did MS patent livetiles on mobiles?

[anon(5969054)]

After reading:
Larger Sized iPhone 6 Will Need Widgets or Live Tiles | MobilityDigest
I got a little worried.. What if Apple simply copies livetiles? Then the whole exclusive feel of WP is gone.
Is it possible that Apple or Google copies livetiles? How well did MS protect them? Did they patent them? And if so, is it possible for Apple or Android to make something similar that isn't within patent constraints you think?

 

[rockstarzzz]

If Apple wants it, they will do it. They don't give a damn about patents. They will pay off MSFT in licenses if they have to. They would do anything that they think is catching on and then iSheeps will call it an Apple invention. That's how they roll.

 

[ohgood]

how about no tiles, icons, or anything?

I've never understood the want for 100 icons (OK, widgets/ tiles, whatever) or animations anyway.

just let ME do the customizing and get out of the way

 

[supping]

how about no tiles, icons, or anything?

I've never understood the want for 100 icons (OK, widgets/ tiles, whatever) or animations anyway.

just let ME do the customizing and get out of the way

Because the UI has to be user friendly. Smartphone OS's are mass market products, you know.

 

[rockstarzzz]

how about no tiles, icons, or anything?

I've never understood the want for 100 icons (OK, widgets/ tiles, whatever) or animations anyway.

just let ME do the customizing and get out of the way

That my friend is an excellent patentable idea! I can already visualise this.

Have just one wallpaper and different gestures and different taps on that wallpaper call in your favourite apps - this OS will surely work for people who aren't app-munchers. Left swipe to open facebook, right swipe to open twitter, swipe from top to open settings and notifications, swipe from bottom to open messages and emails, double tap in centre to open phone, draw a circle to open camera, draw a square to open instagram blah blah blah - all customizable!

 

[ohgood]

Because the UI has to be user friendly. Smartphone OS's are mass market products, you know.

see 'app drawer'

the icons in wp (OK, tiles, whatever) could be on the next screen, and you could see your beautiful kids/dog/airplane/whatever on the first, with your favorite semi transparent apps nearby.

it's not hard to imagine, if you've been around the mass marketed smartphones lately.