back to article Judge lets Apple keep secrets from Samsung

The I sue you, you sue me spat between Apple and Samsung took a turn in the iPhone maker’s favour this week. U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh ruled against the Korean company’s request last month for access to unreleased iPhone and iPad models, which it had claimed would be "highly relevant" to its defence case, according to …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.
  1. Anonymous Coward
    Meh

    title

    I really don't understand this. I thought samsung manufactured a good portion of the components in the iPhone and iPad.... So surely they must already know what may be in the pipeline?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Not the components...

      It's the UI and 'look and feel' mate. Samsung have shamelessly copied Apple here.

      (No-one cares about the components inside.)

    2. Steve Todd
      FAIL

      So to use an analogy

      Goodyear should know what next years Fords look like because they make some of the parts? How would knowing what CPU and screen are being built into the iPad 3 inform you as to what it's OS and shell look like?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        The title must contain.. etc.

        What is it about tech and f@#king car analogies?

        It's pretty obvious what Apple's next iOS is going to look like, probably the same as it has since it's public unveiling..

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Down

      Ever heard of Chinese walls?

      The manufacturing and design divisions should be divided by a Chinese wall, i.e. that the design division does not know what the manufacturing division makes for other customers.

      That's what this suit is about. Apple claims that there's no such thing, and there should be, because Samsung now has a competitive advantage.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Samsung now has a competitive advantage.

        Nah, no competitive advantage there. Never will be. Because Apple's real competitive advantage is "All ur fanbois belong to uz" and they won't touch anything without an Apple label on it.

  2. Destroy All Monsters Silver badge
    Devil

    Hah!

    I will buy my Android even if encumbered by Apple's rent-seekery.

  3. Richard Jones 1

    Apple Cook and Serve with custard - (rhyms with something)

    What a surprise, not content with using the irritation service for commercial espionage now the USA is taking a leaf out of the UK's 'rent a law' legal system this time to secure their national end rather than give it away.

    iCrap of the USA against a maker in another country guess who will win.

    Of course our rent a law system just hands over anyone who is asked for, especially to help the US injustice system fill its gaols.

    I am waiting to be told that by driving on the left in the UK I am really on the wrong side of the road so should be shipped off to the land of the far from free.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Well if there is ANY company that knows how to harass folks...

    ...it's Apple, & Stevie "Boy Wonder" Jobs.

  5. Big_Boomer
    Devil

    How to iPad your pockets with other peoples money

    Both Apple and Samsung should hand over their products to a neutral assessor who then decides and documents the similarities and differences.

    That way neither of them gain any advantage.

    If the assessor later uses any info gained then they get to be locked up with Big "Bubba" Smith, the rectal scourge of the US gaol system.

    What, but then Apple wouldn't be able to either iPad their pockets with Samsung money (if Samsung have been naughty) or gain a tech advantage over Samsung (same money but now flows directly to Apple rather than via Samsung.

    Ahh the joys of a "Patent" system that lets you patent stuff that should be copyrighted instead. <LOL>

    1. Wyrdness
      Thumb Up

      <sarcasm>

      Great idea. This 'neutral assessor' that you propose could be presented with all of the evidence by both Apple and Samsung and listen to their respective arguments. (S)he could then judge which one of them is in the right. We could even call them a 'Judge'.

      </sarcasm>

      1. Tom 13

        Um, no.

        The precise point of his post was that under the legal system, the other company gets to see your design in order to refute the arguments your lawyer presents. Under his proposal, that isn't true, only the arbiter does. It's still bollux, because all IP laws have become bollux.

    2. Steve Todd
      FAIL

      Did you actualy stop to think before you posted that?

      1) They have a neutral assessor, he's called a Judge.

      2) This is about DESIGN patents, which are NOT the same as standard patents. In other places in the world they are called registered designs and they are all about ornamental appearance not technical method. This isn't about Samsung ripping off Apple's technology, it's about them ripping off their industrial designs.

  6. majorursa
    FAIL

    Last straws...

    maybe better if EUR and Asian producers stopped seeing US as major client and just withdraw product lines there when they are confronted with this ridiculous IP policy.

    US economy is stagnating anyway and close to the brink. Painting itself in the corner. Let's just abandon them as a market and show what real liberal capitalism looks like.

    1. Daniel 4
      Coffee/keyboard

      "...abandon the US as a market..."

      Hehe....

      hahaha....

      MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

      If you did that as a troll, I don't care, it gave me the best laugh I've had all day. On the other hand, if you didn't, I'd suggest an economics course, followed by even a brief market analysis.

      *chuckle* Best post I've seen all week...

      -d

      P.S. - I suggest you look over the hard facts of the case and ask yourself honestly how it would have gone in most European courts. Hint: A few of the more clued in readers have already posted comments trying to explain.

  7. nyelvmark
    Meh

    Change your market sector

    Become a bicycle manufacturer, or something, Samsung.

    Not that big of a deal.

  8. dave 76

    imitation

    I don't have an iPhone but I support Apple in this.

    Surely iPhone is not the pinnacle of design and Samsung could have made something that looked different.

    Or are they implying that they cannot design anything better than the iPhone? That's sad if it's true.

  9. Ted Treen
    Devil

    A pattern emerges...

    Patent squabbles... only became a huge problem with the involvement of lawyers:

    Divorce... only became a huge problem with the involvement of lawyers:

    Human Rights Act... only became a huge problem with the involvement of lawyers:

    Libel... only became a huge problem with the involvement of lawyers:

    Is it just me, or is there a pattern emerging here?

  10. Wang N Staines

    Just saying

    So a U.S judge favoured a U.S company in a U.S court

    Hmmmm ....

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      No conflict there...is there?

      Simply has to be a coincidence.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    So

    Samsung are being forced to provide their prototypes to Apple, yet Apple get to keep theirs secret.

    This is wrong in so many ways.

    I still think Samsung should just stop supplying to Apple until they back down. Lets see how well Apple do with nothing to sell.

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like