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iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

Summary: Apple has the "world's thinnest smartphone", but it doesn't. A short story on how the iPhone maker can win-over the British advertising authorities.

Zack Whittaker

By for Between the Lines |

Size does matter, at least in the mobile market space.

Though only a minor marketing win for Apple, the Cupertino giant is still going for Samsung's jugular, as it wins the rights to call the iPhone the "world's thinnest smartphone" -- but only in the United Kingdom.

But it isn't. Just because we are told something that appears to be true, does not necessarily make it true.

Apple marketed the iPhone 4 as the "world's thinnest smartphone" at 9.3mm thick. Samsung challenged this with its mostly 8.71mm thick Galaxy S II handset.

But the UK's Advertising Standards Authority went with Apple on the ruling, stating that the "Galaxy S II had prominent bulges at the top of the device".

"Apple said consumers would not be interested in the thinnest part of the device, but in its overall measurements, as these would, for example, affect whether the device could fit into a pocket or purse", the advertising watchdog went onto say.

It added: "The iPhone 4's thickest point was thinner than the thickest point of the Samsung Galaxy S II."

Apple is hurting Samsung in a lot of ways. Now, believed to be in its twentieth jurisdiction to file suit in, the UK is the latest country in which Apple is bringing the fight closer to the end consumer.

Not only is Apple hitting Samsung through the advertising attacks mentioned, but through an ongoing, series of nasty patent disasters, which has in many cases left to many of Samsung's phones being banned from selling.

The suit in the UK proves one thing: Apple is going after Samsung for any reason it can, in little, petty disputes.

Granted, one can see that the marketing tool alone for having the world's thinnest smartphone is unique and a powerful tool for selling. I don't think Apple realises how well the iPhone is selling. The company is famed for its perfectionism, but maybe on a psychological level, it is suing because it simply believes the iPhone is not good enough?

Apple has greater problems to deal with, in the wake of Steve Jobs' resignation. While this is a small victory for Apple, it could be focusing on other, more important things than crushing a global phone giant that happens to be its rival.

Apple also filed separately against Samsung in the UK over Android patents, in which Samsung is naturally counter-suing.

Can you see any sign of let up until Samsung is crushed into the ground? I think Apple is like a dog with a bone, and will not stop until it has gnawed away enough of its competitor to kill off their smartphone division.

Related:

Topics: iPhone, Apple, Hardware, Legal, Mobility, Samsung, Smartphones

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  • RE: iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

    This really turns me off to even consider buying an iPhone. I boycotted Nintendo when they did this to Atari and I boycotted Sony when they went proprietary. Just like I refuse to buy those brands, I will not buy Apple brands.
    anonymous_user
    Reply Vote

    • RE: iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

      @acewingman@...
      I agree. Turns me off of their brand too! Of course, their games aren't new and my unwillingness to buy their brand isn't new either. What do you expect from a company that makes a poor performing cell phone and then explains to people that the reason they don't work well is that people are holding them wrong! I kind of hope Samsung is like the sleeping giant, and one day just crushes Apple!
      mgrubb@...
      Reply Vote

      • RE: iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

        @mgrubb@... Nonsense... Galaxy phones are crap! they are very cheaply made....
        Hasam1991
        Reply Vote

      • RE: iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

        @mgrubb@... While I do not agree with this lawsuit - IMHO it is extremely frivolous and should not even be allowed to go to a trial - there are a couple of things in your post I do not agree with either.

        [b]Of course, their games aren't new...[/b] What [i]Apple[/i] games are you referring to? There are hundreds of games by third party developers including Angry Birds which made it debut on the iOS platform and went from there to other platforms but there are no Apple branded games.

        [b]What do you expect from a company that makes a poor performing cell phone and then explains to people that the reason they don't work well is that people are holding them wrong![/b]

        I'm assuming you are referring to the overblown "antennagate" issue? I own an iPhone 4 hand have for several months and I have yet to duplicate this issue on mine - not even in areas where I have little reception (which is an AT&T issue). Also I've owned other smart and feature phones that one had to hold a certain way to ensure reception... Apple is the ONLY company that got crap for it and even when they did what no other company did and tried to make it right they still got a ration of crap from the tech media and ABAers.
        athynz
        Reply Vote

      • This may require the Gootel giant

        @mgrubb@... Samsung might not be able to do this battle alone. But, with the developing Gootel giant at their side, perhaps the battle will be a bit more fair than Apple legal would like.
        pwatson
        Reply Vote

      • RE: iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

        @mgrubb@... a poor performing phone? I had a Galaxy. It was nice but Samsung could never get the update ready. When they finally did the phone went to crap. I have never had an issue with my iPhone updates or phone performance.
        nbkz81f
        Reply Vote

