Lawsuit forces HyperMac to cease sale of Apple-patented charging cables
Computer accessory maker HyperMac has announced that it will cease the sale of patented MagSafe MacBook charging cables on Nov. 2, 2010, in response to a lawsuit from Apple.
Sanho, the parent company of HyperMac, made the announcement on its website Monday. The letter to customers was also utilized in an effort to generate some final sales, with the Nov. 2 deadline being pitched as a "last call" for purchases.
"While we will continue to sell the same batteries together with the rest of our product line after November 2nd, they will not be able to charge MacBooks without the cables," the accessory maker wrote. The official deadline is at midnight on Nov. 2, Pacific Time.
As first revealed by AppleInsider in September, Apple has sued Sanho Corporation over alleged violation of patents it owns related to MagSafe cables, as well as cables that use the iPod 30-pin connection. The Sunnyvale, Calif., corporation has been accused of infringing on six MagSafe- and iPod-related patents.
Instead of mimicking Apple's patented MagSafe connectors, Sanho's products rely on official MagSafe products actually manufactured by Apple. The company previously touted that its use of those official products ensured "maximum compatibility."
Named in the suit were the company's magnetic power adapters, known as MBP-PRO, MBP-AIR and a MacBook car charger dubbed MBP-CAR. The suit also singles out chargers for the iOS ecosystem of devices, including the "HyperMac Nano," "HyperMac Micro" and "HyperMac Mini" products.
The HyperMac product line includes a number of small, portable external batteries that can provide extra power to portable devices on the go. Apple, in its official complaint with a U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California, said it notified Sanho of its alleged infringement via three official letters sent in 2010, before the complaint was filed.
The patents cited by in the suit are:
U.S. Patent No. 7,517,222 - "Magnetic Connector for Electronic Device"
U.S. Patent No. D618,189 - "Connector"
U.S. Patent No. 7,627,343 - "Media Player System"
U.S. Patent No. 7,751,853 - "Female Receptacle Data Pin Connector"
U.S. Patent No. 7,783,070 - "Cable Adapter for a Media Player System"
U.S. Patent No. D588,545 - "Connectors"
Sanho, the parent company of HyperMac, made the announcement on its website Monday. The letter to customers was also utilized in an effort to generate some final sales, with the Nov. 2 deadline being pitched as a "last call" for purchases.
"While we will continue to sell the same batteries together with the rest of our product line after November 2nd, they will not be able to charge MacBooks without the cables," the accessory maker wrote. The official deadline is at midnight on Nov. 2, Pacific Time.
As first revealed by AppleInsider in September, Apple has sued Sanho Corporation over alleged violation of patents it owns related to MagSafe cables, as well as cables that use the iPod 30-pin connection. The Sunnyvale, Calif., corporation has been accused of infringing on six MagSafe- and iPod-related patents.
Instead of mimicking Apple's patented MagSafe connectors, Sanho's products rely on official MagSafe products actually manufactured by Apple. The company previously touted that its use of those official products ensured "maximum compatibility."
Named in the suit were the company's magnetic power adapters, known as MBP-PRO, MBP-AIR and a MacBook car charger dubbed MBP-CAR. The suit also singles out chargers for the iOS ecosystem of devices, including the "HyperMac Nano," "HyperMac Micro" and "HyperMac Mini" products.
The HyperMac product line includes a number of small, portable external batteries that can provide extra power to portable devices on the go. Apple, in its official complaint with a U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California, said it notified Sanho of its alleged infringement via three official letters sent in 2010, before the complaint was filed.
The patents cited by in the suit are:
U.S. Patent No. 7,517,222 - "Magnetic Connector for Electronic Device"
U.S. Patent No. D618,189 - "Connector"
U.S. Patent No. 7,627,343 - "Media Player System"
U.S. Patent No. 7,751,853 - "Female Receptacle Data Pin Connector"
U.S. Patent No. 7,783,070 - "Cable Adapter for a Media Player System"
U.S. Patent No. D588,545 - "Connectors"
Comments
1st comment w00t... Being 1st here only bright spot in an otherwise f**** miserable day for me.
Monoprice has also dropped its products with 30-pin connectors. You can still get cheap chargers but they just have the generic USB connector on them now, you have to supply your own cable.
Its a shame. And apple was dong so well there for a while.
I think that wall street should brace itself for a serious decline in earnings as soon as this gets out.
Is this a joke? This is going to have absolutely no noticeable effect whatsoever on Apple.
However, it does make you realise that Apple can be real c*nts sometimes.
