November 1, 2007 4:30 PM PDT
Did Apple invent the cell phone?
It's wasn't the first cell phone.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CNET Networks)You might have heard by new that Time named the Apple iPhone the "Invention of the Year." I'm not going to dissect the magazine's reasons for choosing the iPhone--News.com's Tom Krazit already did that--rather, I'm more confused as to whether the iPhone should even count as an invention. As some CNET readers have contended, Apple didn't invent the cell phone, it just built its own version. And even if everyone agrees that Apple improved on the concept, should that count as an invention? What do you think?
Kent German is a senior editor for cell phone reviews at CNET. When he's not testing the newest handsets on the market, he's blogging about cell phone news for Crave. In his On Call column, he answers reader questions and gives his take on the rapidly changing mobile industry. E-mail Kent. 
-Ryan
http://rygo.net
either. Rather they raised the level of innovation & integration that appealed to
the masses!
IMHO, few things are "invented" in the true sense of the word (outstand of
perhaps advanced scientific breakthoughts) but rather are derived, evolved, etc
Anyway, the iPhone isn't a cellphone. It's much more than that. Apple invented
the iPhone. That's what won the invention of the year. the iPhone.
thing..
However, Apple did RE-INVENT the cell phone and they have called it the
iPhone.
Yes, Apple did invent the iPhone, a device unlike any before it. And this is what
they are being awarded for.
2. U.S. Patent Law. a new, useful process, machine, improvement, etc., that did not exist previously and that is recognized as the product of some unique intuition or genius, as distinguished from ordinary mechanical skill or craftsmanship.
So whether or not the iPhone can be considered an invention at all is up to controversy. They most certainly did not invent the cellphone, and I do agree that it isn't "just a cellphone," as I use mine for the other features more than I do to make voice calls.
All of the features of the iPhone are there in other phones. Some phones can do everything the iPhone can, in terms of features, and more. The only difference that I can see, which would make a difference in this discussion, is the multi-touch display. Normal touch screens do not use the same technology as the iPhone's. Programmers cannot write code for a "pinch" to be used on a Cingular 8525. Though, if you look at the alternative browsers available on Windows Mobile phones, they achieve screen formatting and resizing in a very similar way to the Safari browser (The Opera browser? and Deepfish). Though, Apple did not invent multi-touch displays, either.
The details of these specifications are marginal, and I would say the iPhone only achieves invention status because it integrates a multi-touch display into a sea of other devices that are basically the same. According to the second entry of Dictionary.com's definition of the word, the integration of that touch screen might be considered the improvement needed to qualify.
My opinion on the issue, though, is that Apple should only win awards for user interface and marketing. Levisemail1337@gmail.com.
How can an act be a verb? Necessity is a noun. It is also the mother of invention, so that must be a noun, as well!
I'm sure they have a bunch of patents on the technology used to make this marvelous device. Much like Jobs and Waz' did when they made the first Apple Computer, they brought computing to a new level. Apple took the IBM 360 from a room sized machine to a desktop and now to your pocket. I'd say it is deserving of the 'invention of the year'. "A new, useful process, machine, improvement, etc., that did not exist previously", yea I'd say it is all of those. Most cell phone are just a bunch of add in features poorly designed to keep up in a fast paced competitive market. Apple has taken personal computing to a new level.
which denotes continuing action.
The English language, being partially Teutonic (a very inflected language
group), contains their very convenient grammatical expression called the
"gerund', defined as a verb used as a noun. "Invention" (a verb) is one of
these special words which can be either verbs or nouns, depending on the
context in which they are used.
Gerunds are usually created by simply tacking an "ing" on to the end of the
verb one wants to use as a noun, as in "His guitar 'play-ing' was without
comparison today.", "The child's gentle 'laugh-ing' waked me."
2) Obviously, according to U.S. Patent Law, as you point out, the iPhone is not
such "a new, useful process, machine, improvement, etc. that did not exist
previously and that is recognized as the product of some unique intuition or
genius, as distinguished from ordinary mechanical skill or craftsmanship."
While the iPhone IS "a new, useful..., machine...", many would not agree that
the iPhone "... is recognized as the product of some unique intuition or
genius,...", nor would they agree that this "...intuition or genius... is
distinguished from ordinary mechanical skill or craftmanship."
Consider:
1) Apple did not invent the telephone." As we all know, it was invented by
A.G. Bell back in the 19th Century. Or Mr. A.G. Bell was granted the first
patent by the U.S. Patent Office back in the 19th Century, if one wishes to be
argumentative. The effect is the same in either case. Bell was recognized as
the man with "some unique intuition or genius" by virtue of being granted the
first patent.
2) The LCD display technology was NOT originally invented by Apple.
