How Petty Patent Fights Can Get: Samsung Upset That Apple Gets Top Billing In Patent Suit

from the oh-come-on dept

Wed, Aug 1st 2012 5:05am — Mike Masnick

It's pretty clear that when two big tech companies go into patent nuclear war, it's often just as much about egos as it is about anything legal. We've been covering the worldwide patent fight between Apple and Samsung for a while now, mostly siding with Samsung over Apple's silly claims which seem to demonstrate an unwillingness to actually compete against other viable products in the marketplace. But, Samsung is no stranger to petty actions either. According to reporter Ina Fried, from AllthingsD (who is apparently covering the latest round of the trial in San Francisco), on the first day, the sign outside the court just showed "Apple vs. Samsung", but Samsung objected, and so the sign has now been updated:

Yes, this is the kind of petty squabbling that comes out during patent fights.

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Filed Under: cases, patents
Companies: apple, samsung

33 Comments

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Vidiot (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 5:16am

Tech solution
Ahhh, but through the magic of digital signage (maybe a Samsung display attached to an iMac), you could create a looping animation in which each party's name continuously rotated through top billing. Problem solved!
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That One Guy (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 5:27am

I hope they have a naptime scheduled mid-court case, otherwise I can only imagine both sides will get even more cranky and throw even bigger tantrums.
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blaktron (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 5:28am

The real problem here us that the US is putting 100s of billions of dollars in economic growth and in some ways the future of technological progress in the hands of 10 ignorant jurors and 1 clearly biased judge.

Obviously it goes to appeal at least once, but the outcome of the original trial plays a huge part in that, as do the jury instructions that Apple Fangirl Koh makes.

Good show US.
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- droslovinia (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 8:05am
  
  Re:
  So I guess anyone who starts a hearing without insisting that one party is immediately taken out and maimed is a "Fan" of the other party. Nice to know.
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  - blaktron (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 8:10am
    
    Re: Re:
    Umm no. If you've read Koh's judgements so far, a lot of it seems to be geared towards giving Apple the best chance possible to win. I think its more of a "U.S. vs Asia" thing, rather than real fanboysim for a company.
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Aug 2012 @ 5:29am

Do I see text being displayed on a mostly rectangular surface with a small black border? Surely one of them, if not both, have this patented? Are due fees being payed for these displays?
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- hfbs (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 5:59am
  
  Re:
  Ah, but the corners aren't slightly rounded which makes ALL the difference.
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- CD (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 6:31am
  
  Re:
  Mute point. Now had this been an electronic sign capable of being updated via the internet using a touchscreen that scrolled and snapped back when you get to the end of the page, then someone's going to pay!
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  - DCX2, 1 Aug 2012 @ 7:57am
    
    Re: Re:
    Grammar nazi, go! Sorry but I have to on this one. It's "moot point". Moot. Not mute.
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    - Anonymous Coward, 1 Aug 2012 @ 10:29am
      
      Re: Re: Re:
      Grammar?! Usage.
      
      You started it...
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Aug 2012 @ 5:31am

there isn't one company that hasn't 'stolen' an idea from another company, claimed that idea as their own and used it, and that goes for Apple as well. from what i've read, Jobs was one of the worse for stealing ideas from others and using in Apple products, using the financial muscle to stop legal issues. when the situation was/is reversed. however, there is no company worse for chucking out patent infringement law suits. in the end, the only losers are the consumers. if someone likes Apple, they buy Apple. if they like Samsung or another company's product, they buy it. instead of this pathetic squabbling every 2 weeks, think about the grief donned out to customers. sooner or later, they get pissed off and swap loyalties anyway!
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Richard (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 5:35am

Korea
Samsung - being a Korean Company - is likely to be sensitive about these thing.

Consider the border between North and South. At the border post there are flags representing the two sides in the peace talks that still continue:

from http://www.gluckman.com/NKBorder.html

"Each side tried to upstage the other by bringing to the talks larger and larger delegation flags, eventually dwarfing the delegations. A set of standards resolved this conflict. Or did it?

