Apple sues Google phone manufacturer

It's about time!

Apple's feeling the heat.....

let them do what ever...our country is falling apart....united we stand? yea ok...how about divided we stand...

Pathetic of Apple to sue. They should also be going after Microsoft and Windows Mobile. Apple is afraid of HTC. This case needs to be throws out. One of the patents infringed is multitasking.. LOL wut? Apple is pathetic. If you can't beat them, sue them.

Apple is feeling that heat from HTC! LOL bout time HTC has some nice phones coming out I've actually considered going over to an HTC and giving up the IPhone. Sorry but Apple doesn't do flash HTC does. I want to browse the whole internet not just pieces apple deems acceptable

@Ace: Multi-touching, tard. There is a difference between multi-touch and multi-task. I hate Apple and don't agree with this suit, but please read and understand something before you flame away. LOLOLOL

Time for Google to make applesauce. Apple's mobile platform is about to be relegated to the same corner as their desktops. A minority in the hands of fan boys and simpletons. Step aside, open devices that give users true freedom are about to take the lead.

By the way, if any these hold up Google will just come up with alternatives. Android is vastly superior to iphoneOS, it will not be denied.

HTC will come out the winner. Apple is just suing because the features ACT like Apple's. The code behind the scenes is much better than Apple's any way. Bout time Apple is shown for what it is, a money hungry corporation. Most people don't even know you can build yourself a Mac for half or even less of their retail value.

Feeling the Heat? This was all part of the plan..

you have HTC that has now invester millions in rolling out a number of Devices. Lend by the hand of Google CEO (who just so happened to be in all the Iphone meetings).

So, you have a little time where apple has been letting not just HTC but other companies build Iphone-isk products.

Now after the all mightly dollar has been spent. Time to Take them to Court.

It's not just a lawsuit, it's a company crushing strat. They spend all that capital in getting ready to mass produce a phone... but Wait, you can't! And not only that, but we want damages as well! If this goes thru. i think we'll see the end to HTC sometime in the near future.

Bravo Apple! Funny how all these other "smart phones" came out AFTER the iPhone was introduced..? More evidence that other wireless phone manufacturers are not innovative enough to launch their own distinctive products.

most of apple's patents are bought not invented lol

Bravo Apple! Funny how all these other "smart phone" manufacturers could not purchase their patents before Apple..? More evidence that other wireless phone manufacturers are not fast enough to purchase their own patents to offer distinctive products on time. (thanks for Brad for the somewhat cavelier remark...)

Gotta love all the apple tards thinking that the iphone was the first smartphone ever made.

I think it is important to note that Apple does not invent the majority of thier technology, but rather purchase out entire companies that have made abreakthrough in a specific area of technology, such as thier multitouch interface.

The actual code behind the multitouch software, however, is vastly different than the Apple implementations. All in all, Apple will lose and begin it's gradual decline in the phone industry to the point that thier computer division plays a role in the current market.

Apple is an outlier in today's market whether people realize it or not. They do not have a substantial foot in the computer market and are losing it in the phone market. The only real advantages I see to the iPhone are its establish App store and iTunes software, of which are amazing. Other than that, it is no different than an HTC or Win7 Phone.

Apple does, however, hold the market for portable music players, of which I do not see change anytime soon. Thier software and GIANT library of music makes it a cheap and simple choice for consumers.

This is sad of Apple. It's ignorant to think a multi-touch feature as 'original' and their own. It's common sense.

Even to the point of infrigement regarding the "unlock image"... Come on...

I hope Apple receives negative press for this action, as it is poor taste on their end.

Did they really think the iPhone would be the ONLY touch screen phone...

What wait....Apple has a computer division?

Oh yeah, that Macintosh thing that is over priced and the interface was originally ripped off from IBM.

If the code isn't exactly the same then Apple has nothing to stand on. Apple LIKE interfaces do not mean Apple purchased interfaces. This is pretty much an example of Apple building a 4 wheel car then suing GM because their car has 4 wheels also.

