Let's play "what if...."

[Bateluer]

Because your beloved Android used to look like this...


Then Apple released this in 2007....


Then miraculously in 2008 Android OS transformed into this...


People don't wanna admit it, but Apple redefined what a smartphone should be and how its used. If it weren't for Apple, we wouldn't have an intuitive touch UI in smartphones today. We'd still be fumbling with our stylus's while trying to use this...

Ugh...scrollbar. For as much as there's Apple hate, there should be MS/RIM hate as well for holding consumers in the dark ages for so many years. MS/RIM deserves to fall from the top and should have to work their way back up.

Funny how the iPhone looks oddly like pretty much any GUI OS. Icons displayed on a grid, all stolen by Jobs from Xerox.

 

[BenSkywalker]

Because your beloved Android used to look like this...

Actually I think I would fall closer to beloved WebOS, not Android. Unfortunately, there aren't any viable WebOS devices being made and the developer support isn't there. Would be nice to see them step up their game and help push mobile platforms forward, it's very clear that Apple isn't going to do it.

Your comparison shots are fairly comical honestly. The iOS screen looks a lot more like a BlackBerry then the released Android devices do. A plain grid of icons is just how RIM handles their screens, the Android desktop has a widget, a task bar, and an app drawer. The only common element is that they both use shortcut icons, which Xerox started decades before iOS was thought of.

 

[WelshBloke]

Yep, Apple is doomed.

Isn't that what you're argument about google boils down to as well?

 

[OBLAMA2009]

The ITC just ruled in Apple's favor against HTC...

Oracle seems to have a good case against Google...

What if Android goes away? Sued out of existence?

im a little worried about this. are they actually going to stop sales of htc phones? thats pretty messed up if apple can force that based on a patent as general as "a phone with a capacitive touchscreen" or whatever it is. i have a feeling that the oracle situation will be just as bad, since google apparently basically cut and pasted code, from what i hear. the fact that google didnt go after the nortel portfolio make you wonder whether they think android's days are numbered

even if android doesnt disappear its pretty clear that apple and ms are going to be making tons off it in the near future, more than google ever will

 

[WelshBloke]

im a little worried about this. are they actually going to stop sales of htc phones? thats pretty messed up if apple can force that based on a patent as general as "a phone with a capacitive touchscreen" or whatever it is. i have a feeling that the oracle situation will be just as bad, since google apparently basically cut and pasted code, from what i hear. the fact that google didnt go after the nortel portfolio make you wonder whether they think android's days are numbered

It will get worked out, lots of cross licencing agreements will be made, some payments will be made and lots of rich lawyers will become richer.

Life will go on as normal for end users.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Isn't that what you're argument about google boils down to as well?

I don't think anyone's said Google is doomed, have they?

 

[Doboji]

Well regardless of how this mess shakes out... Android will continue to be strong for at least the next couple years across the board. It will take that long for this all to shake out.

HTC could well be pushed out of Android, but that doesn't mean Motorola and Samsung will... Both own tens of thousands of patents, and are very capable of handling some legal strife with apple and ms.

My prediction is in 2-4 years when we see the impact of this, it will be more windows phones on the market from HTC, but Android will still be top dog via Samsung.

 

[Mopetar]

This forum is in violation of the same Apple patent. Anything that creates a link on an automatic basis is. Prior art is easy to prove.

Depends on the venue. I don't think anything has been brought up in East Texas yet, but they don't seem to care. If either party really wanted to force the issue, they could probably find a court that's more friendly to their interests even if they don't have to pay them off.

That would be close to best case scenario for HTC's bottom line. Apple would still owe them the money for every device sold prior to getting the license, and they would assure long term revenue from future licensing. HTC could stand to make a couple billion in profits off of that deal.

If they're collecting back revenue, it's not going to be dollars per infringement. It will likely be some amount slightly larger than the patents would have cost to license. Considering that S3 was purchased for $300 million, their IP isn't worth billions.

Comparing MS's IP to Apple's is like comparing IBM's to Dell's. You may think they are remotely comparable, but it is an entirely different league. Also, MS already had licenses for the technology they used that HTC owns the rights to, Apple didn't. MS's lawyers have been playing in the big league IP/regulatory game for a very long time, Apple has been a bit player until relatively recently.

Apple has plenty of IP from time gone by. Half of the crap in their suits is from when they made the Newton and patented things based on that. They've got all kinds of crap and haven't had any problems buying up more. There not in anywhere near as much of a corner as you'd like to paint them. Much like HTC, they know how to take care of themselves.

 

[Mopetar]

Because your beloved Android used to look like this...

Hmm....looks Blackberry esque....

Then Apple released this in 2007....

Then miraculously in 2008 Android OS transformed into this...

