Why the ‘Boycott Apple’ Movement is Dumb
It’s based on the myth of Apple exceptionalism
Boycott Apple advocates pretend to believe what they do not (or should not) believe, which that companies that don’t sue over patents don’t sue because they’re nice, or virtuous or believe in the free exchange of ideas.
The reality is that they don’t sue because they don’t have a case.
When companies have a patent case they think they can win, they sue. In fact, Apple itself is currently defending itself from patent infringement cases brought by China’s Zhi Zhen Internet Technology, and Silicon Valley’s Noise Free Wireless.
And Apple has been sued in the past by Nokia (which won the case), and others.
And Apple isn’t the only company suing over alleged patent infringement by Android or Android devices.
Nokia, for example, is suing Google and Asus. And Microsoft got Motorola devices banned in the US for infringing patents.
Publicly held companies pursue their own interests, and the interests of their shareholders. The truth is that patent lawsuits are trivially inexpensive for big companies to pursue, compared with potential benefits. There’s no downside to suing over patent infringement if you think you might win.
When companies file lawsuits that are frivolous on their face, they go nowhere or are tossed out of court. When Apple and Motorola were going at it last month, the judge got fed up and told both parties to get out and not come back.
The bottom line is that, yes, Apple sues when it thinks it can win a patent-infringement case. And so does every other company.
It diverts opposition from the real problem: The patent system
The Boycott Apple people tend to be confused about what they’re criticizing when they criticize Apple.
For example, when critics say that Apple didn’t invent this technology or that technology, they think they’re criticizing Apple when in fact they’re criticizing the patent system.
What they’re saying is that Apple’s methodology for which they were granted a patent is overly broad, and should not apply to slightly different methodologies or the whole idea should not be patentable.
In other words, they’re disagreeing with the rules.
Patents are a zero sum game. If Apple doesn’t apply for and then defend a patent, someone else will and ban Apple products. Those are the rules.
And so in order to defend itself, companies like Apple play by the rules because to not do so would be suicide.
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