The value of Apple and Samsung smartphone and tablet market is estimated to be $200 billion. Apple is a dominant player in the smartphone market. However, Samsung has devised strategies which have enabled it acquire a significant share in the Smartphone and tablet market. This state of affairs has made Apple to experience a significant decline in its sales.
This is because Samsung is manufacturing products that have similar features and specifications with Apple’s products. It has incorporated distinct features in mobile phones which have made the company to emerge as the best mobile manufacture in the world.
However, Samsung has found itself on the wrong side of the law after infringing various patents that belong to Apple. Apple made accusations against Samsung when it incorporated the iPad and iPhone technologies in its Smartphones and tablets. Samsung was therefore asked to pay Apple $2.5 billion for infringing its patents. On the other hand, Samsung also sued Apple for infringing on its patents and it asked Apple to pay it $399 million for patent infringement (Fitzsimmons , 2012).
However, after a month of trial, the jury stipulated that Samsung had infringed Apple’s patents and it was supposed to pay $1.05 billion to Apple for the damages caused. This amount was dropped from $2 billion after the jury found inconsistencies in the ruling. The jury also rejected Samsung’s countersuit.
Samsung was found guilty for various types of patent infringement on different products that Apple manufactured. For example, Samsung Epic 4G and Galaxy SIII were the biggest violators. In this case, Samsung was supposed to pay Apple $143 million for damages. Therefore, Samsung was accused of stealing Apple’s designs and technologies which made iPhones and iPads to be successful in the mobile phone industry (Lawler, 2012).
Apple succeeded when the jury ruled that Apple’s patents were valid. However, Samsung thought that it would erode the claims that had been made by Apple. This is because Samsung thought that the jury would argue against stealing unique designs and technologies. The various technology patents that Samsung was accused of stealing include “pinch and zoom,” “bounce-back” and “tap and zoom”. Samsung also violated Apple’s Patents which covered iPhone and iPad designs.
The jury ruled that Samsung knew the consequences of its actions. Samsung’s intentions of duplicating Apple’s designs and technologies were therefore clear. (Fitzsimmons, 2012). However, studies reveal that the manner in which Apple became successful from the ruling will have a crucial impact on the technology industry in future (Lawler, 2012).
From the analysis therefore, it is evident that Samsung had violated Apple’s copyrights. As a result, the jury was right by making Samsung to pay for the damages that it caused to Apple. This kind of patent infringement is demoralizing. This is because it can make a company to become less creative for fear of losing its copyrights to competitors. A company that becomes victim to patent infringement can also incur huge losses.
This is because its products would start losing value in the market. Moreover, copyright infringement can affect the attitude of consumers towards the company that infringes another company’s patents. Consumers can therefore decide to refrain from purchasing products from that company. It is therefore important for a company to be creative and find its own designs and technologies that can make it to emerge successful in the market.
References
Fitzsimmons , M. (2012). Samsung found guilty of patent infringement, Apple awarded over $1 billion. Web.
Lawler, R. (2012). Apple v. Samsung jury finds Apple’s patents valid, awards it nearly $1.05 billion in damages. Web.