Woz on Apple's patent war with Samsung: “I don’t think the decision of California will hold. And I don’t agree with it.”

posted by Victor H. / Sep 13, 2012, 4:41 AM

Woz on Apple's patent war with Samsung: “I don’t think the decision of California will hold. And I don’t agree with it.”

Steve Wozniak is not only the co-founder of Apple and one of the most important people sculpting the computer as it is today, he is an avid user of all new technologies. He’s been using all kinds of devices, not discriminating on the operating system and loving the new advancements in mobile, but while a lover of technology, there is one thing that Woz really hates.

If you guessed patents, you’d be absolutely right.

“I hate it,” Wozniak replied to a question about the patent war raging between Apple and Samsung. “I don’t think the decision of California will hold. And I don’t agree with it -- very small things I don’t really call that innovative.”

“I wish everybody would just agree to exchange all the patents and everybody can build the best forms they want to use everybody’s technologies,” Wozniak concluded. If there is one thing we love best about Wozniak, a man who’s become a symbol for the early days of computing, is the spirit of freedom and his true infatuation with innovation, and not just blind following of one company.

Wozniak also commented on the new iPhone 5 saying he hopes it takes better pictures and noting that in it Apple took some important steps.

“I am always excited about every iPhone product because there are always good advances,” Wozniak said in an interview. “A better quality on the pictures will mean a lot, because when I show people pictures on my iPhone 4 and my Galaxy S III, they always say the Galaxy S III, or even the Motorola Razr, pictures look better.”

Wozniak did reserve his final judgment for until he gets to actually use the iPhone 5 for some time. And that’s a reasonable thing to do. Do you share his opinion about the patent war and the new iPhone?

source: Bloomberg

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59 Comments

1. rallyguy

Posts: 620; Member since: Mar 13, 2012

I like his take on things. Although I don't agree with just everyone exchanging patents.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 4:47 AM 8

15. anywherehome

Posts: 971; Member since: Dec 13, 2011

the only (former) person from Apple who has any brain and is not rotten: goo.gl/AWKfX

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 5:31 AM 15

49. Stuntman

Posts: 843; Member since: Aug 01, 2011

Correction. The only (former) person from Apple who has any heart.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 1:51 PM 7

31. groupsacc

Posts: 232; Member since: Feb 28, 2012

I have to disagree with you there. The key word he used was "exchange", not giving them away for nothing.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 7:50 AM 8

34. dragonscourgex

Posts: 307; Member since: Jan 16, 2012

I think I'm starting to like this dude. He seem's legit. Fair and open minded. Can he replace Tim Cook please? I might actually buy my wife the new iPhone if he would be in charge and stopped all this patent bull.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 7:57 AM 5

53. Dr.Phil

Posts: 2340; Member since: Feb 14, 2011

Actually, if patents didn't exist then there would probably be more innovation and more products offered at prices consumers can afford. Companies would make products that either improve on a design or add something to it. They would also be able to afford to offer said products at cheaper prices because they wouldn't have to pay millions of dollars in patent licenses. It can be compared to generic vs brand name drug prescriptions. They both offer the same active ingredients, but the one is obviously cheaper because they came up with a process that makes it cheaper to produce and they don't pay millions of dollars in marketing. So, again, I think that a world built around open patents means that you have the freedom to take a product and make it better in almost everyway. It would create more competition because each company would try to out do the other. Right now, we have stifled competition because one company holds a patent and can set any price on it for the other ones to use, which in turn means more expensive products.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 4:19 PM 1

58. dmckay12

Posts: 243; Member since: Feb 25, 2012

The reason that generic drugs cost less because they copied the brand name drugs exactly. The companies did not have to spend time and millions of dollars to create, test, and distribute the drug. The patents on drugs last for a number of years, so the big companies can make a profit, then the generics get to steal the thunder.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 9:00 PM 1

55. jroc74

Posts: 6023; Member since: Dec 30, 2010

I agree with Woz about exchanging patents. It happens alot in Android land. No lawsuits have come from it....and no body argues about copy cats. Resizable widgets started on Motorola phones in Android land. Notification toggles started with Samsung I think. Them and HTC do it good, I dont think Moto has done it yet. You dont see any in-fighting in Android land.....that shows it can happen and ppl can co exists.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 5:43 PM 1

2. AppleConspiracy

Posts: 637; Member since: Oct 18, 2011

As I said long before, Wozniak is a puppet of Apple to smoothen the rage, his role is to make impression that even the most influential people in Apple are reasonable.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 4:49 AM 4

8. MeoCao unregistered

I disagree, I think Woz is sincere. And I don't think what Woz said is in Apple's interests.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 4:56 AM 22

12. whysoserious

Posts: 318; Member since: Jul 20, 2012

I think you watch too much conspiracy movies. Snap out of it man, that's not good.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 5:12 AM 9

23. AppleConspiracy

Posts: 637; Member since: Oct 18, 2011

It's not conspiracy, it's the media dynamics. No one at Apple, not even Wozniak himself knows about it. It's just the role projected on him.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 6:19 AM 0