Is this a joke? This is going to have absolutely no noticeable effect whatsoever on Apple.
However, it does make you realise that Apple can be real c*nts sometimes.
So to get to be a global moderator isn't based on common sense (recognizing an obvious joke) and making sound, well thought out comments using respectful English?
I'm sure Psystar can use their expertise.
This should have been done a long time ago. HM is taking legitimate power cables, cutting off a part of it, and adapting it to their battery. Nevermind the part about the Made-4-Mac program, how about the liability. If something goes wrong with your Mac as a result of these cables, who do you think is on the hook for repairs? Not HM.
I'm sure Psystar can use their expertise.
Yep, one of the more ballsy attempts to jump on the Apple success bandwagon. They'd fit right in there with the Psystar team for sure!
So to get to be a global moderator isn't based on common sense (recognizing an obvious joke) and making sound, well thought out comments using respectful English?
I don't like Mr. H either. Of course it could be because he bans me from time to time. Hi everyone. I'm back!
So to get to be a global moderator isn't based on common sense (recognizing an obvious joke)
Obviously you are not familiar with how stupid some people can be. I clearly indicated that I suspected (hoped?) that it was a joke, but I have often seen people make similar statements with all sincerity.
Obviously you are not familiar with how stupid some people can be. I clearly indicated that I suspected (hoped?) that it was a joke, but I have often seen people make similar statements with all sincerity.
You should quote in full, not to suit your reply. It was the second paragraph I found most out of character.
Trust me I am used to how 'less than intelligent' ppl can be here.
Not trying to upset you honestly. I am on a crusade to try to bring civility to AI ...
Obviously you are not familiar with how stupid some people can be. I clearly indicated that I suspected (hoped?) that it was a joke, but I have often seen people make similar statements with all sincerity.
I don't know Mr. H. You can be a bit judgmental and inflexible at times. And such negativity in your post.
Also, isn't name calling forbidden here? If so, you shouldn't refer to people as stupid.
Really pointless lawsuit and bad outcome.
Well done apple lawer vermin - what a great victory....
I mean its not like apple let you replace batteries on long flights now anyway with the built-in battery design...
Someone at work was considering a MacBook. I had him 99% sold until we got to the non removable battery. I gave him all the Steve jobs' arguments (better battery life, better design, think different, etc) but in the end I lost him. A non removable battery is just too weird for a lot of people.
Glad I have an older MacBook with a removable battery, matte screen and firewire. I hope it lasts forever.
I don't know Mr. H. You can be a bit judgmental
That's the whole point of being a moderator, isn't it
And such negativity in your post.
I'm entitled to my opinion. And my opinion is that in this case Apple are being c*nts.
If so, you shouldn't refer to people as stupid.
I didn't single anyone out. The fact is that a lot of people are stupid and a lot of them post on forums like this.
Someone at work was considering a MacBook. I had him 99% sold until we got to the non removable battery. I gave him all the Steve jobs' arguments (better battery life, better design, think different, etc) but in the end I lost him. A non removable battery is just too weird for a lot of people.
Glad I have an older MacBook with a removable battery, matte screen and firewire. I hope it lasts forever.
Well, I currently get around 8 hours battery life on my MacBook Pro. My old Powerbook used to get around 3-4 hours on a good day.
The way I see it is that for most flights or business trips I'm good to go on the battery that Apple supplies. I accept that this will not suit everyone but the amount of PC users out there who clamour for a removable battery purely out of habbit because hey their current pc notebook running Windows only gets 3 hours battery life and they are used to swapping batteries is crazy.
Why? I mean these battery packs are great for long haul flights - just great devices. I mean its not like apple let you replace batteries on long flights now anyway with the built-in battery design
Really pointless lawsuit and bad outcome.
Well done apple lawer vermin - what a great victory....
Have you never been on a decent carriers jet ?
Every single flight I have taken internationally has had some kind of plug in for a laptop all the way back though coach seating.
I am not saying this is a bad product, however the argument of needing it on a flight is senseless.
Why did they just not license the connector/s from Apple in the first place.
I accept that this will not suit everyone but the amount of PC users out there who clamour for a removable battery purely out of habbit because hey their current pc notebook running Windows only gets 3 hours battery life and they are used to swapping batteries is crazy.
It could be habit that scared my friend off of getting a MacBook. People are used to doing things a certain way for many years and Apple comes up with a different way which freaks people out.
Personally I don't have an issue with an improved battery, but I still think the non removable part was unnecessary and either a way to get you into the store or a way to keep you from tossing old batteries into the landfill.