Apple wins right to "thinnest smartphone" and expands Samsung patent fight to UK

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2014
Apple won a minor marketing battle against Samsung in the UK as it expanded its larger, global patent war with Samsung into the UK courts as well.



Apple's marketing of its 9.3mm iPhone 4 as the "world's thinnest smartphone" in the UK was challenged by Samsung after it released its Galaxy S II, with a body that is mostly 8.71mm thick.



When the UK's Advertising Standards Authority stepped into arbitrate, it determined that Apple's device was indeed thinner, noting "that the Galaxy S II had prominent bulges at the top of the device," according to a report by the Guardian.



The ASA further reported on its decision, "Apple said consumers would not be interested in the thinnest part of the device, but in its overall measurements, as these would, for example, affect whether the device could fit into a pocket or purse."



The ASA added that it had sided with Apple "because the iPhone 4's thickest point was thinner than the thickest point of the Samsung Galaxy S II."



Apple sues Samsung in the UK, its 20th jurisdiction to file suit in



Meanwhile, Apple has separately filed suit against Samsung in the UK over patents, a case that according to Samsung was a countersuit to patent claims filed by Samsung in June the company told ZDNet.



Apple and Samsung are also engaged in active patent battles in the US, Japan, South Korea, Germany, The Netherlands, the American ITC, Italy, France and Australia.

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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 54




    This whole damn thing is funny!
  • Reply 2 of 54
    adybadyb Posts: 205member
    I'm reminded of the entry for Earth in The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - mostly harmless!
  • Reply 3 of 54
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    I just wonder if Samsung EVER tells the truth.
  • Reply 4 of 54
    jd_in_sbjd_in_sb Posts: 1,600member
    I agree with the ruling. I own a tiny HP notebook computer that is very thin *except* for a massive bulge in the back for the battery. The "thickest point" does indeed affect its portability.
  • Reply 5 of 54
    Alright. The iPhone is thinner, but the Galaxy is longer and bigger. Size does matter
  • Reply 6 of 54
    cgjcgj Posts: 276member
    Woohoo! Finally us iBrits get a front row seat in the patent fight.
  • Reply 7 of 54
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post




    Apple and Samsung are also engaged in active patent battles in the US, Japan, North Korea, Germany, The Netherlands, the American ITC, Italy, France and Australia.



    Really? North Korea? I wonder if Kim Jong Il is an iOS or Android kind of guy. Might want to change that to South Korea.
  • Reply 8 of 54
    Samsung was caught LYING AGAIN. tsk tsk tsk



    LIES ALL LIES!
  • Reply 9 of 54
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    What hump?



  • Reply 10 of 54
    hill60hill60 Posts: 6,992member
    I was wondering about this the first time I laid one on a table, next to an iPhone 4 and noticed the front of the phone was noticibly higher off the table's surface.



    A phone is only as thin as it's lumpiest bits.
  • Reply 11 of 54
    well that's nitpicky...but I always agreed that the bulges do count.
  • Reply 12 of 54
    gxcadgxcad Posts: 120member
    Makes me wonder if the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is really thinner than the iPad 2 or if they made it "pretty close" and then used a different measuring method or rounding to claim thinner. Last I recall the SGS2 was marketed at 8.49mm, yet now it is 8.71mm...
  • Reply 13 of 54
    apple ][apple ][ Posts: 9,233member
    Just how freakin' pathetic is Samsung?



    They have the nerve to challenge Apple's legitimate claim and they come with a phone which they claim is thinner, but only when using deceptive measuring? They should get a job in the current administration, they'd fit in perfectly there.
  • Reply 14 of 54
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gxcad View Post


    Makes me wonder if the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is really thinner than the iPad 2 or if they made it "pretty close" and then used a different measuring method or rounding to claim thinner. Last I recall the SGS2 was marketed at 8.49mm, yet now it is 8.71mm...



    Does it really matter? Both Apple and Samsung have some pretty damn thin products, and I don't see any need for them to be thinner. Lighter tablets perhaps, but I don't know that thinner would be more comfortable or easier to use.



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtRFKqStog0
  • Reply 15 of 54
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by quinney View Post


    What hump?







    Awesome.
  • Reply 16 of 54
    Case you missed it the first time :



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtRFKqStog0





  • Reply 17 of 54
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    From 9to5Mac:

    "In reality, neither in the “thinnest”. NEC sells a 7.7 mm thin device among other thinner devices in the market."





    http://www.technologyblogged.com/mob...-looks-immense



    I hope that doesn't make Apple a liar too. . .
  • Reply 18 of 54
    So my girlfriend's measurements (36-24-96) must also take her butt into account?
  • Reply 19 of 54
    jragostajragosta Posts: 10,473member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post


    From 9to5Mac:

    "In reality, neither in the ?thinnest?. NEC sells a 7.7 mm thin device among other thinner devices in the market."





    http://www.technologyblogged.com/mob...-looks-immense



    I hope that doesn't make Apple a liar too. . .



    Since that phone is only available in Japan, as long as Apple is not advertising that they have the thinnest phone in Japan, they're OK. Depends on the actual wording of the claim, though.



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gxcad View Post


    Makes me wonder if the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is really thinner than the iPad 2 or if they made it "pretty close" and then used a different measuring method or rounding to claim thinner. Last I recall the SGS2 was marketed at 8.49mm, yet now it is 8.71mm...



    AIR, the Tab is not thinner than the iPad 2. Samsung released initial dimensions of 8.49 mm which would have been thinner, but when the device was actually released, it was quite a bit thicker than they had advertised - and was thicker than the iPad 2. Samsung did the same thing - they measured the Tab at the thinnest place, not the thickest. There are photos of the Tab next to the iPad and the iPad is clearly thinner.
  • Reply 20 of 54
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post


    From 9to5Mac:

    "In reality, neither in the ?thinnest?. NEC sells a 7.7 mm thin device among other thinner devices in the market."





    http://www.technologyblogged.com/mob...-looks-immense



    I hope that doesn't make Apple a liar too. . .



    Well, your first video was just someone spouting Samsung's line that it is mostly thinner than the iPhone. The court looked at that and said that the "bump" was not inconsequential...



    This picture here is very interesting, but as it was only just launched and only in Japan, it has nothing to do with this court case...
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