

Apple and HTC Settle Patent Dispute, Agree to Ten Year License - dgallagher
http://www.macrumors.com/2012/11/10/apple-and-htc-settle-patent-dispute/

======
dbcooper
The Verge is reporting that:

HTC representative Jeff Gordon tells The Verge that the company "does not
expect this license agreement to have any adverse material impact on the
financials of the company".

[http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/10/3629376/apple-and-htc-
set...](http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/10/3629376/apple-and-htc-settle-all-
patent-litigation-with-10-year-license)

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XaspR8d
> “HTC is pleased to have resolved its dispute with Apple, so HTC can focus on
> innovation instead of litigation,” said Peter Chou, CEO of HTC.

Sounds like an attempted burn on Apple, and then...

> “We are glad to have reached a settlement with HTC,” said Tim Cook, CEO of
> Apple. “We will continue to stay laser focused on product innovation.”

Am I reading into this wrong or is Apple backhanding HTC in this press
release?

~~~
just2n
I don't read that, but what I did read was the CEOs of both Apple and HTC
agreeing that without the worry of patent litigation that BOTH of their
companies would be capable of innovating instead of fighting.

I think I'll take this as an admission by both Apple and HTC that patents
inhibit innovation.

~~~
bookwormAT
I hope that's the case, but I don't think PR statements in press releases like
these have any meaning at all.

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macspoofing
$100 million and 2 years later, nothing changed. What a waste of time and
money.

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brianobush
This doesn't sound good for Samsung. I assume this validates many of Apple's
claims.

~~~
AtlasLion
why would you think so? the details are not known, and HTC has some 4G patents
that it was planning to use against Apple if Apple ever decides to use 4G
(iPhone 5). for me this sounds more like a stalemate situation between HTC and
Apple.

~~~
brianobush
I didn't mean claims in direct terms of patent claims, but rather this action
might force Samsung's hand. I didn't really know about the LTE patents, so
yes, I see a stalemate situation.

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dbcooper
I wonder if this is related to HTC's licensing agreement with Microsoft for
their Android phones?

[http://www.microsoft.com/en-
us/news/press/2010/apr10/04-27MS...](http://www.microsoft.com/en-
us/news/press/2010/apr10/04-27MSHTCPR.aspx)

Although Samsung has some sort of agreement with Microsoft too.

[http://www.microsoft.com/en-
us/news/press/2011/sep11/09-28Sa...](http://www.microsoft.com/en-
us/news/press/2011/sep11/09-28SamsungPR.aspx)

------
beambot
In other Apple IP-related news: They've been ordered to pay Swiss Rail $21
million for that clock design debacle [http://phys.org/news/2012-11-apple-
swiss-rail-21mn-clock.htm...](http://phys.org/news/2012-11-apple-swiss-
rail-21mn-clock.html)

~~~
vvhn
you do know that it was settled between Apple and SBB ( which probably
included the paying of this money ) and no "ordering" was done by anyone
anywhere ?

~~~
beambot
I did not. Thanks for the clarification. That's still an expensive gaffe. :-/

~~~
ghshephard
What gaffe? I'm sure Apple has paid much greater licensing fee's to other
companies for their intellectual property. What do you think it cost them to
pay for "iPhone" (a cisco trademark?) Or purchasing a license for one-click-
payment from amazon? Or any of hundreds of other IP purchases that Apple
makes.

I don't know if I would have considered the clock worth $22mm, but I do have
to admit, it's beautiful. Before Apple released their clock App, I ended up
paying $5.00 for an App that was roughly equivalent in functionality, though
nowhere near as gorgeous.

All in All - $22mm was probably seen by Apple as the right price to license
one of the worlds most beautiful clock designs.

~~~
jonknee
It was a gaffe because they stole the design and got a license only after
being called out publicly by the Swiss. All the while being involved in huge
law suits with companies who they claim stole their look and feel. Do as I
say, not as I do...

~~~
ghshephard
Apple is extraordinarily sophisticated when it comes to IP issues. Any artwork
or homages that they've placed in their product are either (A) Cleared for
coverage or (B) Have some path to such.

Anything you see in IOS is akin to a song that would hear in a movie or a TV
Show - hundreds of hours, if not thousands, have gone into ensuring the
legality/coverage of all of the major elements that you see there.

Don't for a second believe that Apple didn't already have a negotiating
position, and value, and best-negotiable-alternative (BNA) identified prior to
placing that swiss clock into IOS.

This isn't their first, second, or even hundredth time at this particular
rodeo.

The games that HTC/Google/Motorola/Apple/Samsung are also, all playing out
according to a well known IP strategy. Each of the parties is acquiring IP,
establishing their patent positions/strength, going to court where needed, and
engaging in settlements likewise.

At the level which these companies play - their is no "Steal", simply a
stronger (or weaker) game theoretic negotiating position which plays out...

Anybody how has legal bills in excess of $100 million a year has left the
realm of good/bad, and moved into win/lose/profit/loss.

------
esolyt
Apple's press statement:

[http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2012/11/11HTC-and-Apple-
Sett...](http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2012/11/11HTC-and-Apple-Settle-
Patent-Dispute.html)

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codeulike
After the recent management reshuffle, could this be a sign of Apple backing
away from all the patent crazyness? The article implies the settlement was
two-way and not very big.

~~~
gurkendoktor
The relationship between htc and Apple may simply be better than between
Samsung and Apple, or Google and Apple.

------
shmerl
Apple understands only the logic of MAD (Mutual Assured Destruction).

~~~
shmerl
Not sure what the downvoters tried to show, but above statement is simply self
obvious. Patent aggressors (which Apple is) relent only under the threat of
defensive patent action. Thus, comparison with MAD is natural and expected.
Don't be disillusioned, thinking that Apple is all white and furry. It has
teeth, and hides them only when scared that they'll be beaten out.

