As noted by Mac Otakara, Japanese firm ACCESS today announced [Google translation] that Apple has agreed to license a set of patents related to Palm's smartphone technology. ACCESS acquired the patents when it purchased PalmSource in 2005.

ACCESS notes that the portfolio of patents, which was licensed to Samsung in 2011, includes intellectual property from Palm, PalmSource, Bell Communications Research, and Geoworks.

access_banner
The press release from ACCESS indicates that it will record roughly 1 billion yen ($10 million) in revenue for the quarter as part of the deal, which closed on March 31. ACCESS will evaluate the impact of the deal on the following quarter and full fiscal year and will revise its earnings forecast appropriately.

Top Rated Comments

nicmr Avatar
147 months ago
doesn't specifically said what kind of patent apple is buying, which makes me curious.

but 10 million dollar for the patent must be an important one.

There's a portfolio of patents.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
IzzyJG99 Avatar
147 months ago
Remember when this was awesome?



I kind of miss palm. I still have my Tungsten E.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
firewood Avatar
147 months ago
Palm developed the first popular handheld tablets and smartphones that sold millions of devices, years before the iPhone (but after the Newton). Thus Palm patented tons of stuff in that area.

Lots of mobile app developers started out doing apps for PalmOS. PilotGear/PalmGear was the big app Store.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
spazzcat Avatar
147 months ago
doesn't specifically said what kind of patent apple is buying, which makes me curious.

but 10 million dollar for the patent must be an important one.

They are not even buying they are licensing for that amount.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tankmaze Avatar
147 months ago
doesn't specifically said what kind of patent apple is buying, which makes me curious.

but 10 million dollar for the patent must be an important one.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonAppleSeed Avatar
147 months ago
Apple should just buy them, then revoke the licenses from Samsung.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Production Will Reportedly Begin Ramping Up in October

Tuesday July 23, 2024 2:00 pm PDT by
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
iPhone 17 Plus Feature

iPhone 17 Lineup Specs Detail Display Upgrade and New High-End Model

Monday July 22, 2024 4:33 am PDT by
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Generic iPhone 17 Feature With Full Width Dynamic Island

Kuo: Ultra-Thin iPhone 17 to Feature A19 Chip, Single Rear Camera, Semi-Titanium Frame, and More

Wednesday July 24, 2024 9:06 am PDT by
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Less Than Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Thursday July 25, 2024 5:43 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
icloud private relay outage

iCloud Private Relay Experiencing Outage

Thursday July 25, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...