Apple and HTC Settle Patent Dispute 179
An anonymous reader writes "HTC and Apple have reached a global settlement that includes the dismissal of all current lawsuits and a ten-year license agreement. The license extends to current and future patents held by both parties. The terms of the settlement are confidential. From the article: '"HTC is pleased to have resolved its dispute with Apple, so HTC can focus on innovation instead of litigation," Peter Chou, HTC's chief executive, said in a statement.
Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive, also expressed relief in a statement. "We will continue to stay laser focused on product innovation," he said.'"
HTC can't compete anymore (Score:5, Insightful)
HTC uesd to be a legitimate contender, so Apple did all they could to block them from the market. With all the resources HTC has diverted to the patent wars, they can't really compete anymore and Apple probably doesn't see them as a legitimate contender. Apple probably just figures they might as well suck whatever money's left taking from them. Borrowing from the Ars article on the same topic, HTC (read: the little guys) is just the upfront victim of the patent wars.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Don't worry, patent law doesn't need reform. IBM said so.
Re:HTC can't compete anymore (Score:5, Interesting)
HTC used to be a legitimate contender, so Apple did all they could to block them from the market. With all the resources HTC has diverted to the patent wars, they can't really compete anymore and Apple probably doesn't see them as a legitimate contender. Apple probably just figures they might as well suck whatever money's left taking from them. Borrowing from the Ars article on the same topic, HTC (read: the little guys) is just the upfront victim of the patent wars.
HTC now is (as far as I know) now the only company with full access to apple's patents. If those patents really are as valuable as Apple claims, HTC is now in a great position to roll out some strong products. In fact, since they could make android handsets they are in a unique position to use both the Apple and Google patents. If HTC isn't in imminent danger, the next few years could be amazing for them.
Attack of the Clones (Score:2)
Only with bigger screens, more memory and better performance. Unless there is a prohibitive per-unit cost, they will also be cheaper. Apple may have made a boo-boo.
Re:Attack of the Clones (Score:5, Insightful)
Apple didn't make a mistake.
They just got access to all the patents of some of the slickest phone designers with the best screens, more memory, and better performance, experienced in two different Operating Systems. You said so yourself, and then turned around an awarded the score to HTC. What kind of reasoning is that?
Apple is the clear winner here. HTC gains only legal relief. Nothing Apple has patented is of value, except as a club to beat others with.
The HTC ONE line of phones puts Apple to shame. Whether its the Windows Phone version or the Android version, HTC designs are top notch, even better than Samsung. HTCs problem is they have spent so much time and money fighting Apple they have nothing left to bribe the purchasing agents for the big carriers into accepting their phones (unlike Samsung).
Apple could use HTC's expertise. I wouldn't be surprised to see Apple purchase them outright or at least gain a majority stock position. If they did that, they would have a beachhead into both Windows Phone and Android, because its easy to see that IOS is beginning its death spiral, and Apple has to do something.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
...because its easy to see that IOS is beginning its death spiral...
iOS is beginning its death spiral? Are you joking? It's market percentage might be decreasing (and it seems to actually be holding pretty steady right now, going up in one quarter, down in another, and back up again) but it's unit sales continue to rise - their declining percentage is simply an indication of how fast the entire market is growing. Other manufacturers/OSes are seeing their unit sales decline but Apple most certainly isn't one of them. Their sales figures have been on a constant upward trajec
Re:Attack of the Clones (Score:5, Interesting)
I said BEGINNING its death spiral. That you can't see a trend right before your very eyes says more about you than Apple.
Top Execs fired at apple for major maps failures.
Deliberate production caps on new releases just so they can say they sold out.
Iphone 5 sales faltering [opposingviews.com].
3 out of 4 [huffingtonpost.com] smartphones purchases are Android.
Apple needs a refresh. Their initial sale clime with every new release is merely eating their own young, reselling to the same customer base while quietly running buy-back programs [arstechnica.com] to take their old units off the street.
You are confusing deployed numbers with new new purchases which blinds you to trends. With a 3 year head start, Apple has a lot of faithful, who re-buy Apple each time. But New (first time) smartphone phone buyers are going 54% to Android [nielsen.com] and a distant 36% to Apple. The irresistible lure of Apple has worn off.