3) The OS (OS X) was NOT originally invented by Apple. If Apple's claim is
true, OS X is a true child of Unix. Their claim has recently been rewarded by
the governing body of Unix as being 100% Unix, and may now be called
"Unix".
4) The multi-touch display technology was NOT originally invented by Apple.
In fact, Apple "invented" NOTHING about the iPhone. It was simply an
engineering concept out of Apple's R&D department and realized by Chinese
engineers from Apple's design.
It seems you and I agree on these basic concepts.
There is ONE thing I disagree with, however:
Everything from your paragraph which begins "The details of these
specifications are marginal...", and ends with your email address.
1) The details are NOT marginal. Apple has published the full specifications.
2) Your conclusion that "the iPhone ony achieves invention status because it
integrates a multi-touch display into a sea of other devices that are basically
the same.." is illogical, since the multi-touch display of the iPhone is NOT
"integrated into a sea of similar devices...", since it is not "integrated" into the
sea of devices", it is properly "inserted into the market for similar devices."
3) You further compound you illogic by using Dictionary.com's definition as
the foundation for your conclusion, rather than the U.S. Patent Office's, which
you seem to be using as the model for the proof of the unique "invention" of
the iPhone.
Donald McDaniel
Creative is the worldwide leader in digital entertainment products for the personal computer (PC) and the Internet. They are now known for the ZEN MP3 player line. Apple was just a computer company.
In any case, they wont get a dime from me. Oh yeah...remember that 1984 Apple commercial? Yeah--shoes on the other foot now wouldn't you agree? Apple fan boys begin your assault........NOW...
and is, therefore, eligible to be named invention of the year. i believe the iPhone
has upwards of 200 patents crammed into a sleek, user-friendly product with a
revolutionary multi-touch interface. i am not alone in being extremely happy
that apple INVENTED the iPhone....
heck know it's not the invention of the year." Both of you lost credibility with
me right there my friends. I DO own an iPhone, and I will tell you what, it has
been worth the wait!!! For as long as there have been cell phones and a Mac
operating system, I've been waiting for the two to come together. I'm not over
exaggerating when I say that it makes all other cell phones, Blackberries, etc,
look (and act) like a rock with an antenna. If an invention is something that
will change an entire industry (Ford's model T), than this is definitely an
award-winning invention. Side note: buy an iPhone and I guarantee you will
go buy a MAC within two weeks.
Year" so why are some of you having a hissy-fit about Apple or fanboys
claiming such. Granted, the hype was huge (Steve-o style) but the press also
had a part in that, of course they need big headlines to generate readership. I
bought one for my wife and in my opinion yes other phones have the same or
more features. But none of them combine the features, design, usability,
stability, and interface. I haven't needed to look up intructions for anything
other than the best way to sync. A Sony's music player may sound better but
frankly unless I have a good set of earphones in a quiet room it doesn't really
make a difference. The hardest thing to get used to was the keyboard.. but
we prefer it once we got used to it. I don't want one for myself personally
because I'm not very kind to these types of devices.
Apple didn't invent the cellular phone. Henry Ford didn't invent the internal combustion engine either, nor did he invent chairs, or the wheel, or nearly all the other parts used to make the first car. But Henry Ford put a whole bunch of things together to form an automobile--which was an invention that changed the world forever.
Will the iPhone change the world forever? Who knows, though the iPod certianly has (notably, the iPod was not the first MP3 player either). But just like Henry Ford, Apple combined a whole bunch of other inventions into one item, made it work together, and added it's own group of inventions to the mix as well.
The iPhone is an animal unlike any other before its time. It has some aspects/features that no other cell phone ever did, and about a bazillion patents to prove it. It certianly counts as an invention. Is it the "Invention of the Year?" No. There were two things invented this year that FAR outshine the iPhone in terms of world-changing prowis. I could tell you what they are, but then I'd have to kill you.
For the same reason, the iPhone is hardly revolutionary. It just follows the trend that the portable consumer electronics industry has been following of late, integrating lots of features into one easy-to-use device. This thought process is what made the smart phone, which while new and exciting when the idea came out, hardly changed the world. Yes, Apple did it well, but that doesn't make it revolutionary more than it makes Henry Ford the inventor of the automobile.
By the way, he's credited with the invention of the assembly line. Also, when people developed cars, they didn't take all the parts neccessary and jam them together in a brand new car, they just added them one by one. Granted, I understood your point, but get your facts straight.
- you are right, and you contradict yourself
- by akira2 November 5, 2007 7:14 PM PST
- Henry Ford did not invent the gasoline automobile; it was Karl Benz. Henry Ford was famous because he utilized the production-line method to make his cars.
- Reply to this comment
-
Showing 1 of 9 pages (219 Comments)Get your facts straight.