Apple v. Samsung verdict is in: $1 billion loss for Samsung

[ronjor]

by Joe Mullin

The jury is reading the Apple v. Samsung verdict to a packed courtroom right now. While not all the questions have been read, nearly every question on the verdict form has gone Apple's way. Samsung has been found to infringe all of Apple's utility patents and all but one of the four design patents asserted.

Samsung has also been ordered to pay more $1.05 billion damages to Apple. That's substantially less than the $2.75 billion Apple asked for, but still a huge sum that may stand as the largest patent verdict of all time

http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2...ple-v-samsung/

[aigle]

I am interested to know what are the thoughts of users on it.
I agree samsung tried a significant copycat that was really bad. However I am just wondering about the future of non-Apple touch phones. Should they be deprived of even the basic touch gestures like pinch to zoom, etc. And BTW Apple itself has copied things from Android.

What are your thoughts?

[Raza0007]

The trial was not about who copied from whom. The trial was about who infringed upon whose patents. Apple had applied for all these patents under trial and US patent office had granted them a patent. Since the patent has been granted, so Apple is well within its rights to claim infringement.

Now the real question is why were patents granted for simple things like pinch to zoom or scrolling with one finger or having a design with end to end glass screen?

Samsung showed documents in court that clearly showed Apple people looking over a Sony design for a combined portable phone and media player before they came up with the first iphone, but the thing is that Sony never patented their design, so Apple did not violate any laws by copying it. Similarly Andriod is open source and is not patented, so Apple is within its rights to copy and get away with it.

Now why did Apple target only Samsung, as the same could be said of phone manufactured by other vendors like HTC? The simple reason is that HTC is not an Apple competitor, Apple only feels threatened by Samsung, so this is why they are going after them.

I believe this is very bad for the end consumers as this will limit their buying choices and give one company monopoly on the market.

[Noob]

One of the reasons i don't support Apple products, i might only be 0.00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001% of Apple earnings but i still won't purchase anything Apple.

[siljaline]

Scoble on Apple-Samsung: “this is actually a sizable win for Samsung”, Does Apple's court win mean fewer phone options ahead?, Apple-Samsung Jury May Have Leaned on Engineer, Patent Holder

Samsung Today’s verdict should not be viewed as a win for Apple, but as a loss for the American consumer. It will lead to fewer choices, less innovation, and potentially higher prices. It is unfortunate that patent law can be manipulated to give one company a monopoly over rectangles with rounded corners, or technology that is being improved every day by Samsung and other companies. Consumers have the right to choices, and they know what they are buying when they purchase Samsung products. This is not the final word in this case or in battles being waged in courts and tribunals around the world, some of which have already rejected many of Apple’s claims. Samsung will continue to innovate and offer choices for the consumer.

Apple We are grateful to the jury for their service and for investing the time to listen to our story and we were thrilled to be able to finally tell it. The mountain of evidence presented during the trail showed that Samsung’s copying went far deeper than even we knew. The lawsuits between Apple and Samsung were about much more than patents or money. They were about values. At Apple, we value originality and innovation and pour our lives into making the best products on earth. We make these products to delight our customers, not for our competitors to flagrantly copy. We applaud the court for finding Samsung’s behavior willful and for sending a loud and clear message that stealing isn’t right.

Apple and Samsung respond to patent verdict

[MarcP]

The patent nuclear arsenals are just opening.

[NGRhodes]

Between the foreman, not considering all the information, the contradictory results, IMHO they just handed Samsung a mistrial.

[NGRhodes]

Originally Posted by Raza0007

Samsung showed documents in court that clearly showed Apple people looking over a Sony design for a combined portable phone and media player before they came up with the first iphone, but the thing is that Sony never patented their design, so Apple did not violate any laws by copying it.

Its still prior art, and invalidates Apples patent and cannt claim damages off Samsung for copying their design.

Cheers, Nick

[Noob]

To be honest Apple did patent some really stupid things, rounded corners, edge to edge glass top?!"?# Multi touch zoom!°""#$%
What's going on with them . . .
I just can't imagine if Apple was really a first at something (Cars, TV's, cellphones), our world would not be as we know it today.

[sukarof]

The ironic thing in this whole mess is that if the patent laws today would´ve been used when Apple was building up, there would not be any apple today

[Amit]

Next up, fridge and freezer companies. Their products come in rectangle shapes, round corners, shiny surface. And this is a serious infringement of Apple's patents. Ultimately they have to give Apple $1 billions each.

