I think I read that the issue is relatively new thanks to a software update (speculation in another thread, so questionable veracity). So perhaps a change that wasn’t flawed by itself but by bad luck combined with this radiation sensitivity to make the issue significant.

But also solar flares are kind of rare, especially on the stronger end, so easy to imagine bug reliant on them sitting idle for years.

I largely agree, software patents are a joke for sure.

Rectangle is obviously the standard shape of phone and had been since before mobile phones basically.

Rounding of corners is standard engineering practice, sharp edges are a weak point, rounding them off increases the overall strength.

What is described is not aesthetics or ornamentation, it’s an engineering imperative obvious in airplane windows, car windows, diaries (many have their corners rounded anticipating wear and tear), pockets (many pockets are rounded off instead of sharply square to prevent the corner failing).

Apple could perhaps argue nobody had rounded the corners as much as they did in earlier phones, without further altering the design beyond a rectangle. But that shouldn’t give them such a wide patent, a narrow patent on the specific shape would be sufficient.

Another way to put this. If the shape you’re trying to patent has a css property dedicated to it (corner-radius) it may not be sufficiently specific.