Apple Targets Samsung With New Lawsuit Over 'Galaxy' Line

[MacRumors]

Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has filed a patent lawsuit against Samsung, targeting the Korean company's "Galaxy" line of Android-based smartphones and tablets.

The lawsuit, filed on April 15 in the Northern District of California, alleged that Samsung's smartphones, such as the "Galaxy S 4G," "Epic 4G," "Nexus S" and its "Galaxy Tab" touchscreen tablet, violated Apple's intellectual property.

"Rather than innovate and develop its own technology and a unique Samsung style for its smart phone products and computer tablets, Samsung chose to copy Apple's technology, user interface and innovative style in these infringing products," the lawsuit said.

Samsung is one of Apple's chief suppliers for its own iOS-based devices, with Samsung manufacturing Apple's A4 and A5 systems-on-a-chip as well as LCD displays, flash memory, and other components.

Samsung is one the companies pushing ahead most aggressively in the tablet market to compete against Apple's iPad, having already released a 7-inch "Galaxy Tab" and announced larger 8.9-inch and 10.1-inch versions set to launch within the next few months. The company is of course also a major player in the Android-based smartphone market.

Article Link: Apple Targets Samsung With New Lawsuit Over 'Galaxy' Line

[Eduardo1971]

Has Apple targeted other 'tablet' makers?

Wonder how long until they serve HP with a similar suit?

[MickyDees]

I guess I can see Apple's point. But, aren't all tablets going to have a similar style and interface? It would seem like there can be only marginal differences in a touch screen interface.

[Chris Blount]

Samsung will simply pay a hefty amount to Apple and we will never hear anything about this again.

[Phil A.]

I'm surprised it's taken this long, to be honest: I've thought for a long time that Samsung's phones in particular are pretty much a blatant rip-off of Apple's industrial design and user interface.
HTC have shown that they can produce an innovative and different interface with their Sense UI, but Samsung seem to just want to rip-off Apples look and feel

[dexthageek]

Here we go again! Stupid Lawyers

[TennisandMusic]

Ridiculous. Nothing is at all similar, aside from the bezel. But then if that's an "infringement" then all those digital picture frame makers can sue Apple for copying their "user interface". Honeycomb itself, the actual aspect ratio, none of that is similar. Get a grip Apple.

[SkippyThorson]

It always seems that Apple loves to sue suppliers of components in their own products. It's as if Apple is saying to Samsung, "Thanks for your support, now watch as we sue you, make money back from you, and essentially get our parts at a reduced cost; if not free."

[QuarterSwede]

Apple has to try to protect their IP or they risk losing it. What I wonder is why it took them so long to start lawsuits over this.

[ten-oak-druid]

Samsung will come up with actual numbers sold, not shipped, finally. Apple will see how few it is and drop the suit.

[dime21]

Originally Posted by TennisandMusic

Ridiculous. Nothing is at all similar, aside from the bezel. But then if that's an "infringement" then all those digital picture frame makers can sue Apple for copying their "user interface". Honeycomb itself, the actual aspect ratio, none of that is similar. Get a grip Apple.

x2, very lame move apple.

[dwd3885]

couldn't Samsung simply get back at Apple by NOT making Apple's stuff? I mean, come on.

[Andronicus]

Release the hounds

[Stridder44]

Originally Posted by QuarterSwede

Apple has to try to protect their IP or they risk losing it. What I wonder is why it took them so long to start lawsuits over this.

They don't already have the IP? Suing company and people for the heck of it seems like a broken system to me.

[QuarterSwede]

Originally Posted by dwd3885

couldn't Samsung simply get back at Apple by NOT making Apple's stuff? I mean, come on.

And risk losing a crap load of business? Yeah right. No one is that spitefully stupid but Apple.

[Phil A.]

Originally Posted by TennisandMusic

Ridiculous. Nothing is at all similar, aside from the bezel. But then if that's an "infringement" then all those digital picture frame makers can sue Apple for copying their "user interface". Honeycomb itself, the actual aspect ratio, none of that is similar. Get a grip Apple.

Have you looked at the TouchWiz UI? It's almost identical to iOS - dock at the bottom, pages of icons in a grid and you even remove applications in the same way as you do on the iPhone. I've nothing at all against competition for iOS, but they shouldn't just rip the design off

[chrmjenkins]

Pretty textbook case of biting the hand that feeds you here, even if Samsung business units are separated.

[fswmacguy]

Originally Posted by Andronicus

Release the hounds

Or what? You'll release the dogs? Or the bees? Or the dogs with bees in their mouth and when they bark they shoot bees at you?

[QuarterSwede]

Originally Posted by Stridder44

They don't already have the IP? Suing company and people for the heck of it seems like a broken system to me.

They have patents but they HAVE to pursue infringers or they can lose the rights to the patents. That's why you see so many patent lawsuits. Unfortunately, that's just how the system works (in very basic terms).

[BuffyzDead]

Only in Business where two companies that are active partners, as Samsung is a major Vendor to Apple, can they this happen.

Of Course Apple is right to sue.

I always imagined that when Apple sends over all the blueprints, for the technologies/products that Apple asks Samsung to build, those Blueprints go right to Samsung R&D. To copy and learn from.

[likemyorbs]

Wow apple is way out of line here, this is not right. That's like if the first company to create a netbook sued every other company who made a netbook afterward.

[PeterQVenkman]

Originally Posted by fswmacguy

Or what? You'll release the dogs? Or the bees? Or the dogs with bees in their mouth and when they bark they shoot bees at you?

[notjustjay]

Originally Posted by Phil A.

Have you looked at the TouchWiz UI? It's almost identical to iOS - dock at the bottom, pages of icons in a grid and you even remove applications in the same way as you do on the iPhone. I've nothing at all against competition for iOS, but they shouldn't just rip the design off

Looking at the TouchWiz UI, I see your point.

But, at what point does an interface become too generic? For example, the concept of pages of icons in a grid isn't really new or innovative. The concept of swiping across screens is simple and intuitive and should be standardized
(e.g. copied) for that exact reason. Should other phone makers put the icons in a circle, "just because" they need to be different? Should they force you to do something differently just because the best and most intuitive way was "already taken"?

Everyone loves car analogies, so: what if Ford decided to sue other carmakers because they copied their steering wheel design? Would other companies have been forced to adopt other types of controls -- joysticks or dials or foot pedals, perhaps -- "just because"? And would that have been good for the auto industry?

[notabadname]

It really does look like a clone, but more importantly (I'm guessing), Samsung, as Apple's screen supplier, has an inside angle on replicating the all-important touch screen interface.

[acslater017]

Originally Posted by dwd3885

couldn't Samsung simply get back at Apple by NOT making Apple's stuff? I mean, come on.

It's a two-way relationship. By "getting back" at Apple, they'd probably be giving up their biggest customer.

All of these companies are interconnected. They support each other when it's beneficial, they attack when it's beneficial. The "wars" between game consoles, HD discs, and other competitions make strange bedfellows...