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How To Avoid Infringing On Apple's Patents

Posted by Soulskill on from the easy-as-pie dept.

bdking writes "In a public legal brief (PDF), Apple offers numerous design alternatives that Samsung could have used for its smartphones and tablets to avoid infringing on Apple's patents. Basically, as long as competitors' smartphones and tablets bear no resemblance to smartphones and tablets, everything's cool."

3 of 323 comments (clear)

  1. Re:ok so... by Telvin_3d · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    So... everything that was around before the iPhone?

    I only joke a little. These lawsuits have never been about Samsung copying any single design feature, they have been about the copying of many design features. The inclusion of any one of these 'suggestions' (or any other significant design difference) would would have made the lawsuits DOA.

    If the speakers/microphone were a set of stylized vertical grills (which might look quite nice actually), there would be no lawsuit. Square screen (and why couldn't someone make a nice UI for a square screen?) and there is no lawsuit. Screen offset from the center (perhaps a row of function buttons underneath?) and there is no lawsuit. A significant colour difference anywhere on the device and there would be no lawsuit. Hell, make the buttons rounded squares and you have probably killed any possible claims.

    These lawsuits were easy to avoid. Everyone else managed.

  2. Irregardless... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    You can't deny that Samsung basically lifted *all* their design cues from Apple. It's ridiculous.

    Take a look at the Asus Transformer for an example of how to make an attractive tablet that doesn't blatantly scream "Hey! I want to be an iPad!"

  3. Re:ok so... by tqk · · Score: 1, Flamebait

    Samsung is the only developer that's close to being even or taking over Apple in the market ...

    And you're also right in saying that there's nothing derivative or copycat about Samsung's designs, aside from the fact that they are faithful copies of Apple's designs, right down to the packaging.

    You do realize you're slamming Samsung for making something that Apple says *looks* too much like one of their iBaubles?

    Gee, and I thought the value in these things was what's inside; technology! Car analogy: I don't give a rat's ass what it looks like. I do care what it can do. You know, power, functionality, the stuff they can do and how they do it?

    You should not be allowed on a tech site. Go back to art/marketroid school.

    --
    "Tongue tied and twisted, just an Earth bound misfit ..." -- Pink Floyd.