The highly anticipated US patent trial between Samsung Electronics Company Ltd. In their opening statements, Apple accused Samsung of intentionally stealing iPhone features and, thereby, infringing on their current patents. Samsung's rebuttal explained that the similarities were merely an example of legitimate competition. Apple's original main focus in its patents was to counter Google's Android operating system, but with this trial, Samsung could face a sales ban on its Galaxy phones and tablets (Gupta). .
On its first day, the trial centered closely around Samsung's internal product analyses. According to Samsung's attorney, Verhoeven, the analyses is common practice in the smartphone industry, but Apple's attorney, McElhinny, spotlighted the part that said iPhone's hardware was "easy to copy." Verhoeven focused on the fact that the iPhone's biggest selling features, such as its minimalist design, were thought of long by other industry giants long before they appeared in Apple products (Gupta).
"Samsung is not some copyist, some Johnny-come-lately doing knockoffs," Verhoeven said. "There's a distinction between commercial success and inventing something" (Gupta). .
Apple's attorney turned to old Samsung phones dating back to 2006 and comparing them to the newer models that were introduced in 2010. He then questioned how Samsung could have jumped the gap between the older phones to the newest models. He then stated that although Apple is an extremely successful company, they still must defend their patent rights when someone blatantly steals their property (Gupta).
"Artists don't laugh that often when people steal their designs," McElhinny said (Gupta).
The original argument between Samsung and Apple began last year in a federal courtroom in San Jose, California when Apple sued Samsung for slavishly copying the iPhone and iPad. Samsung then countersued on five of Samsung's own patents.