Before anyone says anything, yes I have an iPhone and I also have an HTC phone.

Why would an innovative company like apple just let retarded companies, pretty much everyone else, let them steal their innovation and ideas without getting paid for it? HTC and other companies need to learn how to innovate instead of waiting for apple to do it first then knock it off. What is apple never came out with the iphone? We wouldn't even have multi touch technology right now (atleast on phone).

Don't get mad at apple.

For those who say apple doesnt event their technology is somewhat true. However you should note that apple does know what to do with the technology they purchase and how to improve it. So get all of your facts straight.

what i'd like to see is have apple have its own network so you don't have to do bussines with att !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Then Apple should be sued by Nintendo for even using an accelerometer and by Xerox for stealing their idea of the graphical user interface, and a dozen other companies for infringing on their technologies rather than developing their own original stuff. Apple borrowed ideas from others just like HTC and every other company we consumers use today.

They're feelin the heat, alot of phone have features like screen rotation and unlockin by gesture, including my relatively cheap one, and no lawsuits arose their. Apple are just doin this because they feel threatened...

It's a shame that Xerox didn't take the same course of action decades ago. Perhaps there'd be xPhones now instead of iPhones.

It amazes me the comments you people leave.

If APple wants to buy companys that have made a product they want to integrate into its current products why not.
Everyone sues Apple for patent's why can't Apple sue also. Also if some of you ahve such great insight into how Apple is run why are you not running a multi billion dollar company too?

@Stephane – Smartphones existed FAR before Apple got your attention with the iPhone. Microsoft had the PocketPC going for years prior, and Palm had the Treo before that. In fact, the only reason my CrApple hasn't sued Palm for multi-touch is because Palm has so many patents that Apple has "stolen" from that they would bury the iPhone if they even tried it. Oh, and by the way, 2 companies were using touchscreen multi-touch way before Apple. One of those companies was, you guessed it- Microsoft (although they didn't use it on phones).

All this does is stifle innovation and keeps the iPhone from evolving into a better device. "If you can't beat 'em- sue 'em!" Android CLEARLY has Apple scrambling, due to a growth rate that's 3 times that of Apple. It is only a matter of time (Gartner predicts 2 years) when Android phones exceed the market share of the iPhone.

Apple made the mistake of partnering with a failing provider, ATT. They were practically going into bankruptcy before the Iphone, with the worse record in customer service, and coverage maps. They dug their own grave.

If people were really that happy with Iphone, why would they leave to HTC? Maybe Apple should take some responsibility for their own decisions as to why people are getting frustrated and leaving them.

I love my Iphone, but the service SUCKS! If HTC can provide the same type of interface, with better coverage then I am all for it. That is a free market.

Take it to em STEVE!!!!!!

Can't Believe Apple! Sueing for MULTI Tasking, and Unlocking the phone via the SCREEN? WTF! Screw APPLE!

Probably cause Apple sues for retarded reasons. All of it will get tossed out of court, simply cause there are already preexisting patents.

Simply adding "on an iphone" doesn't make your new patent different. Multitouch was patented by University of Delaware and I'm sure a bunch of other ppl. Screen rotation was patented by Servja Tech (think that's it) and probably a bunch of other ppl. Unlock a device with a gesture, ya, been done to death on mp3 players, pdas, other phones, etc. Good luck with that.

The only thing Apple is trying to do here is stifle competition. This is hardly about protecting it's IP. There's not much to protect, since they just took a preexisting patent, reworded it, then got it approved in our broken patent system.

They are just going to attempt to sue HTC into bankruptcy.

@UnstableFlux, it's not mentioned on this article but one of the 20 infringements is for "Object-Oriented Multitasking system" You should probably check out different sourced before you open your mouth and look like a retard. But who am I kidding, you are the typical Apple nut swinger.

What also makes me LOL is that Apple fanboys believe the iphone was the first smart phone on the planet. LMAO. Keep being morons. brb multitasking on my android samsung.