      • RE: iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

        @mgrubb@... While I don't agree with your evaluation of the phone, I do agree concerning the massive increase in patent wars we're seeing of late. The insane number of lawsuits based on incredibly ludicrous patents makes me sick. Lawsuits like this one are at the top of that heap of dung. When new product development in the entire "free" world grounds to a complete halt because of IP laws, the only winner will be China. At least they have the sense to realize that these moronic patents are hindering progress, not encouraging it. ALL progress is based on previous work. Where would we be if scientists had been allowed to "patent" devices which use the flow of electrons to perform work? Today's patents are just as vague, broad, and crazy.
        BillDem
        Reply Vote

      • RE: iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

        @mgrubb@... Now that was one pathetic response.
        non-biased
        Reply Vote

    • RE: iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

      @acewingman@??? I also gather you refuse to buy anything made by Microsoft too? As they are a highly proprietary company too.
      Rick_Kl
      Reply Vote

      • Have you just landed from space???

        @Rick_Kl <br><br>MS support just about every bit of hardware and driver on the planet. Compare that to Apples handful and you are seriously deluded. It's no wonder Apple PC zealots claim the upgrades are flawless... theres few drivers to contend with on the hardware and anything doubtful gets discontinued. Course thats not a problem if you have an Apple PC... thats just Apple letting you know it's time to buy a faster model. Shame a few folk I know have been left behind a tad earlier than they expected and are STUCK with systems they CANNOT upgrade. <br><br>And on this particular story. Why should Apple or Apple zealots be interested in 'crushing' Samsung? Why the bitterness? Get a life and get living. Samsung deliver fine products and I'm pleased to own a few. 52" telly, Fridge freezer, phone. Go Samsung.. fight the scumbags!
        johnmckay
        Reply Vote

      • RE: iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

        @GetReal-mac.com: You forget to take your meds again? Simply because Microsoft has a vision of controlling the entire world, and Apple does not, does not make them less proprietary. Microsoft has a motto: One World, One Company, One OS, a.k.a. Windows everywhere. There is a dark message in that, if Microsoft is given control of everything, then they would be able to bypass laws and harm the consumer directly.
        Rick_Kl
        Reply Vote

    • I think Apple is seeing something they don't like

      @acewingman@...
      and that is the emergence of real competition. Sure they hit it off big in the begining, but exactly [b]what[/b] has apple really done to improve their devices?

      It's like Henry Ford early on - sure he had a hit on his hands because he managed to produce those new gas powered cars at a price alot of people could now afford, but once others caught on, competition changed the game.

      I guessing Apple is seeing this, getting a little worried, and are over-reacting to [i]everything[/i], no matter how trivial.
      William Farrell
      Reply Vote

      • RE: iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

        @William Farrell <br>Only the paranoid survive. As for real competition. How about their mac division? Despite being the heavy underdogs when Jobs came in and most of the developers being on Windows, they have still managed to carve out a very profitable niche and are still growing. I suspect they will do even better with phones and tablets over the long run than Macs because they aren't coming from behind the same way as they were with Macs.
        anono
        Reply Vote

      • You know, your right.

        @William Farrell

        There is absolutely no difference between iOS 1.0 and iOS 5.0 as well as the iPhone 4 being 100% like the iPhone.
        Bruizer
        Reply Vote

      • RE: iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

        @anono

        Macs once had the lead on Windows and lost it. The same could happen with smartphones. Oops, my bad , it already did (android).
        Bowler_z
        Reply Vote

      • RE: iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

        @Bowler_z Care to provide which Android phone it is that you are speaking of? If you group all Android phones together, cheap crap phone to the high end, then sure you have a higher number but we are talking about the phone, not the OS. Even so I don't think if you added to together all the high end (actual comparable phone) Android phone you have as many sales as the iPhone has.
        non-biased
        Reply Vote

      • RE: iPhone 'thinnest smartphone' win; Apple brings Samsung patent fight to UK

        @William Farrell - I agree but more importantly what have they ever done to put their products in the hands of less well off people. Microsoft were smart enough to see that this was a huge market - if Apple had won the first battle many fewer people would have access to computers. Samsung are a Korean company that still manufacture a lot of their products in Korea (some assembled in China) Apple are an American company - I wonder how much they manufacture in the US?
        cymru999
        Reply Vote

    • Do you support Samsung lieing on their specs?

      @acewingman@...

      Calling a device that is 9.91mm thick 8.71 is pretty deep deception.
      Bruizer
      Reply Vote

      • Keep in mind that Apple got in trouble from this same agency too

        @Bruizer
        Apple was caught lying in the UK in their iPhone ads when they were caught shortening sequences. That was pretty deep deception too, wouldn't you agree?
        toddybottom
        Reply Vote

      • You consider getting things to fit in a 15 second commercial

        @SuperZealot

        That had obvious cuts visible (clean but well done).

        The same as placing the wrong data on a formal specification sheet? Really? Seriously? Are you for real?
        Bruizer
        Reply Vote
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