[news] Mr Steve Jobs... Tut Tut! Email....

[Arthur]

None of those methods are significantly different, so would be covered by Apple's patent.

You're right. Those examples weren't very good.

 

However, Google (and others) have developed workarounds which do not appear to infringe on Apple's patent(s).

 

You can see that the effective scope of the claim isn't concerned with where you start, the path you take, or that you end up anywhere other than a general "unlock region." It's really only important that you continuously move an image to an unlock region. That's significantly expanded patent coverage.

 

Heavy use of the predefined verbiage in the first two patents left the door open for competitors — namely Android OEMs — to implement unlock features that would likely avoid the patents. We saw Samsung, LG, HTC, and likely even Google beginning with stock Ice Cream Sandwich, come up with workarounds to Apple's patents. While some of the competition is still arguably sidestepping the coverage of the '103 patent with their previous workarounds — such as HTC with its lack of a distinct "unlock region" — others may need to look at yet another design tweak to avoid locking horns with Apple in the future. (Source)

 

[SYNACK]

You're right. Those examples weren't very good.

 

However, Google (and others) have developed workarounds which do not appear to infringe on Apple's patent(s).

 

 

That looks like a Nexus 7, I am surprised it is still keeping track of the persons finger, neither of the two I had managed that trick reliably. - stupid vBulitin, my message is not too short -.

[jinnantonnixx]

Exhibit 'M', m'lud.

 

Microsoft researcher's 1991 video could torpedo Apple's key 'slide to unlock' patent - GeekWire

 

However, overturning a patent on prior art, and having to pay because you infringe that same patent are two different matters.

Edited April 8, 2014 by jinnantonnixx

[matt40k]

ITunes is TERRIBLE, MS should not have killed off Zune, that managed the same stuff but did not bring every PC ever made to its knees thanks to purposefully terrible coding.

 

It still exists, just re branded as XBOX music. Either buy-buy\own, or get a subscription\listen to ads for rental. Zune is still used for WP7 phones.