Apple Admits That Samsung is More Likely to Take Users From Android Than Apple Is

[Akshay Masand]

We mentioned this past weekend that the U.S. Judge Lucy Koh declined to issue a preliminary injunction barring Samsung from selling several of its Galaxy smartphone and tablet devices in the United States. This was all a part of Apple’s alleging patent and design infringement case which is moving through the courts right now. It was noted recently that portions of the court order had been redacted and these portions revealed that Apple licensed one specific iOS interface patent to both Nokia and IBM. The same patent was offered to Samsung but the company declined to license the invention in late 2010.

Reuters is now revealing that the redacted portion had been revealed as the court order mistakenly allowed the redacted text to be visible upon copying and pasting. In the 65-page ruling the judge attempted to redact nearly two dozen sentences and short fragments, which due to formatting were still visible upon copying text from the PDF and pasting it into another document. Although the publicly-available versions have long since been corrected, the folks over at Reuters were able to share some of the redacted portions.

The most significant thing mentioned was a portion where Koh cited as part of her rationale Apple’s admission that Samsung is more likely to take market share from other Android manufacturers than it is from Apple:

According to the redacted portions, Apple's own studies show that existing customers are unlikely to switch from iPhones to Samsung devices. Instead, the evidence suggests an increase in sales of Samsung smartphones is likely to come at the expense of other smartphones with Android operating systems, Koh wrote.

This doesn’t come to be a big surprise given the barriers to switching app ecosystems, surveys of iOS device owners reporting significant loyalty, and satisfaction to the platform. It is interesting to see Apple’s formal admission of the relatively low risks that Samsung poses to Apple’s current user base. It seems that Apple’s argument for Samsung’s alleged infringement poses a bigger threat to users who are just moving to a smartphone for the first time.

Another interesting tidbit from the court order is Samsung’s argument that Apple shouldn’t be awarded an injunction in part due to the impossibility of Apple being able to keep up with demand for smartphone devices by itself. Koh acknowledged that such an argument was “dubious” as Apple provided evidence claiming that it is indeed capable of meeting demand.

This constant dispute between Apple and Samsung has been receiving the most attention in the media, especially given the number of cases going on around the world and due to a large number of daily developments. The first major decision in the U.S. may very well come from the International Trade Commission, deciding whether to rule in favor of Apple’s request for a ban on the import of HTC smartphones over patent infringement. A final request was scheduled for December 6th, but has recently been delayed until December 14th.

Stay tuned for the latest developments in the legal battle between Apple and Samsung.

Source: Reuters

[*T*]

I don't come to this site to read legal notices. Come on! Do you even care about what your writing? Just stop telling us what we don't want to hear. It gets old.

[BenderRodriguez]

Yeah but the same is probably true that Apple will take Samsung Customers

[jOnGarrett]

Yeah but the same is probably true that Apple will take Samsung Customers

-1

I went from iPhone 4 to Samsung Galaxy S II. of course I'm just one of millions. Its no big deal to switch platforms from either side to the other and the learning curb is minimal for anybody with half a brain.

people always talking about brand loyalty and one OS vs another, but what about the manufacturers loyalty to us? why are they all rushing quad core processors into production when dual core is still plenty fast AND they haven't even bothered to push it to its limits. 720p displays are already available and by this time next year we'll be looking at 1080p displays but then what? what will any of them have to offer us?

[mustard05]

I don't come to this site to read legal notices. Come on! Do you even care about what your writing? Just stop telling us what we don't want to hear. It gets old.

Agreed. However, you shouldn't believe anything you read on this site anyway.

[tabaks]

I don't come to this site to read legal notices. Come on! Do you even care about what your writing? Just stop telling us what we don't want to hear. It gets old.

Aside from being an egocentric *****, what other arguments for your position do you have?

[jsms0905]

Agreed. However, you shouldn't believe anything you read on this site anyway.