The market is calling TOP for Apple right now.
Re: (Score:2)
I love hating Apple as much as the next guy, but "sales faltering" 1 week after the product launch? And a launch that onlysold 5 million? Maybe you could say they were faltering after a month or two of sales. But not after a week.
Re:Attack of the Clones (Score:4, Informative)
Deliberate production caps on new releases just so they can say they sold out.
Citation, please. Provide it or shut the fuck up.
http://news.techeye.net/mobile/apple-pulls-out-all-the-marketing-stops [techeye.net]
There you go.
I here it helps if you put your hand over your ears and sing LA LALA LA real loud.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
That's not a citation. That's speculation. Just some asshat (much like yourself) who thinks they know what's involved in a global rollout of a mass-market product.
You don't. Neither does he. Try again.
Re: (Score:2)
Its as authoritative as you, fella.
Re: (Score:2)
I didn't make the allegation. I demanded some evidence for said allegation.
Surely you see the difference.
No, strike that. You almost certainly don't.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Other manufacturers/OSes are seeing their unit sales decline but Apple most certainly isn't one of them
You might want to ask Samsung about that one.
Re: (Score:2)
I didn't say "every other manufacturers" - I said " other manufacturers". I was referring to manufacturers like RIM and Nokia and HTC who are seeing their unit sales decline.
Re: (Score:2)
iOS itself, not the iPhones. iOS reached its current maturity years ago and has only filled in its whiskers in the time since. It's starting to get grey and long in the tooth, with a bit of pudge around the center. It really should've considered working more to stay in shape.
Re: (Score:3)
Apple is the clear winner here. HTC gains only legal relief. Nothing Apple has patented is of value, except as a club to beat others with.
If that legal relief includes exemption from being beating with that club, regardless of what they do, that might well be a great competitive advantage on its own.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Does this mean that HTC can now make phones with rounded corners?
Re:HTC can't compete anymore (Score:4, Interesting)
Interesting thought.
If there's one thing we've learnt about Apple, it's that they don't like to share. I can't imagine that full cross-licensing of their patents (current and future!) was a desirable outcome for Apple, going into this litigation.
Either Apple were set to lose, badly, or there's scheming afoot...
Re: (Score:2)
Maybe cooler heads prevailed. From one country to another the courts were ruling this way or that way. Maybe each decided the ($legal costs + penalties in losing countries) > (potentially losing market on giving competitor access to patents). We can debate which party got the short end of the deal in terms of licensing fees or competitor access to patents, but in the end it was probably a better outcome for both than to throw money in a black hole of litigation, penalties, and sales bans. I think it
Re: (Score:2)
Maybe they are just fulfilling their role as the new evil empire.
Embrace, extend, extinguish.
All they need now is a few more developers.
Re:HTC can't compete anymore (Score:4, Funny)
How funny would it be if HTC made a phone that looked just like the iPhone and were sued by Samsung for copying their designs?
Re: (Score:2)
HTC now is (as far as I know) now the only company with full access to apple's patents.
Microsoft and Apple have a full patent cross license going back to, I believe, 1994. They are in cahoots on this whole anti-Android campaign.
HTC ran out of fight, is all. They sold out and now will find themselves following Nokia on the road to hell. When they get there they'll get to meet Microsoft's other mobile partners. [asymco.com]
Re: (Score:2)
That's one possible outcome, based solely on the assumption that Apple's patents aren't useless.
It's pretty clear at this point that Apple's patents are form over function and they reason they're where they are now is marketing and jackboot tactics. The truth of the matter is that this is just Apple setting up HTC to use as their PR bitch: "Use our patents or we'll ruin you" -> "OK" -> "Look, HTC used our patents, we play fair".
Re: (Score:2)
With all the resources HTC has diverted to the patent wars, they can't really compete anymore...
Whilst I'm sure lawyers aren't cheap, engineers aren't cheap either... And for a company with resources as HTC, I really doubt a few legal battles are a significant expenditure...
HTC aren't nowhere near as big as Apple, but with a revenue around 9 Billion USD, I doubt a few millions for lawyers is a game changer.
