I agree. I think the root of the problem lies in the broken patent system. It's very difficult to search through all the tens of thousands of patents, as well as attempting to interpret what it's all talking about and the limitations of such patents.
You're right - and it's also about US law not having an understanding of the difference between design and innovation. Adding narrow speakers to a portable device is not innovation, it is just designing a product to the shape that works. It is absolutely as lamentable as patenting a rectangular screen. The system is truly broken, and is rewarding rent-collectors at the expense of engineers. We need leadership from the very top to fix it, but will we get it?