Patent Dispute Blocks iPhone Skype In Canada
from the progress? dept
There's been a lot of buzz this week over a version of Skype finally being released for the iPhone (though, the fact that it's limited to only WiFi connections, rather than cellular ones is annoying, if expected). However, it turns out that Canadian iPhone users are discovering that their iPhones are blocked from using the new iPhone Skype, apparently due to some sort of "patent-licensing issue" related to the codec that Skype uses. The company isn't revealing much (and the link above includes a workaround for Canadians desperate to use Skype on their iPhones), but that's what you get when you end up using patented technology in your products. It makes it that much more difficult to actually offer your product in a variety of markets.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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Jeez your slow--you work in government, right? Or as a legal "professional"...?
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This patent already stifled a creative thing from being unleashed. There is no encouragement.
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so it doesn't matter if some1 can create an alternative codec that skype could use. (that would only take care of any copyright issue). So a new codec that doese the same thing would fall under the same patent.
in the example already stated: how can i re-invent a wheel since it exists already?
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@Evil Mike: Don't think of it as wheels, think of it as tires. There are plenty of companies making tires, you aren't forced to use one. Skype could have chosen a codec that was either in the public domain, or on GPL, or similar. It isn't like there is only one Codec out there. You make it sound like they don't have options.
Anyway, what would they do if someone hadn't invented this codec for them? THEY WOULD MAKE THEIR OWN. They just need to stop being lazy and using shortcuts and either fish or cut bait.
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Skype and the iPhone in Canada
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Wi-fi only might be annoying...
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http://www.zbooc.com/search.aspx?keyword=use%20skype
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Skypein alternatives
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[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Skypein alternatives
Visit the site http://www.flexyphone.com to order your Free Accessory, along with a virtual number from any country and replace your home phone with a FREE Voip service today.
Flexyphone.com is the SkypeIn numbers provider for many countries, including: SkypeIn Canada, SkypeIn Netherlands, SkypeIn Spain, SkypeIn Portugal, SkypeIn Belgium, SkypeIn Greece, SkypeIn Italy, SkypeIn isreal, SkypeIn Russia, SkypeIn Australia, and many more countries...
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