Despite kicking-off at the end of July, it still feels as though the Apple vs Samsung patent case in the US is only just getting underway.
Apple made the claim that "Samsung was making ugly devices and afterwards everything looked like the iPhone and the iPad." Samsung countered, claiming that design elements such as rounded-corners have been industry standard for many years and reminded the courts that the firm had been making phones since 1991, whilst Apple leapt into the market for the first time in 2007, utilising technology that was made possible by Samsung and other establishing firms.
The case began with Apple displaying early iPhone prototypes in response to Samsung accusations that the firm also looked to other companies for inspiration, with Apple reclaiming some ground by showing a similar prototype that pre-dated an accused design that was inspired by Sony; though questionably, elements from the Sony design were present in the iPhone, such as the combination of a glossy black and metallic finish, which if we're talking about the Galaxy S smartphone, was perhaps the most striking similarity.
Most recently, both firms have been required to disclose sales figures, with Samsung revealing that in the US, across its GALAXY line-up from Q3 2010 to Q2 2012, the firm had shifted 21 million 'accused' smartphones. Apple on the other-hand quoted global sales figures, revealing that since the launch of the first iPhone, the firm has sold 85 million iPhones and 34 million iPads.
It's interesting to note that Apple made $50 billion from its 85 million iPhone sales, at Samsung margins in the US, had the firm sold as many devices proportionally across its range, its revenue would have been closer to $30 billion, demonstrating that on average, Samsung operates on only 60 per cent of the profit margins Apple does.
There's a good few weeks left in this case; it's expected that next the two firms will be disclosing statements of customer feedback, so stay tuned.
