In 2007, Jobs invented the touch-screen mobile phone. Why didn't he apply for a patent? Aren't Samsung, Xiaomi and HTC all plagiarized?

Patents are different. Patents like this have a short protection period. For example, if you invent a four-wheeled car and apply for a patent, it will be unfavorable for the research and development of the car if others want to pay for the production of a four-wheeled car in the future, so this kind of intellectual property protection is limited. You can view the details. Something like this.