The beginning of the end for the smartphone market? Apple has been granted a patent for the iPhone interface, which could effectively make it far more difficult and costly to produce products in this market.
The patent is likely to be broad and encompassing, if previous US Patent applications are any indication, and companies will have to be prepared for a long legal battle against Apple. Indeed, the name of the Patent gives good cause for concern: "Touch screen device, method, and graphical user interface for determining commands by applying heuristics," Can you submit a more broader patent in the context of phones like the HTC Touch, Blackberry Storm and others? The first such company, which really can't afford it right now, is likely going to be Palm based on statements recently by Apple executives. Their new Palm Pre smartphone was best in show at CES 2009, and many observers said it eclipsed the iPhone in usability while still remaining familiar. Of course, things don't have to turn out this way, but it's more likely than not that the recently burgeoning and rapidly innovating Smartphone marketspace is going to fall victim to the USTPO. :( http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/01/apples-massive-371-page-iphone-patent-granted-by-ustpo.ars ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Adobe® ColdFusion® 8 software 8 is the most important and dramatic release to date Get the Free Trial http://ad.doubleclick.net/clk;207172674;29440083;f Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:286967 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.5
