Who Says What In The Apple vs Samsung Case?
Almost everyone has a mobile phone and more people than ever are using a smart phone but what made you chose the one you’re using today? Were you loyal to your favourite brand? Did it offer better specs than the next competitor? Was it the price? Two of the market leaders in smart phones are about to drag each other through what has the potential to be the most expensive patent court battle ever seen.
Apple are the ones who kicked this off – they claim they’ve lost money because people have been buying Samsung products instead their products. They claim Samsung are using technology and designs which Apple have patents for. Samsung issued a countersuit claiming Apple’sproducts wouldn’t exist if they weren’t using technology Samsung not only developed but patent protected too.
English: Samsung Galaxy S (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Apple claim Samsung copied the basic design and layout, they claim the Galaxy series copied the iPhone’s rectangular shape with rounded edges and iPhone were the first to release a completely touch screen smart phone without any keypad or the need for a stylus.
Samsung claim they have evidence they were working on designs for what eventually became the Galaxy S before Apple launched their iPhone back in 07. They have also submitted what they claim is evidence that it was in fact Apple who copied the design for their iPhone – Apple has asked this evidence not be submitted.
Apple claim Samsung have copied certain user experience elements like the tap to zoom function and the way the page bounces back once you’ve scrolled to the bottom. Apple claim to have the patent on the technology that allows this.
Samsung don’t deny using this technology but have said people don’t buy smart phones just because the page bounces a little when you finish scrolling however, this feature has been removed from their latest products.
In retaliation Samsung claim Apple are using their technology. Samsung developed technology which is available for anyone to use as it’s so generic. This technology has a standard essential patent which means Apple are allowed to use this technology but only if they pay the pre-set fees which they haven’t.
Apple claim the fees to use this technology are too high and unfair which is why they’re not paying. They don’t deny using the technology.
To sum it up both sides are saying the other one has copied them.
There’s no denying the smart phone market really exploded after the launch of the simple to use iPhone, they took what was always perceived as complicated technology and made it easy to use and everyone wanted a part of that. They did the same with the tablet market, despite a few attempts by previous companies in the past, the market only really opened up after the 2010 launch of the iPad.
Apple are clinging onto this, insisting they’re responsible for the success of the industry. Until everyone else caught up, they had the market to themselves, now they don’t and they’re not happy and they’re not prepared to share.
Jess works for BusinessMobiles.co.uk who compare business mobile phones to help you find the best tariff with the best handset, including the iPhone
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