By Samsung and Apple have been at each other’s throats in this legal battle between the two, and some of the most interesting bits have come out of the United Kingdom. Samsung was found to be in the clear on the grounds of infringement with a judge saying Samsung’s products weren’t “cool” enough for people to get them confused with Apple’s products.
As such, Apple was forced to make a statement on its UK website stating that very fact, though we felt the manner in which they did it was a tad distasteful. Apple made the statement, but it spent even more text letting people know that the company has been victorious in other regions. In fact, Apple seemed to welcome the “not cool enough” statement so it took that and ran wild.
Well, it looks like the courts across the pond seem to agree with our initital reaction — the statement isn’t what they had in mind. They’re going as far as forcing Apple to correct the statement on its website.
They want the new statement to be short and sweet, and nothing more. A simple “Samsung didn’t infringe on our products, UK courts have found” or something to that effect might do the trick.
Oh, and the statement mustn’t be tucked away via an obscure, hard to find link — it has to be smack dab on Apple’s homepage, and must remain there until the middle of this month. The ruling even goes as far as forcing Apple how visible the link must be — nothing less than 11 point font, apparently.
This particular correction won’t do much to help Samsung get over the fact that one of its biggest component buyers is suing the pants off of them, but hey — at least the UK courts won’t let Apple stomp all over them. That has to count for something. Apple is said to have 24-48 hours to comply with the request for a correction, and you can bet we’ll be looking for that correction as the week closes. Score one for the good guys!
[via The Guardian]
Made me chuckle this 8th grade rivalry is old
hahaha…. hahaha…. HAHAHAHAHAHA
Great way to start the day
Great way to end the day (UK!!!) :D
HAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAAH HAHAHAHA !
on Apple’s homepage? hahaha
Totally appreciate the judge following through on this and being very specific. Love it.
I’m rather enjoying Apple being treated like the child the company is.
Warms my heart… Nonetheless, I believe that Apple should have been held in contempt for willfully violating the clear INTENT of the Court’s order.
One word: Hahahahahahahaha!
“one of its biggest component buyers is suing the pants off of them”
Apple only comprises 8.8% of Samsung’s revenue.
http://www.idownloadblog.com/2012/08/07/apple-now-accounts-for-8-8-of-samsungs-revenue/
Is there a component buyer that comprises more than 8.8% of Samsung’s revenue?
If not, the quote is factually correct.
*face palm*
When they act kike children, treat them like children
Link to current Apple Statement.
http://www.apple.com/uk/legal-judgement/
Samsung / Apple UK judgment
On 9th July 2012 the High Court of Justice of England and Wales ruled that Samsung Electronic (UK) Limited’s Galaxy Tablet Computer, namely the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Tab 8.9 and Tab 7.7 do not infringe Apple’s registered design No. 0000181607-0001. A copy of the full judgment of the High court is available on the following link http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Patents/2012/1882.html.
In the ruling, the judge made several important points comparing the designs of the Apple and Samsung products:
“The extreme simplicity of the Apple design is striking. Overall it has undecorated flat surfaces with a plate of glass on the front all the way out to a very thin rim and a blank back. There is a crisp edge around the rim and a combination of curves, both at the corners and the sides. The design looks like an object the informed user would want to pick up and hold. It is an understated, smooth and simple product. It is a cool design.”
“The informed user’s overall impression of each of the Samsung Galaxy Tablets is the following. From the front they belong to the family which includes the Apple design; but the Samsung products are very thin, almost insubstantial members of that family with unusual details on the back. They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design. They are not as cool.”
That Judgment has effect throughout the European Union and was upheld by the Court of Appeal on 18 October 2012. A copy of the Court of Appeal’s judgment is available on the following link http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2012/1339.html. There is no injunction in respect of the registered design in force anywhere in Europe.
However, in a case tried in Germany regarding the same patent, the court found that Samsung engaged in unfair competition by copying the iPad design. A U.S. jury also found Samsung guilty of infringing on Apple’s design and utility patents, awarding over one billion U.S. dollars in damages to Apple Inc. So while the U.K. court did not find Samsung guilty of infringement, other courts have recognized that in the course of creating its Galaxy tablet, Samsung willfully copied Apple’s far more popular iPad.
Man I love the UK courts. They are bad-a$s!
Whoot!!
Their (APPLE) arrogance is their Achilles heel which most likely will lead to their market share dropping in the long-term.
In the face crApple. Rot in Hell MF.
I think the judge should further punish apple for acting like a 9 year old. Here are my suggestions:
1. A 60pt courier font (cause its ugly like apple) that says “we apologize to samsung”
2. A 100pt font saying “all apple lovin jurors from cupertino sleep with vibrating apple phones”
3. A flash video on their site of anything. Doesn’t really matter what video because its just going to crash all those apple devices causing iphone-magedeon. All iphone users would be forced to borrow a samsung GS3 and realize how crappy their iphones are.
Last one made me chuckle for some reason, lol.
Just use Myriad since that’s their font. “Their” font, the one that comes bundled with every Adobe CS product. Bah.
lol
When they revise the apology and finally mean it, I will set it as my wallpaper.
how petty of apple!
impressed with the judge to punish apple. if apple as a company cannot comply with a simple memo, they deserve to be insulted in front of the whole wide world.
Apple knows people will remember this forever, it must really hurt
Lol yeah bitches.
They should HAVE to put it at the top of the page :D