Apple must be scared of Samsung. Sadly, but really.

[shggman]

Just read an article, Samsung is now any minute away from suing Apple over LTE patents and trying to ban iphone 5. This "new battle" was very much expected even before the release of iphone 5, so I assume this will really happen. Apple now massively defensive in this regard, they delayed the release in Korea, AGAIN. Not that I care, but anyway.

So Apple tried to cut their dependency on parts supply from Samsung, tried to find alternatives but couldn't find one. They even invested in an american company and failed to do so because they couldn't follow-up with Samsung's technology. Simply put, Samsung was supplying them best parts for best price, but since they are catching up so damn fast (if not, already passed), Apple ended up suing their own supplier.

Now British is annoyed by it, Japan is annoyed by it, and the whole world is pointing fingers at Apple for being a defensive "loser". Even in our very own country, in United States, recent survey proved that general population's opinion regarding Apple's brand image has turned negative by 50 something percent due to these law suits apple are filing.

This is such a shame. Myself, as a proud american, once so proud of Apple, is now so shamed and embarrassed of Apple. Why are they doing this? Can they just compete in a fair manner?

Yes, in my VERY OWN PERSONAL opinion, Samsung did "follow" apple's innovative route in various ways. However, anyone who graduated from fine college in united states would know, Business 101 - For success in product selling market, you must either: innovate a product and/or improve on an existing product. Japanese are very well known for this business tactics, improving on what is already out there, make it a better product than the original and claim market share. This is a fair business practice.

In recent Apple's victory over Samsung in United States, one of the reason Samsung products were banned was because of its square design. Jesus christ, why not ban every damn square shape products on earth for Apple?

Thus, I'm guessing, Apple is really, ridiculously scared of Samsung and the Android market. Professionals in the field are saying Apple iOS will be diminished by 2020 or so, and eventually, more open marketed Android will take over. Well, watching recent cell phone releases by competitions, I think it will become true....

 

[Plutonius]

Give it a rest. Apple and Samsung are both just companies who are in business to make money. Let them sue each other and decide who's right in court. Use what product is best for you and stop worrying over how the companies look or what people think of them. Seriously, don't you think there might be bigger issues in the world to worry about rather then the fight between two companies (unless you own lots of stock in one of the companies ).

Note: How can you be proud of a company unless you own it ?

 

[chrono1081]

When Samsungs own lawyers can't tell the difference between a Galaxy Tab and an iPad and Samsung was caught with internal memos stating they need to make their products like the iPhone I think Apple had every right to sue.

As far as Apple being scared? Doubt it, they're the most profitable company.

 

[shggman]

Give it a rest. Apple and Samsung are both just companies who are in business to make money. Let them sue each other and decide who's right in court. Use what product is best for you and stop worrying over how the companies look or what people think of them. Seriously, don't you think there might be bigger issues in the world to worry about rather then the fight between two companies (unless you own lots of stock in one of the companies ).

Note: How can you be proud of a company unless you own it ?

You have a good point. But aren't we all here to care and chat about other useless crap?

I guess you can call me patriot, I'm not a racist, but I take pride in what my country does. Made-in-USA is much more appealing to me than made-in-elsewhere. Simple as that. Business is business, so we can take such emotional judgement out of it. Thus, strictly Apple vs Samsung in business aspect, what apple is doing is ridiculous. I deal with a lot of international people, and when this topic comes up, it is just....... embarrassing.

While some apple extremists and fanboys are cheering about recent court's decision on samsung product bans, the world is laughing at US court for defending apple with most pathetic reasons. Samsung started winning court cases in other countries now. It will only get uglier for apple.

 

[shggman]

When Samsungs own lawyers can't tell the difference between a Galaxy Tab and an iPad and Samsung was caught with internal memos stating they need to make their products like the iPhone I think Apple had every right to sue.

As far as Apple being scared? Doubt it, they're the most profitable company.

