Although I have been following this ongoing litigation, I never expected this outcome.
Some background; Apple and Samsung have been suing each other over patent infringement primarily dealing with use of the phone (utility patents), although there were visual, or user-interface patents brought into the fray as well.
Well, the smoke has settled, and Apple has been awarded $1 BILLION. That sounds like a lot, and it is, however apple originally sought $2.75 billion in damages.
This trial, however, has also ignited debate about patents, and whether or not the whole patent process and idea of what can be patented is valid at all. For example, should Apple be able to patent rounded corners on a handheld tablet device which is a patent they claim? Many people feel certain things just simply shouldn't be patentable (which isn't a word).
Samsung phones are actually very nice phones. I wonder how much of this verdict explains why.
If the patents disputes are boiling down to exterior design, it still comes down to the idea of recognition. Just like the Nike swoop and any number of recognizable logos, if it is something that sets a product apart from other, than I see the validity of the claim. While it may see petty to most, I always remember that these sorts of patent disputes have the capacity to cost companies millions of dollars.
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