As part of Apple and Samsung’s latest lawsuit, one of Apple’s top marketing executives, Phil Schiller, took to the stand to discuss the damage Samsung actually did to Apple through technology and design patent infringement. According to Schiller, he was “quite shocked” when Samsung released their original Galaxy S smartphone, since it was a direct copy of the iPhone. He claimed that it weakened the world’s view of Apple, and that it caused consumers to “question our innovation and design skills in a way that people never used to” because it was so similar.
Now, I’m no legal expert and I don’t have much background in smartphone design and manufacturing, but if the only reason consumers consider your device “innovative” is because you have no direct competition, you’re setting yourself up for failure when some other company in our capitalist society inevitably creates a device to give you (wait for it) actual competition.
During his time on the stand, Schiller was cross-examined by Samsung’s attorney Bill Price. Price pointed out many things that some of us would consider common sense, like the fact that Apple doesn’t hold a “patent on a product being beautiful or sexy” and that Apple created the iPad Mini in reflex to the success of smaller tablets in the marketplace, such as Samsung’s 7 inch Galaxy Tab line.
At this point, I think it’s really just two companies with too much money playing a game of he-said/she-said with lawyers. The court fees are likely going to negate any type of damages either company is awarded, and most people know that both Apple and Samsung are guilty of copying each other and tons of other companies. That’s how the market works. Only time will tell how this one’s going to end up, but we’ll keep you up to speed.
source: Wall Street Journal
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