Apple blunder gives Gates iPod royalty

[Trojan]

Apple blunder gives Gates iPod royalty
By Katherine Griffiths

Apple Computer may be forced to pay royalties to Microsoft for every iPod it sells after it emerged that Bill Gates's software giant beat Steve Jobs' firm in the race to file a crucial patent on technology used in the popular portable music players. The total bill could run into hundreds of millions of dollars.

Although Apple introduced the iPod in November 2001, it did not file a provisional patent application until July 2002, and a full application was filed only in October that year.

In the meantime, Microsoft submitted an application in May 2002 to patent some key elements of music players, including song menu software.

Apple and Microsoft were two of several companies that developed portable players, but the iPod, with its sleek design and user-friendly controls, has dominated the market.

IPods make up three of every four portable music players bought in the US and account for almost one-third of Apple's sales. Piper Jaffray, a US analyst, believes Apple will sell 25 million iPods this year, bringing the total sold in the four years since its launch to 35 million.

In July, the US Patent and Trademark Office rejected Apple's application, saying some ideas were similar to an earlier application filed by a Microsoft employee, John Platt.

The dispute, which emerged this week on the closely watched website, Appleinsider.com, could lead to Apple having to pay a licence fee for the technology of up to $10 a machine.

David Kaefer, Microsoft's director of intellectual property licensing and business development, said: "In general, our policy is to allow others to license our patents so they can use our innovative methods in their products."

Apple has signalled it will resist the move. A spokeswoman said Apple would continue to try to get its patent recognised. The company could take the case to the patent office's appeals board. "Apple invented and publicly released the iPod interface before the Microsoft patent application was filed," it said in a statement.

The battle comes as Microsoft is squaring up against another competitor, Google. Microsoft last month launched a lawsuit against the search-engine giant, accusing it of poaching a top executive to head a new research laboratory in China. The Redmond, Washington-based company also sued the executive, Kai-Fu Lee.

Apple Computer may be forced to pay royalties to Microsoft for every iPod it sells after it emerged that Bill Gates's software giant beat Steve Jobs' firm in the race to file a crucial patent on technology used in the popular portable music players. The total bill could run into hundreds of millions of dollars.

Although Apple introduced the iPod in November 2001, it did not file a provisional patent application until July 2002, and a full application was filed only in October that year.

In the meantime, Microsoft submitted an application in May 2002 to patent some key elements of music players, including song menu software.

Apple and Microsoft were two of several companies that developed portable players, but the iPod, with its sleek design and user-friendly controls, has dominated the market.

IPods make up three of every four portable music players bought in the US and account for almost one-third of Apple's sales. Piper Jaffray, a US analyst, believes Apple will sell 25 million iPods this year, bringing the total sold in the four years since its launch to 35 million.

In July, the US Patent and Trademark Office rejected Apple's application, saying some ideas were similar to an earlier application filed by a Microsoft employee, John Platt.

The dispute, which emerged this week on the closely watched website, Appleinsider.com, could lead to Apple having to pay a licence fee for the technology of up to $10 a machine.

David Kaefer, Microsoft's director of intellectual property licensing and business development, said: "In general, our policy is to allow others to license our patents so they can use our innovative methods in their products."

Apple has signalled it will resist the move. A spokeswoman said Apple would continue to try to get its patent recognised. The company could take the case to the patent office's appeals board. "Apple invented and publicly released the iPod interface before the Microsoft patent application was filed," it said in a statement.

The battle comes as Microsoft is squaring up against another competitor, Google. Microsoft last month launched a lawsuit against the search-engine giant, accusing it of poaching a top executive to head a new research laboratory in China. The Redmond, Washington-based company also sued the executive, Kai-Fu Lee.

© 2005 Independent News & Media (UK) Ltd. [Source]

[Dr. Bullet]

Lmao, nice one Bill! Go castrate Steve...again...lol

[Trojan]

William the Conqueror.

[Dr. Bullet]

Heh, that was an interesting mental picture

I'm gonna go practice for the competition. I'm shooting for at least 3 votes.

[Trojan]

I would say "you'd get my vote" but ya know I'm hosting this thing and it wouldn't look right, lmfao. So I'm just gonna say, I'll give my honest vote to the best one. I'm looking forward to seeing your creative artistic talent. Girls, Girls, Girls! heh

[Dr. Bullet]

We'll see...my babe search isn't getting me what I want. Plenty of babes, just not "the one."

[BADDOG]

Originally posted by Dr. Bullet
We'll see...my babe search isn't getting me what I want. Plenty of babes, just not "the one."

Don't we all lol but for god's sake don't tell my wife lmao!!!!


Warm Regards with tongue in cheek!!!!

[Lucky]

the one is out there man.. i
otherwize im happy i bought my ipod last year lol

[Scott]

Apply is stupid for not patenting that when they first had it

[Hellfighter]

yea i agreed Panther they was lazy getting it cover. when they had it all finish and ready to luanch it should have been patenting to start with not after the fact.

only Microsoft was working on the same basic lines and they had it cover got into the door first were Apple was being dumb about it.

Apple: let do this when it all finish up after the Ipod is release.

Microsoft: let do this now so we have it cover.

[Scott]

They should have patented it even before they started building it..

[Trojan]

Originally posted by Panther
They should have patented it even before they started building it..

lmao, good idea!

[Hellfighter]

man in the end it will cost them even more trying to get it ok. god you got to love apple they can all laugh real good.

i am 100% they should have it cover day one, not like 2-3 years later LMFAO