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Quixotic patent commando Samsung continues its doomed crusade against Apple, pushing for more national bans against the sale of the iPhone 4S. This time? Japan and Australia, where Sammy’s lawyers say Apple’s stealing mobile tech. This is getting sad.
According to the WSJ and FOSS Patents, Samsung’s crying foul over Apple’s elements of 3G wireless connectivity, and the use of an Airplane Mode icon. Yep. Accusations that mundane and flimsy will doubtfully gain traction in court—particularly in Australia, where Apple’s already emerged victorious.
So what’s the end game here? A lot of legal fees for Samsung as it continues its offensive around the world, no iPhone sales injunctions, maybe some boring licensing concessions by Apple, and, otherwise, business as usual. The WSJ quotes Samsung’s president, right before he took off for what must have been a somewhat uncomfortable trip to Steve Jobs’ memorial service: “Apple is one of Samsung’s most important clients, and we have developed a solid partnership. But that’s a separate matter from the legal disputes between the two companies in areas where they compete.” That a company could both profit from and fight (legally) viciously against another company is comical, to say the least. But this isn’t the first time, and the spat’s far from over. [WSJ and FOSS Patents]
Image Credit: Techispot
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So when Apple sues Samsung it is good, because bad bad Samsung is stealing/copying everything and infringing their patents, but when Samsung sues Apple it is just sad? Gotcha!
Oh wait, this is from Giz.com, never mind, move along…
Truth be told, I don’t think Samsung has a leg to stand on — their products are far too similar to Apple’s, and even Samsung’s lawyers couldn’t tell a Galaxy Tab and iPad apart.
I agree Kat, but there are a lot of tablets that are very similar – I mean how much can you do with a tablet design realistically? I think this personally stops innovation, every company has copied others in the past but the difference is now they all have lots of money and fancy lawyers to fight it out in a court. It’s just stupid, Samsung should go away, redesign its tablet and elements of its UI… Simplez!
Could you tell them apart? I can, just by glancing.
Samsung’s lawyers apparently couldn’t…
I think he said: “not from this distance”.
These lawyers must be pretty stupid, because even the shape is different.
Fair enough Kat, perhaps they don’t have a leg to stand on, but some writers from the US are so biased that it’s just not fun to read these kind of articles anymore.
And perhaps this seems like a minor thing for a lawsuit, but it’s identical from what happened in the Netherlands. The judge ruled that the only thing Apple won on was a slide motion for scrolling through pictures, which was simply a minor software adjustment for Samsung. Apple LOST on the point that it was an exact copy. (Yes, I know it won the same argument in other countries). But Apple successfully stopped Samsung from selling some of their products due to this minor software infringement and Samsung had to correct this. So who’s to say Samsung might not win this for a similar reason?
I don’t think this is pro-Apple, rather just that the whole scenario is getting a bit tedious, and the battles are getting pettier and pettier. Seriously, they’re now arguing over a minor icon!
As others have pointed out, to imply there is a wrong or a right party in these patent disputes is patently ridiculous (see what I did there). The IP supposedly infringed is always for very minor software features. Things that 10 years ago, no one would have dreamed of patenting because they’re obvious features (@PretPat ‘s example). Software patents are good for no one other than lawyers.