Apple’s lawsuit against Samsung started Monday in a California courtroom. In the current trial, there is another to come, Apple is suing Samsung for patent violations essentially saying Samsung copied its iPhone and iPad designs. One of the allegations includes patent infringement related to using touchscreen features. In turn, Samsung claims Apple violated some of its utility patents, including those that involve 3G capacity.
Monetary Damages
Sought
Samsung’s rise in the smartphone market should weigh on Apple’s mind. Samsung sold
22.7 million tablets and smartphones in the United States, earning the company
$8.16 billion in revenue. Apple is asking the court to award damages totaling over
$2.5 billion. Samsung has asked the court to award 2.4 percent of the
price of every sold iPhone as royalties.
Test of Consumerism and Capitalism
If the Court finds either company violated
patents, Apple and/or Samsung will need to develop new ways to manufacture items, which could result
in an increased cost of smartphones and tablets to consumers.
The onslaught of lawsuits in the smartphone and tablet markets affects capitalism and consumerism. That is exactly what Samsung’s lawyer argued – the legitimacy of competition in the United States. The anticipation of the latest and greatest device is heavily watched by technology enthusiasts, and consumers want the best product for the money. The ongoing patent battles should affect public opinion. In the end, everyone should be fed up with some of the childish antics and at times, over-the-top allegations.
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