Former Triangle tech entrepreneur Vivek Wadhwa, now an academic, says in a new Washington Post column that he hopes Apple loses in the forthcoming appeal of its victory over Samsung in the smartphone and tablet patent dispute.
A California jury awarded Apple more than $1 billion, but Wadhwa sees dangers in Apple’s victory.
“In my new Washington Post column, I weigh in on the Apple-Samsung lawsuit,” Wadhwa wrote to colleagues in an e-mail.
“I discuss how Apple’s victory could be its curse—doom it to go the way of Microsoft and RIM. Competition is the best catalyst for innovation, after all.”
In the column, Wadhwa writes:
“I have to admit, I’m a huge Apple fan. I’ve bought practically every Apple device ever made. I am usually one of those in line the first day Apple releases a new product, and I own Apple stock.
“That said, I hope that Apple loses if Samsung appeals — as they are expected to do.
“Here’s why: I am worried about the future of innovation—not only in Silicon Valley, but also at Apple. Another Apple victory will escalate the patent wars and cause more innovative startups to get trampled while tech-industry titans battle each other. Another patent victory could also cause Apple to become complacent – just as Microsoft was at the height of its Windows monopoly. Innovation requires a thriving ecosystem – one in which companies build on each other’s ideas and where they are forced to continually reinvent themselves.”
Wadhwa is a Fellow, Arthur & Toni Rembe Rock Center for Corporate Governance, Stanford University, Vice President of Innovation and Research, Singularity University, Director of Research, Center for Entrepreneurship and Research Commercialization and Exec in Residence, Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Distinguished Visiting Scholar, Halle Institute of Global Learning, Emory University, and a columnist for the Washington Post and Bloomberg BusinessWeek.
