Judge Slams Apple-Motorola Suit As 'Business Strategy' 140
jfruh writes "Faced with an Apple vs. Motorola lawsuit that involves 180 claims and counterclaims across 12 patents, a judge in Florida has thrown up his hands and accused both companies of acting in bad faith. Claiming the parties' were engaged in 'obstreperous and cantankerous conduct', he said that the lawsuit was part of 'a business strategy that appears to have no end.'"
Referee hates players for participating in game (Score:5, Interesting)
He is entirely correct. But this is what the US patent and court system has brought things to. There is no substantial downside to patent litigation for companies of this size. Even if you lose, you win, because you've forced your competitor through the legal defense ordeal.
Maybe the judge had a phone? (Score:4, Interesting)
That had the scrolly features patched away because of one of these lawsuits and sees what kind of bullshit this is. This quite literally happened to one of my friends phones after all this debacle about using the finger to scroll shit.
Mod the Judge up (Score:2, Interesting)
Awesome (Score:2, Interesting)
Its time that Judge's start to call this for what it is, grandstanding and overt bullying by companies unwilling to work together and instead harm each other through their patent portfolio.
I definitely think the bubble has burst on software patents and judges and lawmakers are getting annoyed with the abuse by companies like Apple.
Its funny though that just a year ago, while Apple was riding high as the world's most valued company, judges were quick to rule in favour of Apple, now judges are just tired of the same old bullshit.
The heart of all this is just a need for companies to offer sane and reasonable licensing and royalties on their protected patents. Apple refuses to let a competitor even remotely create a competitive feature that matches on of their own, and instead of just working out a decent royalty structure instead decides to attempt to annihilate the competition in courts. Of course this has set up a precedence for other companies to treat Apple the same way.
In any case, its great the judges are finally saying enough is enough. There needs to be a few more high profile cases like this thrown out by impatient judges to see this trend end once and for all, but the tide is definitely turning.
Google was only trying to defend itself (Score:3, Interesting)
Apple has been pulling this crap since way before Google even existed.
The history of this lawsuit, and much of Apple's legal shananagins, prove this without a doubt.
Apple is pedatory, and loves to abuse the legal system. Google, not so much.
FRAND is, itself, a mockery (Score:4, Interesting)
FRAND is an agreement among the in-group to increase their ability to compete with those not a member of the in-group. It serves little, if any, other function. Who gets to determine what's a fair and reasonable price? It's not you if you don't have deep pockets.