Apple Granted 'Slide to Unlock' Patent

[MentaL]

Source: IGN



Software patents are a constant hot spot for legal lawsuits and, being the new owner of the "Slide to Unlock" patent, Apple now holds one that could impact Android devices.



Per the United States Patent & Trademark Office, the following is used to describe the function:

"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."

Apple is already in the middle of a heated battle with Samsung and this new patent equips the California-based company with another strong claim, should they choose to use it against other Android manufacturers or even Google itself.

Fortunately, owners of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Nexus should be safe for the time being as a result of the operating system's new facial recongition unlock feature.

 

[Kryptos]

It's just business.

Samsung and Google better get that facial recognition feature ready, it didn't work so well on the keynote/demo.

 

[cycoextreme]

then they could just make it a "press to unlock"

screw you apple, you suck bigtime

i dont even use that slide to unlock feature b/c i have the pattern password setup

 

[JewSanta]

Fun fact, this lawsuit started because samsung's touchwiz android launcher look almost exactly like iphone os. Strangely enough samsung was (until recently) the manufacturer for iphones.
Anyone got a samsung epic? hit the applications button on the main page. you'll see

(slide to unlock screen slightly differs)

 

[Darksta]

duck you apple i like my htc <3

 

[Ron]

Fun fact, this lawsuit started because samsung's touchwiz android launcher look almost exactly like iphone os. Strangely enough samsung was (until recently) the manufacturer for iphones.
Anyone got a samsung epic? hit the applications button on the main page. you'll see

(slide to unlock screen slightly differs)

The touchwiz launcher blows anyway.

They need to make a "draw-to-unlock", where you draw a letter, number, or a shape (or a custom image) to unlock your phone.

 

[404]

I want to see a feature that requires "fingerprint" to unlock the phone. That's epic.

 

[JewSanta]

I want to see a feature that requires "fingerprint" to unlock the phone. That's epic.

Ironically so is my phone.

@Ron: I actually dont mind it. Just cause I am to lazy to theme my own. I hada black and white theme for a while but after I lost the saves I just gave up.

 

[Ron]

Ironically so is my phone.

@Ron: I actually dont mind it. Just cause I am to lazy to theme my own. I hada black and white theme for a while but after I lost the saves I just gave up.

Use launcher pro. lol

 

[JewSanta]

Use launcher pro. lol

thats what i ragequit on after losing my theme...

 

[Samus.]

It's still funny how they (samsung vs apple) are coming and going with the "We already invented this! If you want it, pay for it!"

I want to see a feature that requires "fingerprint" to unlock the phone. That's epic.

There's one, but it took ages to accept my fingerprint and it wasn't quite working but that was months ago.