Update: Does anyone know precisely what it is that Apple has patented? The Apple Blog seems to suggest they were granted a sweeping, all-inclusive patent on anything multi-touch, but PC Magazine hints that it was somewhat more specific and has only really protected the pinch-and-zoom feature. Does anyone have a clarification on this?

The Apple Blog has an essay in defense of Apple’s recently approved multi-touch patent. As an inventor it would be nice to have multi-touch available without a license from Apple, but it was hard to argue with this paragraph:

“…[W]hy put in the massive amounts of time, money and effort to truly innovate — and put up with all your competitors mocking and ridiculing it until the product becomes a huge hit — only to watch them change their tune and just start ripping it off? The incentive is that if you take those huge risks (does anyone not appreciate what a risk this was for Apple?) you’ll get rewarded by being afforded some level of protection. That potential reward encourages innovation, it doesn’t kill it. In fact, it’s a major reason for the patent system in the first place.”

So remember, if you’re upset by the multi-touch patent, just go out there and invent something better. Thanks to the patent system, you’ll get your reward (even if you can’t have multi-touch on everything in sight).