Patent

Apple Gave Samsung the Opportunity to License Its Patents

Cody Lee ∙ December 3, 2011

Among its various patent lawsuits with Samsung and other Android partners, Apple has made one thing clear: it's in the business of making great products, not licensing patents. It's not in it for the money, it's in it to ensure that its unique products stay unique.

But that doesn't mean that Apple won't license low-level iOS patents. It's already done so with companies like Nokia and IBM. And as it turns out, Apple has even tried to offer Samsung the opportunity to license its patents. But for some reason, the Korean company declined...

Apple Gives Samsung List of Workarounds for Design Patents

Cody Lee ∙ December 2, 2011

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last 6 months, chances are you're aware of the ongoing feud between Samsung and Apple. It all started with Apple filing a patent infringement suit against the Korean company for copying its product designs.

The lawsuits have turned out to be a nightmare for Samsung, as the company has been banned from selling its Galaxy tablet in multiple countries, including Germany and Australia. Apparently, Samsung could have avoided all of this with a few, simple design changes...

Apple Working on Camera-Based Handshaking System For Sharing Data

Oliver Haslam ∙ December 1, 2011

Patent applications aren't always a sign that something is definitely going to make its way to market, but they can often be a good indication of the kinds of things companies are looking at adding to products.

That said, we have another patent application from the boffins at Apple, and this time it appears to be a new way of sending and receiving data between two devices. The system will use the devices' cameras as a way of establishing a secure connection...

Australian Court Overturns Samsung Tablet Ban Ruling

Cody Lee ∙ November 30, 2011

It looks like Christmas came early for Samsung this year. Gizmodo is reporting that an Australian court has overturned the injunction against the Korean company that banned it from selling its popular Galaxy tablet on the continent.

The ban is the result of an ongoing world-wide patent dispute between the two companies and has been in place since late Summer. But, apparently, Samsung made a good case in its appeal it filed last week because the injunction has been lifted...

The US Patent Office Pays Tribute to Steve Jobs

Cody Lee ∙ November 23, 2011

It's been over a month now since Steve Jobs passed away, and people around the world are still trying to find ways to pay their respects to the fallen leader. We've seen several tributes to Jobs over the past 30 days, but perhaps none more touching than this.

The New York Times points to a new exhibit erected in the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, Virginia in honor of the late CEO. The display, which is made up of 30 giant iPhones, showcases all of the inventor's 300+ patents...

Apple Claims it Could Lose $2.7 Billion in Motorola Lawsuit

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

Earlier this month, a German court awarded Motorola Mobility a temporary injunction against Apple for infringing on its intellectual property. An injunction, in this sense, can prevent a company from selling its products in the area in which it's granted.

But the decision was made against Apple Inc., which doesn't actually sell products in Germany. Motorola also filed a lawsuit against Apple Germany. And the outcome of this case could cost the company some serious financial losses...

Patent Reveals That Apple Does Have Interest in NFC

Cody Lee ∙ November 19, 2011

In the months leading up to Apple's Fall iPhone announcement, there were several rumors that claimed Apple's next smartphone would feature NFC technology. Competing devices have had the wireless payment tech for years, but it's only recently started to gain traction.

Obviously, the gossip didn't materialize, as there isn't any kind of NFC chipset in the iPhone 4S. But that doesn't mean that Apple is ignoring the technology. The company was recently awarded a patent regarding Near Field Communications in mobile devices...

Patent Reveals Apple’s Work on Crack-Resistant Glass for Future Devices

Cody Lee ∙ November 17, 2011

Apple's recent iPhone design, the one featured on both the iPhone 4 and 4S handsets, has received a lot of praise over the past year. Pundits have compared the device's quality and timeless construction to that of an illustrious Leica camera.

But the handset's design also has one major downfall: its front and back glass panels. Its nearly all-glass outer casing has made the iPhone noticeably more fragile and susceptible to damages than other smartphones. But Apple is looking to fix that...

Patent Suggests More Touch Gestures Coming to iOS

Cody Lee ∙ Updated February 6, 2016

Patent applications are published every day by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, but perhaps none of them are more interesting than those from Apple. The filings give us a glimpse inside the company's notoriously-private research and development labs.

PatentlyApple reports today that another batch of applications has just surfaced on the USTPO site bearing Apple's name. While most of the inventions look intriguing, there's one in particular that stands out above the others. And it involves powerful, new touch gestures...

Samsung Being Investigated for Possible Antitrust Practices

Cody Lee ∙ Updated January 24, 2016

Back in April of this year, Apple filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung. The Korean manufacturer responded with a counter-infringement lawsuit, and the two companies have been in and out of courtrooms ever since.

In their latest battle, Samsung attempted to bar Apple's products from the European Union, once again based on patent infringement. But instead of winning an injunction, Samsung caught the eye of the European Commission...

Apple Wins Two High-Profile Multi-Touch Patents

Cody Lee ∙ November 2, 2011

According to PatentlyApple, Apple was awarded another 14 patents yesterday from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Out of the 14 recognized inventions, two of them really stood out.

The two patents are related to multi-touch technology, and could come in handy in the ongoing patent war between Apple and Android partners. In fact, one of the filings relates to the touch-screen tech found in the original iPhone...