The ongoing patent dispute between tech giants Apple and Samsung continues today in federal court in San Jose. Apple alleges that Samsung has copied the design of its iPhone and iPad products.
Last week, Samsung was banned from selling its Galaxy Tab 7.7 in 27 countries in Europe, after a German court ruled that the design of the device did too closely resemble Apple’s product. The court did, however, find that other devices like the Galaxy Tab 10.1 was different enough for sales to continue.
There was some talk that Apple may have actually borrowed some ideas from Sony for the iPhone, but the company has pointed to an iPhone-like prototype called “Purple,” which the company had back in 2005, before the alleged Sony-inspiration.
It will be interesting to see how the dispute goes here in the U.S. The case is widely being considered one of the most high profile patent trials of all time.
The whole thing could, of course, have big ramifications for Google and its Android operating system, with Samsung being a major provider of Android-based smartphones and tablets. The Wall Street Journal thinks the whole case is really more aimed at Google altogether.