True, and every company that licenses or purchases from Qualcomm is also on the hook. But wouldn’t Qualcomm be forced out of business as well?
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Apple Threatens to Leave UK Market Due to $7 Billion Patent Dispute
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So, Apple says patent disputes BAD. Will leave UK if they don't get their way.
BUT
Apple says torturing Uyghurs, using slave labor, and restricting the free speech rights of citizens OK (China).
Or bowing to Russia to allow the oppressive anti LGTBQ+ community to monitor all their citizens without question.
So, we see what Apple is really all about. It's not about doing the right thing, or thinking different, or being a progressive company. It's about money. That's all it's really about.
Which, hey. I'm OK with this. It's a multinational corporation, not a campfire circle. But don't give me this socially responsible line when you're not. It's just hypocritical. I would rather you were just an evil megacorp and owned the whole vacuum cleaner of money schtick that try and BS the world.
I would rather you were just evil like IBM or Shell. They may be evil, but at least they're not hypocritical about it.
BUT
Apple says torturing Uyghurs, using slave labor, and restricting the free speech rights of citizens OK (China).
Or bowing to Russia to allow the oppressive anti LGTBQ+ community to monitor all their citizens without question.
So, we see what Apple is really all about. It's not about doing the right thing, or thinking different, or being a progressive company. It's about money. That's all it's really about.
Which, hey. I'm OK with this. It's a multinational corporation, not a campfire circle. But don't give me this socially responsible line when you're not. It's just hypocritical. I would rather you were just an evil megacorp and owned the whole vacuum cleaner of money schtick that try and BS the world.
I would rather you were just evil like IBM or Shell. They may be evil, but at least they're not hypocritical about it.
Simple solution. Do not infringe on patents which you do not legally own. Apple seems to have difficulty grasping this basic rule over and over.
Let’s be honest, they will never leave the UK. It’s ridiculous to even suggest it.
Never give in to extortion. The UK is a big market, but not that big. Give in to the UK and terrorists will be chasing you for a payout for the remainder of your life.
I'm no fan of patent trolls (this sounds like one), but that doesn't mean I side with Apple as many US tech companies are classic patent trolls themselves. Apple threatening to leave UK, good luck with that threat. Apple iPhones are in a minority in the world already and this will make their share even less.
coming out with that kinda of threat just makes me, a UK apple customer, feel less likely to want to give them money now if they say they are gonna consider refusing to sell me their products/services in the future. why should i spend £2,000-3,000 on a new Mac or give them £/month for Apple Music/TV/iCloud, etc and then lose access/support to them.
Apples uk sales amount to around £1.5 billion a year, so we are talking around 4 years of revenue up here ( factoring in Dollar to Sterling exchange rates ).
that’s not an insignificant amount - they could easily leave for a year or two, causing huge job losses, at which point a lower settlement would probably come about.
that’s not an insignificant amount - they could easily leave for a year or two, causing huge job losses, at which point a lower settlement would probably come about.
Time for you to get out and vote. If you don't like patent trolls, don't support government officials that put people in power of supporting patent trolls.
330,000 jobs gone for the British people along with their Apple products. Hey it’s more important to rule on the side of a Patent Troll right? I’m sure the British people will be ok with that….unbelievable! how clueless(courts) can governments be?
oh trust me i did not vote for the government that rules this country.
surely the judge will factor all this into the ruling? apple leaving would be a blow to the country but hey that's all we seem to be doing the last few years so i wouldn't be surprised if this backwards ass country shot itself in the foot (again).
This is getting crazy.
I’m sided with Apple on this one. The tech world is becoming a mine field. In my view companies that own patents and build nothing with it for commercial purposes for over a period of time, say 2 years, it should be automatically voided and become public domain.
I’m sided with Apple on this one. The tech world is becoming a mine field. In my view companies that own patents and build nothing with it for commercial purposes for over a period of time, say 2 years, it should be automatically voided and become public domain.
I don’t see this as a direct threat to leave, just “yeah if they want to charge us some insane amount that means we aren’t going to make any money then we will stop selling”
Seems like just an honest response when they have absolutely no idea how much they are going to award the troll.
Seems like just an honest response when they have absolutely no idea how much they are going to award the troll.
If I buy a toaster, and one of the chips inside it is later found to have infringed on some troll's patent, should I as the customer be on the hook for the unpaid licensing fee? It's absolute nonsense.
If this is about Qualcomm products that Apple has purchased on the understanding that they are fully-licensed and above board, then Qualcomm are liable, not Apple.
Regardless of what one thinks about the power of big tech companies – giving greater power to patent trolls wouldn't fix anything or rein in anyone. It'd just add another flaw to the system.
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Surely you do not believe Apple's ridiculous figures of jobs supported by the App Store? They often make such claims that really stretch credibility.
This might be an outlandish idea, but how about ruling by the law and not politics?
Theoretically, Qualcomm’s agreement with Apple should indemnify Apple from any lawsuit from a third party that licensed technology to Qualcomm. If it doesn’t, someone on Apple’s side didn’t read very well.
If these patent trolls are non-practicing, how do they exemplify their patents? The normal route forward for someone like Apple would be to show that the original patent is not valid and in many juridictions, failing to exemplify a patent is the way to get it thrown out.
You spoiling season 2 of Ted Lasso? It’s not even out yet!