Exactly, dont believe everything you read on this site, whoever wrote this is an idiot. samsung smartphones and tablets as well ARE Android. what people dont understand is that stock android only exist on the nexus devices from google, every other company gets to put their own custom skin on top of it which is why theres so many different looking android phones and tabs out there.

[Go Gators]

[QUOTE=jOnGarrett;6326496]-1

I went from iPhone 4 to Samsung Galaxy S II. of course I'm just one of millions. Its no big deal to switch platforms from either side to the other and the learning curb is minimal for anybody with half a brain.

I also easily switched from the iPhone 4 to the Galaxy S II. Best smartphone decision I've ever made! After owning and enjoying all the iPhones over the last 4 years I started to get tired and bored with the phones and iOS. After buying Galaxy S II it only took me a few hours to get use to the differences between the two OS'. Now that I've used the GSII for a month I completely understand why Apple is going after Samsung so relentlessly. They are scared to death because they know the GSII blows the iPhone out of the water! Anyone that is not an Apple fanatic and has an open mind to other devices will also agree! I am still blown away by how awesome this phone is. Why do you think Apple just now became sue happy? During the iPhone's first 3 years there really was no competition, even though there were other Android phones out that looked similar to the iPhone. Now that there is major competition that Apple knows it can't compete with, they are doing the only thing they can, sue everyone to try and stifle the competition. It's actually very sad to see Apple reduced to such desperate measures.

[HiDevention]

Lol I work with tmobile. There's two questions I get asked daily. 1 is the merge going to happen? 2 "I love my galaxy phone but when are you guys getting the iPhone? I may go with sprint for the iPhone" also unlocked users even though they run on a slower network with us still stand by there iPhones over any other Tmo devices. I'm really no iPhone fan boy. I started with sidekick than went google G1 than owed every google android device & iPhone to realize its all about what people love in a phone. To be honest I see people leaving android platform everyday just to get there hands on a iPhone. Me personally I love the way the galaxy moves but my iPhone to me does a better job for me. Again. I'm not a apple fan boy I own nothing from apple but a iPhone & a MacBook. They just simply to me work better for me.

[tekwiz]

I don't come to this site to read legal notices. Come on! Do you even care about what your writing? Just stop telling us what we don't want to hear. It gets old.

Then go somewhere else. You don't speak for me.

Exactly, dont believe everything you read on this site, whoever wrote this is an idiot. samsung smartphones and tablets as well ARE Android. what people dont understand is that stock android only exist on the nexus devices from google, every other company gets to put their own custom skin on top of it which is why theres so many different looking android phones and tabs out there.

Sigh, I love how so many people here missed the point. Sammy isn't paying any licensing fees to Apple. This means that people buying Sammy are taking money from apple because apple won't see the licensing fees they would see if a customer bought from one of the other makers like IBM or Nokia.

[alexevo]

I don't understand how Samsung could take customers from Android when Samsung runs Android OS on their smartphones/tablets.

What is really trying to be explained here? Is Samsung coming up with their own smartphone/tablet OS that they intend on replacing Android with on their devices only?

[jOnGarrett]

I don't understand how Samsung could take customers from Android when Samsung runs Android OS on their smartphones/tablets.

What is really trying to be explained here? Is Samsung coming up with their own smartphone/tablet OS that they intend on replacing Android with on their devices only?

Samsung already has a platform in place, its called Bada. It looks nice and works pretty good from the youtube videos and reviews Ive seen. If Samsung thinks it can dump Google Android and compete head to head to head with Android & iOS that would be a giant task. If Bada has the same bones as iOS & Android, then they can do something different by making Bada capable of running either or both Android & iOS apps.

[stldirty]

you people are idiots. what apple is saying is android users of devices other than Samsung are more likely to drop those devices and go for a Samsung device running Android than switch to an iphone. The significance of this, and what Samsung is trying to show, is that all of these lawsuits are pointless because apple is gaining anything.

[unison999]

you people are idiots. what apple is saying is android users of devices other than Samsung are more likely to drop those devices and go for a Samsung device running Android than switch to an iphone. The significance of this, and what Samsung is trying to show, is that all of these lawsuits are pointless because apple is gaining anything.

