The significant business headline over the weekend was the $1.05bn of damages awarded to Apple by a Californian jury in yet another round of patent wars, this time with Samsung Electronics of South Korea (Analysis: Sweeping Apple win, but Samsung set for bounce-back).
The very same Samsung which can currently lay claim to being the biggest seller of smartphones in the world with around 50 million sold in April to June.
And whilst the fine (prior to appeal), may only make a small dent in Samsung's $21bn cash pile it remains to be seen whether the company's products are subsequently subjected to a temporary ban in the US market.
At $1.05bn in damages, this might be the most significant patent infringement in the smartphone wars.
But of course, it won't end here with Samsung likely to appeal and Apple to ask for increased damages and a sales injunction. There are also ongoing legal cases around the globe.
The linked Reuters article does suggest that Samsung could yet increase product prices to compensate or that its ability to innovate rapidly might achieve a work around enabling it to continue marketing its key products. Something which it has successfully managed ahead of previous rulings.
Interesting to see various suggestions that this might ultimately work against Apple, or at least in Samsung's favour over the company's other competitors.
Particularly if Apple were to pursue the same patent infringement claims against less financially backed rivals offering Android OS products.
So a biggish victory and justification for Apple but (in my opinion), not a game changing development which, thankfully, continues to rest in the products offered and their ongoing development.
And Apple can at least lay a valid claim to having significantly changed the game with its iPods, iPhones, and iPads, which have all revolutionised/created their respective markets and forced rivals to innovate just to stay in the game.
In its way Apple has been a relentless consumer champion courtesy of the late Steve Jobs' vision of how products should work and interact with the user.
Long may that success continue.
Related article links:
- http://www.reuters.com: Analysis: Sweeping Apple win, but Samsung set for bounce-back
No comments:
Post a Comment