They’re Still Not Getting It
Over at AllThingsD, John Paczkowski has Samsung’s response to the verdict in the Samsung-Apple patent trial:
Today’s verdict should not be viewed as a win for Apple, but as a loss for the American consumer,” Samsung said in a statement. “It will lead to fewer choices, less innovation, and potentially higher prices. It is unfortunate that patent law can be manipulated to give one company a monopoly over rectangles with rounded corners, or technology that is being improved every day by Samsung and other companies. Consumers have the right to choices, and they know what they are buying when they purchase Samsung products. This is not the final word in this case or in battles being waged in courts and tribunals around the world, some of which have already rejected many of Apple’s claims. Samsung will continue to innovate and offer choices for the consumer.
This shows Samsung still doesn’t get it.
“It is unfortunate that patent law can be manipulated to give one company a monopoly over rectangles with rounded corners“
Because that’s all an iPhone is, some rounded rectangles. And a Ferarri is just a fast, red car. And Whole Lotta Love is just a song by Led Zeppelin. And The Sirens of Titan is just some book by Kurt Vonnegut.
Apple doesn’t and shouldn’t have a monopoly over rectangles with rounded corners, but that’s not this trial was about. Apple didn’t sue Samsung for copying them, they sued Samsung for the degree to which they copied them.
Samsung didn’t just take a few paperclips and and some pens from Apple’s supply closet. They emptied out the whole damn closet. Maybe that’s a little too antiquated an analogy. Samsung didn’t just torrent the latest pop music single, they torrented every album released in last 5 years.
Samsung could have easily avoided this whole messy trial if they hadn’t copied as much as they did from Apple, but they got greedy and when you get greedy there’s a good chance you’ll get caught.