If this is true then Apple have nothing to worry about, there would be no reason trying to put injunction on Samsung devices all over the world and continue to fight for injunction all over the world. So the conclusion is even Apple do not believe in what they spit out to its own fanboys. There is no other reason Apple have for this press release other than this is an excuse Apple give for the embarassment of losing an injunction claim it filed.

[domenicp]

If this is true then Apple have nothing to worry about, there would be no reason trying to put injunction on Samsung devices all over the world and continue to fight for injunction all over the world. So the conclusion is even Apple do not believe in what they spit out to its own fanboys. There is no other reason Apple have for this press release other than this is an excuse Apple give for the embarassment of losing an injunction claim it filed.

There's this to gain... Licensing fees for every samsung device sold.

[HCWHunter]

If this is true then Apple have nothing to worry about, there would be no reason trying to put injunction on Samsung devices all over the world and continue to fight for injunction all over the world. So the conclusion is even Apple do not believe in what they spit out to its own fanboys. There is no other reason Apple have for this press release other than this is an excuse Apple give for the embarassment of losing an injunction claim it filed.

Samsung is a major supplier of touchscreens and other parts to Apple and as such have proprietary design info that they are using to design and improve their own phones and tablets. Like Jobs going after Google because Android is a ripoff of iOS, they are going after Samsung because they are copying Apple designs. Yes, they also make improvements but they wouldn't have been able to develop their phones and tablets so quickly if they weren't Apple suppliers.

[jOnGarrett]

Samsung is a major supplier of touchscreens and other parts to Apple and as such have proprietary design info that they are using to design and improve their own phones and tablets. Like Jobs going after Google because Android is a ripoff of iOS, they are going after Samsung because they are copying Apple designs. Yes, they also make improvements but they wouldn't have been able to develop their phones and tablets so quickly if they weren't Apple suppliers.

and you know this becausssss? Samsung makes Apple's chips, memory and displays. none of which are in Samsung's own devices.

[HCWHunter]

and you know this becausssss? Samsung makes Apple's chips, memory and displays. none of which are in Samsung's own devices.

I know this because I can THINK! Just like I know that Schmidt gave Google a leg up with Android while he was on Apple's board and privy to a lot of info about the iPhone while it was in development. I didn't say Samsung used the exact same parts in their phones. They know all the iPhone specs and designs which gives them a leg up on their own designs and saves them a lot of R&D costs. There's a reason that Apple is seeking other suppliers for touchscreens and chips.

[unison999]

I know this because I can THINK! Just like I know that Schmidt gave Google a leg up with Android while he was on Apple's board and privy to a lot of info about the iPhone while it was in development. I didn't say Samsung used the exact same parts in their phones. They know all the iPhone specs and designs which gives them a leg up on their own designs and saves them a lot of R&D costs. There's a reason that Apple is seeking other suppliers for touchscreens and chips.

You know because you assume not because you can think.
Knowing Apple is the most lawsuit happy company around, if there is such "facts" it would have been a more tangible proof for them to file on than the patented square black box with rounded corner patents.
Since Samsung produced screens chips etc way before Apple even thought about making phones, logic would state that Apple used Samsung because Apple needed this technology and it was not developed by Apple.
People attribute capacitative touch screen to Apple's iPhone, did you guys know LG came out with LG Prada with capacitative touch screen before iPhone? But you all are quick to assume Crapple came out first, and anyone have capacitative touch screen is stealing from Apple... What a joke...

[jOnGarrett]

Samsung has been making phones and other electronics for a very long time. their technologies are a result of their own hard work and development. why do think they are a supplier? because they have what other companies need.

I can guarantee you that if Samsung & LG pulled all their technology from Apple today, you wont be seeing an iPhone 5 at all in 2012 and probably not until summer 2013 if you're lucky.

Apple can and have found other suppliers, but there's a reason why they depend on Samsung. Even with all these lawsuits, Samsung will still continue supply Apple with key components such as the CPU for the next iPhone.