Apple swallows 7 year mobile patent payments deal from Ericsson

Apple will pay Ericsson to use patented networking technologies employed by its iPhones and iPads, ending a year-long spat between the pair. The fruity firm will cough up one lump sum royalty payment to the Swedish telecoms equipment giant, followed by on-going royalties for seven years under an agreement announced on Monday …

[Anonymous Coward]

Isn't it time...

That technology specified within an International Standard be made free to use?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Isn't it time...

No, not really, or else all international standards would be crap and everything would be proprietary.

Far better to have a predefined licencing pool for standards that are pre-agreed and the same for everyone.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Isn't it time...

is that you Mr Cook?

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Isn't it time...

You really don't want anyone to create any better protocols or products do you? Even "International" standards don't cover all applications or potential applications.

[gnasher729]

Re: Isn't it time...

"That technology specified within an International Standard be made free to use?"

No, it is supposed to be made available under fair and reasonable conditions. In this case, Apple and Ericcson fully agreed that Apple should pay Ericcson a reasonable amount of money; they obviously didn't quite agree how much "reasonable" is for a long time. And now, after several years, they do.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Isn't it time...

Ericsson has taken risks and invested massive amounts of money over decades in developing the wireless technologies that underpin current 2G/3G/4G technologies, and has a patent suite to match. Real, hard engineering technologies and patents, not rounded-corner design patents. It's not a patent troll, and it's actually a good thing that this kind of genuine technology investment has been acknowledged and protected in this case.

[Anonymous Coward]

Having done a deal with Ericsson, can Apple stay in business....

"Ericsson Technical support."

"Hello, my Ericsson Digital Urinal is overflowing."

"Let me check. Ahh, yes, that's because you're over your licence limit."

One week later...

"Ericsson Technical Support."

"Hello, my Ericsson Digital Urinal is still overflowing."

"Let me check. Ahh, yes, that's because you're over your licence limit."

"But we paid to increase the license just one week ago."

"Yes sir, you did, but you didn't pay for the implementation. Implementation of the licence increase for an Ericsson Digital Urinal is an additional cost."

Apple's lawyers had better be sharp.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Having done a deal with Ericsson, can Apple stay in business....

Really?

Are you sure Ericsson Techinal Support wouldn't be talking to customers about licencing and payments?

:-p

[Fungus Bob]

Apple can afford it now that Samsung is paying for rounded corners.

[whoseyourdaddy]

So, those weren't *your* rounded corners Samsung copied?

[james 68]

With 1000's of cases of prior art they sure as shit weren't Apples rounded corners either.

[allthecoolshortnamesweretaken]

These are not the rounded corners you are looking for.

[Fungus Bob]

"So, those weren't *your* rounded corners Samsung copied?"

Nope. At this stage of my life I more closely resemble a spherical cow than anything with corners...

[Captain DaFt]

Next step?

Samsung pays Apple, Apple pays Ericsson, Ericsson pays who?

Eh, no matter. The only ones that get to keep their money are the lawyers.

[JaitcH]

Yet more of what Apple calls ...

'Open Software'.

And they have the Gaul to complain about Samsung using a few pixels that are similar to the iThingy?

Apple even pinched their logo and name way back in the day!

[james 68]

Re: Yet more of what Apple calls ...

"Apple even pinched their logo and name way back in the day!"

Don't forget,they also sued the original Apple records for trademarks and being too similar because they also sold music.... regardless of the fact that Apple records had existed and sold music for a decade before the other apple even existed (apple records - 1968, apple computers - 1977).

[Tubz]

Nice to see Apple getting a dose of it's own medicine, lawyers on both sides happy !