Oh come on now! Really…
Last week it was widely reported that lofty Apple was suing Samsung in Northern Cali court. Now, In a serious game of corporate “tag, you’re it” We just learned that Samsung is suing Apple in Europe and Asia. IWeeks ago I wrote another article called “To Innovate or litigate” predicting this could be the likely future of competition. Not knowing at the time just how quickly and sure that scenario would actually play out and come true. Now here we are entering the Innovation Twilight Zone and the Litigation Outer Limits.
Samsung has responded to Apple’s recent patent lawsuit by filing a frontal assault of its own on more familiar and agreeable turf. The lawsuit was filed against the Apple on Friday in South Korea, Japan, and Germany. Samsung’s lawsuits don’t directly address Apple’s suit filed earlier in the US, even though they do accuse Apple with violating a number of Samsung’s patents related to how devices communicate with cell towers. According to Samsung, Apple has infringed on patents on how to reduce transmission errors, reduce power during data transmission, and tether a device to a PC to share its data connection.
Apple’s suit against Samsung accuses Samsung of copying Apple’s user interface design, packaging, and product design for the iPhone and iPad.
Additionally, Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee implied that Apple is simply being a bully attempting to stiffle Samsung’s recent success.
There clearly are similarities between the companies’ products. For example, iPad/iPhone and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab/Galaxy S look alike in physical design. and in UI the Galaxy looks just like iOS—In general Samsung’s products have grown closer to Apple’s seemingly without restraint. The phones and tablets do share various characteristics, but both companies believe that they have the upper hand when it comes to product design and innovation. Samsung is the first competitor to offer major tablet competition to the iPad, and Samsung’s handsets are finding acceptane with with Android users. Apple contends that Samsung has “crossed the line,” so everybody get ready for a patent fight like we have only rarely seen before.