Apple Legal Rampage; Threatens GetJar over "App Store"; Files 2nd Infringement vs HTC

[dgstorm]

If you were a lawyer working for Apple right now, you would probably both love and hate them; Love them, because of all the money you are making from them, and hate them because of all the endless work they are making you do. You can add two new targets to the legal onslaught coming from the rampaging fruit. Apple has just threatened a lawsuit against GetJar, a 3rd party app store, for using "app store", just like they did with Amazon, telling them to "stop using 'Apps Store'". Luckily, the "little company that could" will not bow to Apple's demands and flatly said, "No." GetJar have decided to stand up to what they call Apple's "bullying". It's almost surprising that Apple is pursuing these legal actions over the term "App Store", because their trademark of it is still being contested by Microsoft in a USPTO case that is still unsettled at this time. And, of course, they are still fighting it out in court with Amazon for the same issue, and even had a legal setback in the case recently.

Regardless, it appears that the fruit will do what the fruit does, and they aren't stopping there with their legal shenanigans. Apparently, Apple has also filed a 2nd ITC patent infringement complaint against HTC over (publicly) unspecified devices, and seeks to block the import of "personal electronic devices" by HTC. There is no comment from HTC regarding this yet, and, although their previous case with Apple regarding similar issues hasn't been decided yet, it should be finished by August 5th. Perhaps we will know something more then. This is almost precisely what they are doing with Samsung too.

I am not one to become a fan-boy, or anti-fan-boy, of one company over another. I tend to follow the technology that impresses me the most, even if it comes from a competitor. I admit, that there are several devices from Apple that are very impressive, but when it comes to stuff like this, it really makes me scratch my head. I am all for a company protecting their intellectual property rights, but from the beginning of this, the idea that Apple could trademark something as generic as "app store" just seemed... unjust. When does Apple need to take a step back and reevaluate how their behavior makes them look in the public eye? At what point does "protecting your IP" become "abusing the legal system for strategic market advantage"? Right now, it just seems like Apple is picking on everybody and everything "just because they can." Apple's PR people should rein in the legal department before they irreparably damage the company's reputation, if they haven't already.

As consumers we really shouldn't desire to see Apple fail in any way. Even if we choose to purchase competing products to Apple, the fact that they are innovative helps push their competitors to make better products. This "cycle" benefits consumers in the long run by continuously evolving the technology, and keeping prices down. Our Androids are better and cheaper because Apple exists. Although I doubt that this negative legal "junk" will actually impact Apple in a big way in the long run, consumers are a fickle bunch, and you just never know what could really destroy a company. It wasn't that long ago that Apple was almost bankrupt. It would not be a good thing to see that again. Share your thoughts.

You can see GetJar's Blog on the subject, here.

Source: Engadget and AndroidPolice

 

[chasehammer]

im going to Threaten Apple over the term "Apple" they werent the first one to use this so they cant use it anymore. I have an apple tree so i own said "apple"

.....that is about as ridiculous as Apple as of late. Sheesh, its come to the point the court system needs to tell them to STFU!

 

[countrygirl23]

If you would type in cell phone company makers sue, majority of them would be Apple. What is going on with them anymore. They refuse to take in some customer wants and make a better phone. Like flash or widgets.

Hello what are we supposed to call applications from any company who makes or sells them. Um Apple get a grip and just make your phones. I owned Iphone and now I own Android again for the 2nd time and I am sticking with my little green droid guy.

 

[volando]

I think you're preaching to the choir here...

I never understood people who claim we should just leave Apple alone and not criticize or actively discourage people from buying their products. Yes, they innovate (what successful tech company doesn't?) and competition is always good, but they keep doing crap like this all the time: frivolous lawsuits, screwing developers, locking people into their backwards infrastructure, banning apps willy-nilly, dumbing down computing... you all know the facts.

This is why I am consciously an anti-fruit activist (anti-fanboy or whatever the proper term is) and will actively argue with people about their shady practices and questionable technical decisions. More people should do this.

 

[eryck22]

This is what happens when companies become threatened by competition. They are starting to feel the heat from competitors like, Moto, HTC and Samsung to name a few. They were first and innovated the cell phone industry however, other companies are surpassing them with dual cores and other stuff so quickly, the only way to compete is to sue or buy.

 

[chewy74]

apple is going to sue you for this thread
:iphone: <-- and for unauthorized use of iphone icon.

If you were a lawyer working for Apple right now, you would probably both love and hate them; Love them, because of all the money you are making from them, and hate them because of all the endless work they are making you do. You can add two new targets to the legal onslaught coming from the rampaging fruit. Apple has just threatened a lawsuit against GetJar, a 3rd party app store, for using "app store", just like they did with Amazon, telling them to "stop using 'Apps Store'". Luckily, the "little company that could" will not bow to Apple's demands and flatly said, "No." GetJar have decided to stand up to what they call Apple's "bullying". It's almost surprising that Apple is pursuing these legal actions over the term "App Store", because their trademark of it is still being contested by Microsoft in a USPTO case that is still unsettled at this time. And, of course, they are still fighting it out in court with Amazon for the same issue, and even had a legal setback in the case recently.

