
Two days after a judge awarded Apple an early look at the final products and packaging of a number of upcoming Samsung phones and tablets, Samsung has filed a suit against Apple asking to see the same.
Samsung filed a motion Friday night is asking for Apple to turn over the upcoming iPhone and iPad 3 so they can determine any similarities between Samsung devices and Apple's offerings. Anyone paying attention to Apple's actions earlier this week could see this move coming, and you have to think Apple saw the same. So why would Apple risk having a judge rule in Samsung's favor, and having their super-secret secrets turned over to a competitor.
Look what happened to Gizmodo last year when they got their hands on an early version of the iPhone 4. They were banished to Apple hell, where everyone uses a Newton and runs Windows Me. What would the fallout be for one of Apple's competitors...and largest suppliers. It definitely doesn't seem like good business practice to sue your business partners, or to have partners be competitors. What a tangled web we weave.
The big difference between the two suits though, is Apple sued to see products that have already been out in the public eye. Remember Samsung handed out 5,000 Galaxy 10.1 Tablets to Google I/O attendees. Samsung on the other hand is asking to see devices that haven't been viewed outside of Cupertino. The suit is based on a number of assumptions as well. Samsung is assuming Apple may sometime in the future file an injunction, may discontinue previous models of their devices (didn't happen with the 3G or 3GS), and Apple may release a future product. The last claim is only based on rumors as Apple never announces anything till the last minute. A rather good legal move in this case.
If Samsung somehow wins the decision, Apple will surely appeal, and by the time the legal system gets around to figuring everything out a new iPhone and iPad will likely be out.
Source: This Is My Next
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