Although imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Apple isn’t so happy about Samsung’s flirtation in the tablet and smartphone markets.
There’s no question Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Tab to cash in on the iPad frenzy, and the company has also noticeably started becoming more and more like Apple. But is that worthy of a lawsuit?
Apple claims everything from internal product components to final retail packaging on nearly all of Samsung’s high-profile mobile devices were blatantly ripped off from its own products.
At issue is not only the Galaxy Tab but also the Epic 4G, Captivate, Nexus S, Galaxy S 4G, and Indulge smartphones, among others.
Apple notes these products come shipped in a rectangular case, a metallic edge, and thick black bands that are almost identical to its iPhone and iPad products. Apple’s complaint even addresses similarities in the design of the boxes that Samsung’s products come packed in.
Apple uses terms like “fraudulent and unlawful business practices” and “unjust enrichment” in the legal filing, saying it’s possible consumers would be confused and unable to tell the difference between a Samsung product and an Apple product at the store.
There’s no specific patent or intellectual property claim here. Instead, the lawsuit is looking at the same principle as McDonald’s went after another restaurant for using a yellow “M” as its logo.
In addition to competing against Apple in the highly competitive smartphone and tablet markets, Samsung has also recently launched its own media portals to allow customers to buy music and video downloads, making it a direct rival to iTunes.