This is sad for the tech community, I hope the court dismisses this case for lack of merit and rule in favor of humanity being able to improve upon technology that is already there for the taking. I think what fuels innovation is being able to develop and create something new out of an existing technology, we are now in a point where everything created is really nothing new, it's just an improvement of what was there already. Whatever technology iPhone has or any smartphone for that matter, was built on prior knowledge and existing technology no matter how you look at it. I think claiming patent for something that you just improve on and then suing for damages is really self-serving, it's 2010 already, we should already be rid of this 'monopoly' mentality and instead work towards improving the lives of people through technology, bringing costs down and encouraging growth, not hampering it.

Apple is the one that should be sued for misleading the world with their advertisement.

Do you know why they don't tell how much RAM and CPU speed is in the iPhones... and why they make the storage appear like if it were RAM?!

Apple cannot possibly compete with Android. Android is showing the world how much better it is than iPhone in every way. Especially by being Open Source, cheaper, more fun and when it comes to performance, all Androids are simply better. I have both Sony Ericsson X10 and an HTC hero, and they both dwarf any iPhone.

However, for some reason, CNN is iPhone bias. No doubt about that.

HELLO!!!!! Apple has a right to defend it's technology. There is a reason why ALL OF THIS came first on the iPhone. Just like GUIs, color screens, parental controls, media applications, and built-in webcams were on the mac before the PC. And for those who say the iPhone will fail, its the 3rd largest smartphone maker in the world now, thanks.

Whether Apple invented, or bought, the patents does not matter. What does matter is that Apple owns them. It is OK for a competitor to do almost the same thing as an Apple product, in a totally different way...but not in the same way. If there is Apple owned code/etc, in the HTC/Google/Android/etc products, Apple can shut them down. In fact, it has to protect it's patents in order to keep them. If Apple allowed infringements to go unchallenged, it would lose it's patents by allowing them to slip into public domain.

This is nothing. Walt Disney sued a small Mom & Pop type child daycare facility in Salem, Oregon, for displaying images of Donald Duck, etc, without having paid royalties for the right to do so. The courts sided with Disney, and the damages put the daycare out of business. That is what the daycare operators get for stealing Disney product, rather than either being creative enough to come up with their own cartoon characters, or commercial enough to pay Disney for the right to use Disney characters.

Nothing-but laziness, stupidity, dishonesty, and greed-prevents Google, HTC, etc, from paying Apple for the right to use Apple code/etc. If they violated Apple patents/copyrights/trademarks, and get slapped down for it, that is their fault. The next batch of big, or small, firms who may be considering violating Apple's rights will think twice, and then decide to not do so. It would all be solved if every smart phone maker just paid Apple for rights to make their versions of iphones, and all phones became iphones. It may happen yet. Wait for it.

thats bull crap apple is just scared that one of HTC`s phones is gunna beat the iphone done get me wrong I love the iphone but alot of phones have the unlock gesture on an image or whatever and the rotation screen thing really apple stop being little girls about it and worry about ur own phone make updates and new phones instead of putting down any phone tha comes close to it relish the compitition and make one for the better stop sueing tha will get nothing done

@ Stephane Boucher, AWESOME respond! made me laugh. lol

Last thing I will do is buy an iPhone simply because I refuse to support any company that holds onto proprietary hardware/software with such a blind grasp. People used to scream about Microsoft being such a monster suing everyone and now we have Apple doing the same thing but the Apple fan boys have been sucked right in to the same mentality and think it is grand. Open up the Mac and iPhone Steve. Over priced products and locked platforms are history. Apple could push MS right out of the marketplace is they produced a PC hardware compliant OS and would rule the phone market if they dumped AT&T (ATT=A Terrible Tragedy). As to competition.. Apple hates it. You can only truely be #1 if you have no competition in Steves mind..

Honestly, how can one company say they have control of how our fingers move on a phone?

