Week 5 EOC: Apple-Samsung Patent Battle

The Apple Samsung saga continues. Apple and Samsung are back in court again over the patent battle of the century. The last time Apple and Samsung went head to head in the courtroom, Apple was set to receive a little over 1 billion dollars but ended up only being rewarded 450 million. Apple then brought Samsung back in the courtroom to “increase the amount of damages it was awarded by several hundred million dollars, and to ban Samsung from selling certain products that infringe on Apple patents”. Apple first went after Samsung in April 2011 when they realized they had blatantly copied the iPhone and iPad. Samsung suggested that they did not copy these products and went on to counter sue Apple for software infringement. The jury found Samsung guilty, assigned them to pay Apple 1 billion dollars, then the judge ruled differently and only awarded $450 million to Apple, and also refused to ban Samsung’s smart phones. Samsung continued on and sued Apple once more claiming that Korean patents were in fact being used and Apple was doing so illegally. What happened next was the following: “The International Trade Commission ruled in favor of Samsung in June 2013, and said the Apple phones in question couldn't be sold within the United States.”

   Now the latest trial going on was brought about by Apple, “In February 2012, Apple filed another lawsuit in California district court accusing Samsung of infringing on utility patents in its newer products.” Samsung is firing back stating that is what Apple is doing with all of their products. Both companies I believe have errors in the way they have gone about certain situations, but that is how the game is played with these big companies. For either company to claim that they haven’t done something even a little unethical would be a lie. And at the end of the day is it all worth it? Apple you are still #1 in the game! “Bottom line on Apple v. Samsung: "Apple remains most profitable phone maker by a wide margin." I would really like to know what their ideal end game scenario would be. As of now the last counter sue brought on by apple is still ongoing and the courts already seem to be tired of all the companies back and forth claims. The trial is set for March 2014.