People don't wanna admit it, but Apple redefined what a smartphone should be and how its used. If it weren't for Apple, we wouldn't have an intuitive touch UI in smartphones today. We'd still be fumbling with our stylus's while trying to use this...

Good for Google in realizing before everyone else that the old way was crap and that Apple's design was the future of smart phones. Much like how Apple saw what Xerox was doing and realized that a GUI was the future of computers. Since then, pretty much every other manufacturer has decided to move towards a more modern phone OS.

Most of the patent fights thus far have been pretty stupid. The only one I think Apple might have a good point on is that Samsung has really copied their design and that's really an entirely different type of lawsuit. Every other Android manufacturer has something more distinct.

 

[alent1234]

im a little worried about this. are they actually going to stop sales of htc phones? thats pretty messed up if apple can force that based on a patent as general as "a phone with a capacitive touchscreen" or whatever it is. i have a feeling that the oracle situation will be just as bad, since google apparently basically cut and pasted code, from what i hear. the fact that google didnt go after the nortel portfolio make you wonder whether they think android's days are numbered

even if android doesnt disappear its pretty clear that apple and ms are going to be making tons off it in the near future, more than google ever will

i'm pretty sure its the fact that HTC copied pinch and zoom exactly as it is on the idevices also has something to do with it. its cool that android phones can be had for free on contract, but HTC should just do some R&D themselves.

 

[dguy6789]

How many people bitched and still complain about the size of 4-4.3/4.5" screened phones, saying they were too big.

Just a handful of random forum enthusiasts with envy/jealousy attempting to justify their previous purchase. Standard operating procedure for fanboys.

Pretty much every single iPhone user I have spoken to about phones has been very impressed with the 4.3 inch screen phone I had on me at the time.

If Apple were a car manufacturer, they would be trying to sue other companies for using tires.

 

[shortylickens]

Just a handful of random forum enthusiasts with envy/jealousy attempting to justify their previous purchase. Standard operating procedure for fanboys.

Pretty much every single iPhone user I have spoken to about phones has been very impressed with the 4.3 inch screen phone I had on me at the time.

If Apple were a car manufacturer, they would be trying to sue other companies for using tires.

BRILLIANT!

:awe:

 

[Fingolfin269]

I find all of this very interesting. But what I find most interesting is that there are some here who think that an iPhone with a 3.5" screen somehow screws customers. Didn't those customers know about the screen size before purchasing the device? Or did Apple somehow change the size post-purchase?

I had a Blackberry and decided to move to Web OS. The hardware sucked making what should have been a good OS experience better but eventually I moved to the EVO where I am today. During none of those times did I ever feel screwed. Why? Because I made the choice to buy in and I made the choice to cash out.

 

[Doboji]

Just a handful of random forum enthusiasts with envy/jealousy attempting to justify their previous purchase. Standard operating procedure for fanboys.

Pretty much every single iPhone user I have spoken to about phones has been very impressed with the 4.3 inch screen phone I had on me at the time.

If Apple were a car manufacturer, they would be trying to sue other companies for using tires.

It's more like 3 car manufacturers, one with a patent for wheels, one with a patent for a motor, and the last with a patent for seats. And they're all suing each other... We the consumers lose... Because in the end they all sell the same fucking automobile, we just end up paying more for it.

 

[kubani1]

is apple an ass for suing everyone, yes.

but the apple hate is a little ridiculous. if apple had there way, their device would be the best selling device and everyone would be using it. isn't that what every company is aiming for?

so you don't like the form factor of apple, buy something else. big deal, but the hate is just stupid. if you don't like apple, get over it. they aren't evil for only making one sized phone, its just easier for them than having lots of different form factors.

that said, complain all about the lawsuit crap as much as you want, I agree, the lawsuits make me sick, if everyone just worried about making better phones we would all benefit, but it has nothing to do with whether you like apple products or not. it has to do with liking the choice. Apple's business practices are separate from apple's products

like it or not, apple changed the way the smartphones operate, and i'm sure at some point some company will change the way smartphones work again in the future.

and for the record, i sure as hell hope that HTC comes out of this because i love their phones and I like the HTC customizations.

 

[tatteredpotato]

...that said, complain all about the lawsuit crap as much as you want, I agree, the lawsuits make me sick, if everyone just worried about making better phones we would all benefit, but it has nothing to do with whether you like apple products or not. it has to do with liking the choice. Apple's business practices are separate from apple's products

like it or not, apple changed the way the smartphones operate, and i'm sure at some point some company will change the way smartphones work again in the future.

and for the record, i sure as hell hope that HTC comes out of this because i love their phones and I like the HTC customizations.

Software patents are a horrible thing that need to die.

 

[tatteredpotato]

i'm pretty sure its the fact that HTC copied pinch and zoom exactly as it is on the idevices also has something to do with it. its cool that android phones can be had for free on contract, but HTC should just do some R&D themselves.

