Apple gets extensive patent on multi touch, affects Android and Windows Phone

ByWhatcounts

When Apple released the first iPhone in 2007, providing an innovative interface using multi touch has had a major impact on the world, but apparently acquired a wide range of patents on multi touch interface became.

This patent acquisition means that Apple has made an advantage over makers of all kinds of touch products including competing other camps such as Android and Windows Phone.

Apple awarded patent for iPhone interface | Phones | Macworld


According to Apple's big information site "Macworld" dealing with topics about Apple, he said he acquired a patent on basic operation of multi touch interface filed in 2007. This patent, which was filed on December 19, 2007, covers gesture manipulation etc. on the touch screen.

Regarding patent acquisition, a critic, Florian Muller, who is familiar with patent issues, said that Apple's innovation is recognized as "extensively" and that the range of patents acquired is "very broad" and for potential competitors , It is said that it will be able to give big legal protection to Apple, even if rival company realizes similar thing as multi touch interface by different science and technology approach, we anticipate that there is a possibility of infringement of Apple 's patent It is.

In addition, Mr. Muller said that Apple puts pressure on charging high patent royalties on competitors such as Google and Microsoft, and when other companies need patents, in the form of cross licenses Apple It is also theoretically possible to make it available to others. It seems that attention will be focused on what kind of behavior Apple will have in the future, which got a very big power.

Details of patents acquired by Apple are as follows.

United States Patent: 7966578