Re: (Score:3)
Not sure where you're getting those numbers. In Q3 2012, HTC recorded net income of $137 million so burning millions on unnecessary lawyer fees is in the 1-10% range of their net income. That's pretty significant and a lot of revenue which could otherwise be put towards hardware or software development. God knows a few extra engineers would certainly help push out those Android updates for more models and/or earlier. Even with a cross-licensing deal, they'll probably lose millions to Apple... who knows what
Re:HTC can't compete anymore (Score:4, Informative)
HTC recorded net income of $137 million so burning millions on unnecessary lawyer fees is in the 1-10% range of their net income.
He said revenue.
You counter with net income.
He's talking Yearly.
You counter with Quarterly.
Lets keep the discussion about the same thing, mkay?
HTC still has revenue of 2,339.2 million /quarter or 9.3 Billion yearly. Source [businessweek.com].
HTCs problems stems from Management's batshit crazy investment pattern in technologies and partnerships that drain cash and return nothing. (Beets Audio). The 13 million (USD) they lost on that stuff plus the 41 million lost fighting Apple patent suits are significant, and bring down earnings from 189.6 million to 134.4. (Quarterly numbers)
They should be plowing that money into sales efforts even if it means "bribing" the purchasing agents and management of the major carriers like some of the manufacturers do. (You didn't for a minute assume carriers choose phones based on specs/looks/price alone did you?). Even with the fanciest gear, if a Carrier won't feature your phone because you didn't fly them to some exotic vacation resort you can't make any headway.
Re: (Score:3)
HTC aren't nowhere near as big as Apple, but with a revenue around 9 Billion USD, I doubt a few millions for lawyers is a game changer.
Your base are assumptions are way, way off. From SFGate [sfgate.com]:
Compare those accomplishments with recent investments by Apple and Google, and you'll be disappointed. Collectively, the two have spent an estimated $400 million on litigation expenses fighting the so-called "smartphone wars," a worldwide spate of patent suits that so far has done little more than enrich lawyers and reduce consumer choice in the mobile device market.
Shockingly, both companies spent far more in the last two years simply purchasing patents - new ammunition for the patent war effort - than they invested in research and design.
They spend more on patent wars then they do on research.
Re: (Score:2)
They spend more on patent wars then they do on research.
I'm sure they're as happy about that as we are.
Why am I reminded of (Score:2, Insightful)
the SCO Linux licensing agreements by this?
Re: (Score:2)
Because one case was about copyright and the other was about patents?
Re: (Score:2)
If, in either case, you'd need a massive war chest (of patents, money, or otherwise) and an army of lawyers just to keep your product out of Injunction Junction*, does such a detail matter for groups who want to make hardware without getting hounded by a protection-fee landmine?
I think it doesn't matter, and that it's just as much of a icky travesty here as there. That the settle-terms are confidential here suggest the patents in question may (at least as of now) be inherently non-FRAND too. It's just a l
Re: (Score:2)
or maybe it was because one was about operating systems and the other was about smartphones.
oh wait, just maybe it could be the similarities and not the differences that causes the connection in ones mind.
About features common to Android phones (Score:2)
or maybe it was because one was about operating systems and the other was about smartphones.
They're both about operating systems, as I understand it. Some of the features that Apple claimed are common to all smartphones that run the Android operating system.
Really? (Score:5, Insightful)
HTC thought it would be a good idea to settle with a patent troll?
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
A patent troll is a person or company that holds patents but doesn't create products. That being the case your comment makes no sense.
Re:Really? (Score:4, Insightful)
It has also come to mean a company that sues competitors with bogus patents, gaming the system etc. Rounded corners anyone?
Re: (Score:2)
I agree. Apple does create products, so they can't be patent trolls.
Using the right terminology is of utmost importance. We need to make sure we use the right term for Apple, a big successful company which uses patents aggressively to hurt the compatition and stiffle innovation. The correct term for Apple is a patent bully.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
What a pile of revisionist crap that is. IBM had called PCBs 'planars' (because, you know, they are made up of planes) for at least 20 years before there even was a 'pc'. As for 'hard drives' (which IBM invented), there is a damn good reason they called them 'fixed disks' - because they were fixed. 'Hard disk' was an ambiguous term to IBM because there were two types of hard disk - 'fixed', where the platters, heads, and actuators are one assembly, and 'removable', where the platters are not part of the
Re: (Score:2)
Linux used to be a special thing, it had a proficiency bar to get involved. It wasn't enough to want it, you had to actually be able to install it, and that was a filter many couldn't get over. Now Android/Linux is sold on (I checked today) 70% of the phones at WalMart. It moves more units than desktop or laptop PCs. You charge it and turn it on and it works. Fortunately there is an actual historical model for what is happening here.
