A Silicon Valley jury has just proved that user interface elements, including some that can appear “basic”, like and have been proven to be invented before the iPhone, could possibly no longer be used in a commercial product without risking the (legal) wrath of Apple along with substantial financial damages. As you may know, Samsung has been slapped with a $1B damage decision in the Apple vs. Samsung case. This case may reverberate into the whole Android hardware eco-system.
Of course, there is going to be a Samsung appeal, and the final fine may fall down substantially. However, in a space where margins can be slim, the risk of legal claims hurting the bottom-line may prove to be too big of a burden for Android handset makers. While Samsung is strong enough to bear this type of shock, both from a financial point of view and from an intellectual property point of view (50% of the iPhone 4S’ components are from Samsung), most Android hardware makers may not be able to. (more…)
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Archos 101 XS Review, This iPhone 5 keynote parody is absolutely hilarious,
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