Apple granted 'slide to unlock' patent for touchscreen devices

26 October, 2011
This could mean more legal trouble for Android OEMs and Android itself if Apple decides to take legal action.

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  • T
  • Ted
  • IV5
  • 26 Oct 2011

this is really getting stupid.... yes, if u create a technology, feel free to patent it but swipe to unlock? Apple is crazy in patenting an 'action' and those approving it is even crazier.... so if i go and patent saying 'hello' when answering a phone, so i can sue every Tom, Dick & Harry who says 'hello' answering a phone? or if i patent answering a phone with my hand, then everyone must use their leg to answer their phone? this is ridiculous and like i said, the people approving this patent really need to get their heads checked!

    • D
    • AnonD-21321
    • 3iR
    • 26 Oct 2011

    I think we will and already live in silly court patent granting so here what we will see next:

    - Apple granted patent of the volume rocker buttons position.
    - Apple granted patent of the power button position
    - Apple granted patent of the black color and white color.
    - Apple granted patent of the 3.5 mm
    - Apple granted patent of showing the clock on the lock screen.
    - Apple granted patent of USB charging
    - Apple granted patent of camera position and the circle shape of the camera
    - Apple granted patent of the 5 MP and 8 MP and maybe the 12 Mp who knows
    - Apple granted patent of the mic and earphone position
    ....i have a big list it will even reach the cars...anyway that is a small idea ...have fun all :P

      • m
      • miio
      • 4kV
      • 26 Oct 2011

      I wonder it pantents internationally known come into consideration since sammy dropped their touch screen phones in Korea before Iphone 1 launched

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • u7G
        • 26 Oct 2011

        apple wastes time to patent all kinds of nonsence....
        slide to unlock is crappy anyway .....(could have patented PINCH ZOOM instead)

        while mobile makers are researcing to patent some great communication related inventions like pentaband 3G or improved 3G internet speed...
        no.... apple will patent this crap only....

        next... apple will patent its black and white colours...
        and after that... it will patent anyting beginning with "i"...

          • j
          • james loves it
          • 3Ax
          • 26 Oct 2011

          how silly is this!!! how the fudge are we meant to unlock a touch screen. next nobody wont be able to make rectangle phones because of the iphone shape!! what wrong with a bit of healthy competition

            • Z
            • Zed
            • qM8
            • 26 Oct 2011

            moving the unlock image to a predefined location => still don't know why you say that honeycomb and ics can avoid it +.+

              • ?
              • Anonymous
              • L4x
              • 26 Oct 2011

              Apple is pathetic.

                • D
                • AnonD-14018
                • 0Uv
                • 26 Oct 2011

                AnonD-19959, 26 Oct 2011time to sue the patent officeIts not theyre fault apple payed them 40 million dollars . No man in his right mind would refuse that cash. The patent will be revoked eventually but for now let apple celebrate loosing 40 million dollars.

                  • D
                  • AnonD-8008
                  • Mm6
                  • 26 Oct 2011

                  it doesnt matter if there are "and/or" as long there is writen PREDEFINED PATH!!!!
                  It means point A to point B! example: TouchWiz doesnt have predefined path, it unlocks swiping the display to enywhere. Apple has point A to B as shown on the picture and that what the patent means.
                  This is an issue for VANILLA Androids...exluding 3.0 and 4.0
                  But Aplle will definetly try!
                  And i bet that Germany and Australia sees Apple way!

                    • S
                    • Sam
                    • 7tL
                    • 26 Oct 2011

                    AnonD-13631, 26 Oct 2011If apple do decide to go after tha manufacturers it will be... moreSamsung HTC small parties by what measure, Apple doesn't even comes close to what samsung is capable of doing independently. If tomorrow everything from everywhere needed to manufacture a Mobile phone is restricted to apple or any other manufacturer it is only samsung who is capable of continuing it single handedly,see the overall versatility of the manufacturer, see the progress they have made over these years appreciate the good things.

                      • S
                      • Sam
                      • 7tL
                      • 26 Oct 2011

                      It's high time that the patent office in US gets some sensible persons who grants such generic implementations patents. It's so ironic that ppl are patenting generic shapes of the devices and the patent office grants them. It's time to realize what the consumer needs not what a mono-politic manufacturer wants to produce and block the competition by such things. Being from the same Technological background it's so unfortunate to see some wants to win the race by eliminating the competition rather taking a part in the competition and challenging technologically.... Grow up guys...

                        • D
                        • D79_
                        • n5P
                        • 26 Oct 2011

                        So who should sue iphone for usein touchscreen, notification bar, the list goes on, and wat makes me laugh is other companys r helpin apple with parts for the iphones but then apple backstabe them coz they r havin a losin battle with there so not revolutionary phone. apple r bad losers and all this suein lark proves it. So long iphones u r soon to be part of the dust

                          • R
                          • Rip
                          • LFv
                          • 26 Oct 2011

                          Oh, cr@p! I have a glass sliding door in my house... Is apple going to sue me for that???

                            • Z
                            • Zeitgeist
                            • SH9
                            • 26 Oct 2011

                            People Get a Life and register the patent of being alive... Apple Maniacs

                              • H
                              • Highst
                              • 3Ax
                              • 26 Oct 2011

                              AnonD-18378, 26 Oct 2011hmm sorry u got it wrong...i granted this patient because i... moreYer so what we got bugs in everything these days, Rim goes down, Sony goes down, internet supply goes down etc but so what? aint it all about choice?

                              Sure Apple ain't done nothing with this yet but time will tell, some idiot will patent numeric numbers next so we all end up using brail. I understand the need to protect your investment but come on this is just school yard stuff. There's no need to be a bully in this world as proven in world media. Im no expert in tech but I am human and I can be resonable, these sueing me sueing you companies are just bored they should have some dress down fridays or bring your pet to work days so they can smile once again and get on with it.

                                • T
                                • The Hero
                                • snB
                                • 26 Oct 2011

                                Common apple just stop it.
                                i have the iPhone 4 and iPad2 and all these article are getting on my nerves. Competition is good for consumers all around the world. You don't need to monopole everything. Do it the good way, do it the consumer and the people's way.
                                First i will throw my iphone 4 away for the galaxy S2. Because i was so disappointed when the 4S came out. I am a heavy user and the 512 RAM of the 4S isn't enough. i get 1gb with the S2.

                                They can't compete with their machines and technologies. they are competing with the few innovations they got in the past.

                                It's too bad for them, but a lot of people and clients(including me) don't like their new strategies and they will loose clients.

                                  • D
                                  • AnonD-19959
                                  • vaP
                                  • 26 Oct 2011

                                  time to sue the patent office

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • t7v
                                    • 26 Oct 2011

                                    AnonD-18378, 26 Oct 2011hey "I need to argue" must be "you need to a... moreDude.. look at your iPhone's notification bar.. tell me then that android always copy..

                                      • s
                                      • smoochie
                                      • HB1
                                      • 26 Oct 2011

                                      actually, slide to unlock was stolen to neonode, or in the rest of the world calendar 2003 is after 2005?

                                        • b
                                        • burnout!
                                        • MkX
                                        • 26 Oct 2011

                                        Highst, 26 Oct 2011This is just stupid, why be so picky on how a phone unlocks... morelol!