Comments on: Apple wins iTunes interface patent

The Mac maker wins a patent for the interface of its iTunes music software, underscoring the growing importance of the multimedia business for the company.

[rodgerson]

Real Player...Patents?

What on earth would Real patent if they wanted to? Have they
done anything innovative with interfaces or software ever? Ok,
that's a bit harsh. No. No it's not.

David

[mhoskins]

Apple...Innovation?

I think the point is that the RealPlayer is the same thing that Media Player, Winamp, XMMS, and various others are: software that plays digital media files. Apple received a patent on something that had prior art, was obvious (with a connection to a central download server), and was not at all novel for its time. The only requirement it actually does fit for a patent is that of usefulness, since it is now the best software and service of its type. Pretty much fits the bill for most of Apple's patents, and most software patents in the US, for that matter.

[smkatz]

with all due respect

They won an Editor's Choice award for an interface combining effectively a browser and a media player, in 3 panes. It also had jukebox software. No other software had all these features. It was a joy to be able to click a media link in RealOne's browser and have it load.

You can see this very effectively with Real's new Movielink deal. Download a Real formatted movie directly from RealPlayer. Store it in your library for 30 days, and play it instantly. (I think you can only play it for a day.) That's the MPAA's fault. Real has streamlined the process.