Samsung vows to keep fighting Apple in memo to employees
In an internal memo sent out to its employees on Monday, Samsung said it was "disappointed" to have been found guilty of patent infringement, but said the company will do its "utmost" to prevail in appeals against Apple.
The memo also states it is "regrettable" that the court's decision "caused concern among our employees, as well as our loyal customers." Apple was awarded $1.05 billion last Friday by a jury that found Samsung had committed patent infringement.
Samsung's statement to employees notes that a final ruling from the judge still remains, along with other "procedures." Among those is the appeals process that Samsung will presumably pursue to reverse the decision.
The company also issued a public statement last week calling the decision a "loss for the American consumer." The company claimed that the decision "will lead to fewer choices, less innovation, and potentially higher prices."
Apple, meanwhile, said the case was about "much more than patents or money," highlighting the company's "values" as the crux of the dispute.
"At Apple, we value originality and innovation and pour our lives into making the best products on earth," Apple said in a statement. "We make these products to delight our customers, not for our competitors to flagrantly copy."
Samsung's statement to employees on Monday predicted that Apple's litigation could backfire on the company.
"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," the memo reads.
The full Samsung memo to employees, posted to the company's official blog on Monday, is included below:
The memo also states it is "regrettable" that the court's decision "caused concern among our employees, as well as our loyal customers." Apple was awarded $1.05 billion last Friday by a jury that found Samsung had committed patent infringement.
Samsung's statement to employees notes that a final ruling from the judge still remains, along with other "procedures." Among those is the appeals process that Samsung will presumably pursue to reverse the decision.
The company also issued a public statement last week calling the decision a "loss for the American consumer." The company claimed that the decision "will lead to fewer choices, less innovation, and potentially higher prices."
Apple, meanwhile, said the case was about "much more than patents or money," highlighting the company's "values" as the crux of the dispute.
"At Apple, we value originality and innovation and pour our lives into making the best products on earth," Apple said in a statement. "We make these products to delight our customers, not for our competitors to flagrantly copy."
Samsung's statement to employees on Monday predicted that Apple's litigation could backfire on the company.
"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," the memo reads.
The full Samsung memo to employees, posted to the company's official blog on Monday, is included below:
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.
Comments
Denial...that always works. *sarcasm*
Damage control.
MUST SAVE FACE, and so on. Seen it before . . . . *yawn*
But really, what else were they gonna say? This is the last scraps of what little honour they have left in front of their employees and the tech industry at large. Though I doubt the average consumer - outside of those in the jury - knows or cares. This wasn't about consumers, anyway. It was, in broad terms, about property rights.
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The company claimed that the decision "will lead to fewer choices, less innovation, and potentially higher prices."
Translation: The company claimed that the decision "will lead to fewer Samsung branded choices, less innovative products from Samsung, and potentially higher prices on Samsung products."
I'm a bit baffled on why Samsung is confusing innovation with copying. There's nothing wrong (in my mind at least) with using ideas of someone else to spark your own innovation, and even using a similar material (like glass on the back, rounded corners or whatever) to a degree. But when your products are starting to look like 1-on-1 copies (just look at the charger's connector and shape for example), it's not simply using and adjusting someone else's ideas to fit your own innovation, but it's plain copying.
It's either very arrogant or ignorant of Samsung, and I'm quite happy that they lost. I think they do have great products for consumers (I love their TV's for example), but the Asian market in general has a very high "you do things right so I'll do the same" viewpoint on things. To even state that it will stiffle innovation is a clear sign to me that they have no idea what they're talking about. Nokia's Lumia phone is, although not my personal taste, a great and different looking phone… there are plenty of ways to design/create a unique phone, as long as you put the effort and research in it to come to an end result in your own way.
Bah, I really dislike arrogant and/or ignorant companies who cry and call companies mean when they've been found out.
Samsung's 'pursuit of innovation' method is to go after (pursue) and copy Apple's innovation.
Samsung just view innovation differently: copy the market leader then add a bigger screen; copy the market leader then add a pen; copy the market leader then make it cheaper.
They are innovative copiers. Bazinga.
It seems to me that Apple has actually followed the standard means of patenting their innovations and the American people (represented by the jury) has made their voice heard. This ruling has upheld patent law and has not abused it like other corporations extorting companies with their FRAND encumbered patents, or double dipping both the makers of 3G chipsets and Apple.
Dear Samsung, we don't want your innovation, because frankly.... you don't have any. You only have over-confident lies that you hope will one day become truth if you repeat it long enough.
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Indeed. And let's not gloss over the fact that the whole patent system (and related litigation) is only necessary because of those who choose to imitate rather than innovate.
Samsung is losing face and they don't know how to cope with it.
Recently it just displays a blank page when you click on a post.
I'm union iPhone 4S, iOS 5x, mobile safari.
I dont understand. Apple said it had discussion with Samscum etc. Now, Samscum is telling IT had discussions with Apple.
Is Samscum spraying scum on their employees?
Samsung is shit.
And, Samscum... you should clearly know the difference between INNOVATION and RIPPING OFF, you bastards!
Yes having trouble with Mobile IOS viewing like KrisKalu
Samsung's management is really a joke. I don't think they can survive without heavy government subsidies.
Yes. All I get is a blank screen.