Long ago when I first used the Internet - and this is long before bro
Non-paywalled link (Score:3, Informative)
The link appears to bring up a paywall for me, either that or a bunch of ad-laden crap that privoxy flushes.
Here's a better link [pcmag.com]
So what happens now.. (Score:2, Flamebait)
..HTC phones come with an added Apple Tax? The article doesn't mention what the patents in question were. I have a One X, and I'll say this - If I had to choose a manufacturer skin I'd go with Sense anyday over Samsung's Touchwiz. Can't imagine what HTC might have copied off Apple if it's UI related. They have a fully customizable home screen, themes, skins, extra widgets...none of which you'll find on any iPhone.
Re: (Score:2)
Wow, ask a question and get modded flame bait. Fucking fan boys.
Re: (Score:2)
That's because us iPhone owners don't care
I change my wallpaper once every 6 months or so. I cant even remember if I even set my iPhone 5's wallpaper
...but the market has noticed. The market is noticing that Apple are behind on both software and hardware, and better value phones are available elsewhere, which is why Android outsells Apple 5:1.
Maybe Apple should focus on providing a great experience so disappointing users, like those over maps will not happen again. Rather than pretending the opposition its working day and night to provide great products.
Nice followup to Why you can't build a smartphone (Score:2)
Actually, the post was "Why you can't build your own smartphone", but that didn't fit.
It is impossible to build a smartphone without violating imaginary property laws. So no small, scrappy entrepreneur with a dream will ever be able to make one and sell it. The only people who can make smartphones are big-time players with the money to fight the lawsuits. The barrier to independent entrepreneurship to an impossible level.
Re: (Score:2)
Even if ip rights weren't a problem, making sure your spiffy new phone doesn't blow up or having the kind of industrial capacity to build these things are bigger barriers to entry.
Try again.
What's the angle? (Score:5, Insightful)
Very curious about what happened here?
Maybe Apple gave them decent terms as long as HTC swallowed a bit of a poison pill: the patent license deal dies if HTC is purchased by, or merges with another company (Apple did something similar with RIM). The last thing Apple wants is consolidation that would make the Android ecosystem healthier.
Or maybe MS played a role? It was reported that HTC managed to get Microsoft on side, largely by agreeing to continue to make Windows Phones'. Maybe having Microsoft on their side helped in negotiations with Apple.
Maybe it's divide to conquer? If the weaker manufacturers in the Android ecosystem have a license to use all the basic touch screen methods, and the stronger ones don't then it could lead to greater inconsistency between Android phones and could weaken the strong players (i.e. Samsung).
Ultimately, Apple's biggest threats are Samsung and Google/Nexus. I mention Nexus in particular because there is nothing that Apple & MS could hate more then the low margins of the Nexus devices. Whether or not the Nexus 4 itself is a success, the nexus line has become a threat to the traditionally high margins on mobile devices and it must have re-inforced Apple's determination to kill Android.
Re:What's the angle? (Score:5, Funny)
Very curious about what happened here?
Patent System Not Broken, Argues IBM's Chief Patent Counsel [slashdot.org]
That's what happened.
Obviously IBM couldn't have allowed a giant clusterfuck of patent lawsuits to go forward after they had just publicly said the system isn't broken.
So they engineered two massive corporations cross-licensing their portfolios in order to fit the IBM definition of "not broken"
If it makes you feel better, I'm sure the illuminati & free masons were involved and the reptilians were not.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Expect a joint strike on Samsung in 5, 4, 3, 2, ...
Re: (Score:2)
Ultimately, Apple's biggest threats are Samsung and Google/Nexus.
