Samsung to Respond 'Strongly' Against Apple Lawsuit

[MacRumors]

Images from lawsuit​

Yesterday, Apple filed suit against Samsung over their "Galaxy" line of Android-based smartphones and tablets. In a statement, Apple claimed that Samsung copied Apple's technology and user interfaces:"Rather than innovate and develop its own technology and a unique Samsung style for its smartphone products and computer tablets, Samsung chose to copy Apple's technology, user interface and innovative style in these infringing products," the Journal quoted Apple's complaint as saying.
As many have noted, Apple also happens to be one of Samsung's biggest customers. Apple uses Samsung displays and semiconductors extensively in their iOS devices. Even so, Samsung says they will respond "strongly":"Apple is one of our key buyers of semiconductors and display panels. However, we have no choice but respond strongly this time," an unidentified official was quoted as saying.According to the Yahoo news article, Apple was Samsung's second-largest client in 2010 after Sony Corp and was responsible for 4% of Samsung's $142 billion in revenue last year.

Article Link: Samsung to Respond 'Strongly' Against Apple Lawsuit

 

[iStudentUK]

I wonder how long it will be until every tech company is suing every other tech company.

This is getting silly!

 

[Satori]

Do any of these suits ever actually get resolved?

 

[ChazUK]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.3.3; en-gb; Nexus S Build/GRI40) AppleWebKit/533.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/533.1)

I wonder what will happen here. Form the "who's suing who" infrographics I've seen, Samsung remained pretty much untouched until now.

 

[kdarling]

The phone's look is indeed very similar.

Of course, Samsung's Android phone has many additional items such as their pulldown notification shade with built-in radio and orientation lock controls... which many people would love for Apple to copy.

The tablet is a different matter, and doesn't have the same look.

 

[dwd3885]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.3.3; en-gb; Nexus S Build/GRI40) AppleWebKit/533.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/533.1)

I wonder what will happen here. Form the "who's suing who" infrographics I've seen, Samsung remained pretty much untouched until now.

that's because samsung supplies all these companies with parts for their phones. Sue Samsung, risk getting the shaft on internals! We'll see what happens.

 

[Ca$hflow]

Lawsuits are the game of kings. Very seldom do huge lawsuits settle out of court. They usually go to the end. A lawsuit is usually played as a zero sum game.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Strongly? I mean, ``We're talkin' fierce! Here us Roarrrr!''

 

[Stella]

What else would you expect to hear? No company would just bow down and give up....

that's because samsung supplies all these companies with parts for their phones. Sue Samsung, risk getting the shaft on internals! We'll see what happens.

Samsung couldn't pull out on any existing deals, otherwise they'd be in breach of contract.

 

[Mr.damien]

Of course, Samsung's Android phone has many additional items such as their pulldown notification shade with built-in radio and orientation lock controls... which many people would love for Apple to copy.

No ... YOU want.

 

[KnightWRX]

The phone's look is indeed very similar.

Of course, Samsung's Android phone has many additional items such as their pulldown notification shade with built-in radio and orientation lock controls... which many people would love for Apple to copy.

The tablet is a different matter, and doesn't have the same look.

But that's the thing, this simply can't be about "look and feel" since the precedents on that are firmly established by Apple vs Microsoft where Apple lost the whole "look and feel" part of the suit.

Like you asked in the other thread, someone with access to PACER could list the infringing patents Apple is claiming so we can get some insight into what exactly Samsung is infringing upon ?

The screenshot showing the App Drawer on the Samsung phone is quite disingenuous, and makes it look like TouchWiz is a rip off of the iOS Home screen, but the home screen isn't anything like that. That's a pull up menu of apps you have installed, how else would they represent it seeing how the icon grid has been standard for years before the iPhone came along and is standard also in other Android based devices ?

Also, I doubt Apple has a patent on icon grids.

Until we have more details on this lawsuit and until Samsung responds with something more than veiled threats in the media from "unidentified officials", I don't think this is quite worth making a temptest and throwing hate around, to either player (calling Samsung's Galaxy phone, the best selling Android device, KIRF and calling Apple sue-happy and scared).

 

[anthonylambert]

a liitle misleading....

I think you mean 4% of 142 million $.....

Samsung's worldwide turnover was only 138.4 billion for 2010. So I'm guessing Apple buys about $6 billion.

