Apple Sued Over Multi-Touch Patents

By Rene Ritchie
last updated

We all know Steve Jobs sculpted the iPhone from unicorn tears through a sheer act of singular will and hutzpah -- along with buying FingerWorks and winning a glove-full of multi-touch patents of their own along the way (which may or may not still result in several rounds of pugilism with Palm's Pre).

But who knew they might not have done enough? Elan Microelectronics of Taiwan, that's who. Elan claims the iPhone, iPod touch, and Macbooks -- basically everything featuring multi-touch functionality -- is in violation of their patents, and they've filed suit in Apple's home turf of San Francisco to prove it. (No word yet of litigation friendly Texas will sue over not being the venue of choice...)

A previous lawsuit from Elan against a company called Synaptics, who counter-sued resulted in a dismissal and cross-licensing agreement. This time? We're calling Apple wins by (frenzied) tap-out due to guillotine choke near the end of the second round.

Anyone got the popcorn, hot dogs, and spicy drink?

[NY Times via iLounge]

Rene Ritchie
Rene Ritchie
Contributor

Rene Ritchie is one of the most respected Apple analysts in the business, reaching a combined audience of over 40 million readers a month. His YouTube channel, Vector, has over 90 thousand subscribers and 14 million views and his podcasts, including Debug, have been downloaded over 20 million times. He also regularly co-hosts MacBreak Weekly for the TWiT network and co-hosted CES Live! and Talk Mobile. Based in Montreal, Rene is a former director of product marketing, web developer, and graphic designer. He's authored several books and appeared on numerous television and radio segments to discuss Apple and the technology industry. When not working, he likes to cook, grapple, and spend time with his friends and family.

16 Comments
  • i should start my own company and sue people for living
  • These people who are just randomly sprouting up out of nowhere and suing apple are getting rediculous..
  • Yeah, sore losers with nothing to do but sue our favorite fruit. Apple will win, of course.
  • So does that mean they will sue Palm once the Pre is out?
    Just got an idea, I'll patent the idea of hovercraft and wait till it becomes popular, then sue the hell out of everyone. I might be 100 years old by then, but I'll be rich :D
  • The plural of Macbook is not Macbook's. Please use apostrophes for contractions or to show possession.
  • Getting this close to griefing sticklers. Just saying, you can help with typos without being @$$#0!3s to the bloggers, k darlin's?
  • Is this an English class?
  • I agree with Rene. This isn't an English class. Save your whining for another blog.
  • Hey, I love good English as much as the next Shakespearian; it's just typos happen. They happen to everyone, and are particularly likely in fast-paced blogging.
    At least on the web, unlike print, we can fix 'em if we -- or you -- find them.
    So by all means, we appreciate them. We just don't need to be abused because of them :)
  • Pretty much every person I've ever seen criticize others' grammar and spellings on the internet, make their own mistakes right within that very criticism. I get a kick out of that.
    I almost replied to Muero for not capitalizing the B in MacBooks, but decided against it (oops).
    Yes, we all make goofs... get over it. :roll:
  • If the shoe were on the other foot....?
    How many here would be so quick to grant Microsoft "victim status" if Apple sued them for some patent infringement?
    After all, the last time this company sued they ended up with a cross-license agreement, which means they have precedent.
    Why does every one here assume apple is above "borrowing" screen technology for the same platform the "borrowed" an Operating System and "Borrowed" a web browser?
  • There just jealous b/c Apple is better than them :p
  • Ah, yes... the ol' "MultiTouchSquatting" trick. :lol:
  • Crazy Americans :p
  • What a bunch of hypocrites, when a weak rumor made it's way around the internet which involved Palm, the fanboys were saying... "Apple is going to put Palm out of business, the Pre will never launch, another company copying Apple" etc. When the spit fly's back in Apples face, Apple are somehow the victim now?...
  • Muero = dork