Apple's biggest threat is itself. Rather than paying as much attention as possible to the care and feeding of its millions of fanatically loyal groupies, they decided to see just how many they could drive away by developing a new corporate image as a profiteering, arrogant bully that regards environmental programs as a nuisance.
Good news (Score:2)
That's great news, Tim. You've got some catching up to do. :)
Re: (Score:2)
Maybe Tim Cook will innovate the iPhone again and make it another half inch longer. [youtube.com]
Re: (Score:2)
That's great news, Tim. You've got some catching up to do. :)
By Innovation, he of course means suing his competitors. Apple Innovation(TM)
Nice sound bite Tim. (Score:2)
I don't expect HTC to release a Nexus device (Score:2)
For two reasons, I thin HTC won't be commissioned by Google to make a Nexus device:
1. HTC is on its last legs, more or less. They are ready to make deals with any and all, and their willingness to have prominent Windows phones is a sign of that (I know Samsung also makes Windows phones, but in case of Samsung, they are just symbolic gestures). That makes HTC a liability, to the Android ecosystem.
2. The deal with Apple likely includes a poison pill, and Google may not want to touch HTC anymore.
Re: (Score:3)
1. HTC is on its last legs, more or less.
Not sure where this nonsense really came from, HTC were *very* successful last year on the back of Android, now other companies are producing more compelling products, and it sells less [there are other reasons], but HTC is still profitable, its just it has the same cost of sales...with lower sales. They are very far from their last legs. They are not Nokia.
As for Microsoft HTC was originally the goto manufacturer for Microsoft phones,and I don't think they ever stopped [even samsung make micosoft phones].
Re: (Score:2)
1. HTC is on its last legs, more or less.
Not sure where this nonsense really came from, HTC were *very* successful last year on the back of Android, now other companies are producing more compelling products, and it sells less [there are other reasons], but HTC is still profitable, its just it has the same cost of sales...with lower sales. They are very far from their last legs. They are not Nokia.
HTC has made a few decisions over the last year that has put them offside with consumers. Locked bootloaders, sense becoming more bloated, the elimination of the Z series (keyboard phones) and slow updates[1] have made them less desirable. HTC did very well with the Desire range of phones putting them into the hands and minds of average consumers. Due to the problems mentioned above and lacklustre new offerings (until the One line) they have lost the initiative to Samsung and Sony. The lack of a low end pho
LTE patents (Score:5, Interesting)
My bet is that they came to an agreement because HTC hold some LTE patents that Apple need:
Product innovation (Score:2)
Apple's flagship product is thug lawsuits. Apple will continue business as usual.
Tim Cook doesn't know optics (Score:2)
We will continue to stay laser focused on product innovation
Actually, because laser beams have a gaussian intensity cross-section, they are a pain in the ass to focus. He'd get a much tighter focus spot with plain old regular light (or even better, UV, since the diffraction spot scales with wavelength).
So there.
Re:damn, i was hoping HTC would die off (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2)
that's nice
too bad for them i like the iphone or Galaxy S3
Samsung is android at this point. they are the only ones making money in the android phone sector. at least in the USA. everyone else is losing money
Re: (Score:2)
Samsung is android at this point. they are the only ones making money in the android phone sector. at least in the USA. everyone else is losing money
Simply not true, Sony is making awfully inroads. In fact its counteracting loses on its PC's. Ironically LG now they have got rid of Microsoft are profitable again. Asus is posted great success with its new nexus tablets. I also believe Google are doing quite nicely, and recently are going to focus on mobile first not second. Huawei and ZTE is doing great too. Lets be honest its a smartphone market...its an Android market
Just because your iPhone is failing, with its massive drop in market share from 23.1% t
Re: (Score:2)
unit sales and revenue does not equal profits
Apple and Samsung take home something like 95% of all mobile PROFITS
for slashtarts profits is what you have left over after you build and sell your device and pay off all the costs associated with it. everyone else loses money or fights for the scraps left over
Re: (Score:2)
Apple and Samsung take home something like 95% of all mobile PROFITS
LOL there is no share of profits, There are only profits...and these companies are making profits on phones. This is a lie and you can't show me the figures. Apple does overcharge its customers, but lets face it posting bullshit from the days when we still talked about the "iphone killer" simply do not fly now, even the Samsung Galaxy on its own outsells the iphone, are we meant to pretend that Google makes nothing from its play store and advertising. Bury your head in the sand, Android has hit 75% and your
Re:damn, i was hoping HTC would die off (Score:4, Interesting)
Uh... you're delusional. Apple is doing better than it has ever done... wait, scratch that... Apple is now more profitable than any company in history ever. kthxbai.
