Team-BHP - Apple sues Samsung and now HTC

^^@anilisanil, totally agree with you that Galaxy S (2) which looks a lot like Galaxy S looks similar to iPhone but not the latest one. They resemble iPhone versions 2 and 3. The look and feel of OS though is completely different and when iPhone launched, the icons looked like that of many others too.

IMO, its a never ending vicious cycle and what bothers me is the timing of this exercise. When Galaxy was launched and Apple had sued, it could probably have dented some sales but now the Galaxy S itself is being phased out.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anilisanil (Post 2319595)

Jeez!!! Did I sound like supporting all this or what? I do agree with all that you say, but it was just an opinion that a few things of Galaxy S (2) do look like straight out iPod/Phone. Yeah there is little that could be done.

Hey Sorry. I wasn't ranting about your post. My rant was directed against Apple and got a bit carried away :D.

It looks like Nokia has had issues with Apple – they have filed patent infringement cases against Apple in the past, though their issues were at the technical level (O/S etc) rather than the UI.

Nokia has filed a further complaint with the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) alleging that Apple infringes additional Nokia patents in virtually all of its mobile phones, portable music players, tablets and computers.
"Our latest ITC filing means we now have 46 Nokia patents in suit against Apple, many filed more than 10 years before Apple made its first iPhone," said Paul Melin, Vice President, Intellectual Property at Nokia. "Nokia is a leading innovator in technologies needed to build great mobile products and Apple must stop building its products using Nokia's proprietary innovation."

Nokia files second ITC complaint against Apple « Nokia – Press

If Apple had to sue Samsung, why do it now? They should have done it long back when Samsung launched the Galaxy series. This is more baffling considering Apple sources a lot of phone components from Samsung; worth $5.7 billion in 2010 as per this report.

Apple spent nearly $5.7b on Samsung parts in 2010, faces 'strong' response to its patent suit -- Engadget

Suing seems to be the in-thing in the mobile phone world these days. Hopefully the customer will be the eventual winner.

I think the problem is with the patent system that grants patents with vague wordings that can have a very wide interpretation. For example, Apple sued HTC for the gesture used to unlock the phone. Apple have registered a lot of these vague patents ( rectangular phone with a single button at the bottom, finger gestures to lock and unlock a phone, I think they have even patented the pinch to zoom gesture ).
I remember Apple suing Microsoft when Windows was newly launched, claiming they invented the GUI and that Microsoft was infringing on their patents. Funnily, Xerox sued Apple for the GUI and Apple had to pay compensation to Xerox.

could somebody *ahem*, "enrich" us on this "unjust enrichment" piece?

also, isnt samsung an OE supplier of some sort for apple?

boy o' boy, the war of words between apple people and others, especially android fans online is something to behold, definitely rated R in spots!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mayankk (Post 2320547)

could somebody *ahem*, "enrich" us on this "unjust enrichment" piece?

also, isnt samsung an OE supplier of some sort for apple?

Yes mayankk, Samsung are the primary providers of flash memories to Apple. In short all i-Phones have Samsung flash memories in it

Quote:

Originally Posted by anoopash (Post 2320605)

Yes mayankk, Samsung are the primary providers of flash memories to Apple. In short all i-Phones have Samsung flash memories in it

According to some reports, 80% of the Iphone's components are supplied by Samsung( even the Iphone's processors are made by Samsung, although they are branded as Apple's own in the end). Apple is Samsung's 2nd largest customer ( after Sony ) and Apple contributes around 5.7 Billion USD to samsung's coffers annually. I don't think that will be affected by this case, as that is a mutually profitable deal for both companies.

Off late there are many suing activities happened and Apple, Nokia, HTC and Motorola are most affected. Now, it is time for Samsung and it was get sued by Apple on some very generic issues.

Samsung also stated in its statement that, they are studying various Wireless features in IPhone and it look like Apple violated many patents with respect to Wireless technology. Here is the counter news

Samsung hits back at Apple's 'copying' suit - The Times of India

There is no company in the world which are pure. At present Samsung Electronics' 4% revenue come from Apple. I feel there would not be much of drag and both will settle dispute out of court in near future.

If form/shape can be patented, we should be prepared to pay royalties everywhere. Shoes, Chairs, tables, boxes on 4 wheels, round patty in a burger ...everywhere.

That case should have been thrown out the first open-source window available.

There is a long haired, bearded guy who insists that "intellectual property" rights is a misnomer.

IMHO, this is the right case to illustrate why that opinion is correct.

There are (1) Patents (2) copyrights (3) design rights.

(1) is why TVS cannot make DTSi engines, but Bajaj can.

(2) is why you cannot use the CD which came with the PC in your office to install Microsoft Windows on the PC in your home.

(3) is why <random individual/corporate> cannot make a car which looks like a <random super car model>.

For me, this looks like a case of (3); not (1). And I doubt if (2) is involved.

I have not gone through the law suit yet; I am not a lawyer, and I do not own Androids or iPhones.

Btw. I had a long hard look at the phone on my table. It is made by ITI Ltd., a public sector undertaking. It is rectangular, and has rounded corners. Will Apple sue ITI?