It is funny to listen to people that did not jump on the smartphone bandwagon bash apple now. Without apple's technology, (I don't care if they developed it themself or bought it.. either way they were genius) none of these other smartphones would be in existence. These new models are now competing with Apple... some just as good as the iphone, some not so much. that is the way our country works. But, there is a price to pay for copying the ideas that make iphone such a success, and also makes all these comments on here all the more pathetic that put the Iphone down.

One thing that all these phones have in common is that they now strive to meet or beat the Iphone's OS. They are virtually identical with a few differences such as multi-tasking capabilities or the ability to run flash software. Yet, while they are so close to the Iphone technology that there are grounds for Apple to sue, everyone who does not own an Iphone wants to bash it... come on people. Give credit where credit is due. when there is a phone out there that strives to be completely different from the iphone because they found something as revolutionary as the iphone was then bash the Iphone.. until then, all these phones are just copycats. You don't have to buy the iphone, but don't be ignorant of who brought the technology to the palm of our hands in the first place.

If these phones are using software code or hardware that were copied from Apple's products then they have a valid complaint. If not, this is just a lawsuit trying to stop people from competing with them and that just won't work.

Both Apple and Microsoft got their businesses started by doing the same thing that Apple is now complaining about. They saw the work IBM was doing building an affordable and easy to use home computer that used a graphical user interface that most people could understand how to use. They both took that idea and wrote their own code to create what they felt was a better version of the graphical user interface and marketed it.

Apple trying to stop other companies from using features such as "screen rotation" or "unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image" would be like IBM or Microsoft trying to stop Apple from using "the ability to highlight and move multiple objects on the desktop at the same time" or "creating electronic folders to organize documents." If someone else can come up with their own device that uses their own hardware design and their own unique code they are allowed.

What's next? Is Nintendo going to sue Microsoft and Sony because they are working on gaming consoles that use accelerometers in their controllers? Will Toyota sue every other car manufacturer for selling Hybrid vehicles?

Written on my HTC built G1 and loving it!

Why do people think that Apple was the first to offer a large touchscreen smartphone? I had a HTC Apache that ran Windows mobile with a touchscreen back in 2005 almost 3 years before Apple released its beloved iphone. There were probably other touchscreen smartphones out before that time or certainly before the iphone came out.

Maybe someone should have sued apple for offering a touchscreen feature on a smartphone or for offering bluetooth connectivity any of the other features that other manufactures uses before Apple.. Then we could have simply avoided this mess from the start.

lol,

apples fan boys are out in force today.

android > iphone

The os is slower and more restrictive then googles. apples are just for simpletons or fanboys who want to buy overpriced pretty looking junk and who says apple made the first smartphone? what do you call a blackburry?

oh and how about that ipad... what a super idea(*giggle*)! – and no, apple wasnt first there with that idea, but they sure made it sound like it was.

Flash is obsolete.

Just so everyone knows, before there was an Iphone, HTC made great PDA;s and Smartphones WITH TOUCHSCREEN technology. This lawsuit is nothing more than Apple's way of saying HTC is getting to close to them. By claiming suit, Apple is just trying to put a negative spin on the HTC phones, which won't work if anyone has ever used one. I've owned 3.

Apple developed a working phone, sold it and proved there was a HUGE market for the device. Every other company and mobile carrier simply to build a handset based on Apple's iPhone concept and put out a 'open' for business' sign and start selling smartphones. There are only two innovators in this field... Apple and RIM, the maker of the Blackberry. Infringe on a Patent, get sued and hope you'll still take home a boatload of CASH after you settle. It's the American way. Don't worry about HTC. They'll get touched up a bit, but they will survive.

My husband just switched from iphone to droid. He couldn't believe how much faster it is. And he's still a Mac guy. Sorry I'm still PC.

Apple is just trying to rule the world. How many companies has it infringed upon. can't they just deal with a open market or do they just want us to go in with their monopoly

maybe for once we should stop talking about how one phone is better than the other. i dont agree with this law suit. it helps technology advance no further. i have an iphone, and i love apple, but there is no reason to argue over anything as childish as "whose company is better" give me a break....

