Pre-iPod pioneer saves Apple's butt

Muck · Sep 8, 2008

In 1979 Kane Kramer from Hertfordshire filed a patent for a digital music player that stored just three and a half minutes of music to a solid state chip - limiting media options to just one short song.

Nonetheless, a company was set up by Kramer to bring the IXI to a commercial release, but it slipped into the public domain in 1988 when the firm failed to raise the £60,000 needed to renew international patents.

Because of this patent lapse, Kramer has received no money from the sale of any of the 163 million iPods Apple has so far sold
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Basically Apple was getting sued by another company in a patent case. So they brought in this guy to testify on their behalf.

Title is a bit misleading, as this guy was decades ahead of his time for MP3 players in general, not just the iPod. But clearly, Apple realizes they owe him a great deal.

After ten hours of deposition from the Briton the case was settled out of court. Kramer is now in talks with the company to agree on a compensation package, giving credit to the man for his design which was years ahead of its time.
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PC Pro: News: iPod roots traced back to 1970s UK

gafinfan · Sep 9, 2008

That is fantastic, way to go Apple!!

Tone_E · Sep 30, 2008

gafinfan said:

That is fantastic, way to go Apple!!
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Why? It is a PR move. If they really cared, we wouldn't even know about it.

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Pre-iPod pioneer saves Apple's butt

Muck Throwback Uniform Crusader Retired Administrator

gafinfan gunner Club Member

Tone_E Season Ticket Holder Club Member

Share This Page