It’s a corporate battle for the ages.
Just one week after Apple filed a lawsuit against Samsung for supposedly copying the iPad/iPhone model, Samsung has shot back, suing Apple over much more substantive claims.
Apple’s lawsuit doesn’t point to any specific trademarks or patents, but says the way Samsung has marketed and packaged its phone and tablet products are too similar for comfort. It pointed to things like the Galaxy Tab box, saying it looks like the iPad box.
In other words, Samsung has just been riding Apple’s coattails and copying every one of the company’s moves, at least according to the lawsuit. That kind of claim will be very difficult to prove, but not impossible.
Samsung, in a counter to Apple’s legal action, now claims the iPad and iPhone are in fact infringing on patents owned by Samsung. The company has cited 10 patents and apparently was just waiting until Apple sued before it decided to pursue the issue.
“Samsung is responding actively to the legal action taken against us in order to protect our intellectual property and to ensure our continued innovation and growth in the mobile communications business,” the company said in a statement.
In addition to competing against the iPhone and iPad hardware, Samsung is also emerging into the digital distribution market, having recently released online storefronts for music and video content, posing a threat against iTunes.
