Patents are often looked on with disdain by consumers and other businesses. The problem is that many patents that are approved are for technologies that were already around or not new. This leaves firms that have been producing products similar to a newly issued patent open for suit.

Many are feeling that this is the case with the patent Apple was granted on multi-touch and gesture control for computers and mobile phones. Multi-touch and gesture control are commonly used in the technology world. I wondered yesterday if Apple’s new patent would send the company on a crusade of legal action against everyone who is using multi-touch in their products.

One of the firms that could be affected by the Apple patent is Palm with its unreleased Pre handset. The Pre makes use of multi-touch and gesture control. Laptop Magazine talked to a Palm spokesperson and according to Palm, it’s not worried about Apple. Palm says that should legal action occur, it feels it is on strong ground. Palm also says that it has no reason to think the patent will delay the launch of its handset. I think Palm and Apple are virtually guaranteed a day in court over the topic.

Laptop Magazine