When you create something worthy, don’t you want it to be the only one in the world? Software and hardware making companies create new technologies every day, so it’s clear why they try to keep everyone away from their discoveries by creating patents on them.

Patent wars are among the most discussed topics right now, but the truth is — no company likes them (naturally!). Not so long ago Apple CEO Tim Cook said in an interview that patent wars are a pain in the ass. Unfortunately, the patent system isn’t flawless — even judges agree with this. As Judge Richard Posner has said, the patent system is a mess, and the same patent case can be ruled differently in different countries. For example, a few days ago in the U.K. Judge Christopher Floyd said that HTC did not violate 4 Apple patents.

If you are unaware, this patent lawsuit was filed by Apple against HTC and it included 4 patents referring to slide-to-unlock, a photo management app, alphabets changing and multi-touch functionality on the touchscreen. The judge said HTC didn’t violate the slide-to-unlock patent, plus, two of the aforementioned patents including the slide-to-unlock are not valid. The only valid patent is the one that refers to the photo management app.

The same case will be heard in Germany later this year, and we can’t say what the German judges will decide. This is a common practice, so do not be surprised if the German court makes a verdict in favor of Apple.

Both sides of the controversy have commented on this case. HTC spokesman said, “We remain disappointed that Apple continues to favor competition in the courtroom over competition in the marketplace,” while Apple’s message reads as follow, “Competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours.”

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