it should perhaps reflect on the system, because of the recent innovations which have become the means of combat.
A high level of domestic mobile phone manufacturers told reporters, "This phenomenon has become a necessity because the market has become giants of the game. We desperately accumulated patent pool was not intended to innovate, but has become a means of market competition . "
These people, for example, the real innovation often comes from small companies, "such as your new small company into five innovative patented invention, but the market thousands of patents already exist and are vested in the hands of large companies, small companies such it is difficult to live up. "
The wave nature of the current dispute is also true in the mobile phone market was a latecomer to Android, Google has not enough reserves in this area of patents. Information, Google has applied for 728 patents, mostly related to the search to be off, but Apple has 4,000 patents that Microsoft has 18000.
Android Baotuan hopeless?
"Android also exist between the various manufacturers fierce competition"
Industry generally believe that Apple sued for HTC and Samsung's patent litigation before, behind the ultimate goal is to combat the Android development. Microsoft HTC, Samsung and other royalty fee is also true intentions, but also to "request" to the Windows Phone manufacturers have more support.
Because the open Android has become the biggest threat to Apple and Microsoft. Android devices currently active every day 55 million units, equipment, a total of 135 million units activated.
According to the reporter, was sentenced in the infringement of two patents HTC, the one related to the HTC's Android phone user interface design, and one on the bottom of the Android software and hardware design. If the decision into effect, will be used for other Android phone manufacturers will be affected.
It seems that all Android vendors should "hold together" to address the patent to suppress my son.
Although Android smartphone market system as a newcomer, Google did not succeed "to pay off tuition." However, the Android camp has gathered many of the large number of vendors in the mobile space for years. According to Google CEO Larry Page said, Android has 231 global operators and 78 partners, the Open Handset Alliance partners.
Android alliance people in a company seems, Google has combined a lot of business, if all corporate patents together, Apple and Microsoft Which than both, but the.
But in fact, Android should hold together patent litigation firms is unlikely.
A noteworthy phenomenon is that firms in other Android busy because of litigation, Motorola has remained intact. Some analysts believe that: this is because Motorola itself holding a large number of patents, Apple sued if it is very vulnerable to larger counterclaim, so Apple chose to patent the accumulation of fewer HTC surgery.
Level above that of domestic mobile phone manufacturers, pushing hard to achieve an important reason is that, "Android also exist between the various manufacturers fierce competition", but also because both use the Android system, a sense of competition between them than with iPhone's competition is more direct.
"Another reason is that patents have become the company must spend heavily to the accumulation of each core resources." The source said, "If Google can not find a reasonable solution from which to coordinate, its difficult to rely solely on Android vendor to create an effective our approach. "