Again, that is good point and probably played a serious role at the court. However, I remember reading this one magazine and the reviewer summed it all up in a very concise manner. "If you can't tell the difference between the Tab and the iPad or Galaxy phone vs the iPhone, then you shouldn't be living in this era. If you can't stand this fact, then stick with your flip phone because chances are, you won't get much out of these tech-gizmo phones anyway".

If you followed the whole design issue between Samsung and Apple as I did, you probably would know, design was never originally created by Apple, but was 'released' to the public by apple first. Internal sources from korean media reports that samsung had square touch phone design (blueprints with dates, this picture was released in south korea) well before the first release of the iphone. Same with tablet, Samsung designer claimed (in public statements) that the company was at work on its allegedly infringing tablet design well before the iPad.

There are even uglier theories, where people are saying Samsung can win over Apple with design scheme, but they decide not to do so because the $7 billion worth of parts supplying to apple is more profitable.

Either way, sad story for apple. Apple is no longer "aware" of Samsung, but seriously threatened by Samsung. Too bad blackberry, HTC and LG failed to follow-up, it would've been even uglier for Apple.

 

[swingerofbirch]

When Samsungs own lawyers can't tell the difference between a Galaxy Tab and an iPad and Samsung was caught with internal memos stating they need to make their products like the iPhone I think Apple had every right to sue.

As far as Apple being scared? Doubt it, they're the most profitable company.

Not actually the most profitable. Some people think it could be in 2012, but not yet. Market valuation is a different story.

 

[Melab]

You have a good point. But aren't we all here to care and chat about other useless crap?

I guess you can call me patriot, I'm not a racist, but I take pride in what my country does. Made-in-USA is much more appealing to me than made-in-elsewhere. Simple as that. Business is business, so we can take such emotional judgement out of it. Thus, strictly Apple vs Samsung in business aspect, what apple is doing is ridiculous. I deal with a lot of international people, and when this topic comes up, it is just....... embarrassing.

While some apple extremists and fanboys are cheering about recent court's decision on samsung product bans, the world is laughing at US court for defending apple with most pathetic reasons. Samsung started winning court cases in other countries now. It will only get uglier for apple.

The iPhone is made in China but I think I understand what you're getting at (though that is not to say that I agree).

----------

Internal sources from korean media reports that samsung had square touch phone design (blueprints with dates, this picture was released in south korea) well before the first release of the iphone. Same with tablet, Samsung designer claimed (in public statements) that the company was at work on its allegedly infringing tablet design well before the iPad.

That could be the case, but they probably shelved the idea.

 

[chown33]

Just read an article,

Link?

Samsung is now any minute away from suing Apple over LTE patents and trying to ban iphone 5. This "new battle" was very much expected even before the release of iphone 5, so I assume this will really happen.

Samsung just lost their bid with the ITC:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/09/itc-apple-doesnt-infringe-samsungs-smartphone-patents/

Even in our very own country, in United States, recent survey proved that general population's opinion regarding Apple's brand image has turned negative by 50 something percent due to these law suits apple are filing.

Citation needed.

 

[benzslrpee]

1. Samsung and Apple. Ericsson and Huawei. Nike and Li-ning. Google and Baidu. Facebook and Renren. Twitter and Sina. Caterpillar and Komatsu. Toyota and GM. Cray and Hitachi.

2. Innovation was the pitch that Morgan Stanley gave to their investors on Facebook. Improvement was what McKinsey convinced Swiss Air. to a b-school grad an innovative product is something with optimal entry/exit barriers, operating leverage, value chain, cost structure, fixed/variable costs, market maturity, economies of scale/scope. if you can squeeze all that into a BCG matrix*, Porter's 5*, and SWOT* it'll get you bonus innovation points

3. Motorola (or your Android vendor of choice) makes revenue by offering a slightly inferior product at a lower and/or more flexible price point as to gain market share. Coke/Pepsi, Toyota/Honda, Bud/Miller etc try out spend each other on marketing to maintain market share. Gucci reduced market share intentionally and increased price points to gain more revenue.

4. Apple won against Samsung in the US. Samsung won against Apple in SK. Apple sought injunctions in the US based on ridiculous patents. Samsung handed out well place gifts so they could make polite inventory suggestions and placements.

