The drama that's unfolded for over a year between mobile juggernauts Apple and Samsung has finally resulted in a trial in California. Apple says that Samsung was obsessed with beating it and that it ripped off its designs, while Samsung says its designs are original and that Apple's own patents are invalid. http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/31/3207848/apple-vs-samsung-complete-trial-coverage
I personally see this as a good example of the patent system's flaws. It wasn't designed for software patents so now it's being abused. Ideally, Apple gets over itself and it's "inventions" and Samsung admits that their UI/UX from the older phones was inspired by the iPhone (newer ones are not), and the patent system is fixed to prevent this again. I don't agree with Apple's claim that a Galaxy S (or other variant) can be confused as an iPhone. It has either multiple touch buttons or two touch buttons with a rectangular home button (along with a big Samsung logo). The Tab 10.1, however, could be argued to be similar to the iPad.
See the problem with current technology is that every company is racing to the finish to be the first one ahead, Big companies like Samsung or Apple need to sell their merchandise, and if one of them comes up with a new innovative product, automatically the other companies will try and mimic it. Also since the phone/tech market is an oligopoly Samsung and Apple can easily create economical barriers to the smaller (new) companies that might have good ideas... In the end it all falls down to who has the most power and wealth (anyways I think so). Since to patent something it costs money and to have a law suit it costs money and to develop a new product it costs money and so on... So I believe that whoever will hold the most money (thus power) will easily be able to maintain the industry in its control and copy the ideas of other companies that seem to become successful.
More hilarious developments: http://www.theverge.com/2012/8/16/3247092/judge-to-apple-youre-smoking-crack
really, apple? seriously. you dont need to squeeze more than your 10 billion pounds out of samsung for an early phone.
Next thing you know, people are going to start patenting colors. "My product is red too! I'm suing you for 10 billion! " There was a case slightly similar to this a while back. Glock sued Smith&Wesson for using 90degree corners on their line of Sigma handguns... 90degree corners - a thing we all learned in what, third grade? Anyways I don't think Apple should have sued Samsung in the first place, it's ridiculous to try and monopolize ideas and shapes IMO.
Apple -> Closed source + more expensive Samsung -> Open source (android) + cheaper The choice is that simple Both are providing nearly the same features also
