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Topic: Samsung

Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

Summary: The war between Apple and Samsung has taken another turn as the iPhone maker has filed a lawsuit in South Korea against the company behind the Galaxy S smartphone.

Rachel King

By for Between the Lines |

The war between Apple and Samsung has taken another turn as the iPhone maker has filed a lawsuit in South Korea against the company behind the Galaxy S smartphone.

According to Reuters, Apple's latest lawsuit argues that Samsung "infringed upon several patents." Unfortunately, more specifics weren't divulged, but a spokesperson for Apple Korea told Reuters:

It is no coincidence that Samsung's latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging.

So whatever the case is about can't be much different than the bickering that has gone on between these two for the last few months.

This all follows a long back-and-forth legal path between the two tech giants. The ball rolling got rolling when Apple and Samsung followed patent suits against each other in April. Apple claimed that the look on Samsung's Galaxy S smarpthones and tablets looked awfully similar to the design of the iPhone and iPad. Then Apple asked to see Samsung's upcoming products ahead of their release dates to check things out and determine if there was any kind of patent infringement.

Samsung responded by filing suits of its own against Apple in South Korea as well as Japan and Germany. Additionally, the Seoul-based tech giant demanded to see the iPhone 5 and iPad 3 ahead their unscheduled release dates as well. Naturally, Apple didn't like this and is trying to refute Samsung's claims in California.

With the exception of all the lawyers, lawsuits and other legal matters, doesn't this all seem a bit high school-like already?

Related:

Topics: Samsung, Apple

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33 comments
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  • Rachel, please do the check before posting: the judge already denied ...

    Samsung's request to show iPad 3 and iPhone 5 -- well, no wonder, since the trial is about "trade dress" infringement by Samsung (from icons to case to power charger to packaging), not vise versa.
    DDERSSS
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

      @DeRSSS

      The big question is, while shameless is it ILLEGAL to visually copy a design?
      DonRupertBitByte
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

        @DonRupertBitByte

        Yes. Do some research on "trade dress."
        msalzberg
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

        @DonRupertBitByte

        Here I was all set to laugh at Apple again or throw out that "if you can't compete, sue" argument that the iFans trot out every time someone sues Apple.

        But, looking at the photos of the phones and packaging side by side, that actually is pretty egregious.
        SlithyTove
        Reply Vote

    • I've already found Samsung guilty

      @DeRSSS
      After all, all of its devices are rectangular, just like Apple's iOS devices.
      woulddie4apple
      Reply Vote

      • Lame trolling; all devices rectangular, but not all of them have rounded ..

        @woulddie4apple: ... edges, (kin ofa) metallic frame around it, the same shape for speaker, similar icons, similar power charger, similar packaging.

        So Apple sues Samsung about this, not HTC, Sony-Ericcson, et cetera.
        DDERSSS
        Reply Vote

      • Don't forget about using a green phone icon

        Apple was also complaining that Samsung used a green phone icon to represent the phone app. Apple was totally the first one to do this so it is clear that not only are Samsung's devices rectangular, they also used a green phone icon!!

        Just helping you out. :)
        woulddie4apple
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

        @DeRSSS [i]all devices rectangular, but not all of them have rounded ..edges[/i]

        Shut the front door. Rounded Edges too!?!? What is this world coming to. I agree.. Sue the @#$@%@ into the ground!
        Badgered
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

    I think that being able to sue a company over the fact that they made something rectangular shows the state of our patent system.
    W.E.
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

      @W.E.

      I think that if you had read anything about trade dress or anything factual about the suit, you wouldn't have posted such an ignorant comment.
      msalzberg
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

      @W.E.
      If you look at Galaxy Tab 10.1 and you will realize one thing it almost resembles iPad if it is not turned on. Ok, I give there is no home button in Galaxy. Also the packaging is white box like iPad and the size almost close to iPad. Ok, while I don't agree with the validity of going after for shape, but definitely if someone is ignorant enough, (s)he think both are one and the same.
      Ram U
      Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

        @Rama.NET I know right, anyone can see the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is Superior!
        slickjim
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

        @Rama.NET

        That's the point: If your product is made and packaged in such a way as to confuse consumers as to who made it, you'll probably run afoul of trade dress laws.
        msalzberg
        Reply Vote

      • Except it isn't....

        @Peter Perry
        Just saying.

        Pagan jim
        James Quinn
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

        @James Quinn Really? Why not? I say it is, you say it isn't... seems kind of like an opinion to me.
        slickjim
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

        @Rama.NET

        Take a look at Samsung's packaging again for the Galaxy S, looks exactly like the iPhone's packaging. If it was just the packaging that was similar Apple would have ignored it, but it's a combination of everything combined.

        http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/04/samsung-apple-patent/?pid=1726
        dave95.
        Reply Vote

      • Which is my point exactly....

        @Peter Perry
        Thanks for backing me up. I could of course argue that the market will back me up on this but I won't go there.

        Pagan jim
        James Quinn
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

        @msalzberg [i]That's the point: If your product is made and packaged in such a way as to confuse consumers as to who made it[/i]

        I'm no lawyer.... but as a casual observer, and I do mean casual; if I were to be laying out that kind of cash for a device, there's no way I'd confuse Samsung's Products for Apple's.
        Badgered
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

        @dave95 [i]Take a look at Samsung's packaging again for the Galaxy S, looks exactly like the iPhone's packaging.[/i]

        Well, other than the big Samsung Galaxy S on the front of the box; you're right.. I'd [b][i]TOTALLY[/i][/b] confuse that for an iPhone.
        Badgered
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Apple strikes back against Samsung; files suit in South Korea

        @Peter Perry I know right, anyone can see there is no way you could have an unbiased view on this case simply due to your small minded hatred for Apple.
        non-biased
        Reply Vote
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