Google crippling Droid's Multi-touch in the US for fear of Apple's lawyers?

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 2:00pm — Seth Weintraub

"iDon't do multi-touch"

This one from Gealog might be a typing error but it seems a bit conspicuous. Motorola Droid for Europe (A.K.A. the Milestone) lists pinch-and-zoom as one of the features in the Interface section. The U.S. Web site for the Droid does not list pinch-and-zoom as one of the features in the Interface section. Is Google still afraid to enable full multi-touch on Android (in the US) based on the fact that Apple asked them not to. Or is Apple legal doing the asking? Or Elan? Or even Palm?

( Filed Under:

iPhone - iPod

)

Comments

Software is not patentable in

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 2:39pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

Software is not patentable in Europe.

What do we think of this ...

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 2:39pm — phil (not verified)

We think your Photoshop skills suck rocks.

haha for real.

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 3:43pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

If you guys need graphics help let me know, I'll do it on the cheap

Thanks for not Photoshopping

Tue, 11/03/2009 - 7:23am — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

Thanks for not Photoshopping off the index finger... That could've been embarrassing. It make you wonder though; If a man loses his index finger in a boating accident, does he flip people off with the finger that was previously the middle finger, or with his ring finger?

Thanks for not Photoshopping

Tue, 11/03/2009 - 7:23am — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

Patents?

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 2:43pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

When the original iPhone was announced Steve made a comment about how they patented the hell out of it. Yet 2 1/2 years later I haven't really seen Apple do anything to defend the patents. Many devices have multitouch (Pre?) and other features that originally I thought were iPhone exclusives due to patents.
Time will tell I guess.

the Pre is not a threat- why

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 3:51pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

the Pre is not a threat- why run the risk of bringing the ire of the consumer towards you when you can just let market forces kill Palm. Google is too large to be affected, so it just gets disabled.

I'm curious if Verizon made

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 3:12pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

I'm curious if Verizon made an error by putting "multi touch" as a feature of the Droid on the Droid Does website, right under "Turn-By-Turn Nav."

So we'll still be able to

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 3:46pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

So we'll still be able to activate multitouch using some custom ROM's, right? Just like the G1?

Verizon

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 4:20pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

Verizon has downloads your first app for you - a BING search paid for by MS that you cannot remove - bwhahaha open source ...

no voice and data

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 4:22pm — gus (not verified)

do you guys realize no voice and data on verizons so called 3G - more like 2.5G. If you get a call while sending an email the call goes to voicemail or the email stops until the call ends, maps stop working and you can't look up anything on the web... for me that is a deal breaker.

Yeah, I saw that a little

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 6:58pm — the Cappy (not verified)

Yeah, I saw that a little while ago. For sure, if Apple had somehow gone with Verizon, this would be a never-ending source of complaints (and my voice would be right in there, loud and strong). But they went with AT&T, so people obviously have to hate AT&T instead (where I complain just a little bit but mostly shrug). And we generally don't like to bring up points that undermine our core thesis, donchaknow :)

Oh come on now. Ya'll aren't

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 4:44pm — BoyBlue (not verified)

Oh come on now. Ya'll aren't going to blame this on AT&T?
har har

Patents

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 6:49pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

Patents are a reality of business. Nokia is suing Apple for supposed violations of their patents. We all might hate patents, but they exist. As a business with shareholders, you're obligated to maximize the value of your patents.

Gus, Do you realize that if

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 6:58pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

Gus,

Do you realize that if you get a call while using 3G data, your phone will still ring and you can still answer it? The data stream is paused. Since AT&T's data pauses all the time, it shouldn't even be a big deal for you.

Yes, and a software update to

Mon, 11/02/2009 - 7:09pm — 9to5Mac Noob (not verified)

Yes, and a software update to Verizon's equipment remove that one limitation sometime next year.

http://www.evdoinfo.com/content/view/2861/64/

errors

Tue, 11/03/2009 - 9:17am — Gazoobee (not verified)

The article is wrong in a couple of ways. First, multi-touch has only been (badly), *added* to the European version by Motorola. Nothing to do with Google at all.

Secondly, Apple hasn't been *granted* the patents on multi-touch yet (at least last I heard), so the lawsuits won't start until that happens anyway.

Third, while most experts agree that the "pinch to zoom" patent (which is really all we are talking about here), will likely be granted, it's a very specific implementation of pinch to zoom.

This particular (Motorola) implementation is different (it's jerky and doesn't take effect until you lift your fingers by all accounts), and would presumably pass anyway because it's so suck-ily done.

Wrong finger

Tue, 11/03/2009 - 11:31am — ulfoaf

Should have left the middle. Looks like they are sticking us all the bird in both forms!

Driod Does Multi touch here is how

Sun, 11/08/2009 - 2:26pm — Andrew Zarian (not verified)

I love my Droid im coming from a Windows Mobile phone and I have Horrible Battery Life. I just learned that you can turn off apps and that the phone has Multi touch .. So exciting lol I made a video showing everyone how to do it also if your interested .. Hope it helps some people out
http://www.guysfromqueens.com/?p=765