Samsung 132-page 'copy cat' doc comparing Galaxy S with iPhone admitted into evidence
Apple was able to get a Samsung internal document admitted in full in its case against the South Korean company on Tuesday, with the report offering a potentially crucial comprehensive side-by-side comparison of the Galaxy S and the iPhone.
Sections of the 132-page document titled "Relative Evaluation Report on S1, iPhone" were shown during Friday's proceedings as an argument that Samsung willfully copied Apple's design patents, but the entire document wasn't admitted into evidence until Tuesday.
As reported by All Things D, the internal Samsung report was authored in 2010 by the company's engineering team which meticulously compares and contrasts the usability and design of the Galaxy S against the iPhone. Many of the results seem to be in favor of the iPhone's design implementation as Samsung's engineers offer solutions to make the Galaxy S UI operate more along the lines of iOS.
The methodical report first compares the two handsets, points out the differences and offers "Directions for improvement" which sometimes take the form of Apple's already-instituted solution. Everything from home screen icons to phone apps were studied, bringing comments ranging from fixing screen overlapping to filling empty spaces with a "loading" sign as seen in the soon-to-be defunct iOS YouTube app.
Source: Apple v. Samsung court documents
While the document itself is not a silver bullet for Apple, it does illustrate that Samsung was well aware of the iPhone's design assets and was actively comparing its own products to the handset. This does not prove that willful infringement took place, however it does at least offer a look into Samsung's operating mindset.
The Cupertino company must still prove that Samsung infringed on its asserted design patents and Tuesday's document, while powerful, is unlikely to seal the case on its own.
Sections of the 132-page document titled "Relative Evaluation Report on S1, iPhone" were shown during Friday's proceedings as an argument that Samsung willfully copied Apple's design patents, but the entire document wasn't admitted into evidence until Tuesday.
As reported by All Things D, the internal Samsung report was authored in 2010 by the company's engineering team which meticulously compares and contrasts the usability and design of the Galaxy S against the iPhone. Many of the results seem to be in favor of the iPhone's design implementation as Samsung's engineers offer solutions to make the Galaxy S UI operate more along the lines of iOS.
The methodical report first compares the two handsets, points out the differences and offers "Directions for improvement" which sometimes take the form of Apple's already-instituted solution. Everything from home screen icons to phone apps were studied, bringing comments ranging from fixing screen overlapping to filling empty spaces with a "loading" sign as seen in the soon-to-be defunct iOS YouTube app.
Source: Apple v. Samsung court documents
While the document itself is not a silver bullet for Apple, it does illustrate that Samsung was well aware of the iPhone's design assets and was actively comparing its own products to the handset. This does not prove that willful infringement took place, however it does at least offer a look into Samsung's operating mindset.
The Cupertino company must still prove that Samsung infringed on its asserted design patents and Tuesday's document, while powerful, is unlikely to seal the case on its own.
Comments
2) @ jrargosta, Remember that conversation we had about the previous comparative document? I don't have the same view on this one. I'd say it's ambiguous, at best, what was the author's slant because he did mention the usability aspect of the End Call button but there certainly seems to be some "follow the leader" going on here instead of thinking for one's self that I think will hard for a jury to ignore.
If only Samsung were better at "Hidung"...
Of course! This is the most obvious way in which you can make improvements to your product - By comparing it to a successful competitors' Product, what's new in it guys, GROW UP!
Okay apart from the sarcasm, this document is..... well, unbelievable. But I'm pretty sure Samsungs' counsel will find a way to justify this too.
Wow! After looking at that document, it is extremely clear that they picked darn near every screen and copied the iPhone. Sometimes in appearance. Sometimes in the UI usability. These were all things that Apple spent so much time on... the little details. This is exactly why Apple spend so much careful time in R and D. They don't always get it right, but they're right more than they're wrong in my opinion.
Granted Apple cannot do much about most of this, but what it does indicate is that Samsung was definitely clearly trying to copy the iPhone.
Question: Are all of the "Directions for Improvement" instructions aimed and Google to improve Android or are these features that Samsung cobbled onto Android and they need to improve? I guess, I'm a bit unsure how much Samsung hack and patched the stock Android OS.
It would be interesting to see how those screens in question look now. I'm betting that they look more like the device on the left than they do the device on the right.
Wow. I've been skimming through this document and it is absolutely stunning how systematically they worked to copy the iPhone design aesthetic and UX. Now one commenter said that yes, this is the type of review you'd expect, but being in the UX industry for about 10 years, there is a difference between reviewing your own screenshots and making direction, and comparing another product, making direction and giving an engineer the "correct" UI on the left side. As another review stated, they didn't say it, but it was heavily inferred that they copy the UI/UX on the left.
This is wholesale copying of everything that made me go "wow" when Steve Jobs announced the iPhone. This is stuff that was not obvious then and made the iPhone something brilliant. Here we see Samsung picking that apart and giving direction as to how to copy all those usability features that Apple spent years refining.
The article is correct that this does not necessarily mean they violated design patents (although some of these directions definitely show that they were doing just that), but it does show how they used the hard work and design genius of Apple's designers for their own benefit.
