While Apple’s been having some limited success with its patent-related claims against Samsung Androids in the US, the situation isn’t so rosy everywhere. In the UK, for instance, Apple recently lost a ruling against Samsung in which it had accused the company of infringing upon its design trademarks for the iPad.
That decision itself is a setback for Apple, but the judge’s orders for how Apple must react to the ruling really push things over the top, with Apple required to post a message which publicly clears Samsung of any accusations that it copied the iPad’s design.
Apple will have to keep that notice up on its UK web site for six month’s time. In addition, the company is being forced to run ads in multiple newspapers and magazines containing the same message of Samsung’s innocence.
The judge behind this order is one you might remember from when news of Apple’s loss first broke, as he then called Samsung’s tablets “not as cool” as Apple’s design. Instead of a jab at Samsung, it came off more as an admonishment of Apple for suggesting that consumers would really confuse the products.
Samsung seems quite pleased by this development, accusing Apple of having made “excessive legal claims based on such generic designs”. Apple has yet to make a public statement.
SOURCE : My Blog