Regardless, it appears that the fruit will do what the fruit does, and they aren't stopping there with their legal shenanigans. Apparently, Apple has also filed a 2nd ITC patent infringement complaint against HTC over (publicly) unspecified devices, and seeks to block the import of "personal electronic devices" by HTC. There is no comment from HTC regarding this yet, and, although their previous case with Apple regarding similar issues hasn't been decided yet, it should be finished by August 5th. Perhaps we will know something more then. This is almost precisely what they are doing with Samsung too.

I am not one to become a fan-boy, or anti-fan-boy, of one company over another. I tend to follow the technology that impresses me the most, even if it comes from a competitor. I admit, that there are several devices from Apple that are very impressive, but when it comes to stuff like this, it really makes me scratch my head. I am all for a company protecting their intellectual property rights, but from the beginning of this, the idea that Apple could trademark something as generic as "app store" just seemed... unjust. When does Apple need to take a step back and reevaluate how their behavior makes them look in the public eye? At what point does "protecting your IP" become "abusing the legal system for strategic market advantage"? Right now, it just seems like Apple is picking on everybody and everything "just because they can." Apple's PR people should rein in the legal department before they irreparably damage the company's reputation, if they haven't already.

As consumers we really shouldn't desire to see Apple fail in any way. Even if we choose to purchase competing products to Apple, the fact that they are innovative helps push their competitors to make better products. This "cycle" benefits consumers in the long run by continuously evolving the technology, and keeping prices down. Our Androids are better and cheaper because Apple exists. Although I doubt that this negative legal "junk" will actually impact Apple in a big way in the long run, consumers are a fickle bunch, and you just never know what could really destroy a company. It wasn't that long ago that Apple was almost bankrupt. It would not be a good thing to see that again. Share your thoughts.

You can see GetJar's Blog on the subject, here.

Source: Engadget and AndroidPolice

 

[Immolate]

Apple's behavior is anti-competitive. Once Apple raged against the machine. Now it is the machine. Nobody likes a bully or a tyrant except those who benefit from the bullying and the tyranny. My sense of drama would like to see them, hat in hand, begging for forgiveness. My sense of justice would like to see them acquired by Samsung. Perhaps then Samsung could make a phone that didn't shatter when glared at.

 

[Limbwalker]

Apple is some piece of work . . . dancedroid

 

[circsmonky]

i have an apple computer, even a time capsule as my router. my roommate has an iphone. they make good stuff, they need to get back to doing that not suing.

 

[bigdad63]

I will never buy another apple product; ever. It's like Henry Ford suing other car companies to stop producing because they used mass production techniques. Not another apple product ever.

 

[kptphalkon]

i dont mean to say that all this apple legal jump-through-hoops-to-make-a-product shat disdains me from purchasing their stuff. I dont dislike their attitude of simplifying everything for the user. I dont dislike their closed development, their "ours is the best just because we make it" attitude, their backasswards way of touting the latest and greatest only to lock down plain everyday features, the fact that they so far have only created two things in the past 4 years worth noting.

I hate their outlook. I hate that apple is on the megamonolith path of controlling anything they didnt produce. I hate that through these silly little money and time wasting frivolous lawsuits they are holding other competitors back. I hate that once they stood for everything that was against the conformist attitude of mediocre this-is-what-you-get-and-its-good-enough companies and have now become the 'big brother' entity that their famed 1984 commercial stood for.

 

[kptphalkon]

stood against*....its late and I need sleep.

and to sum it all up, that is why I refuse to buy apple products.

 

[Darksthour]

First, I will say that an android forum is a terrible place to post an apple news related post. Positive or negative. Simply because everyone on this forum uses android. I'm not saying you didn't own apple products before but the reason you are here is because you have an android device and a good chance you prefer it. However I will agree with all of the previous posts. I refuse to buy apple products. Mostly because of the fact that when I had an iPod I had to drive 45 minutes to an apple store to fix a problem, stand in line at said store for another 30 minutes for a "genius." All while being harassed by employees checking in to see if I had made an appointment. All while watching the same damn commercial on 25+ computer monitors and TV's the whole time. But this whole I'm apple I'm suing everyone over stupid little sh*t so I don't have competition is the straw that broke the camel's back. Yes apple does make great hardware and software. However that doesn't give you the right to become so self involved that you end up saying that everyone is either copying you or stealing from you. I'm so sick of it. It seems that this type of news is all that on the forums. I honestly wish that someone would just rise up and put apple in it's place with a biblicalesque (think i just made that word up) smite. Not so that I didn't hear about apple becoming bankrupt as a company. Just knock them down a peg or two off their high horse and come back to reality that what they are doing is wrong and they are losing customers and a fan base.

 

[cush2push]

this happens to be the reason why i do not buy or use apple products with the exception of my ipod i bought way back when apple does make great products but i will never get behind a company who does business like this

 

[UNC]

Nobody should ever sue to protect what they've spent hundreds of millions of dollars developing and marketing.... It's not right.....