This is too funny. It reminds me of the smart & gorgeous high school (Apple), that is the envy of all the skanks. Say what you want, but Apple is the cutting edge of technology. Just because you can't afford the products or clone them, don't be hating. There are plenty of skanks on the market to be had. Go for it. As for me, I prefer the smart & gorgeous. Don't hate me because i am beautiful.

Really Apple? If you want to sue HTC for "unlocking a phone with actions on an unlock screen" you better sue almost every other touchscreen phone maker in the business! This is exactly why I dislike Apple so much. You shouldn't be able to patent an idea... you can patent the TECHNOLOGY behind it but not just the idea. They are just bitter because they are being sued for the same things by Nokia.

To all of you attacking Apple:

I'm fairly certain that if you were to actually invent and patent something, you would expect to be paid for its usage. Just because Apple happens to be a multi-billion dollar corporation, doesn't mean it shouldn't be protected by the copyright and patent laws of our nation.

Now, if you want to complain about the concepts for which they were given a patent, I suggest you take that up with the U.S. Patent Office, and not Apple.

Google won't touch this and HTC is not going exist after Apple is done with them. Deserves them right for not watching their asses. This is 2010, before you release a product you must make sure it's doesn't break any laws. Especially, here in the United States.

I don't understand why anyone would not agree with suing over a patent. Apple was the first to create a working touch screen and it wasn't the iphone. Look up the Newton. It was out way before any other PDA. People that post on here should get the facts correct.

Apple is full of crap, they won't release the I-phone to other carriers better suited for the product. They want to control the customer and carriers. HTC is delivering good products that provide the consumer with choices. Because of HTC I don't have to sign on with a substandard carrier like AT&T. Apple made the decision to stay with AT&T if you want to beat the competition release the I-phone to all carriers. Some control is ok but Apple get a clue you have a good product but you are trying to force consumers to change carriers to buy your product. Focus on the right thing for once. I refuse to leave Sprint for AT&T, Verizon or T-mobile.

Get a life apple, people who actually understand technology do not buy your products because they can see how over priced your inferior electronics are.

Keep being selling unoriginal products to yuppies and idiots.

HTC has been making touch screen smart phones for way longer than you have, maybe they should sue you for stealing their idea.

People don't know where to spend their money, they simply buy Apple for looking cool but useless in many ways. A rotten house with shiny paint is what Apple products are. Most people don't know about computers, they simply want to buy the most expensive ones that turn out that they don't even use it often and just to show off. HaHa it's their lost. Apple gains.

Finally, i've always have thought that the Android was very much similar to the Iphone and Itouch lol. Love the Android and the Iphone, let's see who wins! 🙂

Apple is suing somebody?! Thats so not like them!! (im lying) if i had a dollar for everytime Apple inc. sued somebody, id own half of their company. I own an iPhone (jailbroken) because i want the Apple luxury. But im restricted to a exspensive brick. so I jailbroke it. Now Apple is suing because people are buying other phones that do the same thing an iPhone does but do it better with less restrictions. apple is such a freaking whiner. The new iphone/ipod update (3.1.3) was made just to prevent people from jailbreaking it. Jailbreaking is not illegal and ill do what i please with my stuff. I bought it, ill do what i want. Waste of youre money to sue. moron.

oh and im also veeery att loyal but in all honesty. the driod does rule. why not sue them apple??

Apple is going after HTC cause they aren't as big. They'll never go after Microsoft cause Bill Gates will just squash them

OK, this is for all the ignorant people who bash AT&T. AT&T is now the fastest and most reliable network in America. They have spent over 2 billion dollars upgrading their entire network and PC World has just conducted a research test of all the network carriers and found that even though AT&T has a MUCH larger bandwidth hogging clientel, they still beat Verizon's download and upload speeds, and beat their reliability of service by 2 percent. That is the reason Apple stays with AT&T. If Apple were to put the iPhone on the Verizon network and millions of users were to join onto Verizon's network with all their bandwidth hogging service requirements, Verizon's network would not be able to handle to load and would CRASH! So, understand what you are talking about before you bash AT&T!

