Apple could sue Palm.

The resurrection should perhaps be moved. Pre Palms Smartphone is in details of the iPhone so similar that a dispute with observers fear Apple. While the iPod company with the saber rasselt, there is Palm confidently.

 

The enthusiasm was great: When the mobile phone manufacturer Palm strauchelnde its new touch-screen phone, the Palm Pre, at the CES consumer electronics show in Las Vegas presented the press and audience were thrilled. Not quite so enthusiastic, however, appears in Apple's headquarters in Cupertino to have been. The elegant user interface of the mobile neophyte remembers very partial to the iPhone, Apple could potentially infringe patents.

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Palm Pre: similar to the iPhone?

The potential problem: Palms mobile browser. The fact has some features that are currently only available when the iPhone and installed the Apple Safari browser has seen. Among other things you can safari with two fingers to operate. By around the thumb and index finger on a picture sets and move apart, are parts of websites infinitely enlarge or - conversely applied - shrink.

Multi-touch is this technique, in which a touch-screen finger movements of several show commands and can implement. As these functions in January 2007 for the first time in front of an audience and showed plenty of applause for harvested, said Apple CEO Steve Jobs the new development as almost magical. Possible imitators he startled by saying 'Oh man, and as we have patented, "from.

No multi-touch with Google Mobile ... or is it?

The award was its impact. And of course the knowledge of many companies handlebars that even with Apple's legendary legal fun is not. So far no manufacturer has dared to Apple's multi-touch gesture control to copy. Even Google and the Open Handset Consortium, the Android operating system for phones like the T-Mobile G1 develop, have been cautious so far held back.

The touch-sensitive screen of the G1 is basically in a position, multi-finger gestures as the iPhone to understand. This at least demonstrated the Android developer Luke Hutchison. He has written a software with which images and Web pages on the G1 well with two-finger gestures to zoom in and out like the iPhone. To use the software yourself is still some work needed, which only experienced users Hutchison recommends.

Jobs representatives threatens imitators

Much easier is expected to touch on the other hand, multi Palms with new hope, the Palm Pre be. Its Web browser dominates the two-finger technique as well as Apple's Safari sovereign. But what observers at first glance like, for Palm could now become a problem. Because in the context of a financial press conference, the currently reigning Apple chief Tim Cook, the Steve Jobs during his time out represents clear that they were too brazen Abkupferungsversuche will not put up.

"We like competition, because competition makes us better, so long as he does not exploit our intellectual property," said Cook, adding that Apple would "pursue all of the tries." Fairly clear that he has an eye on Palm, even though he repeatedly pointed out that his statement does not refer to a specific company to want to seek. Even though Cook must also hold back. Because the patents, of which Jobs at the launch of the iPhone said, are registered by the U.S. Patent Office, but apparently not yet been stamped. Until then, will the iPhone manufacturers still need to slow down.

Trump card Rubinstein

Palm sees possible actions against Apple apparently abandoned. So there is at least Palm CEO Ed Colligan talks to blogs ONLINE confident that it can hardly be a dispute between Palm and Apple come. Finally, he gave an argument that Palm itself had hundreds of patents for smartphone technology. In the case of an action by Apple, because Colligan seems to be sure, one can loose with a whole momentum of counter-counter claims.

Still, it is not the extent and the taps still exploring the site. This is for Apple's image would not be encouraged, Palm right now, because it again with the company seems to go up to sue, should Apple chief schnurz be entirely bunk. One possibility, without expensive lawyers to some admittedly, there are.

Jon Rubinstein, the Palm for the development of the Pre is responsible, has for years, even in Apple's chief floor sat. His participation in the iPod earned him the nickname "The Podfather" one. As such, he could still a wire to Apple's current leaders - and the emerging dispute can be simple, without causing collateral damage in the Palace of Justice comes.