Microsoft seems particularly adept and pushing Apple into a grinder. Even though the “Gates House Gang” owns a chunk of Apple stock, it seems they enjoy demonstrating their “superiority” and if this current patent case works for Microsoft, they will add another notch to their belt.
Even though Microsoft recently picked a fight with Google, they feel the need to remind former foes how they got to the top. iPod took Apple back to the top of the charts. The MP3 player from Apple has given them high-octane sales both in units and through their iTunes music service.
Back in October of 2002 Apple filed their patent applications and thing progressed well them along the way. They’ve added lots of new features for the device, including different colors, view screen options other little tweaks. It’s turned into a blockbuster for Apple, allowing them to overtake all other MP3 players and other portable music devices on the market. But wait…
It would seem that Microsoft might have been their first. Five months prior to Apple’s application, John Platt a member of Microsoft’s hallowed research division filed applications on behalf of the software leviathan. The officials at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office felt like the technologies were similar enough to overlap for purposes of the patent application. Apple certainly intends to press the issue and appeal but Microsoft certainly has strong ground.
Whether Microsoft intends to hammer Apple on this remains to be seen. Most likely, the Seattle slew will merely nod their head, smile, and ask for a small fraction of the profits in the future. According the NPD, iPod take in about 75% of the marketshare for MP3 players and 18.1 million units in the last year. Nope, I don’t think Microsoft will mess too much with the model here. Anything too drastic might rock the boat and cost everyone the money.
John Stith is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
