Samsung Seemingly Unconcerned Over Apple Lawsuit, Hints Dispute Could Continue to Escalate

[MacRumors]

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal discussing Samsung's push to embrace Android for its future tablet products, Samsung's president of mobile communications J.K. Shin notes that the company is seemingly unconcerned over Apple's lawsuit alleging that Samsung has copied the design and technology of the iPhone and iPad with its products. Shin does note, however, that the dispute could continue to escalate, although he apparently has not elaborated on potential scenarios.

"We didn't copy Apple's design," Mr. Shin said. "We have used many similar designs over the past years and it [Apple's allegation] will not be legally problematic." He suggested the scale of the lawsuit could grow, though he didn't provide more details.

Apple last week was granted access to unreleased (albeit already announced) Samsung hardware as part of the discovery phase in which Apple's lawyers build the background for their case. In response, Samsung filed a motion requesting access to Apple's next-generation iPhone and iPad models, despite the fact that Apple has yet to even acknowledge that such devices exist.

Samsung and Apple are of course significant partners in the mobile industry, a relationship that makes the competition between the two firms in the marketplace and in the courtroom all the more interesting.

Article Link: Samsung Seemingly Unconcerned Over Apple Lawsuit, Hints Dispute Could Continue to Escalate

 

[Darlo770]

It just proves Samsung have no talent for design, and feel the need to rip off other company's successful designs. Low.

 

[CQd44]

Gee, a 4x4 grid. Something a lot of cellphones do.

The bottom row is similar to what's done with WebOS.

Sigh.

 

[roadbloc]

It just proves Samsung have no talent for design, and feel the need to rip off other company's successful designs. Low.

Agreed. And to be quite honest, the Apple design isn't that brilliant either. It's just a grid of icons.

 

[iStudentUK]

Just more games.

Lawyers and managers at both Samsung and Apple will be trying to influence the other's actions and guess the game plan. This would have been a calculated move by Samsung, Apple will analyse this and make a calculated move back.

Lawsuits between big companies are just business, they happen all the time and are rarely taken personally. The only people who get worked up about it and think it will cause massive problems are the public (eg people on this board!).

 

[ciTiger]

This is just the start... It will be years before this is solved...

 

[Blorzoga]

Agreed. And to be quite honest, the Apple design isn't that brilliant either. It's just a grid of icons.

It doesn't matter how simple the design is, it's still intellectual property and protected by patents.

 

[bikemonkey]

Gee, a 4x4 grid. Something a lot of cellphones do.

The bottom row is similar to what's done with WebOS.

Sigh.

"Sigh"? Do some research before posting opinionated comments rather than factual statements.

 

[BJMRamage]

hardly the same phone in the photos...Apple shot is angled and tilted on the side...Samsung is shot angled and tilted on the OTHER side.
Samsung has 4 icons across and 4 down, Apple has 4 down and four across. Apple has a 4-icon block on the bottom, Samsung has a block with 4 icons on the bottom.
Samsung had the screen dots on the top, Apple has them on the bottom. Samsung has its name on the front Apple does not.

Clearly totally different.

Samsung has copied like many others out there to have a similar phone, BUT Samsung ALSO mimics their ads and photos just like Apple whereas other brands position themselves in a different manner. Samsung is clearly trying to exploit the similar design and prescence that the Apple iPhone takes.

 

[dagamer34]

Is Apple going to attack Samsung because they used the color black or it has the earpiece at the top? Should whoever made the two-door coupe first sue everyone else who makes one?

The suit shouldn't be about whether they look similar because they do. IT'S A FREAKING PHONE (not a laptop, not a tablet, not a TV, etc...) Only so many variations exist. It's about whether Samsung purposefully designed and marketed to confuse customers into thinking it's an iPhone, and that should be a lot harder to prove.

 

[KnightWRX]

In the end, this isn't something that is going to have an impact on Samsung, Apple or the customers involved. Petty politics.

 

[the vj]

In the corporate world is IMPOSSIBLE to come up with a new idea, it is better to steal someones else's.

Steve Jobs is the only case where the creative mind is as well the decision maker. That is why everybody is waiting to see what Apple does first.

