Friday, August 31, 2012

Apple vs Samsung

In the Apple vs Samsung case, the Californian court's jury verdict has gone in favour of Apple.

It is unclear to me how such important cases are handled by the jury. It is not a murder case or defamation case. The US should change its system of deciding on these copyright or patent infringement cases by jury and instead let this be handled by competent judges.

Charges like "copying" rounded corners for icons is ridiculous. I have seen rounded corner icons on the web for decades. A few other features such as 'bounce-back scrolling' and 'tap-to-zoom' are innovative original ideas, but still to be given a patent for such things is ridiculous. The patent office should never have allowed this. So many features in the computing industry have come about by way of copying and perfecting existing ideas.

Touch computing is a new area and has a long way to go. Only by way of copying and improving will there be progress in this space. As noted by the judges in Europe, Samsung's Android tablets/phones are quite inferior in experience compared to iOS devices. Yet, it is growing fast because of its range, price point and product roll out. Apple's attempts to curb this activity, in making the cheaper devices available to a large number of people, should be resisted. Invoking spurious patents for supposed innovations to block a competitor should be seen as anti-competitive and should not be allowed.

Let everyone copy ideas, reproduce and innovate!

10 comments:

  1. I totally agree with you on this stand. It will just make monopoly in industry and further innovation will be restricted. Apple tried to make a deal with apple but could not materialized. As Samsung finally said, this will be a lose for US end user. I feel Samsung will come back with full zeeeel.

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  2. Badri, So u mean to say that Nokia,RIM are fools as they didn't copy iPhone stuffs so they lost their market and now in the verge of selling their Companies. Case in US is iOS vs Samsung's Touchwiz not Google's Android stock. Every Android OEM have skin on Original Android Stock but Samsung's Touchwiz mimic iPhone. their call,music icons are all similar to iPhone icons. This led Samsung to capture no 1 in Mobile Industry. Now Apple,Samsung are two companies who are in profit in Smartphone Industry. HTC,Sony just they didnt mimic iPhone kinda stuff like Samsung did now are in Loses.Nokia , RIM future is on Windows 8,BB10 respectively. If the latter two OS flopped both companies will be on Sale. Apple bet their company on iPhone but Samsung just copied it from iPhone and used it in their Galaxy S series. Rubber patent played an imporatnt role for fluidity in iOS devices according Scot Forstall testimony in this case....if Samsung didnt use those patents people wouldn't have bought Samsung phone...Also Samsung is a monster.They are known for bribing judges,officials in their own country.They contribute 20% GDP of South Korea .South Korea sometimes refered as Republic of Samsung. I used smartphone in pre iPhone era, then Nokia 5800.Also worked with hyped N95 series which was advertised as Computer phone at that time. Now i settled with iPhone.I realise how iPhone changed the way of mobility computing.We should not encourage Samsung kinda companies

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    1. My view is that everyone, including Apple and Microsoft, have copied from the predecessors. Apple today cannot take a high horse.

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    2. Badri,
      Your argument seems to be vague and broad. Ur argument is valid in Pharma where life savings drugs can be copied to help people in developing countries like india and poor countries but can't accpet it in Samsung case. If Samsung says 'US Consumer will suffer' , then they should have price their product to half the price of iPhone(In US mostly contract phones,so they could have sell it free with contracts) but they have sold their flagship phones at a price equivalent to iPhone. Samsung Galaxy S series made them to become no 1 Mobile company in world. Apple i think licensed it from Xerox not copied (I have to verify) it. There is a difference between Apple and Samsung. Many technologies are available but no one want to take risk in marketing to masses. Apple takes the risk,chooses a technology from n number of innivations,polished it with their software,make it as success. Others just wait , if it is a success, then they will immediately copy it else move on....Nokia had haptikos technology (touchscreen tech i think) before Apple itself, they even had tablets in place but no one want to take risk..Remember what Steve Ballmer and many people said when 'iPhone' was released......Your argument just says we will only replicate, wont take the risk of innovation

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  3. முருகன் கண்ணன்Fri Aug 31, 07:01:00 PM GMT+5:30

    Patent system in US (may be universally) is obviously flawed. Apple also got burned by it few times (e.g. http://news.cnet.com/2100-1047_3-6108901.html). US has to revamp the patent process, not the judicial jury system. It works fine. Remember, most of the judges are elected in US, so if you leave these cases in their hands, corruption will breed.

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  4. Dear Badri
    Can not fully agree with you. When steve said that they worked for 10 years to bring iphone and Samsung simply copied... it is natural but to sue them. Though I have no clue about US jury etc., I feel Samsung has not followed business ethics
    Regards
    Ganesh

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  5. I totally agree with your views. In my view there shouldn't be any patent for software components and should restrict only to the H/W part of it. Curbing improvisations thru' patent on upcoming technologies may not be the right thing for industry and consumers.

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    1. Mr. Anand, What if software component cannot be purely distinguished?
      Like in the case of scrolling touch screen one in Apple i phone?

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    2. Badri, why have you enabled word verification in commenting? It is preventing commenting comfort.

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