While Google (GOOG) obviously didn’t like seeing its top Android manufacturer go down in the $1 billion Apple (AAPL) v. Samsung (005930) patent verdict, the company for now doesn’t appear to be all that worried about the verdict’s implications for the Android operating system as a whole. In particular, Google noted that most of the patents the jury found Samsung guilty of infringing upon “don’t relate to the core Android operating system” and were also “being re-examined by the US Patent Office.”
Kara Swisher of AllThingsD sees a little bit of panic in Google’s statement, however, as she thinks the company is scared to death that Apple will go after it directly if the U.S. Patent Office upholds the jury’s findings. At the same time, it should be noted that the Android-based Sony (SNE) Xperia arc was one device specifically singled out by Apple’s attorneys as a device that didn’t knock off the iPhone, so it’s doubtful that Apple will be able to nail every Android device in the same way it nailed Samsung’s Android handsets.
Speaking of Samsung, it seems that executives from the Korean electronics manufacturer aren’t nearly as sanguine about their future prospects as Google is. The Korea Times reports that one unnamed Samsung executive has described the verdict as the “absolutely the worst scenario for us.”
Samsung has posted an internal memo that takes swipes at Apple, however, accusing the company of “abusing” the patent system to shut down competitors and touting its own efforts as “the pursuit of innovation.” The memo also warns Apple that it will not win “the hearts and minds of consumers and achieved continuous growth” if it continues to sue its competitors. Here it is in its entirety:
We initially proposed to negotiate with Apple instead of going to court, as they had been one of our most important customers. However, Apple pressed on with a lawsuit, and we have had little choice but to counter-sue, so that we can protect our company.
Certainly, we are very disappointed by the verdict at the US District Court for the Northern District of California (NDCA), and it is regrettable that the verdict has caused concern amongst our employees, as well as our loyal customers.
However, the judge’s final ruling remains, along with a number of other procedures. We will continue to do our utmost until our arguments have been accepted.
The NDCA verdict starkly contrasts decisions made by courts in a number of other countries, such as the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, and Korea, which have previously ruled that we did not copy Apple’s designs. These courts also recognized our arguments concerning our standards patents.
History has shown there has yet to be a company that has won the hearts and minds of consumers and achieved continuous growth, when its primary means to competition has been the outright abuse of patent law, not the pursuit of innovation.
We trust that the consumers and the market will side with those who prioritize innovation over litigation, and we will prove this beyond doubt.
[AllThingsD] Read [Korea Times]
