Steve Jobs vowed to destroy Android

[GommeInc]

Steve was guilty of a big ego. His self-praise for Apple was OTT at times, as it is with many companies that have made it to the top. But dirty fighters? Everyone is suing everyone. Apart from Google of course, because they steal every idea out their so they don't have a leg to stand on.

Quite an interesting chart. Reuters is underated as media organisations go. This chart doesn't show companies that have outright banned other products from being sold in other countries. That's the ultimate dirty fighting, and they haven't mentioned counter-lawsuits. That said, the corporate world is one pretty little court case after another.

Also, the chart doesn't show companies that have created counter-lawsuits in retaliation e.g. Apple sued HTC so HTC decided to counter-sue Apple, Apple bringing Samsung to court then Samsung countering the case with another one. Many seem to be located and pointing at Apple which doesn't leave much to the imagination.

[Chippiewill]

Understandably Apple have the most cases, because this stems back to the iPhone 4 launch that was a game changer and everyone felt the need to copy.

Really? I don't see many companies sticking the aerial on the outside of the phone for no reason but to cause problems.

[xxMATTGxx]

Steve was guilty of a big ego. His self-praise for Apple was OTT at times, as it is with many companies that have made it to the top. But dirty fighters? Everyone is suing everyone. Apart from Google of course, because they steal every idea out their so they don't have a leg to stand on.

Understandably Apple have the most cases, because this stems back to the iPhone 4 launch that was a game changer and everyone felt the need to copy.

How old is that chart?

Here's an image for you all of the current licensing deals Microsoft now has with many Android handset makers but also shows Apple on there etc

[Chippiewill]

How old is that chart?

Here's an image for you all of the current licensing deals Microsoft now has with many Android handset makers but also shows Apple on there etc

I was just reading an article about that. Microsoft now licenses to half the major android handsets.

On one hand, they're a much better company, not stifling competition and allowing them to carry on without a problem. On the other hand they're only taking that position because they're firmly in third place in the smart phone battle so suing them won't really boost their own phone OS in the same way that it would for Apple, that and a lot of android handset makers also make windows phones.

[Dopiefreak]

Quite an interesting chart. Reuters is underated as media organisations go. This chart doesn't show companies that have outright banned other products from being sold in other countries. That's the ultimate dirty fighting, and they haven't mentioned counter-lawsuits. That said, the corporate world is one pretty little court case after another.

Also, the chart doesn't show companies that have created counter-lawsuits in retaliation e.g. Apple sued HTC so HTC decided to counter-sue Apple, Apple bringing Samsung to court then Samsung countering the case with another one. Many seem to be located and pointing at Apple which doesn't leave much to the imagination.

Fair points

Not debating that Apple are more than happy to sue another company, I just don't think this is any different to the other companies out there. The patent system is a joke unfortunately.

How old is that chart?

August 2011 I believe. The Guardian released another infographic at the start of this month, someone put this in a better format than the one guardian did here, image is below:

[GommeInc]

The Guardian released another infographic at the start of this month, someone put this in a better format than the one guardian did here, image is below:

*snip*

I like how out of date that is too Notice how Samsung and Apple do not link up either, when they've been at war for ages now.

I completely agree with the patent system though. It's a mess, too many companies out there own the rights to concepts which are impossible not to be used by all companies. The patent system has patents that are generalised concepts, when the system was meant to be about protecting the certain ways of working around concepts. The patent system should be about protecting the designs of a certain way of doing something, not the entirety.

What's shocking is how these lawsuits go back and forth and who wins them. I'm slightly concerned by how the Samsung Galaxy S II is banned in Australia and Germany (and maybe the Netherlands soon) for the wrong reasons. Samsung should win this fight against Apple to ban the iPhone 4S in some countries if Apple is allowed to ban Samsung phones - the iPhone 4S is afterall using technology Samsung owns so they have every right to, but I doubt they will win the case - not that any phones should be banned anyway as it completely destroys the point of consumer choice and fair competition.

[scottish]