Microsoft May Get To Wet Their Beak On The iPod

This has got to have Steve Jobs pounding the walls. Apple Computer and Microsoft were both working on portable music players in 2001 and 2002. Apple released their first iPod in November 2001, but did not file a provisional patent claim until July 2002. In the meantime, Microsoft filed a patent in May 2002 that covered, among other things, the song menu software. In July, the Patent Office rejected Apple's claim, saying the ideas were similar to the earlier Microsoft patent! What does it all mean? Apple could end up owing Microsoft millions of dollars in royalties. Not millions of dollars...hundreds of millions. Apple is projected to sell their 35 millionth iPod this year. This should be an interesting story to follow in the next few months...
---o0o---