Want in App purchases? Are you really sure you want to be sued?

[MrTAToad]

No code should be patentable, nor should a broad description be.  Whole products should be though.

[ampos]

From the iOS dev forums:

Well, hyperbolae aside, what they seem to have a patent on is systems where users of a product send feedback to the developers as they use it, so the developers can see which parts of the product are most popular etc.  It's described as an alternative to market research or coventional product testing that gets results faster.  "Send feedback" explicitly includes the possibility of making a purchase, i.e. the developer knows which features of the app are popular because they count how many times IAP is used to enable those features.

it would have to pay 0.575% of US revenue

Lodsys says that Apple, Google and Microsoft have already licensed the necessary patents. As it stands, each of these companies that licensed the patent are not able to provide the same rights for third-party business applications

My App doesn't offer In App Purchases. It has a Link to the Full-Version and has a search engine, but any interaction with users are patented by Lodsys.

I cannot believe it. How can they get a patent to user-interaction itself. Here in Germany it is not patentable.

The last quote is AMAZING.

[Moebius]

but any interaction with users are patented by Lodsys.

We must be nearing the end of the world.

[Kitty Hello]

Indeed we are. Zechariah e.g. claims in chapter 14, that the messiah will be back, putting his feet on the mount of olives. The mountain splits up and there's a well that fills the dead sea with fresh water. (read it up, it's written ~600 BC).
However! Scientists calculated, that the dead sea will go dry in about 50 years. Others say 200 years and there are plans to dig a channel to the sea to slow it down. Fact is - when the messiah appears physically, the dead sea will still be a sea.

...just a quick detail of the many details we can find when we read properly.

[Hark0]

Indeed we are. Zechariah e.g. claims in chapter 14, that the messiah will be back, putting his feet on the mount of olives. The mountain splits up and there's a well that fills the dead sea with fresh water. (read it up, it's written ~600 BC).
However! Scientists calculated, that the dead sea will go dry in about 50 years. Others say 200 years and there are plans to dig a channel to the sea to slow it down. Fact is - when the messiah appears physically, the dead sea will still be a sea.

...just a quick detail of the many details we can find when we read properly.

WOW!!!

[erico]

you probably read it somewhere else but:

http://www.geekosystem.com/apple-letter-to-lodsys/

[Ian Price]

Yep. It doesn't mean it's over though... Lodsys could very well fire back a response, especially since Apple clearly state "Second, while we are not privy to all of Lodsys's infringement contentions" Maybe there's something else that Apple need to be aware of. We'll need to wait another week for Lodsys' lawyers to speak.

Hopefully it's all over though

[Crivens]

Considering, as far as I know, that a add-on to do in-app purchasing within an GLB app doesn't exist then it pretty much gives us that "wait and see" stance. Or did someone come up with it already?

Cheers

[Ian Price]

Indeed - it's not really of any consequence to us GLB users, as we can't add In App Purchases to our stuff (yet). However, who knows - I never ever expected to be able to create a game for iPhone but GLB eventually allowed me to do this. Gernot, Ocean, MrTAToad etc. etc. are a very talented bunch of people that actively add to GLB. I wouldn't rule anything out.

[ampos]

It is not InApp related. If you put a button that opens AppStore with your full app, it could be "sued".

About InApp, you will see it sooner than later 

[XanthorXIII]

Look like Lodsys wasn't put off by Apple's letter. They decided to actually file suits against the developers.
http://fosspatents.blogspot.com/2011/05/lodsys-sues-7-app-developers-in-eastern.html
I honestly think Apple should go after them and take them through the cleaners. For one invalidating these patents would be a start.
Software Patents are a true sham.

[hardyx]

Apple says in a letter send to Lodsys: "developers are covered by our license".

Apple is licensed to all four of the patents in the Lodsys portfolio. As Lodsys itself advertises on its website, Apple is licensed for its nameplate products and services. Under its license, Apple is entitled to offer these licensed products and services to its customers and business partners, who, in turn, have the right to use them.

http://www.macworld.com/article/160031/2011/05/apple_legal_lodsys_letter_text.html

[ampos]

And Lodsys says that not. Also, they say "we will pay $1000 to anyone who received a letter from us or will receive if we are wrong"