People are known to be easily persuaded to exchange cash for iPads because the product is very well known and backed up by solid product research and development. It seems that every Apple gadget owner is sure that every product they buy, from the iPod to the MacBook, is a good one and will be able to deliver all the promises it has made. In the tech world, it is a known fact that Apple has patented over a thousand items. The company is known for churning out thousands of designs and drawings of existing parts and soon to be parts of their products.
When Apple has finalized a product design, it is sent to the patent office for registration so that they can claim the rights to use it without any legal implications. Apple does this even if it is not yet sure that the product or any of its components will actually be produced. These patents are the subjects of ongoing arguments and court battles between Apple and other device manufacturers. The former claims these other companies are trying to “copy” what it has already copyrighted as its own. This intellectual property war has spread not just in the US but also in other parts of the world.
For example, in the case of Apple and Samsung, Apple is accusing the South Korean manufacturer of infringing on two iPhone, one iPad and one iOS design patents. Apple demands Samsung pay $2.5 billion in damages. Samsung has counter-sued on five of its patents, demanding Apple pay a royalty rate equal to 2.4% of the iOS devices’ selling price. Apple claims it should only have to pay one half of a penny to Samsung for every mobile device sold. And this example is a description of the two companies’ battle in the US. The two companies are also suing each other outside the States.
Just a week ago, news spread that Apple filed a patent for a design that could be a future smart cover for their iPad. The patent is said to include interactive multi-touch panels, secondary display, and a keyboard. The flap cover is said to have a host of other features like solar panels, smart pen input, as well as inductive charging.
As of the moment, these patents have not been confirmed, although loyal followers of the brand can at least say they have something to look forward to from Apple in the coming months (or possibly, years). On Apple’s part, it seems the company has realized that a lot of people are learning to use their iPad not just for entertainment purposes, but also for work. Having this smart cover that could do such things will be of big help. Additional battery life, as well as a keyboard, could mean a big improvement not just in the productivity of the unit, but also of the person using it. This means that now is not the time to exchange your cash for iPads as the future models may be able to give you so much more.