Its market share in mobile phones has dropped from 23.1% to 14.9% its tablet share has dropped to 50.4%. Its ipod shares have shrunk to nothing, Android outsell Apple 5:1.
"the days of any Apple dominance are over in pursuit of those profits" I pretty much stand by that quote. The reality is Apple is have been riding high on market dominance [real and perceived] cashing in on all the and adopter money with massive mark-ups...but these are now mature markets. Apple has nowhere to go and its massive share drop reflects that. Lets face it its an Android world now.
iPod shares (Score:2)
Its ipod shares have shrunk to nothing
What exactly did you mean by this? What product has taken over the 4"-class Wi-Fi tablet market from the iPod touch?
Re:damn, i was hoping HTC would die off (Score:4)
Your figures need citations... looks like you're talking about the US only, where, indeed, Apple is in third place. Despite this, in 2012 alone, Apple has had more growth in mobile marketshare than any other single company, and their marketshare will continue to grow. But you go ahead and believe what you want in your twisted fantasy world, because outside of that, your worst nightmares are coming true.
I am using IDC's latest figures.
https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS23771812 [idc.com] for mobile
https://www.idc.com/getdoc.jsp?containerId=prUS23772412 [idc.com] for tablets
To put Apples market decile of 23.1% to 14.9% in some sort of perspective Android grew its market share from 52.8% to 75%.
Clearly I had no trouble backing up my figures. Perhaps you should have used an Android device to check your facts. Then you wouldn't look so foolish.
Re: (Score:2)
But you are comparing 1 company (Apple) to the multiple companies who sell Android devices (Samsung, LG, Sony, Google themselves and now apparently HTC). Certainly, Apple's market share has shrunk as other companies enter the market wit competitive products. This does not however, spell the imminent demise of Apple. if we look at Apple's quarterly report from the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, we can see they actually improved profit year-on-year.
As to your comment downthread about global smart phone sales,
Re: (Score:3)
But you are comparing 1 company (Apple) to the multiple companies who sell Android devices (Samsung, LG, Sony, Google themselves and now apparently HTC). Certainly, Apple's market share has shrunk as other companies enter the market wit competitive products. This does not however, spell the imminent demise of Apple.
I will ignore your out of date figures. we are now have quarter 3 figures published, and again you have failed to supply a breakdown of profits for smartphones, or even an explanation of how the current figure is worked out [seriously they do not exist]. Please do not twist my comments into what they are not. I have nowhere claimed there Apples "imminent demise", I personally believe they have failed to make the transition from new market to mature market, and its already started to hurt them.
I would love a
Re: (Score:2)
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ericsavitz/2012/06/15/apple-samsung-55-of-global-smartphone-sales-90-of-profits/ [forbes.com]
In case I haven't enphasised how stupid and out of date this post I include this quote from the original article "“At this point in the year, Nokia will have to grow its Windows Phone business 5000% in 2012 just to offset its declines in Symbian shipments,” says Michael Morgan, senior analyst, devices, applications & content.
Q3 Microsoft Phone 2%
Re: (Score:2)
OS
3Q12 Shipments 26.9
3Q12 Market Share14.9%
3Q11 Shipments 17.1
3Q11 Market Share13.8%
Year-Over-Year Change 57.3%
That is an increase from 13.8 to 14.9%. Not a decrease.
Re: (Score:2)
I would love a breakdown of profit by company on a hardware and content combined basis, but you again fail to supply a list. A mythical figure combing Apple with Samsung is equally a nonsense especially when trying to prove Apples relevance.
The last numbers I saw had Apple with 71% of the profits, Samsung with 37% of the profits, HTC with 1.x% of the profits and [everyone else] is *losing money.
*which is how the profits add up to >100%
The bottom line is Apple is losing Market share, and its desire to keep its massive profits is the problem.
