Apple Case Muddies the Future of Innovations

Apple’s victory gives its rivals a kick in the pants to create more original products. Whether consumers respond by buying the more distinctive devices is another question entirely.

Consider the case of Windows Phone, Microsoft’s operating system for smartphones, which looks almost nothing like the Apple software for iPhones and iPads. Reviewers have praised Windows Phone for its fresh, distinctive design, with bold typography and a tile system for using phone functions. But the phones, including the Lumia 900 from Nokia, have not sold well. People across the technology industry have expressed concerns about the future of innovation after a nine-person jury ruled in Apple’s favor. For Apple and executives at other companies in Silicon Valley that emphasize distinctive design, the verdict was a welcome validation of the effort they put into making and protecting technologies that create original user experiences.