Gosh Apple is gonna be the richest company for centuries to come. They don't need to sell their products anymore. Just send a team to look out for patent infringements and make lawsuits.

Then take billions from culprit companies.

[MarcP]

I remember buying cough drops in the 80's that came in a metal rectangle container with rounded corners. About the size of an iphone, but thicker. Maybe they should try to get a shot at the jackpot.

[roger_m]

Originally Posted by Apple

At Apple, we value originality and innovation and pour our lives into making the best products on earth. We make these products to delight our customers, not for our competitors to flagrantly copy. We applaud the court for finding Samsung’s behavior willful and for sending a loud and clear message that stealing isn’t right.

They have an issue when others copy from them, but are quite happy to do it themselves. I am glad to have never owned an iPhone.

[SirDrexl]

Originally Posted by MarcP

I remember buying cough drops in the 80's that came in a metal rectangle container with rounded corners. About the size of an iphone, but thicker. Maybe they should try to get a shot at the jackpot.

You may be thinking of Altoids. A tin can be made into a headphone amp: http://www.aeemsu.com/AEEchannel/alt...hone-amplifier

[Mrkvonic]

From what I see from my colleagues, who own Apple devices, the only thing this did was make sure they won't be buying any more Apple devices. And I sort of then to agree.
Mrk

[SweX]

It was right that Apple did win regarding the iPhone design, after I have seen all the pictures showing Samsung phones from before/after the first iphone release there's really no doubt at all. And read what the internal emails from samsung said.

But when it comes to software patents it's another story.
And it's not Apples or Samsungs fault, they are both playing by the same rules and they need to be followed. If not, then they will end up suing each other left and right!

And personally I am all for ditching software patents all together, since software patents can some times be really ridiculous

Edit: And comments like "I will never buy anything from Apple/Samsung after this" those are just silly comments that could come from a 10 year old. LOL.

[Amit]

Originally Posted by SweX

And personally I am all for ditching software patents all together, since software patents can some times be really ridiculous

That would be just extreme. Ditching software patents is not the solution. You do not chop off your head just because you got a headache, now do you.

I believe more realistic, improvised and improved rules, regulations and laws for software patents would almost solve these problems.

[MarcP]

Software patents should be much shorter. 30 years in internet/software life is an eternity. 5 years max.

[Sully]

Having a patent myself, I can understand the need to pursue someone who is selling something that is rightfully yours. Thats why patents exist.

However, I fail to see how a patent for common things, like navigation on a touch screen, or even a device which has a full glass front/face/top/whatever can even be considered as something to protect.

Its like someone putting a patent on a word. Owning the word Apple Computer is one thing, as its context is very specific. Owning the word Apple is quite different, yet some of the patents that exist are like that, just ridiculous.

Personally I refuse to one of those who follow the social crowds. I don't do apple products or facebook, etc etc. I prefer to march to a different drum

Sul.

[emmjay]

As Sumsung is a major supplier to Apple will this not turn into something even more ugly?

[MarcP]

Originally Posted by emmjay

As Sumsung is a major supplier to Apple will this not turn into something even more ugly?

Not without going into a breach of contract and getting into more legal troubles.

[mattbiernat]

Originally Posted by MarcP

Software patents should be much shorter. 30 years in internet/software life is an eternity. 5 years max.

+1, seriously. 30 years in internet/software.... might as well make them indefinite.

[NGRhodes]

Software patents suck IMHO. Glad I live in part of the world where they don't exist. Software patents should not exist for the same reason Maths cannot be patented and software is nothing but using mathematical formulas to manipulate data.

Back on topic looks like the tab 10.1 will be back on sale in the USA soon as the Jury found it NOT be infringing ! Which in turn means Samsung will be able to claim damages as a result of the injunction. Which in turn is going to play into Samsung's hand in appeal (and why they chose this device and not others for an import ban).

[Dark Shadow]

LOL,My 2009 Macbook has a Samsung Drive.will we use your parts ok but dont copy ours or we will sue you happy. Like sony and Samsung are not copying each other with the LCD and LED televisions.

[MarcP]

Originally Posted by Dark Shadow

Like sony and Samsung are not copying each other with the LCD and LED televisions.

They are from a look and shape perspective.