15% of the market = 71% of the smartphone industry profits
We should all be so lucky to have such a record to defend.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
That is an increase from 13.8 to 14.9%. Not a decrease.
Unfortunately the iPhone is not a Christmas tree, last years Q3 is not representative of this years Q3. Phones aren't seasonal. Look at the *interactive* graph at the bottom. More worrying For Apple than anything is Q312 actually contained the launch of the iPhone5.
Re: (Score:2)
not only have you not provided a source for your 23.1% number, you also showed that in the quarter people waited for the iPhone 5 to come out
Interactive graph too difficult for you to look at. Move your mouse over it. If a graph is too difficult for you to read, simply look at previous IDC figures. :). FYI it wasn't the quarter people where waiting for the iPhone to come out....it was the quarter the iPhone did come out :).
Re: (Score:2)
The last numbers I saw had Apple with 71% of the profits, Samsung with 37% of the profits, HTC with 1.x% of the profits and [everyone else] is *losing money.
*which is how the profits add up to >100%
Again show me the working. I would love to see it :). I want to see solid figures. As I said its a poor guestimate by a fanboy, quoted by other fanboys.
Re:damn, i was hoping HTC would die off (Score:4, Informative)
Re: (Score:3)
Sony is not making any inroads in the US market.
The US market is irrelevant. The world market is, and Sony are now the 4th largest manufacturer of smartphones in the world [up from 7th]. Sony phones are doing awfully well.
USA = 2/3 of industrialized anglophone market (Score:2)
The US market is irrelevant
The major English-speaking markets as I understand them are the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. Two-thirds of the population of these countries lives in the United States. Slashdot is also operated and hosted in the United States. So how does this make the United States market irrelevant for the purpose of a Slashdot discussion?
Re: (Score:2)
You made a mistake in punctuation. I fixed it for you. You're welcome.
This is a quote from Sony Global Earning release. Maybe you should leave my comments alone.
"Sales increased 112.1% year-on-year (a 125% increase on a constant currency basis) to 300.4 billion yen (3,851 million U.S. dollars). This increase was primarily due to the consolidation of Sony Mobile from February 2012, partially offset by significantly lower sales of PCs resulting from a decline in unit sales."
http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/IR/financial/fr/index.html [sony.net]
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Coincidence? (Score:5, Insightful)
Could it be that HTC have started performing badly as a company, so Apple don't consider them worth the lawyer fees any more?
That's certainly what tech crunch implies about HTC [techcrunch.com]. Now that HTC has switched to Windows they can be considered as dead:
I think that, in the spring once Microsoft's marketing money has disappeared, HTC may start coming out with competitive Android models again and has a decent chance of a revival.
Re: (Score:2)
Now that HTC has switched to Windows they can be considered as dead:
Have I missed something here? The One X+ which is out in the coming days ships with Android, doesn't it?
Re: (Score:3)
Have I missed something here? The One X+ which is out in the coming days ships with Android, doesn't it?
LG have benefited from dropping Microsoft and focussing on Android. HTC claimed [and I would agree with them] that one of the reasons for its drop in the market was sending a confusing message to customers with too many models. That said, If HTC is large enough to support multiple platforms. I think it *could* be a great idea, unfortunately I think creating a new market with an exciting product could have been great. I suspect sharing the 2% *Microsoft* share of the market a bad idea; choosing a failed prod
Re: (Score:2)
I remain to be convined that the Windows phone OS is dead. MSFT still has massive market presence and has a good chance of bulldozing Win 8 and all its siblings through to some sort of success. The big differentiator over previous MSFT moblile OSs is that it isn't rubbish. I have an HTC 8X and despite the very valid concerns over the app availability, the device itself is slick and gorgeous.
I suspect that HTC's strong involvement with MSFT did have a bearing on Apple settling with them; not because they thi
Re: (Score:2)
The argument that Windows 8 is going to put over Windows Phone with its similar interface and Microsoft's marketing billions misses an important point. We've been hearing that for years, and it hasn't started working yet. Windows 7 was "optimized for touch [microsoft.com]" on launch, and the following CES had 35 Windows 7 tablets on display - not one of which ever amounted to anything even though each had actual full Windows on it and would run all Windows legacy apps and connect to all your other printers and other devi
Re:Coincidence? (Score:5, Informative)
Could it be that HTC have started performing badly as a company, so Apple don't consider them worth the lawyer fees any more?
