Apple uncovers giant document from Samsung comparing how Samsung can copy iOS

[HotelUser]

I owned a Galaxy S (i9000) which is what they're comparing in the article here to the interface on iOS. Very interesting, although I'm still not a fan of the patent system in general:

http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/08/apple-samsung-internal-document-mimicry/



http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2012/08/samsung-evidence2.jpg
As much as Apple would love for Kwon Oh-hyun (http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/18/samsungs-ceo-ui-design/) to turn up at court and tearfully confess to being a copycat, that's probably not going to happen. Instead, Cupertino's lawyers are burrowing through Samsung's history in search of a legal smoking gun, and one of their latest submissions has been presented as just that. It's a 132-page document written in 2010 by Sammy engineers that directly compares the iPhone (http://www.engadget.com/2009/06/17/iphone-3g-s-review/) against the Galaxy S (http://www.engadget.com/tag/galaxys) and makes recommendations about how the latter should be more like the former. The excerpt shown above, which focuses on the aesthetics of icons on the rival handsets, even appears to contain advice about how Samsung should copy Apple without appearing to copy them so much, whereas the full document embedded after the break reveals how all-encompassing the internal guidance was. On the flip-side, Samsung may well argue that any responsible company should compare itself to its competition in this manner, and you can bet there's an army of lawyers beavering away right now to make that sound convincing.

The full document they're speaking of is within the above link. Personally I thought the Galaxy S's interface was fine as is, but I guess some Samsung engineers disagreed :P

[peteyt]

I owned a Galaxy S (i9000) which is what they're comparing in the article here to the interface on iOS. Very interesting, although I'm still not a fan of the patent system in general:

http://www.engadget.com/2012/08/08/apple-samsung-internal-document-mimicry/




The full document they're speaking of is within the above link. Personally I thought the Galaxy S's interface was fine as is, but I guess some Samsung engineers disagreed :P

Has this just been released? I ask because Samsung got into stick for releasing something that it brought into the court preceding too late so if this is the same case I hope the same happens to apple.

[HotelUser]

Has this just been released? I ask because Samsung got into stick for releasing something that it brought into the court preceding too late so if this is the same case I hope the same happens to apple.

Like you mean Samsung never gave notice of discovery to Apple or Apple didn't give appropriate discovery to Samsung? Happens all the time with corporations trying to hide/cover things up even if the correct subpoena are put into play. I'm not sure if these files will hold up in court proceedings, that depends on what points Samsung and Apple's lawyers make :P

[GommeInc]

It's so stupid that the court seems reluctant to accept evidence into the court from both Apple and Samsung on the grounds it is too late. Evidence is evidence, and if it helps persuade and remove doubt from the jury and the court then it should be allowed. The US Court system really is messed up - in the UK (Scotland, England and Wales, Northern Ireland) you can waltz into a courtroom with late evidence and the court will feel the need to look over it if it helps place the burden of proof on the other side OR help change a verdict. They do not necessarily need to review the new evidence, but they feel compelled to as it is their job to serve out justice properly, and what better way to do it than without a doubt when giving the final verdict? The mind really boggles :/

Consumer electronic companies should follow the example of car tech companies, they have a patent system but it is for the benefit of the customer to make sure innovative technology is shared equally amongst car makers. 3-tick lane change indicators? On virtually every car, yet the patent is owned by Mercedes (or Volvo, some European company I think - might of been Saab so now a product of GM). At least with cars anyone with three brain cells to their name and some eyes can tell that a Mercedes is different to a Ford... because it is. Christ knows why design is such a big issue with tech companies... More cash and possessive behaviour than is humanly comfortable.

[peteyt]

Like I said to a friend. If you took the labels off all TV's most people wouldn't be able to identify the make - why, because all have similar designs.

If it was up to some of the tech companies their product would be the only one available and consumers wouldn't get much of a choice. That choice is what they have though and because some are picking others instead of their product they seem to now be trying to go to court.

These companies need to accept that the consumers have a right for choices