While Microsoft has been unsuccessful in getting Windows Media capable MP3 players to take over more than a small fraction of the market, Microsoft may be able get a stream of income from Apple after it succeeded in beating apple in filing a patent for several key elements of portable audio devices such as the song menu. As a result, portable audio device manufacturers may end up having to fork out several hundred million dollars in royalties. As the Apple iPod uses many of these key elements that Microsoft filed a patent on, Apple may be forced to pay up to $10 per device in royalties to Microsoft.
Apparently, Apple launched the iPod late 2001; however it was not until July 2002 that they filed a provisional patent application, followed by a full one in October later that year. However, as Microsoft filed an application in May 2002, the US Patent and Trademark Office recently rejected Apple's application saying their ideas were similar to those in Microsoft's application.
Apple insists on resisting this move and said that they will still continue trying to get their patent recognised. As Apple invented and launched its iPod before even Microsoft filed its patent Application, they may even take their case to the patent office's appeals board.
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Although Apple introduced the iPod in November 2001, it did not file a provisional patent application until July 2002, and a full application was filed only in October that year. In the meantime, Microsoft submitted an application in May 2002 to patent some key elements of music players, including song menu software. |
It is a pity to see a patient being field to cover the key elements of MP3 players as this potentially means higher pricing on these players, as well as another large stream of income to Microsoft. It is not clear how many of these elements Microsoft patented are present in other MP3 players, but these could become significant with MP3 players that have a wide range of features, since most MP3 players have more features than the iPod. If Microsoft succeeds in forcing Apple to pay up, for the Canadians it will seem like the tax has been reapplied again, but this time it will be a royalty going to Microsoft instead of the music industry.
Source: The Independent - Online Edition