As in the last report, it's going to depend on what they did with the report. If they simply compared their phone to the iPhone to find areas for improvement, it's not a bad thing. OTOH, if they compared their phone to the iPhone and then copied everything from the iPhone to ameliorate the deficiencies, it's an entirely different matter. Unfortunately, that appears to be what they did.
Anyone expecting a single knock-out blow will be disappointed. Rather, Apple is attempting to show a pattern:
- Samsung stumbles around, tries a bunch of things and can't get it right.
- Samsung then compares their product to the iPhone
- In almost every case, Samsung copies the way the iPhone does it.
If Apple is able to convince the jury of that, they will win.
$2,500,000,000?
?
$25,000,000,000.
Where the hell would these companies be, and this industry be, without Apple to teach them fucking everything. There wouldn't be a template of 'how to do it right', so to speak.
Pathetic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jay1985
Of course! This is the most obvious way in which you can make improvements to your product - By comparing it to a successful competitors' Product, what's new in it guys, GROW UP!
Of course! The most obvious way in which you can improve your grade in school is to cheat by copying a successful competitors' homework. GROW UP!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dunks
If only Samsung were better at "Hidung"...
They are. It's now called "Galaxy"
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bilbo63
Wow! After looking at that document, it is extremely clear that they picked darn near every screen and copied the iPhone. Sometimes in appearance. Sometimes in the UI usability. These were all things that Apple spent so much time on... the little details. This is exactly why Apple spend so much careful time in R and D. They don't always get it right, but they're right more than they're wrong in my opinion.
Granted Apple cannot do much about most of this, but what it does indicate is that Samsung was definitely clearly trying to copy the iPhone.
Question: Are all of the "Directions for Improvement" instructions aimed and Google to improve Android or are these features that Samsung cobbled onto Android and they need to improve? I guess, I'm a bit unsure how much Samsung hack and patched the stock Android OS.
It would be interesting to see how those screens in question look now. I'm betting that they look more like the device on the left than they do the device on the right.
Actually, the Lanham Act does support Apple's position. "Trade dress" is as protectable as any patent or copyright and Apple has done their homework this time around. I have a very strong suspicion that Samsung will come out of this with large welts on their executive heads.
As a for instance of blatant copying. The document states this about the iPhone's World clock when compared to the S1 on page 54:
"i-Phone: Displays the second hand on the clock and information about Yesterday and Today"
"Directions for Improvement: Need to display the second hand on the clock and information about Today and Yesterday"
Umm... Yes, that's right... Samsung just said "copy this verbatim". The original S1 screen had a digital read out and was a TERRIBLE UI and they just told their designers to copy it.
Page 89 on how to enter latin characters via the keyboard.
"Directions for Improvement: Modification requested to enable input of additional Latin characters directly from the ABC mode as in the iPhone"
The reviewer has requested a modification to copy the iPhone right there...
I've read through that long scribe document and am just floored. All those details that Samsung dissected made me realize how incredible the Apple teams are in putting these devices together in hardware and software. To take that much effort in those tiny details that I would never have noticed. Like having the bookmark sign shaded out because the web page is blank. That alone is a tiny detail that I never noticed but I guess Samsung phone idiots are just eager to bookmark everything possible. That scribe article was both incredibly entertaining and educational. Thanks for displaying it. I never would have seen it anywhere else. I only use this site to get my apple fix since it is thorough with reporting as much of any news as possible for apple.
My hat's off to the site team. Keep up the coverage for the case. I'm tuned in everyday multiple times and will continue to do so regularly.
This comparative list is tame. It doesn't suggest they need to steal anything, just make it better. Maybe Samsung should do all their comparisons in such a way from now on. Like reverse engineering this could be reverse innovation, perfectly legal but still somewhat shady.
OK, one more I promise. Page 131 in regard to home screen icons... The directions for improvement are:
Insert effects of light for softer, more luxurious icon implementation
Make the edge curve more smooth to erase hard feel
Remove a feeling that iPhone's menu icons are copied by differentiating design
In other words, they COPIED the icons and then made them a little different hoping they wouldn't get caught! What's the difference between that and plagiarizing a school paper, but running it through a thesaurus and changing the font size so it's not identical? It's still plagiarism people!!!
Samesung.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton
Of course! The most obvious way in which you can improve your grade in school is to cheat by copying a successful competitors' homework. GROW UP!
They are. It's now called "Galaxy"
I think a couple people didn't get that I was being sarcastic. The copying is just so blatant....... (speechless). And yet I'm pretty sure that someone would still think this is fine and come up with a similar response, and then I was like..... What the hell, let me do a favor for the rest of the naysayers (and type it out for them)
I skimmed through the entire document and finally saw this at the end and just about spit out my beer. I couldn't believe I had just read that statement, the last one in the translation... It really does sum up the whole problem (and the increasing problem for Samsung).
As I have read the coverage of this trial, I have become much more convinced by Apple's arguments and case than I was previously. I think Samsung has a real problem here...