 

[Anaemik]

According to the Yahoo news article, Apple was Samsung's second-largest client in 2010 after Sony Corp and was responsible for $142 billion (4%) of Samsung's revenues last year.

So Yahoo would have us believe that Samsung's revenues last year were in the region of $3.5 TRILLION???? LOL

Tell me they were responsible for 4% of a $142B total ($5.7B) and I'd have a much easier time believing it.


edit: Ahh, seems like I was just beaten to it.

 

[spcopsmac21]

Samsung is starting to be less and less innovative, they really are setting down at the drawing board , scratching their heads trying to come up with a design and then....." bing!!! their iphone mail alert just popped off and there is their next cell design!!

 

[D4F]

Apple is pathetic.

 

[talkingfuture]

I think this may be one of those stories where the media make it sound much bigger than it is. A load of lawyers will make a ton of money and the two companies will come to some sort of licensing agreement or Apple will get a discount on some of the parts they buy.

 

[kenypowa]

Samsung is starting to be less and less innovative, they really are setting down at the drawing board , scratching their heads trying to come up with a design and then....." bing!!! their iphone mail alert just popped off and there is their next cell design!!

Apple is starting to be less and less inovative. The iPhone UI hardly changes for the last 4 years. But hey, lets sue everybody.

 

[KnightWRX]

I think this may be one of those stories where the media make it sound much bigger than it is. A load of lawyers will make a ton of money and the two companies will come to some sort of licensing agreement or Apple will get a discount on some of the parts they buy.

Or this will drag out for years and be eventually settled/judged when it is completely irrelevant. Actually, this is the most likely outcome, since all civil lawsuits over IP in the states last for years.

We'll never quite know what happened nor do I believe anyone will dig deep enough so we actually know Apple's claims in all of this.

 

[carmenodie]

this to me is soooo damn stupid.
Apple buys 5.3 billion in parts from Sammy then sue them for copying(allegedly) their design. Whatever man.

 

[BrettJDeriso]

Way to bite the hand that feeds you, Steve. What an idiot. Production of Samsung Galaxy S handsets was brought to a crawl last year because of display shortages -shortages caused by tring to satify (oamong other things) Jobs' insatiable appetite for touch-sensitive screens.

Jobs should be kissing Samsung's a__, not suing it.

I suppose it's too much to hope Sammy would cut them off as a customer until this blows over. Of course, that wouldn't be in their best interests.

 

[AppleMacDudeG4]

Similar look

Given the photograph, they do look very similar. I wonder what Samsung would do if Apple won the lawsuit? Would they charge Apple more for the parts that they provide to them or would they realize that it is not a good idea to make one of your largest buyers to leave you for someone else?

 

[Dr McKay]

No ... YOU want.

Yep, he's the only iPhone user in the world who wants a better notication system, and a built in radio so he doesnt have to stream it over the internet.

 

[kas23]

Samsung couldn't pull out on any existing deals, otherwise they'd be in breach of contract.

So what? They're already getting sued by Apple, so what's another lawsuit? Point is, contract breach or not, Samsung could cripple Apple's whole ecosystem within days by halting all processor shipments. Apple makes the vast majority on iDevices and this would kill Apple's whole economic model. And this doesn't even account for Samsungs components that go into their Macs. As a result, Apple would have no hardware to sell. They would dip into their treasure chest. It could be devastating to Apple.

 

[Dr McKay]

So what? They're already getting sued by Apple, so what's another lawsuit? Point is, contract breach or not, Samsung could cripple Apple's whole ecosystem within days by halting all processor shipments. Apple makes the vast majority on iDevices and this would kill Apple's whole economic model. And this doesn't even account for Samsungs components that go into their Macs. As a result, Apple would have no hardware to sell. They would dip into their treasure chest. It could be devastating to Apple.

But then they'd have been hammered with 2 law-suits, and then lost their 2nd biggest customer. Thats financial suicide, Apple would find someone else for parts.

 

[cfraley26]

Here's a thought apple.... Let's stop being the big bad bully on campus, and just make your damn products! I love Apple products. but, the way this company is constantly suing other companies because of so called "infringements". Its getting really old and really stupid fast!

Do what you do best: MAKIN GREAT DEVICE"S!!! You're not good at this! You are burning bridges that you will potentially NEVER get back! And then you will lose the upper hand in the market! Be smart, stop suing every little freakin thing that comes along!!!!