Apple surrenders to Creative

MAKER OF> entertainment gear, Apple has admitted that it didn't invent the iPod's hierarchical user interface and shelled out more than $100 million to settle a dispute with its rivals Creative.

The $100 million will give Apple a licence to a Creative patent that was used first in the Zen music players. Apple will drop a counter-suit which says that Creative nicked its iPod interface when it developed the Zen.

Creative filed for the patent on January 5, 2001 and thus beat Apple to the patent office.

As part of the agreement, Creative will be allowed to enter Apple's Made for iPod program as an authorised seller of iPod accessories. It can also put the "Made for iPod" logo to its speakers, headphones and other related products.

More at news.com, here. µ