"Theirs is slightly taller," says Hilton, "but ours has a bigger width tip on top. The North Korean base is three tiers, but ours has two big ones, so it's the same size. Their flag is longer, but ours is wider.""
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Donnicton, 1 Aug 2012 @ 5:39am

I want to shake the hand of the person who made that sign, if nothing else.
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Aug 2012 @ 5:46am

Almost as petty as you posting this senseless article so you can whine more about the patent system. Slow news day? I'm sure you'll find something you can twist past the breaking point soon enough.
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- Anonymous Coward, 1 Aug 2012 @ 6:00am
  
  Re:
  That is almost as senseless and whiny as posting a comment whining about an article that whines about Samsung's whining just so that you can take a jab at Mike. Slow day?
  
  .
  .
  .
  
  This is kinda fun. I wonder how long we can keep the chain going.
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- Anonymous Coward, 1 Aug 2012 @ 6:00am
  
  Re:
  "I'm sure you'll find something you can twist past the breaking point soon enough."
  
  It's obvious that you mind hit the breaking point long ago if that's the best you can do, boy.
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- PaulT (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 6:02am
  
  Re:
  The one thing more petty than an article "whining" about an important subject? An anonymous idiot posting to whine about how pointless the original article was.
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- Paul`, 1 Aug 2012 @ 6:54am
  
  Re:
  Are you paid to do that or just really bored?
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- Anonymous Coward, 1 Aug 2012 @ 12:20pm
  
  Re:
  On other words, you got nothing but want to be anti-techdirt anyway
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Aug 2012 @ 6:01am

Since the plaintiff gets top billing, all Samsung would have to do is sue Apple!
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Comboman (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 6:50am

Correctly Identifying the case, not "top billing"
Cases are always named as "plaintiff v defendant". Apple is suing Samsung but Samsung is also counter-suing Apple. Samsung was not being petty in complaining about not getting "top billing", they were complaining (and rightly so) that both the suit and counter-suit be identified.
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Anonymous Coward With A Unique Writing Style, 1 Aug 2012 @ 6:53am

I believe they gave opening statements yesterday. I was reading about them on several websites. Apple's boiled down to, "We have Samsung quoted as saying it was beyond easy to copy the iPad." And Samsung's boiled down to, "We are in court arguing about rectangles and who patented them first. How ridiculous is that?"

I'll try and find some links when I have a chance.
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Tunnen (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 7:40am

How about what the "Overflow Seating" feels? It's listed after both of the idiots. =P
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The eejit (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 7:49am

Hang on - isn't is always plaintiff then defendant in court cases? If yes, and Apple is the plaintiff, then it should not be questioned, on account fo that being a sensible universal conclusion.
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- DCX2, 1 Aug 2012 @ 8:00am
  
  Re:
  This is probably one of those "Apple sued Samsung, Samsung sued Apple, and now all suits have been combined into a single lawsuit" things.
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- PlagueSD (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 8:25am
  
  Re:
  Stop making sense. If you're going to join the discussion, please leave all common sense at the door.
  
  While you're in the waiting room, please enjoy the following baseball game:
  
  Braves vs. Yankees
  Yankees vs. Braves
  
  Coffee to be served in the morning.
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  - DinDaddy (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 4:05pm
    
    Re: Re:
    I think you meant "coffee to be served to guests"
    and "guests to be served coffee".
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- Baldaur Regis (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 8:40am
  
  Re:
  You forget the ponderous weight a legal hissy fit carries....
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  - The eejit (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 11:33am
    
    Re: Re:
    Obviously, the only correct answer to that is a wet iPad in a sock.
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gnudist, 1 Aug 2012 @ 7:55am

*facepalm*
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Spaceman Spiff (profile), 1 Aug 2012 @ 8:39am

I have to wonder
I have to wonder just how long they argued about the order of the names before they "agreed" on:

Apple vs. Samsung
Samsung vs. Apple

?
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Mr Max, 1 Aug 2012 @ 10:18am

You have it all wrong
The reason for doing this is massive publicity and to block sales.... u think they really care about who coppied who?

No... they don't!

Bad publicity is still publicity and the only two companies left in the game are apple and samsung.

Yes they spend a couple of million fighting each other, but think about everything that is happening.

Also, in my opinion Apple wants to break the patent system and show how ridiculous it is. A change needs to happen, and it should happen soon.
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Anonymous Coward, 1 Aug 2012 @ 1:43pm

There ain't no easy way out if they won't back down. But it don't really matter to me.
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