Apple Granted Slide-to-Unlock Screen Patent; Potentially Grim News for Android

[dgstorm]

Apparently, the US Patent & Trademark Office recently granted the "slide-to-unlock" patent to Apple. This could potentially portend a slew of new lawsuits from Apple against Android manufacturers, especially since so many Android devices use this type of unlock system. It's important to note that this patent was actually applied for back in 2005, so it's not something Apple was being a sneaky about. Here's a tidbit from the patent,

A device with a touch-sensitive display may be unlocked via gestures performed on the touch-sensitive display. The device is unlocked if contact with the display corresponds to a predefined gesture for unlocking the device. The device displays one or more unlock images with respect to which the predefined gesture is to be performed in order to unlock the device. The performance of the predefined gesture with respect to the unlock image may include moving the unlock image to a predefined location and/or moving the unlock image along a predefined path. The device may also display visual cues of the predefined gesture on the touch screen to remind a user of the gesture. In addition, there is a need for sensory feedback to the user regarding progress towards satisfaction of a user input condition that is required for the transition to occur.

The folks credited for the invention are iOS chief, Scott Forstall and Apple engineers Imran Chaudhri, Bas Ording, Freddy Allen Anzures, Marcel Van Os, Stephen O. Lemay and Greg Christie. At this point, it is unknown as to whether the new unlock mechanism in Android 4.0/ICS will be impacted by this, but we will keep you informed as things develop.

Source: Android.net via 9to5Mac

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[mountainbikermark]

I personally wouldn't mind losing slide to unlock

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[tweebee]

I wonder how far they could take it to apply to other types of slide to unlock, say sliding down to unlock as with the Inc or the circular unlock with Honeycomb... they're both sliding to unlock, just not sliding right like the iPhone.

[mountainbikermark]

From the quote above it sounds like they covered all the bases. The key words seem to cover movement of any kind. I'd think a lock icon that has to be touched a couple of times would suffice but honestly i'd prefer a hardware button like my old dumbphones if Apple gets some guts and goes after Android directly instead of being so cowardly and going after manufacturers. Remember it was Steve Jobs himself that said he'd be willing to go to thermo nuclear war to destroy Android. So far Apple is acting like cowardly terrorists in their lawsuits
http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2119626/Steve-Jobs-Was-Ready-to-Go-Thermonuclear-on-Android-Threat
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[jkhonea]

Y'all are really trying to antagonize me on the Apple things today, aren't you?

[tweebee]

Y'all are really trying to antagonize me on the Apple things today, aren't you?

Only if the shoes fit!

[mountainbikermark]

Perhaps ask Mr Storm not to post these threads and we won't reply to them?

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[jkhonea]

Let me clarify my position. I don't condone the lawsuits flying around regarding patents. My problem is the patent process is broken. Very broken. And the other issue I have is the belief some have that Apple is the only company doing this. They aren't. Pretty much ALL major companies are doing this now, they just aren't the target du jour that Apple is at the moment. This same kind of thing happened several times throughout Microsoft's history and throughout most other company histories. I just prefer the blame being given equally.

The other thing about this one is the patent is from 2005, way before Android. The news sources cherry pick information and the way it is presented.

[EFINIncredible]

Guess it's back to BlackBerry...

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[jkhonea]

Guess it's back to BlackBerry...

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Shut it you.

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