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In UK, Apple Must Run Ad Apologizing to Samsung

Posted by timothy on from the grovel-different dept.

sfcrazy writes "Apple has lost is appeal in a UK court against Samsung's Galaxy Tab. The court of appeals has upheld its previous judgment that Samsung did not infringe on any Apple design. According to the order Apple will have to run an ads in leading UK newspapers as well its own website stating that Samsung did not infringes its products. To ensure that the ad is visible the court also ordered that the text of the ad must not be in a font size smaller than Ariel 14. Apple will have to run the ad on its site for a period of one month."

11 of 190 comments (clear)

  1. This is why by aglider · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Britannia rules!

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    1. Re:This is why by AmiMoJo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Apple brought it on themselves. They went around making these untrue claims and now the court is telling them to undo that damage. Restorative justice.

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    2. Re:This is why by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Having a trial doesn't mean that at all, losing it, on the other hand, does*.

      * - Unless you win your appeal. Which Apple didn't.

  2. The ruling itself by ais523 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I just came here after finishing reading the ruling itself, [2012] EWCA Civ 1339. I find UK legalese rather easier to read than US legalese (not being a lawyer), and it's interestingly informal in some parts. It's also quite informative (the judges pointed out specifically which differences they found to be relevant, such as the iPad's registered design being intentionally symmetrical, and the Galaxy Tab having an obvious intended orientation due to the addition of the word "SAMSUNG").

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    1. Re:The ruling itself by symes · · Score: 5, Funny

      I kind of read some sub-text there - that the two tablets are not similar because one is obviously from Samsung.

    2. Re:The ruling itself by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Actually it's worth bearing in mind that the Apple product is also substantially from Samsung. Many of the components come from Samsung and Apple could never have achieved their form factor if not for Samsung's technology. However, there is nothing made by Apple in any Samsung product. Now... who's the innovator ?

  3. Unfortunately, Ariel has an install base of .001% by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The apology message will render like wingding symbols for most...

  4. Font size yes, but ... by Alain+Williams · · Score: 5, Informative

    To ensure that the ad is visible the court also ordered that the text of the ad must not be in a font size smaller than Ariel 14. Apple will have to run the ad on its site for a period of one month.

    the court forgot to specify that Apple could not use the same text & background colours!

    Apple did win a concession: they were originally ordered to have it on the web site for 6 months, this was reduced to 1 month.

  5. Re:Ariel? by Desler · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe it's the font of the Little Mermaid?

  6. Re:If the verdict was the opposite... by mwvdlee · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Lets not forget which party started the lawsuit here.
    You think it'd be fair for Apple to just be able to walk away after falsely (proven in court) accusing Samsung of patent infringement and causing negative publicity for Samsung?
    If Apple could walk away freely, what would prevent Apple from filing court cases against every single competing product?

    It's an issue of balance:
    Scenario 1: "Banned from selling a product" vs. "Nothing changes"
    Scenario 2: "Banned from selling a product" vs. "Public apology"

    Which do you think is most fair?

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  7. Simple Design by morgauxo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "The judge actually criticized Samsung's design by stating that they 'do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design.'"

    Ever since the first iPods became popular I haven't understood this obsession with simplicity. I do get it that there are more non-geeks than geeks out there and that the non-geeks don't want to have to work to learn how to use anything. Still.. I want my stuff to actually do something, doesn't everyone? How can it be easier to accomplish a task of a certain complexity with fewer and fewer controls? For example, going back to MP3 players, if I want to pick a playlist from my music collection of just the songs I am in the mood for at this time how do I do this with just one rotating control? I'm guessing what is really happening is that people have a low expectation of what their devices should do but also don't have the imagination to realize that expectation is low

    What I really don't get is that the rest of the industry just tries to copy it rather than attack it. Yes, Apple has a huge market of simplicity hungry people with money to spend. Guess what... imitate that simplicity, through copying or through your own desings and you still aren't Apple! Nobody is going to out Apple Apple because even if you do the inertia is all Apple's anyway.

    Instead, why hasn't anybody tried building the market for non simlistic devices? I can imagine there being some pretty great marketing campaign opportunities in that. For example.. how about a commercial where a hipster looking guy is showing off his shiny new car with it's sexy extreme simplicity elegance to his friends and the girl he obviously wants to impress. It's so simple, there is just one button. He presses the button and the car promply crashes because there is no wheel to steer it! At the end you hear an announcer say "Android - because it's not TOO simple" or some similar but more polished tag line.