People are going to be parsing and analyzing today’s Apple vs Samsung verdict, which is widely viewed as a major spanking for the Korean smartphone maker and, indirectly, Google. In a nutshell, the jury sided with Apple on most points and awarded the company more than $1 billion in damages — the largest patent verdict in history — while Samsung got zero dollars.
That said, how the combatants view the trial’s outcome and, just as importantly, how they express their opinions about the largest patent verdict in history.
Here is Apple’s statement:
We are grateful to the jury for their service and for investing the time to listen to our story and we were thrilled to be able to finally tell it. The mountain of evidence presented during the trail showed that Samsung’s copying went far deeper than even we knew. The lawsuits between Apple and Samsung were about much more than patents or money. They were about values. At Apple, we value originality and innovation and pour our lives into making the best products on earth. We make these products to delight our customers, not for our competitors to flagrantly copy. We applaud the court for finding Samsung’s behavior willful and for sending a loud and clear message that stealing isn’t right — Katie Cotton, Apple spokesperson.
It is easy to be gracious in victory. Nevertheless, when the first words out of your mouth reflect gratitude and thanks, you get browny points — grace counts.
Here’s Samsung’s statement:
Today’s verdict should not be viewed as a win for Apple, but as a loss for the American consumer. It will lead to fewer choices, less innovation, and potentially higher prices. It is unfortunate that patent law can be manipulated to give one company a monopoly over rectangles with rounded corners, or technology that is being improved every day by Samsung and other companies. Consumers have the right to choices, and they know what they are buying when they purchase Samsung products. This is not the final word in this case or in battles being waged in courts and tribunals around the world, some of which have already rejected many of Apple’s claims. Samsung will continue to innovate and offer choices for the consumer.
One can distill that down to venom, bitterness and hate. As my father likes to say, “It’s not what you, but how you say it.” Further, Samsung’s statement isn’t signed, no one takes responsibility, which is lame — zero grace.
Regardless of how Apple vs Samsung verdict played out, everyone knew the losing party would appeal — it’s just the nature of the game and this game will go on for months if not years more.
That said, the best summary of the Apple vs Samsung so far comes from Stanford Law professor Mark Lemley who tweeted, “$1,051,855,000. And no cents, apparently. Just large enough to make it the largest surviving patent verdict in history.”
Yeah, the Apple vs. Samsung verdict is huge and this case is gonna go on for years…
What’s your take?
via New York Times