Did Apple doctor evidence in Samsung patent suit?

[Shawn Knight]

Apple may have provided inaccurate evidence in a German court regarding their patent case against rival tablet maker Samsung. Webwereld.nl discovered that one of the photos in the court document incorrectly represents the true size and shape of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet alongside a picture of Apple’s iPad 2.

The photo in question can be found on page 28 of the 44-page document. According to the translated report, Apple claims that the two tablets are virtually identical. The comparison photo does lead one to believe that is the case, but the fact is that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is more narrow and longer than Apple’s tablet.

This is the comparison in question from Scribd, showing that the two do look very similar. Now compare that with this side-by-side shot from Galaxy Tab Life and you can see how things were manipulated.

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 measures 256.7 x 175.3mm, which represents an aspect ratio of 1.46. The tablet in the photo is said to have an aspect ratio of 1.36, much close to the 1.30 ratio of the iPad 2. Note these are device ratios and not display ratios.

It’s unclear whether the image was intentionally doctored and neither party is speaking publically about the incident. As a casual observer, it’s hard to believe that something so obvious was an accident, but I digress.

Apple has taken Samsung to court in other countries regarding the Galaxy Tab 10.1. Earlier this month Apple’s patent lawsuit against Samsung forced the company to postpone sales in Australia until a resolution could be reached or they gained court approval.

The two are due back in court on August 25 as Samsung appeals a similiar European Union ban.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/45097-did-apple-doctor-evidence-in-samsung-patent-suit.html

 

[mario]

Dunno if it was intentional or not but looking at the actual side by side picturesSamsung is clearly "heavily inspired" by Apple.

 

[SNGX1275]

Oh boy. I know Julio says TS doesn't publish news stories against Apple for the traffic, but it seems very few TS readers are Apple product owners. Yet we continually get anti-apple stories.

Yes, this story is all over the web, but a lot of the other places include an update (an update as of a day ago, and this story is 'new' here) that says essentially this:

As John at Edible Apple and others have pointed out, Apple's evidentiary submission is not limited to the inaccurate comparison photo, as Apple did also offer a number of other exhibits in support of its case, including some showing actual side-by-side photos of the iPad 2 and Galaxy Tab 10.1 rather than just promotional images. Consequently, it stands to reason that the judge's decision was not based entirely on the flawed comparison, although the inclusion of inaccurate information in Apple's submission certainly is a curious one.

So yes, this does look bad if Apple did it intentionally, and I suspect they did. But they did provide real side by side evidence that the judge saw as well, and you can't fake side by side.

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

So Apple is upset that the Galaxy has a similar aspect ratio? And that ratio is 1.3, which is what the iPad 2 is, right?

I believe Mr. Looseleaf has a gripe too then because an 8.5" x 11" is a ratio of 1.294. That's even closer!

 

[Panda218]

How else are you going to make a tablet? FFS Its a screen and a chassis they are all going to look alike in some way.

 

[SNGX1275]

Did the iPod look like earlier mp3 players? I had a Samsung YP-3? and it looks nothing like an iPod. I'm not entirely convinced tablets have to look like the iPad.

Just for fun, think of a netbook with a 6 cell battery, it has that bulge caused by the extra cells. Now lets think about tablets, and how maybe they could use a bulge like that to be a handle for it, then you could have the screen hang off that bulge that is the handle.

I'm not saying that I just came up with a perfect example on the spot, but I just made one up. So, complaining that the only way to make a tablet is the way Apple did it is BS.

 

[Guest]

TS time would be best spent on a story much less vacuous.

 

[Guest]

I also believe I saw some of Mr Looseleaf's products wit rounded corners. Apple blatantly copied MR Looseleaf's design and aspect ratio.

Shame on you Apple!

 

[Cota]

Apple check list for suing:
Its rectangular... Check
Its black ir white. Check
It is rounded...... Check

For everything else there's competence....

 

[Guest]

I think you mean "uniquely different from the iPad"... The picture above is the "doctored" photo. This link provides more information.

