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Webwereld
It appears Apple may be hiring Photoshop artists alongside lawyers for its legal battle with Samsung Electronics.
Webwereld.nl, the Dutch sister site of Computerworld, claims that Apple is using an image of the Samsung Galaxy S smartphone resized to more closely resemble the iPhone 3G. This follows similar claims that Apple had doctored images of the Galaxy Tab to look more like the iPad.
The reportedly altered images–which were presented as evidence in court–would place Apple on shaky ground. The company’s primary argument is that Samsung’s products are “slavish” imitations of Apple’s hit mobile devices. But the need to adjust images of Samsung’s products would call into question just how similar they are.
Apple presented Galaxy S images to a district court in The Hague. Apple wasn’t immediately available to respond to CNET about the report. Samsung similarly wasn’t available for comment.
There are clear differences in the size of the two phones. The dimensions of the Galaxy S are 122.4×64.2 millimeters, while the iPhone 3G measures 115.5×62.1 millimeters.
The dispute between Apple and Samsung has emerged as one of the more vicious and bitter fights among the myriad of patent battles going on around the world.
Apple has been embroiled in legal battles with Samsung, alleging that Samsung has copied Apple’s user interface and design in its mobile devices. In particular, Apple is targeting the Galaxy smartphones and the Galaxy Tab, Samsung’s Android tablet. The companies had seemingly come to an amiable agreement to temporarily halt sales of the Galaxy Tab in Australia, but Apple has moved aggressively to ban the product in Europe.
Apple and Samsung have separate cases filed in Germany. A recent ruling there had temporarily imposed a ban on sales of the Galaxy Tab throughout the European Union, but the ban was lifted when it was determined that the court didn’t have jurisdiction outside of the country.
Samsung has been one of the more recent success stores in the smartphone world. Late to the game in adopting Android, it has more than made up for lost time with its hit Samsung Galaxy S smartphone line. Last month, Samsung said it shipped 5 million units of the sequel Galaxy S II phone in the first 85 days. Variants of the Galaxy S II are expected to hit the U.S. in the coming months.
