German Court Rules that Motorola Must Recall All Android Tablets and Smartphones

[dgstorm]

Apple's global patent war against the various Android manufacturers has heated up once again. This time, it's Motorola in Apple's crosshairs. A German court just handed down a devastating verdict against Motorola for infringing on Apple's "rubber-band" scrolling patent. This was also one of the key patents in Apple's fight versus Samsung in California recently. The court ruled that Motorola Mobility owed Apple damages for past infringement, but the most damaging blow was that the court ordered Motorola to recall all of their Android tablets and smartphones from Germany. Here's a quote with the most important details of this story,

The dramatic decision, the latest in an escalating war between Apple and the smartphone and set-top box company MMI, follows earlier cases in which Apple had to disable automatic "push" delivery of email to its iPhone and iPads after MMI won a separate patent fight in Germany.

The recall will not take effect immediately because Apple will have to request a ban on specific products and provide a €25m (£20m) bond, while MMI can appeal.

However, the court indicated that it was unlikely that an appeal against the validity of the patent would succeed. MMI, with Google's backing, is expected to continue the appeal.

The court also ruled that MMI owed Apple damages for past infringement.

Even if Apple succeeds in forcing a recall, it is unlikely to seriously damage MMI's business worldwide. But it is another brick in a patent wall that Apple is building up against smartphones and tablets using Google's Android operating system worldwide, and particularly in the US and Europe.

Neither Apple nor Google responded to requests for comment.

Judge Peter Guntz said MMI had infringed Apple's "overscroll bounce" technology, which enables users to move documents over the screen of their device and let them bounce back to the centre after releasing their fingers.

These patent wars certainly are mentally exhausting...

Source: TheGuardian

 

[jimmyt]

Apple is so terrofied of Android OS, they will do all they can to cripple any company that employs it.

 

[J515OP]

What is really stupid is that a whole device or line up of devices can be recalled or banned just because of a stupid bounce back animation, which seems to be one of Apple biggest litigation points. This isn't something integral to the operation of the OS or the wireless band. This is stupid eye candy that does absolutely nothing. I'm taking out a patent on texts that starts with "www." Woe be to those who try and access the internet on my watch! Thermonuclear!