Apple’s recent success in patenting the ‘Slide to Unlock’ gesture used on its iOS devices has the Taiwanese government worried, causing the country’s Premier (Prime Minister), Wu Den-yih, to direct a number of government agencies to assess whether Taiwanese companies will be affected by a possible restriction on the gesture.
Focus Taiwan reports that the government issued the request two days after the USPTO granted the world’s biggest technology company a patent that covers the unlocking mechanism on iPhone and iPad devices. Since the gesture was incorporated, both Windows Phone and Android devices have been seen to utilise the same mechanism.
The original patent was filed in December 2005, more than a year before the first iPhone was released.
Attending a weekly Cabinet meeting, Wu said that he was concerned about Apple’s new patent, particularly how it would affect Taiwanese companies operating in the smartphone and tablet markets. As a result, both the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) have been instructed to help domestic companies (which includes HTC) to deal with possible patent infringement complaints filed by the Cupertino-based company.
Apple is currently embroiled in a number of patent disputes with Samsung and HTC over claims of copying and use of specific software technologies in their Android devices. It is not known whether the company intends to utilise the Slide to Unlock patent against its rivals but the threat remains.
@ Gray
You are getting bored. Oh that's a good reason to listen to any logic you might have had. You're an Apple hater. So. Is that going to change the law? No. Until the laws change, Apple is allow to protect their IP and not have hacks like Google copy them. I don't like Microsoft but they had the brains to come up with the Metro UI, a clean new way to log in and and new way to work with a tablet. Google's Android, on the other hand, is a copycat, and shitty one at that, of iOS. It violates Apple's patent(s). What's more boring than listening to Apple hater. Especially from Europe where they hate patents. Try to invent something Dave. Try to actually do something with your life and pass on the hate stuff. You'll live longer. Ha!
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeYou could find the original patent report and history here:
http://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2011/10/apple-wins-a-light-sensitive-display-patent-samsung-wins-one-related-to-the-a-series-chipset.html
Why didn't anyone notice this patent that first was posted in February 2011? Apple now has 2 patents on this.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeI'm getting a bit bored of Apple throwing its weight around in the courts, and by the looks of things being granted every patent it applies for, or being defend by the courts when filed against. It just goes to show how if you throw enough money at anything you can have your way. To patent a gesture (that's any form of interaction with a touch screen) to open a mobile device is like Ford getting patent to say that no other car manufacturer can use a door handle to open a car door! The world has gone mad! Especially because Apple is allowed to pick and choose who they do and don't cross licence with. Personally I want to see an end to Apple, their products are boring, over priced, and not as well made as everyone it lead to believe. Lets hope without Steve Jobs(worth) at the wheel it won't be long before the wheels come off!
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeDave Gray
"It just goes to show how if you throw enough money at anything you can have your way."
Yup. That's why Apple has, what, $80B cash in its war chest.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeAnd the Neonode N1m had the feature b4 the iPhone and b4 the patent application.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
Like@Dave Gray
You are getting bored. Oh that's a good reason to listen to any logic you might have had. You're an Apple hater. So. Is that going to change the law? No. Until the laws change, Apple is allow to protect their IP and not have hacks like Google copy them. I don't like Microsoft but they had the brains to come up with the Metro UI, a clean new way to log in and and new way to work with a tablet. Google's Android, on the other hand, is a copycat, and shitty one at that, of iOS. It violates Apple's patent(s). What's more boring than listening to Apple hater. It's like listening to the KKK. Empty logic, just hate. Ha! Loser. Try to invent something Dave. Try to actually do something with your life and pass on the hate stuff. You'll live longer.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
Likehttp://i.imgur.com/SzuXA.png
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeRichard Theuws exactly! I strongly believe patenting gestures is absurd.
- spam
- offensive
- disagree
- off topic
LikeConversation from Twitter
RT @iMacKorea: 대만 정부는 애플의 새로운 특허 "밀어서 잠금해제"에 대해서 고민해 http://t.co/rRqKtDQV