It is better for Samsung to copy than to risk in research and spend in focus groups. Not to mention that if someone comes up with a great idea it may take the position of their own boss/supervisor and usually the person on top of you does not want to get fired or replaced and that person will discourage you. I know because people have done it to me 100 of times.

 

[roadbloc]

It doesn't matter how simple the design is, it's still intellectual property and protected by patents.

You don't say.

 

[*LTD*]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; U; CPU OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8J2 Safari/6533.18.5)

Really? Not "problematic"?

Because the courts have already ordered Samsung to hand over their devices. A determination has already been made that Apple has a case. That's kinda problematic.

 

[hcho3]

Did not copy? Okay... hand over your Galaxy S 2, Galaxy tabs and other copycats.

Clearly copied.

 

[57004]

It's not just about the grid of icons. Everything's the same.

The dots for the multiple home screens (although at the top instead of the bottom - wow what a huge difference), the bottom bar with fixed icons, the phone design/form factor, home button positioning, even the chrome ring around the screen is repeated although grey instead of chrome.

I have to side with Apple here, I can't imagine Samsung having designed this without taking a good look at the iPhone.

 

[Consultant]

Didn't Samsung meant it copied the Razr before it started copying the iPhone?

Oh, and Samsung phones goes against other Android phones and copies iPhone's physical "home" button.

 

[jonnysods]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/8J2)

Apple need Samsung for so many of their parts. Don't burn your bridges Apple!

 

[hcho3]

Samsung buys every single god damn products apple makes. What do they do? They tear them apart and have their engineers to make a better product.

Samsung should be ashamed of themselves. They copied.

 

[Truffy]

Shin does note, however, that the dispute could continue to escalate,

Oh great, "my dad's bigger than your dad". The only people who win from this stuff are the lawyers.

Samsung filed a motion requesting access to Apple's next-generation iPhone and iPad models, despite the fact that Apple has yet to even acknowledge that such devices exist.

Presumably so that Samsung can get them to market first!

 

[pepitko]

The visual differences between the Samsung phone and the iPhone are indeed quite small. So in this case it's quite clear that Samsung is selling nearly the same phone and riding the wave of iPhone's popularity.

 

[KnightWRX]

It's not just about the grid of icons. Everything's the same.

Everything ? Seems to me you've never used the Galaxy S line.

The dots for the multiple home screens (although at the top instead of the bottom - wow what a huge difference),

The dots also have a page number and don't just light up when they are active, they become bigger. They absolutely aren't the same except for the fact they are round.

the bottom bar with fixed icons

Which if anything is a copy of the myriad of existing UIs for computers with icon docks (take your pick...).

the phone design/form factor

Which Galaxy S phone ? The i9000 ? Nope, it's form factor is different, especially the back. The Epic ? The Vibrant ? The Captivate ? The Fascinate ? Nope, because those don't even look like iPhones...

home button positioning

Which model ? And did you notice the capacitive buttons on each side ? And the shape that is different ?

, even the chrome ring around the screen is repeated although grey instead of chrome.

It's shape is different. It's color is different.

I have to side with Apple here, I can't imagine Samsung having designed this without taking a good look at the iPhone.

Only because you've believed the media hype about this whole story. Do a little research.

 

[*LTD*]

Only because you've believed the media hype about this whole story. Do a little research.

The research has already been done.

The courts have ordered Samsung to hand over the goods to Apple.

Now we're waiting for Apple's next move.

 

[ablack774]

I feel that this is quite pathetic of Apple... I mean how do you make a one phone not look like another phone. They all tend to be rectangular black things with at least one physical button on the front. Am i missing something here?

Its hard to make them look very different at all... well that is until you see that disgusting monstrosity called a Dell Streak.

 

[wovel]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_3_3 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Mobile/8J2)

Apple need Samsung for so many of their parts. Don't burn your bridges Apple!

You do realize Apple is the customer and Samsung needs Apple's money a lot more then Apple needs Samsungs parts. apple can replace Samsung, there is no other customer for Samsung to sell these parts to, they will have to cut jobs and retool.