5. Apple should be scared of Samsung. in seven years, Samsung went from budget TV brand to toppling Sony who exited the space in the short term EOY 2011. Sony reigned the TV segment since the 1980s. Samsung is a conglomerate with multiple business divisions, an entire nation's financial resource on tap, and well placed political connections throughout Asia. one of the biggest future growth areas is Asia, home market to Samsung but a foreign territory to Apple in culture and ways of working. why wouldn't Apple be scared of Samsung? if people were to be blunt about it, Samsung operates very similar China's state-owned companies enjoying similar perks. look at their former chairman LKH... indicted on bribing and influencing judges and politicians with his private slush fund. pardoned by the SK gov. now if Tim Cook was caught for bribing judge Koh to give a verdict in Apple's favor with his private slush fund...

to me, this is absolutely great competitive business... corporations fight each other aggressively. embrace it. at the other end of the spectrum are airlines and carriers, these guys bring the fight to consumers and rarely do damage to each other. cost increase?! charge for carryons! increase data prices! charge for blankets! increase text message prices! charge for inflight meals! restrict free capabilities!

i mean, really... as a consumer what is there to complain about? that Samsung will have bring out newer designs? no, please, please... less original designs. my fuzzy little head just can't handle anything newer or cooler than a GS3 or that Apple would have to source/create/buy some new LTE chip as to not infringe on patents? well darn, i prefer the current LTE/CDMA chip that can't let me talk and consume data simultaneously... what will i do with myself if i can talk and surf at the same time

*note: they teach you this crap in b-school but once you graduate no self respecting investment bank, management consulting firm, or F500 leadership development program would EVER want to see this in a presentation. never.

Just read an article, Samsung is now any minute away from suing Apple over LTE patents and trying to ban iphone 5. This "new battle" was very much expected even before the release of iphone 5, so I assume this will really happen. Apple now massively defensive in this regard, they delayed the release in Korea, AGAIN. Not that I care, but anyway.

So Apple tried to cut their dependency on parts supply from Samsung, tried to find alternatives but couldn't find one. They even invested in an american company and failed to do so because they couldn't follow-up with Samsung's technology. Simply put, Samsung was supplying them best parts for best price, but since they are catching up so damn fast (if not, already passed), Apple ended up suing their own supplier.

Now British is annoyed by it, Japan is annoyed by it, and the whole world is pointing fingers at Apple for being a defensive "loser". Even in our very own country, in United States, recent survey proved that general population's opinion regarding Apple's brand image has turned negative by 50 something percent due to these law suits apple are filing.

This is such a shame. Myself, as a proud american, once so proud of Apple, is now so shamed and embarrassed of Apple. Why are they doing this? Can they just compete in a fair manner?

Yes, in my VERY OWN PERSONAL opinion, Samsung did "follow" apple's innovative route in various ways. However, anyone who graduated from fine college in united states would know, Business 101 - For success in product selling market, you must either: innovate a product and/or improve on an existing product. Japanese are very well known for this business tactics, improving on what is already out there, make it a better product than the original and claim market share. This is a fair business practice.

In recent Apple's victory over Samsung in United States, one of the reason Samsung products were banned was because of its square design. Jesus christ, why not ban every damn square shape products on earth for Apple?

Thus, I'm guessing, Apple is really, ridiculously scared of Samsung and the Android market. Professionals in the field are saying Apple iOS will be diminished by 2020 or so, and eventually, more open marketed Android will take over. Well, watching recent cell phone releases by competitions, I think it will become true....

 

[smoledman]

This lawsuit by Samsung will go nowhere because LTE is FRAND.

 

[G51989]

This lawsuit by Samsung will go nowhere because LTE is FRAND.

That didn't stop Apple from refusing to pay NOKIA for FRAND Patents. They just like taking other peoples tech for free

 

[smoledman]

That didn't stop Apple from refusing to pay NOKIA for FRAND Patents. They just like taking other peoples tech for free

Since you can't implement LTE without using those patents, they're FRAND. That's the law. It's not the same as the shape of the phone or method to unlock the screen. FRAND is FRAND and Samsung has no ground to stand on.

