Samsung has lost trial after trial for copying the iPhone. Looking at Samsung’s phones today, it’s hard to see the similarities. However, when the trial first began, Samsung’s phones were direct copies of Apple’s. They even had internal documents revealed by the court that proved Samsung’s goal was to copy the look and feel of the iPhone in every way possible. It’s unquestionable that, not only did Samsung copy Apple, but their copying hurt Apple’s business and hurt the nature of innovation in the technology industry as a whole. Samsung has appealed nearly every decision, but every single time, juries have decided to award Apple for design and patent infringements. This time, Samsung’s appeal came with an added cost: a larger payment to Apple.
Samsung Ordered to Pay $539 Million
After an appeal, Samsung was able to shrink the damages down from $1 billion to $399 million, though still felt it wasn’t fair. Samsung made billions using Apple’s designs, and is the top Android manufacturer today thanks solely to that original theft. However, the jury decided to award Apple the full $539 million that Apple had been previously awarded. Samsung’s left now with a larger bill than they would have had to pay if they had just settled up before. I don’t know if you enjoy schadenfreude, but I certainly do.
Samsung’s Response
Samsung is already gearing up to keep this charade going. They responded to the ruling stating, “We will consider all options to obtain an outcome that does not hinder creativity.” Apparently, to Samsung, creativity is well documented copying of another company’s hard work. Perhaps they just meant legal creativity? Because they’re going to have to get creative to weasel out of paying this again.
Apple bet the future of the company on the design of the iPhone. It would have broken Apple for the design to be unpopular, if the iPhone didn’t sell. Instead, it was wildly popular, and the future of computing became increasingly mobile and personal. Unfortunately, companies like Samsung then came in, copied Apple’s designs, taking none of the risk, but profiting off of Apple’s hard work. Samsung won’t let this case go, but looking at current Android phones, it’s clear that most have learned not to copy Apple. Innovation and competition befit everyone. However, blatant copying like this only benefits the posers.
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