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=nl&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwebwereld.nl%2Fnieuws%2F107599%2Fapple-levert-onjuist-bewijs-in-zaak-tegen-samsung.html

 

[gwailo247]

mario said:
Dunno if it was intentional or not but looking at the actual side by side picturesSamsung is clearly "heavily inspired" by Apple.

All the more reason to manipulate the data to make that conclusion even stronger.

Facts should not stand in the way of conviction.

 

[Burty117]

SNGX1275 said:
Did the iPod look like earlier mp3 players? I had a Samsung YP-3? and it looks nothing like an iPod. I'm not entirely convinced tablets have to look like the iPad.

Just for fun, think of a netbook with a 6 cell battery, it has that bulge caused by the extra cells. Now lets think about tablets, and how maybe they could use a bulge like that to be a handle for it, then you could have the screen hang off that bulge that is the handle.

I'm not saying that I just came up with a perfect example on the spot, but I just made one up. So, complaining that the only way to make a tablet is the way Apple did it is BS.

Agreed, Most if not, all Tablets that are being released are pretty much the same looking but slightly different in specs, OS and weight but that about it.

Also I like your representation of a tablet, imagine how long you could use it before it died!

 

[captaincranky]

How to pick up girls, starring SNGX1275, Burty117, and their bulging tablet.

Just for fun, think of a netbook with a 6 cell battery, it has that bulge caused by the extra cells. Now lets think about tablets, and how maybe they could use a bulge like that to be a handle for it, then you could have the screen hang off that bulge that is the handle.

Want to come up to my place and check out the bulge in my tablet? I have some etchings too, and a major hard drive...wink ..wink

Also I like your representation of a tablet, imagine how long you could use it before it died!

Well, if is was in the hands of a teen aged boy, about two minutes ....max....

 

[Igneus the Bold]

Things can look different--VERY DIFFERENT--but they don't do so by necessity. Televisions look alike, and monitors all look alike as well, as do desktops, and laptops, so why not tablets?. Sometimes there is innovation, other times there is reproduction with slight improvement of functionality, and often times there is failed attempt at reproduction with improved functionality.

The legal inquiry here is, was there infringement of corporate right? I am not so sure. I know tablets CAN look different; Hell, make one triangular and collapsible for all I care. Either way they do not HAVE to be anything other than what works for the general populace.

Does Apple own the rights to rectangular prisms? Spheres? Ovals? Squares? Colors? Numbers? If not, they should probably stop whining and make something better than Samsung, then follow up with superior marketing.

 

[HaMsTeYr]

But then again... pretty much every 2011 Tablet out now has a similar look in terms of hardware to an iPad anyway, if we're talking about comparing to an iPad.

Why stop there? you might as well take out the other companies as well, Motorola's Xoom is open for attack, Blackberry's Playbook... HP's Touchpad...

Shame on you Apple, the sky is the limit! Sue more! (sarcasm)

 

[lawfer]

captaincranky said:
How to pick up girls, starring SNGX1275, Burty117, and their bulging tablet.

Just for fun, think of a netbook with a 6 cell battery, it has that bulge caused by the extra cells. Now lets think about tablets, and how maybe they could use a bulge like that to be a handle for it, then you could have the screen hang off that bulge that is the handle.

Want to come up to my place and check out the bulge in my tablet? I have some etchings too, and a major hard drive...wink ..wink

Also I like your representation of a tablet, imagine how long you could use it before it died!

Well, if is was in the hands of a teen aged boy, about two minutes ....max....

Hahaha, captain what would I do without your wittiness in the comments?

 

[captainawesome]

Yep. They copied Apple. Like Ford copied the first Marcus car.

 

[Guest]

Apple is just scared someone else can sell a product as good or better at a cheaper price and not have to get get locked into the Apple Society.

 

[Guest]

I really hope Samsung wins as needless lawsuits such as these are doing nothing but hindering innovation and competition in the market.

 

[Igneus the Bold]

I really hope Samsung wins as needless lawsuits such as these are doing nothing but hindering innovation and competition in the market.

Well spoken. I most definitely agree.