What's the one thing worse than bloggers offering opinions about the likelihood of an Apple vs. Palm patent fight? That's right! Analysts! (Where's our magic 8 ball for a dissenting view when we need it?!)
PreCentral.net picks up just such a story on how one analyst thinks Apple's IP claims against Palm just might be -- wait for it! -- fruitless:
Though the review of granted and filed patents shows that Apple has a "formidable arsenal of capacitive, multi-touch patents that constitute a nearly impenetrable barrier to entry for companies hoping to commercialize capacitive, multi-touch devices," Perez-Fernandez also noted that Apple’s key patents may be “invalidated based on prior art considerations if subjected to a review by the USPTO.”
Prior art can trump all, unless Apple's own early patents, or the ones it acquired from Fingerworks, are the most "prior" of relevant art in question.
Of course, Apple has $30 billion reasons more than Palm for just why it might press its case anyway, even if it's ultimately unsuccessful...
