Indie iOS developers hit by patent infringement threat regarding in-app purchases
Worrying times for iOS indie devs:
James Thomson (PCalc, DragThing):
Just got hit by very worrying threat of patent infringement lawsuit for using in-app purchase in PCalc Lite. Legal docs arrived via fedex.
To be clear, I haven’t been sued yet – I’ve been told that I am infringing their patent, they want me to license it, and I have 21 days.
Anyone else get a patent threat via FedEx for in-app purchase use in their iOS app? So far @jamesthomson and I got hit.
I think it’s safe to say that these won’t be isolated incidents and some fuckwit patent troll is now going after indie devs, hoping they’ll cough up money rather than risk their business. Of course, going after the enabler of in-app purchases—Apple—is a bit riskier for a troll; it’s much better to threaten guys who can’t afford to fight back.
This reminds me of when muppet ex-games dev Tim Langdell smacked down any iOS developer who had the audacity to use ‘edge’ in a game’s title. (Full story: ChaosEdge.) In that case, EA decided to use its powers for good, ‘protected’ indie devs and fought in part on their behalf (EA itself was also threatened, due to its Mirror’s Edge game, but nonetheless assisted Mobigame and others), eventually winning the day by getting Langell’s marks removed.
For IAP, another champion is needed, who will immediately state they will fight the case on everyone’s behalf. Whether that’s Apple (which would make most sense) or some other huge company with a vested interest in IAPs doesn’t matter: what matters is someone fights this, or it’s game over for a massive chunk of iOS development and its thriving indie community.
Update: The nature of this threat is, according to sources, “wide ranging”, and there’s speculation it could target more than just Apple, but any platform with content downloaded in the same manner as IAP.
Update 2: Cult of Mac claims Lodsys, LLC is the company threatening indie devs, by way of a 2003 patent. MacRumors adds that further developers are revealing that they’ve been threatened.
Update 3: Wired reports that Lodsys are also suing the Pocket God developers.
As much as I hate patent trolls I despise IAP. (Not least because of what it does to the free and top grossing charts as you’ve already brought up).
Oh I’m torn.
@Dudley: Bear in mind these idiots are going after IAP first, but there’s every chance they will hit other services that offer download services, including the likes of Steam. This is an opening salvo, not the battle. I hope Apple Legal rises up and blows these trolls to oblivion.
Also, IAP can be misused, but it’s not by people like Thomson. He’s one of the good guys, and he certainly doesn’t deserve this.