How Patent Trolls Are Threatening App Developers Worldwide
Discover how patent trolls impact app creators globally and the challenges they face in major markets.
App developers warn that costly legal battles can easily consume all their earnings.
Mobile app creators for platforms like iOS and Android are increasingly removing their apps from major US app stores due to fears of patent infringement lawsuits. Companies such as Lodsys (USA) and Kootol Software (India) have been aggressively targeting developers in Europe and the United States with legal claims over alleged patent violations.
Patent holders in the United States have shifted their focus toward profiting from individual developers through litigation and intellectual property infringement accusations. Legal proceedings are often unaffordable for developers, even when they have strong cases to prove their innocence. As a result, many mobile app creators feel that the high risks make their business models unprofitable in the US market.
Fearing costly lawsuits, developers are pulling their apps from the US App Store — the largest marketplace worldwide.
This issue also poses challenges for tech giants like Apple, Google, and Microsoft. These companies cannot fully protect developers from patent infringement claims related to unauthorized use of patented technologies. While smartphone manufacturers may hold licenses from software creators, this does not shield individual app developers from legal actions.
Some accusations, such as those from Kootol Software, may lack merit. This Indian company has filed patent applications in the US, Europe, India, and Canada for a technology related to news feed operation. They seek damages from major players including Microsoft, Apple, Yahoo, Google, IBM, Research in Motion, LinkedIn, and MySpace. However, evidence suggests that the technology was in use before Kootol filed its patent application.
Despite varying circumstances, the core problem remains unresolved. Independent app developers often face patent litigation alone, risking their businesses. Many are choosing to cease operations in the US to safeguard their existing earnings. It would be beneficial for the US government to reform legislation to curb the aggressive practices of patent trolls, who currently operate with relative ease in the country.
[Source: The Guardian]
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