Samsung: 'Apple's proto-iPhone Jony is a Sony phone phoney'
Mobe design rip-off allegation emerges in court battle
Samsung is pulling out all the stops in its patent battle with Apple. The latest allegation, which emerged in a court filing submitted yesterday, is that Apple based its iPhone 4 design on some early sketches that appear to borrow from a Sony design.
The South Korean firm presented prototype Apple CAD drawings [PDF] which even feature the Japanese entertainment firm's logo.
The filing stated:
Eliminating any doubt about the origin of the design‘s inspiration, Apple‘s internal CAD drawings had the "Sony" name prominently emblazoned on the phone design. As Mr [iPhone 4 and 4S designer Shin] Nishibori has confirmed, his "Sony-style" design changed the direction of the project that yielded the final iPhone designs.
The filing was put forward as evidence while Samsung prepares its defence in the Samsung-Apple patent spat. Apple has accused the South Korean giant of copying its iPhone designs, but it appears Samsung wants to turn the tables and allege Apple lifted ideas from Sony's blueprints.
The prototype iPhone CAD files – which were put together in 2006 – show various Sony-like designs, with one particularly iPhone 4-esque image even bearing a Sony logo. Another features the Sony logo changed to 'Jony', presumably a tip of the hat towards Apple design chief Jony Ive.
The iPhone 4 and 4S were actually designed by Shin Nishibori.
Either way – Sony, Jony or My Little Pony – the court case between the giants looms and both corners of the ring have taken their gloves off. In the same week Apple seeks over $2.5bn in damages and bans the sales of 7in Galaxy Tabs, the bad blood between the two mobile heavyweights has clotted into a public aneurism. ®
COMMENTS
How many fannbois will actually read the document though....[nah-nah not listening]
It tells us (non-fanbois) nothing we didn't know about how apple operates.
Perhaps any fanboys who have previous commented that Samsung should 'design their own stuff and not copy apple" would like to retract a few criticisms....thought not.
Apple - the company who wants to own the copyright on cutting corners (in their design process, that is). Lol
If all this is true, it's pretty damning of Apple and their "We designed it and everybody else copied" stance. Then again, Sony is also not a US company, so they too don't matter to US courts.
Pretty solid case
Hopefully, this will cost Apple dearly.... As a consumer, I HATE what they are doing...
When is a copy not a copy?
The allegation is that Apple *had sight* of some Sony designs, and decided that there were several aspects of them that were superior to the current Apple designs, and that the course of the Apple design project was *changed* to incorporate those aspects of the designs. Hence prior art/copying. From the evidence presented in the document, it does look like they might have a case.
Having had a brief trawl it looks like Sammie are just saying, this shows we did't copy X, and even if you're not convinced by that, this shows prior art, and, finally, if all else fails, this shows how Apple have misapplied the patent in the first place....
So their lawyers are just doing the usual in throwing everything in case something will stick. Frankly, I'd just rather Apple and Samsung were told to get over it and let the world move on.
I personally like page 5... The original Samsung iPhone.
This whole saga really is a bit sad and repetitive. There's really nothing new or innovative about rounding off the corners of an icon. That's nothing more than basic ergonomics as seen on scrabble tiles.
As for the phone design, there are only so many shapes which can be held in the hand, fit in the pocket and line up with ear and mouth.
