Pass the costs along

Let's be real. This is a drop in the bucket. $20 on a phone is not going to make or break the deal when they cost hundreds to buy outright. Most of the costs are absorbed by contracts and carriers will mostly eat the additional costs. Consumers don't lose because of this deal. Overall, we are talking about 1% of the cost of a phone over a 2-3 year contract -- pennies. Besides, passing on the costs is exactly what should happen. If consumers want the goods, let them pay for them. You don't need an iPhone. If you can't afford the $20 difference between the iPhone and the other brand, then buy the iPhone -- or choose the feature phone and get it for free! I say let Apple be rewarded by having their phones cost $20 less. It's a small victory for having revolutionized the mobile phone industry and given consumers a dramatically better experience with mobile technology in general. There is one sure winner in this and it's the consumer -- no doubt. Look at what they have in stores now!

The real losers in this verdict, if there are any, are the companies that just want to copy another company's innovations without the expense of research and development. I'm not an Apple fanboy by any measure. I have a macbook pro, but shifted to another maker for subsequent laptops and haven't got another apple product, but I still applaud Apple for taking this to court. For proving the value of research and development to the world. For insuring investments in technology and progress will be justly rewarded and for showing those who would rather let everyone else take those risks that their behavior won't stand in a just court of law. You have all been warned.

If you want to profit from a better world -- go create it! Innovate and design a better planet. Don't wait for someone else to do it. Get creative. That's exactly what Apple did and I'm glad they are being rewarded for that.

We need to reward more of that.