Apple upwards and onwards to $1 trillion market cap.

 

[pdjudd]

That didn't stop Apple from refusing to pay NOKIA for FRAND Patents. They just like taking other peoples tech for free

Wasn't the dispute over the amount of royalties owed, not that Apple had to pay them (I don't think Apple ever disputed that fact).

Of course it's very likely that decision has nothing to do with this - Samsung hasn't filed any suit yet and there isn't proof that they will due to patent exhaustion (via qualcomm).

 

[G51989]

Since you can't implement LTE without using those patents, they're FRAND. That's the law. It's not the same as the shape of the phone or method to unlock the screen. FRAND is FRAND and Samsung has no ground to stand on.

Apple upwards and onwards to $1 trillion market cap.

LTE isn't a required technology as of yet, legally anyway. Samsung does have grounds to stand on, until it becomes FRAND, which I don't think it is, yet. Though I think it will become FRAND eventually.

Even if it becomes FRAND, if Apple isn't paying for patents, they are still under the gun. Samsung wouldn't threaten unless they know they can sue

And who cares if Apple ever goes to 1 trillion? I don't. They still have to overtake Microsoft as most valuable company of all time ( Adjusted for inflation in today's dollars. and yes, it still counts ), who were worth 850 Billion at one point.

 

[dmelgar]

Either way, sad story for apple. Apple is no longer "aware" of Samsung, but seriously threatened by Samsung. Too bad blackberry, HTC and LG failed to follow-up, it would've been even uglier for Apple.

I think its sad that someone can think its ok to blatantly copy Apple the way Samsung has done. I attribute this to a couple of things:

• folks probably aren't aware of how much Samsung has copied Apple. Where's the line, from being inspired by a design, to copy the design, to counterfeit.
• people forget. Court cases take forever. Years after the original infringement, people think thats the only way it can be done. All phones do it that way.
• People don't like patents and think that new ideas shouldn't be protected. The battle now is between behemoths, but patents should ideally protect the little guy from blatant copying.

Just a short list of what Samsung has copied includes:

• 140 pages worth of iPhone aspects they strived to copy
• the power adapter. Its identical, except black w Samsung on it. Get real.
• The store? No other way to do a store?
• The shirts worn by store employees? Is it a coincidence? Is this being innovative?
• The box
• The advertising
• Even using the same actor in an ad
• The Mini. Same exact width and length, different height, cheap plastic top.
• Most obvious, TouchWiz changes the default Android launchpad to make to make it imitate iOS. Same rows of icons, same paging behavior in the same direction. Android doesn't do this, no other manufacturer has copied this closely.
• The icons. Icons are sometimes practically identical. Is it ok to resell copies of artwork?

 

[smoledman]

I think its sad that someone can think its ok to blatantly copy Apple the way Samsung has done. I attribute this to a couple of things:

• folks probably aren't aware of how much Samsung has copied Apple. Where's the line, from being inspired by a design, to copy the design, to counterfeit.
• people forget. Court cases take forever. Years after the original infringement, people think thats the only way it can be done. All phones do it that way.
• People don't like patents and think that new ideas shouldn't be protected. The battle now is between behemoths, but patents should ideally protect the little guy from blatant copying.

Just a short list of what Samsung has copied includes:

• 140 pages worth of iPhone aspects they strived to copy
• the power adapter. Its identical, except black w Samsung on it. Get real.
• The store? No other way to do a store?
• The shirts worn by store employees? Is it a coincidence? Is this being innovative?
• The box
• The advertising
• Even using the same actor in an ad
• The Mini. Same exact width and length, different height, cheap plastic top.
• Most obvious, TouchWiz changes the default Android launchpad to make to make it imitate iOS. Same rows of icons, same paging behavior in the same direction. Android doesn't do this, no other manufacturer has copied this closely.
• The icons. Icons are sometimes practically identical. Is it ok to resell copies of artwork?

It just means Samsung will be more motivated to make Windows Phones.