Pinch zoom requiring R&D? To be patentable an idea must be "non-obvious" and that's pretty obvious to me. Apple was just the first company to have a large screen multi-touch device capable of implementing such an obvious feature. This whole thing is a poster child for how broken the US patent system is.

 

[alent1234]

did the LG Prada have it when it came out? it had the same screen as the iphone

 

[poofyhairguy]

Pinch zoom requiring R&D? To be patentable an idea must be "non-obvious" and that's pretty obvious to me. Apple was just the first company to have a large screen multi-touch device capable of implementing such an obvious feature. This whole thing is a poster child for how broken the US patent system is.

I don't know about that. First time I saw pinch zoom I thought "wow, that is awesome" not "oh, what an obvious way to do that."

The big problem is that Apple set the standard and Android phone makers (ESPECIALLY Samsung) don't want to risk having poor sales by deviating from that standard.

In the long run I think the end result is that the international phone market will speed up relative to the USes.

 

[pm]

I don't know about that. First time I saw pinch zoom I thought "wow, that is awesome" not "oh, what an obvious way to do that."

The big problem is that Apple set the standard and Android phone makers (ESPECIALLY Samsung) don't want to risk having poor sales by deviating from that standard.

In the long run I think the end result is that the international phone market will speed up relative to the USes.

Funny. When I saw it, I thought "Wow. almost just like Minority Report. The future is here already".

I tend to agree with Obscure that it's a pretty obvious way to do it...

 

[Aikouka]

I'm going to assume that a larger iPhone screen is probably a hot debate at Apple, and the reason is... how do you handle it without making things more complicated? Right now, iOS devices are three different resolutions... 480x320, 960x640 and 1024x768. The prior two are 3:2 and the latter is 4:3. That first difference introduces an oddity into application/game design, but it's usually alleviated by the iPad's greater screen real estate allowing for a completely different application design anyway.

So the question becomes, if Apple goes the (side) bezel-less approach and increases the screen size to about 4", what will happen to the resolution? If the resolution stays the same, it will more than likely lose its "Retina" monicker (326DPI * (4/3.5) = 285.25 DPI < 300DPI (Retina)). Usually downgrading a product like that is probably not desired, but it would make things significantly easier for developers.

Then again there's also the battery life hit that you'll take for having a larger screen. One thing Apple has done rather well in the smartphone/tablet sector is produce devices that have great battery life.

The size issue is pretty much solved by the side-to-side screen application (no side bezel). I know I'm one of the people that are in the "I don't want a physically larger phone" camp.

 

[Mopetar]

So the question becomes, if Apple goes the (side) bezel-less approach and increases the screen size to about 4", what will happen to the resolution? If the resolution stays the same, it will more than likely lose its "Retina" monicker (326DPI * (4/3.5) = 285.25 DPI < 300DPI (Retina)). Usually downgrading a product like that is probably not desired, but it would make things significantly easier for developers.

First of all Retina Display is a marketing term, so it means whatever the hell they want it to mean. Otherwise, it is completely subjective as it entirely depends on how far away the device is from your eyes. You don't need 300 DPI on your television when it's ten feet away from your face, but depending on the size it could very well be considered a "Retina Display" because at normal viewing range it's impossible to distinguish individual pixels.

 

[poofyhairguy]

So the question becomes, if Apple goes the (side) bezel-less approach and increases the screen size to about 4", what will happen to the resolution? If the resolution stays the same, it will more than likely lose its "Retina" monicker (326DPI * (4/3.5) = 285.25 DPI < 300DPI (Retina)). Usually downgrading a product like that is probably not desired, but it would make things significantly easier for developers.

Then again there's also the battery life hit that you'll take for having a larger screen. One thing Apple has done rather well in the smartphone/tablet sector is produce devices that have great battery life.

You post explains why I think that at best the next iPhone will have a 3.7 inch screen. At that size you still have Retina-level DPI (if the resolution stays the same which it will).

 

[Munky]

Even if If Apple sues Android out of existence, it will still not persuade me to buy an iphone.

 

[Aikouka]

First of all Retina Display is a marketing term, so it means whatever the hell they want it to mean. Otherwise, it is completely subjective as it entirely depends on how far away the device is from your eyes. You don't need 300 DPI on your television when it's ten feet away from your face, but depending on the size it could very well be considered a "Retina Display" because at normal viewing range it's impossible to distinguish individual pixels.

I'm not sure if Retina has ever been given a strict definition, but right now, it's defined as a 300dpi screen at 10" away from the face (I believe that's correct) with 20/20 vision. If Apple goes under this, then they are going against their own terms. While people think of Apple as fairly evil, they do seem to be very anal about such things.