The Apple Tax

Last year, Apple and Nokia settled an IP “misunderstanding” that also resulted in a “Tax”…but it was Nokia that played the T-Man role: Apple paid Nokia more than $600M plus an estimated $11.50 per iPhone sold. Where were the handwringers who now accuse Apple of abusing the patent system when the Nokia settlement took place? Where was the outrage against the “evil”, if hapless, Finnish company? (Amusingly, observers speculate that Nokia has made more money from these IP arrangements than from selling its own Lumia smartphones.)

More at Monday Note.

Comments

[David Choy]

Yep, exactly. Apple has such a huge media profile nowadays that no one notices the ironies or in fact anyone else doing the same thing.

Just recently Samsung were accused of underage labour and poor working conditions in china. Despite Samsung's operations dwarfing Apples (in terms of ALL the products they manufacture not just smartphones) in china, how much press do you think that got in comparison?

[elbowz]

Depends what the patents were... for little bits of interface refinement then they are just as wrong as Apple. However if they are for real inventions relating to real innovations then paying royalties to use them is just.

The same is true whoever the patent holder is...

[Jaam Gans]

I like how it is called an IP misunderstanding - it sounds as though this was a bit more blatant and was very specific case of copying an innovation rather than someone else using something similar to what Apple does that Apple has patented which should never have been patented as it is common sense or there is already prior use of it?

Apple is abusing the patent system and legal system - they aren't making these legal cases to protect innovative ideas they have created, they are using it to protect their business model.. And that is why so many tech writers (even though that love Apple products and use them) are so against what Apple is currently doing.