35. Aeires unregistered

While a lot of your views are interesting and thought provoking because they are on the fringe, I think you've officially lost it with this overly psychiatrist approach to dissecting literally everything that has to do with Apple. Some things you can take for face value because there's nothing sinister going on. Not everything needs to be made into a 100 layer theory, some things really are simple and transparent in reality.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 8:06 AM 3

40. AppleConspiracy

Posts: 637; Member since: Oct 18, 2011

I don't believe in that :-)

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 8:28 AM 0

44. Mobile-X-Pert

Posts: 565; Member since: Dec 20, 2010

I do trust Wozniack but I think AppleConspiracy has a point.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 9:27 AM 0

3. XPERIA-KNIGHT unregistered

i think after apple gets whats coming to them then the patent wars should end!

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 4:50 AM 4

4. MeoCao unregistered

Strangely I love a certain Apple guy.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 4:52 AM 6

5. bobfreking55

Posts: 866; Member since: Jul 15, 2011

perfect example of a tech enthusiast. open minded and non biased. i'll say it again, i like him.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 4:52 AM 11

6. tiara6918

Posts: 2263; Member since: Apr 26, 2012

I like how he makes an unbiased opinion and truthfully says what he has on his mind but with all those statements he made all in all, does apple get mad at him?(for not being a 100% loyal with apple since he also likes other gadgets from other manufacturers)

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 4:53 AM 5

7. chocolatebear76

Posts: 123; Member since: Mar 03, 2011

The world need people like him to make a better earth

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 4:55 AM 6

45. bayusuputra

Posts: 963; Member since: Feb 12, 2012

yes, some balance, yin-yang.. If jobs is the black, Woz is the white.. If Jobs wanted thermonuclear, Woz says afternoon tea together.. Two CEOs that have to be replaced: Stephen Elop and Tim Cook, and I wish Woz can replace Cook..

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 9:50 AM 3

9. SGSatlantis

Posts: 227; Member since: Jul 20, 2011

Haha Woz, if you showed your friends pictures on the phones themself, of corse they will pick the S3. I mean the 3.5 is only good as a range finder and the new 16:9 will use the same 3.5 area to display proper 4:3 pictures or whatever the native res of the sensor is.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 5:04 AM 2

10. Peter27

Posts: 233; Member since: Jul 13, 2012

100 thumbs up for Wozniak.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 5:05 AM 8

11. whysoserious

Posts: 318; Member since: Jul 20, 2012

Wozniak is the man! Apple could've been better if he was the new CEO to replace the late Jobs.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 5:08 AM 10

18. tedkord

Posts: 17312; Member since: Jun 17, 2009

Apple would have been more respectable, but not as successful. Woz isn't cutthroat enough, or greedy enough to lead a company to the kind of success Apple has had. Ironically, their products would probably have been more powerful, and less expensive, too.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 6:05 AM 5

20. remixfa

Posts: 14605; Member since: Dec 19, 2008

i dont think that would be true. Woz is cut from the same fabric as Sergie and the guys from Google. Can you imagine our tech world if Apple and google GOT ALONG instead of in a constant battle till the death because of SJ and Cook?? Maybe some advancements wouldnt have happened to avoid patents, but so much more probably would have.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 6:10 AM 4

24. whysoserious

Posts: 318; Member since: Jul 20, 2012

You took the words right out of my mouth. And Woz, as mentioned, is a big fan of innovation, and not with some marketing BS to deceive people about real innovation. Imagine Woz as the CEO of Apple, he'll definitely push the limits of innovation instead of inciting "thermo-gay-nuclear war" against other OS platform. Yes, Apple wouldn't be as successful as it is now, (as quoted from tedkord) but it wil make lot of consumers happier and satisfied.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 6:46 AM 2

36. remixfa

Posts: 14605; Member since: Dec 19, 2008

i still dont see why they wouldnt be as successful. they might, they might not. It depends on how you define success. Google's open policies are smashing the crap out of iOS with Android sales, yet Apple is making more bank than everyone. Maybe they wouldnt make 60% profit margins per device, and maybe we also wouldnt have monthly slave labor reports of deaths, suicides, and abuse. Id call that more successful, not less. Success you can look yourself in the mirror and feel good about yourself with.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 8:20 AM 1

56. phitch

Posts: 214; Member since: Mar 06, 2012

But Apple is smashing the crap because they own the whole process, Google offers a free OS license and only makes money off ads and the play store and I am not sure how much they make off the store. Yet, even with that I don't see new Android phones costing a whole lot less than iPhones. If Google got a piece of that pie, it would be insane.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 6:24 PM 0

57. remixfa

Posts: 14605; Member since: Dec 19, 2008

actually, they offer the OS for free, but if you want google apps and the market, you have to pay a licence for that. They make money off of just about every android sold. They just dont make the 60% that Apple makes per device. Then again.. no one does. If they can turn Moto around that might change, but that's still a while away.

posted on Sep 13, 2012, 6:47 PM 1

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