That and a few more. I imagine it to be a mixture of several factors:
1. HTC successfully managed to transfer cases to a venue away from Californian courts
2. ITC found only one of the four / five Apple's patents to be valid and infringed by HTC devices (one related to data-tapping, i.e., detecting links, phone number etc within emails and texts)
3. HTC won a case in Europe on similar patents, where most of Apple's patents were deemed invalid. Only one was deemed valid, and HTC was found not to infringe that.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57466424-94/u.k-judge-htc-phones-do-not-infringe-apple-patents/ [cnet.com]
4. Judges in Delaware found that few of HTC standard essential patents to be likely valid and possibly infringed by Apple and HTC exploring seeking an injunction against iPhone 5 and new iPads using these patents.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57509251-37/u.s-judge-htc-patents-likely-valid-in-apple-suit/ [cnet.com]
So, Apple saw a possibility of loosing the case.
It is still significant development coming from Apple. They have repeatedly held that they are not in the business of licensing "product differentiating features". Only known licensing deal is with Microsoft and Nokia. HTC is the first company which also manufactures Android phones to have reached a settlement with Apple.
Re:Coincidence? (Score:5, Informative)
So, Apple saw a possibility of loosing the case.
Does nobody around here know how to spell LOSE? I hate being a spelling and grammar nazi, but seriously, what the fuck?!
loose
Adjective: Not firmly or tightly fixed in place; detached or able to be detached: "a loose tooth".
Synonyms: adjective. lax - slack - free
Verb: Set free; release: "the hounds have been loosed".
Synonyms: release - loosen - untie - unfasten - unbind - undo
lose
Verb: 1. Be deprived of or cease to have or retain (something): "I've lost my appetite". 2. Cause (someone) to fail to gain or retain (something): "you lost me my appointment at the university".
Synonyms: miss - waste
Re: (Score:2)
It's a homonym. Many very intelligent people will swap them and will not notice it until they proofread. Myself and several other programmers I know whom I respect as intelligent individuals, have trouble with homonyms. I sometimes swap one/won. The two words are very different spelling and meaning, so to make such a grievous error must demonstrate a significant amount of retardation on my part. I don't even understand how I'm forming these sentences!
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
It is a significant development. I think the death of Steve Jobs could not have come at a better time, because if he were still around, what would be the odds of Apple settling with anybody?
Could this be the start of some major policy shifts at Apple?
Yes it is. Patents abuse isn't (Score:2)
This is the 15th Android-related contract.
http://www.fosspatents.com/2012/11/apple-htc-settlement-is-already-15th.html [fosspatents.com]
Meanwhile, Federal Trade Commission staff have formally recommended that the government sue Google over anti-trust violations involving the licensing of FRAND patents.
LOL android is free. Patent abuse will of course continue, with Microsoft, and Apple abusing the system for there own gains. The bottom line is Microsoft phones have hit a high of...2%, and Apples are down from 23.1% to 14.9%. Clearly they should be innovating instead of litigating.
The reality is though Patent settlements are what the mobile industry have *always* been about. Hell its part of the reason why FRAND exists.
Re: (Score:2)
I'm not a fan of what Apple is doing in terms of litigation, but to be fair, they don't have a patent on rounded corners.
Their claim to rounded rectangles is part of a set of design patents, which includes the home button, edge-to-edge glass, the bezel, and other design features. The problem is not so much that Samsung* copied the rounded rectangles from the iPhone, but they've copied it in addition to a whole set of other design features. Lots of other phones and computing devices have rounded rectangles,
Re: (Score:2)
Can you point it out? Because I can't find it. The closest thing I can find is this:
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2012/11/apple-awarded-design-patent-for-actual-rounded-rectangle/?comments=1#comments-bar [arstechnica.com]
But this is an extremely narrow patent, which covers the exact shape of an iPad. In order to infringe, you would need to have the exact height and width and roundness of the corners. Not exactly a singular patent on rounded rectangles in general.
Re: (Score:2)