Apple loose in court Again!

From today's Telegraph

Apple have lost against Samsung in court for infringment of interlectual property rights because the Samsung Galaxy Tab is not "cool" enough.

In the words of Judge Bliss refering to the Galaxy Tab "They do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design. They are not as cool. The overall impression produced is different"

I for one think good on you Samsung, Apple they deserve all they get.

The sad thing is that I think the UK is just about the only country in which this case has gone against them. I think there are blocks (subject to appeals) in most countries, including the US, stopping them from selling the Galaxy Tab.

Although Apple gets a bad rap on the defending patents front, just about every tech company out there is involved in the practice of using patents to block competitors sales or to extract royalties. It has become such a problem the UN is now getting involved to try and stop the patents arms race.

You are right Carl Nixon England is the only country where they loose the case in court just because thery are so cool  as the judge said, in the starting of the new year Apple got the decision it their favor in Australian court, according to order the sale of some samsung mobiles in new year is banned in Australia which effect very much company. 

Why are people so upset with Apple trying to protect their stuff? Should different rules apply to them just because they are big?

Indeed, I agree with you, the same rules should apply to everybody.  However, I am sick of hearing about them and have had very real examples where Apple have tried to use their rights far far broader than is actually allowed by law.  Several small firms I have represented have been steam rollered by Apple simply because they could not afford to fight, even though I think they would have won.

Its not that they should have different rules, just that they should have the same rights as everyone else and stop using heavy handed tactics just because they have a big name, big following and are cool.  For the record I am an Apple fan and have many of their products, I just don't like all their IP tactics.

Good news! Samsung deserved this. 

As I said its not just Apple, all the big electronics and computer companies are doing exactly the same thing - Apple are no worse or better than anyone else, they are just the biggest name so they tend to get picked on first.

I dont think anyone is against patents and protecting them, it comes down to what is patentable and what competition it stops. For example one of the big patent arguments is the slide to unlock button on the iPhone. Is that patentable and should it be patentable? At the end of the day its just a software version of a bolt and that has been around thousands of years. I have seen similar things in games and other applications for as long as I can remember. Just because it was now being applied to unlocking a phone should it be patentable? If I drew a representation of a wheel on a phone would I be able to patent the electronic version of the wheel etc.