Samsung May Have Not Tried to Copy the iPhone
New documents points to Samsung asking its designers to be "creative" and "diverse".
Previously unavailable documents presented to the judge in the Apple vs Samsung court case suggests that there was no solid evidence that the Samsung told its designers to copy the iPhone.
Groklaw uncovered the fuller version of Samsung's internal documents where a senior executive at the firm who presided over internal meetings apparently said, "I hear things like this: Let's make something like the iPhone."
"When everybody (both consumers and the industry) talk about UX, they weigh it against the iPhone," the exec added. "The iPhone has become the standard. That's how things are already."
While Apple stressed that Samsung told its designers to copy the iPhone, a document reveals that wasn't exactly the case: "To everyone, he said you must think at least six months ahead; be the solution to the problems that related departments come looking for. Be people with creativity."
Groklaw further showcases notes from the same meeting which states:
Designers rightly must make their own designs with conviction and confidence; do not strive to do designs to please me (the president); instead make designs with faces that are creative and diverse.
There is, however, a mention of "a crisis of design," where Samsung says, "In regards to exteriors, do your best not to create a plastic feeling and instead create a metallic feel." Sure, that does sound familiar to the iPhone, but the meeting also discusses a component that is showcased in the Galaxy S3:
Our biggest asset is our screen. It is very important that we make screen size bigger, and in the future mobile phones will absorb even the function of e-books.
Groklaw then suggests that Apple's legal team could have been selective in regards to the presentation of some of the aforementioned evidence to the court; Apple may have chosen to focus on the segments that implied Samsung did copy the iPhone. Apple allegedly didn't, however, showcase the segment where Samsung asked its designers to be creative.
Ultimately, Samsung may not even have to pay the $1 billion in damages due to its request to get the case dismissed because of the jury foreman's history.

That said, they probably did take ideas from the iPhone, changed it around a little bit, and incorporated it in their own product. But every company does that. The Ford Focus and the Chevy Cruze are very similar cars, and they provide the same basic functions. The designers/engineers probably even looked at each other's product and took ideas from each other. Yet they aren't suing each other left and right.
Not that I can necessarily blame Apple or Samsung for suing each other. I'd blame the patent laws in the US (and other countries around the world) before I blame either Apple or Samsung.
Apple lawyers presented: "Let's make something like the iPhone."
So the judge and jury just saw phrases taken from document papers. How about reading the whole darn files.
That said, they probably did take ideas from the iPhone, changed it around a little bit, and incorporated it in their own product. But every company does that. The Ford Focus and the Chevy Cruze are very similar cars, and they provide the same basic functions. The designers/engineers probably even looked at each other's product and took ideas from each other. Yet they aren't suing each other left and right.
Not that I can necessarily blame Apple or Samsung for suing each other. I'd blame the patent laws in the US (and other countries around the world) before I blame either Apple or Samsung.
Apple lawyers presented: "Let's make something like the iPhone."
So the judge and jury just saw phrases taken from document papers. How about reading the whole darn files.
http://itlounge.eu/pre-iphone-design-concepts-add-weight-to-samsungs-defense-in-patent-trial/
I haven't seen an apple oil drilling rig yet so I'm not quite sure how to feel
Not easy being King. But I do not dislike Samsung. I think it is a great company but its hilarious how people go on like Samsung is David and Apple is evil Goliath. The whole article is Samsung saying, "Hey we didnt copy we innovated" blah blah blah. Tho I fully expect iHaters to hate mindlessly. Before Apple got huge it too was a loved company and I love the fact that US consumer electronics has made a huge comeback with Apple at the fore front. Its almost like iHaters prefer everything to come from foreign companies....lol.
But then they complain that even though Apple is technically an American company, it's all built in China. It's the same way (yet inversed) with auto makers. The buy American crowd says to buy Ford...even though many(most?)of them are built in Mexico. And when I tell them my Toyota was built in Indiana they say "oh, but the money all goes back to Japan". If my money for something built here goes back over seas, doesn't the money for thing built over seas come back here (example: Apple)?
What US companies? Please god, you're not referring to company like Apple, are you?
As far as most people concern, Apple is a CHINESE company. They do most of their operations in CHINA. On the other hand, the so call "foreign" company(Samsung in this case), they're investing in Austin, TX(part of USA the last time I check) with billions of billions dollars helping to creating jobs.
Companies like Apple are traitors!
Man get your freaking facts right, Toyota/Honda are more US company than GM/Ford.
They were unavailable to the public but the judge had access to them but didn't read them completely it seems.
Except that they sell millions of real products every years.
A lot of people were bothered by Apple even since the 90s and earlier. Steve was an asshole back then and that never changed. Yes, other companies aren't innocent, but Apple is the greater *evil* in this situation. I most certainly don't mind buying foreign products so long as they're good products. It's not like you can really find many products at all that aren't related to other countries in some way if not entirely anyway.
Apple is as much a US company as Samsung or any foreign company is. Apple's products are shipped from overseas and the LARGE majority of Apple's profit bulk is held overseas. Apple is blatantly paying as little taxes as they possibly can to their "homeland" while maintaining all their profits overseas. The only thing Apple has going for is that they were originally founded here in the US and that they have a HQ in the US but other than that they can't be called American and Apple should be ashamed for calling themselves that, just like every other American corporation that does this but Apple is one of the worst for sure. I mean seriously, they have over $100 billion OVERSEAS which America will NEVER see in any form of investment or taxes. Apple are just parasites leeching off America's money
I'm pretty sure that so long as a company is a successful patent troll, most investors wouldn't mind.
That said, I am hoping Samsung will at least succeed in greatly reducing the fine.