Slash LaneCiting a source familiar with the matter, Reuters reported on Tuesday that Samsung may seek an injunction against Apple's anticipated fifth-generation iPhone. That person apparently declined to say where Samsung would take legal action, but Maeil Business Newspaper reported that the lawsuit is expected to be filed in Europe.
The latest information comes soon after it was separately reported that Samsung is looking to ban Apple's fifth-generation iPhone after the product arrives in Korea. An anonymous senior executive at the company allegedly said that the company would take Apple to court, raising accusations of patent violations in its home country.
The reports would suggest that Samsung is plotting a global offensive to counter the release of Apple's so-called "iPhone 5," which is expected to be announced and released in the coming weeks. Samsung previously filed a legal request in the U.S. to see Apple's next iPhone, a move that the judge overseeing the case denied.
Rumors of even more legal spats across the globe come as the growing dispute between Apple and Samsung becomes even more complex. Last week, a former Samsung manager admitted to leaking information on the unreleased iPad while working for the company in 2009.
Apple's issues with Samsung are believed to have pushed the iPhone maker away from Samsung, which is a major supplier of components in Apple's portable devices. Specifically, Apple is expected to have its future processors set to power next-generation iPhone and iPad models built by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., not Samsung.
The legal patent war between the two rivals began in April when Apple sued Samsung, accusing the company of copying the look and feel of the iPhone and iPad. Apple's legal action has led to a handful of victories, including a ban on sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany.
Malcolm Owen
Amber Neely
Mike Wuerthele
Christine McKee
William Gallagher
37 Comments
Made me think of this with the plotting tag line:
Wonder if Apple could just buy Samsung at this point. Rumor indicates that hey need a TV manufacture, I do like their flat panels.
This article further suggests that despite all efforts by Apple to get them to stop, Samsung will do and say anything to keep running it's aggressive copycat scam on Apple's non-tech savvy customers - a carefully crafted point-of-sale deception that tricks the shopper into believing that Samsung's imitations are equal to and better than Apple's products.
The scam begins with the rip-off with Samsung "slavishly copying" the look and feel of an iPhone or iPad. On demo, if both devices are turned off, side-by-side, except for minor differences, they look the same and a non-tech savvy shopper is easily confused. If a potential Apple customer visits on Samsung's website, http://www.samsung.com/us/#mobile-home, well, the Tab sure looks an awful lot like an iPad doesn't it, despite the strategically placed clock & weather tiles, cleverly leaving the 2 bottom rows of icons visible - icons Samsung "slavishly" copied from iOS - which makes the Tab look almost... almost look... almost feel...almost look and feel like an iPad!
Oops, I was wrong. There's nothing clever about the leaving the 2 bottom rows of icons visible.
Once the shopper is confused, the lies begin.
The slogan on the Galaxy Tab web page: "It's time for a better tablet, it's time to Tab" is a well phrased boldface lie.
Then, Samsung takes the Galaxy Tab's "superior weakness" ("better gaming and web surfing with Adobe Flash player") and reverse spins it to the non-tech savvy consumer as an important and needed bit of software that performs better and delivers a "superior experience" on the Tab, more so than on the non-Flash iPad. Those of you who have used a Tab know this is a boldface lie too.
Incredibly, in the same copy block, on the same line, is the another boldface lie: "And better multitasking with Android 3.1." Are you kidding me, Android 3.1 is less buggy than iOS? Only a non-tech savvy consumer could be tricked by this skillful lie, and that person is Samsung's mark - the non-tech savvy shopper who falls for the lies.
Even the packaging has been slavishly copied so that the mark is unaware he's been tricked until he gets home.
By copying the look and feel of Apple's products, Samsung tricks unsuspecting non-tech savvy shoppers who want an Apple device. into buying a Samsung imitation, which is of lower quality, and is minus the iOS & iTunes & App Store experience that the customer is shopping for in the first place.
That's the Samsung rip-off.
Samsung: We block Apple!
Apple: ROFLMAO
Judge: ROFLMAO
Fandroids: What's so funny?!
Apple has contractually locked up Samsung production, which allows Apple to maintain control of the supply of Samsung tablet screens, and thus for Apple to prevent competitors from bringing out hardware at cheaper prices.
This is a battle for supply control in addition IP disputes. I think Samsung is purposefully pursuing IP infringement to get Apple to cancel their contract with Samsung so Samsung can build their own devices and supply Apple's competitors.
Stakes are high for Apple in particular.
Made me think of this with the plotting tag line:
Wonder if Apple could just buy Samsung at this point. Rumor indicates that hey need a TV manufacture, I do like their flat panels.
I wonder what patent in the iPhone 5 they think they can go after that is not in the iPhone 4 unless they are hoping that Apple will make millions of iPhone 5's that they then can't get off their hands if they were able to get an injunction. Seems like a long shot though else you think they would have moved to stop the iPhone 4 already.