Again, very biased views pro-Apple.
Yes, Apple is getting hit by patent holders (called trolls when they have a patent that might cost Apple some money). Patent holders got those patents by coming up with an idea and patenting it before Apple could patent the concept. It works the same way when Apple comes up with the idea first and then leverages that patent against others. But we- here- will never call Apple a patent troll- even when the patent is something that Apple hasn't developed (which is the other piece most commonly associated with "troll"). Whoever gets the patent were first; those who want to use the patented idea need to pay the inventor even if the inventor can only come up with the idea alone (and lacks the funds or will to take it to market). If the patent system should benefit Apple, it should benefit other innovators as well. It can't be a great system when it benefits Apple but a stupid system when it works against Apple.
Look up the Polish grocery store under attack by Apple for having a somewhat similar name and- IMO- a pretty different logo. Yes, Apple legal is sicked on companies as small and inconsequential as them. So yes, bigger corporate targets are going to be "hit by patent trolls fairly regularly" but it's not like those big corporations aren't doing their own hitting pretty regularly... including, unfortunately, little grocery stores in Poland who just happen to have a similar sounding name and a logo that is an apple but not very close to Apple's apple logo.
"There is probably no chance that Apple is using code or algorithms that it copied to actually deliver the product. So what is the claim?" should then be applied in cases such as the one with Samsung. There is probably no chance that Samsung has used an exact copy of the code or algorithms in Apple iDevices. That case revolves heavily around just design which you claim "is really not important" but it is important when it's Apple(s designs) vs. Samsung. If it has to be exact copies of code & algorithms, so much of all of these cases can be dismissed as each company should be diligent about not letting their competitors possess the actual code & algorithms.
And yes, I do expect something like live tiles and probably the keyboard smart cover to come from Apple eventually. While they are generally "stupid", "useless", etc now, when Apple rolls them out, they'll be "genius", "shut up and take my money", "I'm already in line" and "why can't they work with the iDevice I already own?". Then, about 3 years later, we'll collectively remember that Apple invented those features and ignore/attack/dismiss any evidence to the contrary.
