HTC One delay dilemma after Nokia wins injunction
The HTC One release could possibly see a delay after Nokia wins a preliminary injunction in the Netherlands over high-amplitude microphones. The HTC microphone components were manufactured exclusively and invented by Nokia and this could be sad news for the HTC One smartphone release. The Amsterdam District Court granted Nokia the request for an injunction against the supply of the microphone.
The microphone components were found in the HTC One and according to a press release over on Engadget, HTC does not own the license or authorization from Nokia to use these technologies that were developed.
The HDR microphone is apparently a key feature according to HTC and this could mean bad news, HTC also said in a statement they are disappointed and it could have an impact on their business plans and will have to look into other solutions as soon as possible.
ST Electronics are the ones that makes the HAAC mics for both companies, but these were exclusive for Nokia by ST Electronics and should not have been shared, so who is to blame here?
For HTC to compete now they have to stop using such technologies and will have to come up with its own innovations, Nokia said they have to stop copying from Nokia.
What are your views on the above, who do you think are to blame?
Comments
8 thoughts on “HTC One delay dilemma after Nokia wins injunction”
LOL Nokia thinking that a microphone purchased from a mfgr is copying? Nokia’s designs are not very good, just different….HTC’s designs of the 8X and HTC One on the other hand blow the socks off anything ever made other than the iPhone 5 and now surpassed the iPhone is shear design beauty. Nokia picked Windows to go to bed with so live with that stupid decision Nokia…
Please do some research first. If you’re asking such an obvious question, it tells the world you were too lazy to read beyond the couple of paragraphs here.
HAAC was researched by Nokia starting 2007. The technology was patented in 2009 after 2 years of R&D. Afterwards, they approached manufacturers to make prototypes based on their design. Fast forward, STM manufactured the mic for Nokia signing a NDA because the design and patents belongs to Nokia.
This is not a case of copying, but it’s pure thief as the mic is not similar, but EXACTLY the same one.
In the future, please keep your comments refrained to just the shell of phones. It shows from your comment, that it is the depth of your knowledge.
You are right this is just stealing. HTC did know what they where doing. If you build a Mobile like the HTC One you will have to communicate in some way with the HAAC chip. They have taken the risk and now they lost. They could have known that Nokia will protect their inventions. HAAC is years better as the rest. Thats why Nokia wont give a license to anyone because they want to compete on innovation.
What we are seeing here is nothing new. It’s always been the case in the mobile phone sector that if a new phone comes out with something, other manufacturers will try and duplicate it. Whether it’s hardware or software, it really doesn’t matter. The innovative companies have played fair and tolerated this type of behavior as copying usually involves some sort of modifications that would make it unique enough that infringement wouldn’t be brought into question…..that’s until Apple and Google came along.
One company believes they invented and own everything, while the other believes everything should be free for the taking. Neither are good for the industry. As a result, what we are seeing is company increasingly hanging on to their own innovations and unwilling to FRAND their patents and in certain cases, flat out refuse to share under any terms and I fully expect this type of behavior to continue until both Google and Apple technology has fallen behind.
It really angers me when I read a comment that suggest one of the few companies still spending money on R&D as a patent troll. What HTC has done in this case is despicable as there isn’t even an effort to bring a different implementation of the same idea.
I fully agree with you. Nokia spend billions on R&D. The HAAC is unique and great technology. Unbelievable that a company like HTC thinks it can steal that and get away with it. I think Nokia choose Dutch court because they have a lot of experience with cases like this. Philips was once a big inventor of hardware components and did protect its inventions very well.
I believe the reason is the holding company that controls STM is registered in the Netherlands.
Ok that explains, STM was partly owned by Philips.
First off, I find this to be poorly written and is biased toward Nokia, and makes the assumption that HTC is guilty.
Secondly, the microphone component in question is a publicly marketed component by ST since before the release of the HTC one, and is available for public purchase, and as such would suggest that if any company is at blame, ST would fall under that curtain if patents are indeed being infringed, as HTC merely has a contract order for publicly sold parts.