Firstly, IPHONE sucks, I know it because I own it. And now Apple wants to sue annother company just for making a better phone. Huh!!!!!

Iphone Sucks!
Its all about the Droid!

Apple is quickly becoming the new Microsoft. I don't know why they hate each other so much, considering they're both greedy corporations looking the control the market.

Also, the items they are complaining about are merely ideas. It's like McDonald's suing Burger King for making a cheeser with basically the dame ingredients, and offering fries with the combo. If ideas are protected, then big business is in deep trouble, considering stolen ideas is normal practice.

I'm kind of enjoying this because I think big business has gone to far with copyright and patent laws. It's fun actually watching it shoot itself in the food. The many confusing and illogical decisions are creating a legal paradox.

Pretty soon I will be able to get a patent on the natural gas produced in my bowels. Anyone smelling it, without a paid license, even though it is transmitted in the open, will be sued!

What a stupid waste of time and money! How about some flash support? Put some money into that...

Haha wow Apple. Yet again making another silly decision. You cant patent an idea. And If its structured differently then its not yours. Apple is garbage.

@ Al, LOL I hope you are joking. There is nothing cutting edge labout Apple. They make shiny nice items for morons like you. The technology is outdated and sells for like 4x the price of a comparable or superior product. But hey! Feel free to be like the rest of the sheep and over pay for shiny products. Whatever makes you sleep better at night. lol list what cutting edge technology apple currently has.

@attnolafan, LOL go look up recent AT&T articles where it states that AT&T is having problems with dropped calls because it CANNOT handle the load from their smartphones. Enjoy your dropped calls! inb4 "omg AT&T can call and go on the internet at the same time! omg!" ... morons.

Best way to beat Apple is for all tech firms to copy apple patents then drain them dry of funds in court as they take on the entire industry.

Apple is whining like a biyatch and squealing like a pig for fear of HTC's undeniable progress and threat.
I see Apple heading for the path of self-destruction and history dumpster if they don't wise up and focus on what's most important.

ignorace of these comments is crazy. No wonder why our country is in the crapper. Apple paved the way for the droid, the pre, and any other smart phone out there with a touch screen. All of these phones without a doubt strive to be a better version of the iphone, not the other way around. Yet, all these people want to try and put down the iphone. Really? I don't have anything bad to say about the droid or pre, they are pretty similar and I don't care if they copy apple or not. But really, to say you hate the iphone but love the droid is a ludicrous statement. Its the same technology, different company with a few changed up bells and whistles.

Doozy: Get your own facts straight first. People are not saying Apple has no right to sue over patent infringement. Of course they do. The problem is no patents were infringed upon. Like someone said earlier, you can't patent an idea... you patent the technology or means of bringing that idea to fruition. TCPDump said it best at the beginning of these comments: that if I were to start my own car company I couldn't be sued because I decided to put 4 wheels on my version of a car. I'm far from a legal expert but I don't see much happening with these lawsuits other than them getting thrown out.

hopefully Google jumps in and carries HTC throught this. Like someone said i think apple are hunting HTC not because they think they can win, but simply because they know they can push them into bankruptcy.

funny bunch of fanboys here... i own an iphone 4 because i got it free from bell ..but on my other line i use a samsung galaxy s vibrant and i know it gets more use from me because its a quicker device and it just has a cooler feeling OS.. i wonder why apple doesnt try suing samsung? they use all if not more of the same software implications as HTC and others... o wait.. now i know why if it wasnt for samsung ... iphone wouldnt exist to begin with.. lol.. ever try to figure out who builds most of the internal components for the iphone? if you guessed samsung, u guessed right... to sue HTC is a bit of a weird stand to take... but eh.. apples get old and rott.. especially when you really just want candy anyway

Hey! I just noticed one other message in another weblog that looked like this. How are you aware all this stuff? That’s one cool post.