Samsung has appealed to a US court to allow it to see the next-generation iPad and iPhone prototypes, as it plays tit-for-tat in an ongoing spat with Apple.
Last week, a judge ruled that Apple's legal team were allowed to see a range of Samsung's products -- including the Galaxy S 2, Galaxy Tab 8.9, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Infuse 4G and Droid Charge -- in order that they be able to build a case against the Korean company.
Samsung is understandably unhappy at this decision, despite the fact that no-one on Apple's design team would have access to Samsung's products. "It would put Samsung at a significant disadvantage in this litigation if the Court allowed Apple access to Samsung's future products... but prevented Samsung from gaining access to Apple's future products so that it could prepare its defence," it said in a statement to Reuters.
Even if a judge rules that Apple must hand over its future designs, the chances of us finding out anything about them is extremely slim. Either company would be in a vast steaming tank of hot water if anything leaks out.
We've already pondered whether the latest breed of touchscreen phones are by nature very similar to one another. Apple's iPhone and iPad started a touchscreen phone and tablet frenzy among other manufacturers, but there's only so much you can do with a mobile device's casing and the current crop of chips. Is all that's really differentiating Apple and Samsung devices their operating systems -- are they just iOS versus Android?
We've already pitted the Galaxy S 2 against the iPhone 4. It's hard to see exactly what these lawsuits are going to achieve, apart from making some lawyers rich. Ultimately it's up to you, the consumer, to decide which phones are best.
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Anonymous 31 May, 2011 21:43
apple felt so insecure of its market position it had to borrow the power of law and take a sneak peek at samsung's prototypes. When did US tech firms start to lose confidence to such a point? Then samsung does the same *supposedly equal* but nonetheless childish action of revenge. Srsly...this battle is like grandmas fighting in the market lol. Fight it on sales guys, plz, do it the man's way xD
jaidensmith01 1 June, 2011 12:30
actually it is rightly said..it completely depends on the user which is best and moreover there will be mixed reviews as some will like Apple and some will like Samsung...so entirely on the consumer to decide...lawsuits will not be able to take a fair decision....
Bearne 4 June, 2011 00:17
Another one to add to the list. Apple has tried to legally take on nearly all of its competitors at some point.
They tried to take on HTC when they were big with android and year or so ago and they are doing the same here. Apple can't play on products alone then have to tried and play dirty. To me it says that they can't relay on there products because they are running out of 'ideas'.
There is only so long a company can live off of claiming to re-invent everything that already is in use; Video calling, the phone, the letter i.