Apple Waiving License Fees For Mini DisplayPort Spec

Apple’s is attempting to drive up adoption of the Mini DisplayPort specification by offering free licensing for it.

Perhaps they learned from FireWire, which was slowed in its competition with USB in part due to licensing fees, or perhaps the folks at Apple just decided to be generous (we’ll gamble it was the former). Either way, developers who wish to create devices for the Mini-DP can now do so without any charge from Apple. Apple has already released products like the 24″ LED Cinema Display, which uses the Mini DisplayPort as its only connection. While the specification has not yet been widely adopted (neither has the larger standard DisplayPort, off of which Apple designed their miniature version), they are really pushing this now. With Apple’s skill in marketing, if they really want to get it done we imagine they’ll find a way. The connection has its pros but it remains to be seen if it will become the standard that Apple wants it to be. Apple has tried making mini connections before, such as Mini-VGA and Mini-DVI, and those, er, have yet to exactly take off. Via arstechnica ´