AfterDawn: News

Apple sues Samsung in South Korea over patents

Latest development in on-going dispute between both giants.

A court in South Korea revealed on Friday that Apple sued Samsung in the country, alleging that Samsung products infringe several of its patents. Samsung had previously sued Apple in South Korea, as well as Germany and Japan. Apple has accused Samsung of blatantly cloning its products.



An Apple lawyer revealed last week that top executives of both firms were in talks over the patent disputes, as they have a very strong business relationship. Apple was Samsung's biggest customer in the first quarter according to Samsung's reports, with Apple buying up enormous amounts of semiconductors.

Samsung is, however, one of Apple's biggest rivals. It's Android-packing smartphones compete directly with Apple in the mobile market, while Samsung has also emerged as the clear rival to Apple's iPad in the tablet PC market. Some of Samsung's products are strikingly similar to the iPhone, from the device dimensions, to the user interface, and even the packing.

That is no coincidence, says Apple, but Samsung has also accused Apple of patent infringement and said in a previous filing that it was seeking compensation for damages.

Written by: James Delahunty @ 24 Jun 2011 23:19

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• 5 comments

• KillerBug

  Quote:
  Some of Samsung's products are strikingly similar to the iPhone, from the device dimensions, to the user interface, and even the packing.
  
  That is no coincidence, says Apple, but Samsung has also accused Apple of patent infringement and said in a previous filing that it was seeking compensation for damages.
  [/qoute]
  
  This is just insane...the only thing Apple sells is a namebrand and a limited, proprietary OS...how can they accuse anyone of making something that happens to look similar but does not have either of the two things that Apple customers buy?
  
  All tablets look similar and most smart phones (other than ones with keyboards or colored cases) look essentially the same too...well, all of them except the iPhone4, which does not look anything like any Samsung phone because it has a stupid antenna design.
  
  Android looks a lot like iOS because there really aren't a lot of logical ways to make a smart phone or tablet, so all the interfaces are essentially the same, the only real differences being location of items and what items are available. All the current mobile OS's interfaces are designed around lessons learned from old BlackBerry and Windows Mobile devices; Apple really didn't innovate anything; they just removed most of the features so that there were fewer menus.
  

  http://killerbug666.wordpress.com/

  25.6.2011 01:13 #1

• Baccusboy

  I just wish Samsung could get Kies to work. I have this Samsung Galaxy phone that I'd like to upgrade to the next OS, but I have never been able to get their software to work on it. I live in South Korea, and even the Koreans are really angry about it.
  
  They need to release a phone that actually works!

  25.6.2011 07:06 #2

• KillerBug

  ...So samsung phones work like crap? Maybe apple has a legitimate claim that they are copying iPhone functionality...
  

  http://killerbug666.wordpress.com/

  25.6.2011 12:43 #3

• Azuran

  Quote:Some of Samsung's products are strikingly similar to the iPhone, from the device dimensions, to the user interface, and even the packing. I drive a Hyundai and my wife drives a VW. I think Hyundai should sue VW because her car also has four wheels, headlights, and an engine.
  

  25.6.2011 14:15 #4

• dali

  Strike back and go for them, Samsung.
  

  “You know, it seems that quotes on the internet are becoming less and less reliable.” -Abraham Lincoln.

  25.6.2011 14:29 #5