Apple and Samsung are currently engaged in a patent dispute that spans 4 continents, 12 countries, and includes over 20 lawsuits. Apple fired the first shot in this ongoing legal battle back in April when it sued Samsung for patent infringement, alleging that its line of Galaxy smartphones and tablets “slavishly” copy the look and feel of iOS.
Samsung has vehemently denied these allegations and has fired back with a number of its own patent claims.
So it’s really quite amusing to see that Samsung’s new “store within a store” concept at the Centro Sicillia shopping mall in Italy not only copies Apple’s idea of adorning a wall with mobile app icons, but that Samsung’s implementation actually uses Apple’s own proprietary icons as well.
As you can see by the markings above, Apple icons for the iTunes App Store and mobile safari adorn the backdrop of the display.
Some are speculating that the icons are perhaps left over from a previous display (doubtful) while we gather that some lazy worker bee was tasked with finding icons to plaster a wall with and siphoned Apple’s own display without really thinking.
All in all, this isn’t that big of a deal and is certainly worth a few laughs given Samsung’s incredibly strong stance that it’s own products don’t rip off Apple’s iPhone and iPad.
And speaking of Samsung copying Apple, 9to5Mac reported earlier today that the USB AC power adapter for the Samsung Galaxy S II is almost exactly the same design and shape as the one Apple has been using on its iOS products for years.
It’s getting increasingly harder to argue that Samsung’s copying of Apple’s iOS products isn’t as flagrant as they come.
September 24th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
Maybe Apple copies Samsung! dun, dun, dun…
September 24th, 2011 at 4:25 pm
Not that it matters but how many designs can their possibly be for a ac adapter? so they have a ac adapter that looks the same as an apple one, so does RIM expect the usb plugs into the side and is a bit curved.
September 24th, 2011 at 4:27 pm
Not that it matters but how many ac adapter designs can any person possibly think up, there are bound to be many that look a like, RIM has one that is the same as those above expect its a bit curved and the usb ports off to the side.
September 24th, 2011 at 9:15 pm
Case closed, Samsung guilty. Ready the wood pile to burn them all!!! APPLE FAN HAS SPOKEN!!!! ELECTRICITY WAS INVENTED BY APPLE!!!! GAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 24th, 2011 at 9:18 pm
Same design? So Apple invented the cube?
September 24th, 2011 at 9:18 pm
So apple invented the cube according to this site?
September 24th, 2011 at 9:30 pm
Backwards?
This make no sense.
It’s getting increasingly harder to argue that Samsung’s copying of Apple’s iOS products is as flagrant as they come.
September 24th, 2011 at 10:06 pm
“It’s getting increasingly harder to argue that Samsung’s copying of Apple’s iOS products is as flagrant as they come.”
English fail.
Of course Samsung copies Apple. And with pending litigation, of course they’ll deny it. And Apple copies others, and will deny it when threatened with lawsuits as well. What of it?
I think the real issue is there’s nothing in the ipad that warrants a patent.
September 24th, 2011 at 10:11 pm
The AC adapter for my Asus Transformer looks exactly like that. It’s a pretty common design.
September 24th, 2011 at 11:31 pm
Samsung seems to be an excellent competitor and the only thing Apple can do is to do that dirty game.
Samsung is not copying Apple and doesn’t need to. Samsung has made a great tablet with an excellent, easy to use OS called ANDROID.
Samsung tablet has a completely different hardware, everything else about this story is just smooth bitching and politics.
September 25th, 2011 at 7:52 am
^^
Yes, but samsung adapters did not look like this before Apple started making them that way. In fact, cell phones did not look like they do until Apple started making them that way.