The article that was quoted here was originally published by the BBC. However, several of the financial and technology publications have also picked this up. There's no question that the thoughts behind the article are legitimate.
Bob Fenton Sent from my iPhone On 2013-02-23, at 12:51 PM, David Chittenden <[email protected]> wrote: > I do not know. I received the message from another list. I'm sure if you do a > google search, you will be able to find the publication. > > David Chittenden, MSc, MRCAA > Email: [email protected] > Mobile: +64 21 2288 288 > Sent from my iPhone > > On 24/02/2013, at 2:30, Craig Werner <[email protected]> wrote: > >> David, what is the source of this article? For whom does Leo Kelion write? >> >> Craig >> >> On 2/23/13, David Chittenden <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Subject: VoiceOver threatened by Samsung >>>> Reply-To: Blind Democracy Discussion List <[email protected]> >>>> >>>> Even if Samsung does not succeed in their action, the very fact they've >>>> even tried it guarantees I will never buy a Samsung product. >>>> And to think Samsung was instrumental in establishing the guide dog school >>>> in Korea. >>>> Unconscionable. >>>> Alice >>>> Samsun g struggles to block iPhone function for the blindBy Leo Kelion >>>> >>>> Technology reporter >>>> >>>> The VoiceOver function is designed to help >>>> blind and partially sighted consumers use the >>>> iPhone Samsung has suffered a setback in its >>>> effort to win an iPhone ban based on a function >>>> making its software accessible to blind people. >>>> >>>> The South Korean firm had sought an injunction in >>>> a German court arguing Apple's VoiceOver >>>> screen-access facility infringed one of its patents. >>>> >>>> However, the judge has ordered the case to be >>>> suspended pending another ruling that could invalidate Samsung's claim. >>>> >>>> Disability campaigners had expressed concern about the case. >>>> >>>> Apple's VoiceOver function is used by blind and >>>> partially-sighted people to hear a description of >>>> what the iPhone is showing by touching its screen. >>>> >>>> The software covers text and icons including >>>> audio descriptions of the battery level and >>>> network signal. It also allows the phones to be >>>> operated via Braille-based add-ons. >>>> >>>> Samsung had argued that Apple had failed to >>>> licence a patent it owned which describes >>>> pressing a button to make a handset describe its >>>> display. The basis for this was that VoiceOver >>>> could be switched on by triple-clicking the iPhone's home button. >>>> >>>> Apple declined to comment. >>>> >>>> A statement from Samsung said: "For decades, we >>>> have heavily invested in pioneering the >>>> development of technological innovations in the >>>> mobile industry, which have been constantly reflected in our products. >>>> >>>> "We continue to believe that Apple has infringed >>>> our patented mobile technologies, and we will >>>> continue to take the measures necessary to >>>> protect our intellectual property rights." >>>> >>>> 'Regrettable in the extreme' >>>> >>>> Patent consultant Florian Muller, who was first >>>> to report the Mannheim Court's decision, questioned Samsung's tactics. >>>> >>>> "If Samsung had only requested monetary >>>> compensation in this action, it would have made a >>>> much better choice than by trying to achieve, >>>> through the pursuit of an injunction, the >>>> deactivation or (more realistically) degradation >>>> of the voiceover functionality Apple provides to >>>> its German customers," he wrote on his blog. >>>> >>>> The British Computer Association of the Blind >>>> said it was worried such an important feature might be threatened. >>>> >>>> "A lack of access to information is arguably the >>>> biggest potential barrier to inclusion in society >>>> for blind and partially-sighted people," a spokesman told the BBC. >>>> >>>> "If something as important as access to telephone >>>> technology had been blocked by the actions of one >>>> company over another the consequences for blind >>>> people everywhere would be regrettable in the extreme." >>>> >>>> The Wall Street Journal's AllThingsD tech site was more damning. >>>> >>>> "Leaving aside the ethics of asserting a patent >>>> against a feature designed to help the blind, >>>> this is unwise," wrote John Paczkowski. >>>> >>>> "It's the PR equivalent of punching yourself in >>>> the face. Samsung has now identified itself as a >>>> company willing to accept the loss of >>>> accessibility for the vision-impaired as >>>> collateral damage in its battle with Apple." >>>> >>>> Apple and Samsung have fought a number of patent >>>> cases against each other in courts across the world. >>>> >>>> The biggest award involved a US jury ordering >>>> Samsung to pay Apple $1.05bn (£688m) in damages. >>>> The judge in the case later rejected Apple's call >>>> for the sum to be increased and a sales ban on some Samsung handsets. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Blind-Democracy mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://www.octothorp.org/mailman/listinfo/blind-democracy >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google >>> Group. >>> To search the VIPhone public archive, visit >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. >>> --- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "VIPhone" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>> email to [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google >> Group. >> To search the VIPhone public archive, visit >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "VIPhone" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google > Group. > To search the VIPhone public archive, visit > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "VIPhone" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google Group. To search the VIPhone public archive, visit http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "VIPhone" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
