Apple Ordered to Alter Website Statement Acknowledging Samsung Galaxy Tab Did Not Infringe on iPad Design

Last week, Apple posted a statement on its UK website acknowledging that Samsung had not infringed upon the protected design of the iPad, in line with a court order following the trial. But Apple took the opportunity to playfully quote statements from the judge's ruling saying that the Samsung Galaxy Tab was "not as cool" as the iPad and note that it had won cases against Samsung in other jurisdictions.

apple galaxy tab graf
Bloomberg now reports, however, that Apple's version of the statement is not in line with the intent of the order, which was to present a simple reference to the court decision ruling against Apple. The court has requested that Apple alter its website statement within two days, but Apple claims that alterations could take up to two weeks.

“I’m at a loss that a company such as Apple would do this,” Judge Robin Jacob said today. “That is a plain breach of the order.” [...]

The court’s initial order to post a notice was designed to correct the impression that the South Korean company was copying Apple’s product. Apple’s post, criticized by judges today, inserted four paragraphs including excerpts of the original “cool” ruling and details of similar German lawsuits that the court today said weren’t true.

The original court ruling required that Apple keep the acknowledgement linked on its website for one month and to purchase advertisements in a number of newspapers and magazines to publicly make the same admission. Those advertisements have, however, yet to appear.

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Top Rated Comments

ThunderSkunk Avatar
160 months ago
Looking at their posted statement (http://www.apple.com/uk/legal-judgement/), they actually quote verbatim the Judge's ruling. I don't see how that's an egregious breach of anything. Somebody's being spiteful, and I'm not sure it's Apple this time.
Score: 47 Votes (Like | Disagree)
j_maddison Avatar
160 months ago
The only thing the judge should be surprised at is how he came to his verdict in the first place. Does that mean that counterfeit merchandise is fine, because it's not as cool s the real thing!

Samsung copied them, it was blatant. E mails flew about internally giving explicit instructions to copy Apples design, Google warned them to stop it, and yet they didn't because it wasn't as cool as the real thing? Goodness how ridiculous.

As a UK Citizen, doesn't surprise me though, our legal system is inconsistent and shambolic.

I'd go as far to say that Judge Robin Jacob is possibly embarrassed by the fact Apple showed the world how ridiculous the judgement was, by simply quoting the judgement. It's his pride that's taking a knock, and that's why he's outraged.
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FNi Avatar
160 months ago
Bollocks! They did what the court ordered. And now the court is refining what their intention is, Apple will comply and again do what the court ordered.

Ever deal with an eight year old? A teenager? A computer? Sometimes when you say to do something, you get exactly what you asked it to do.
No. There is the letter of the law, then there's the spirit of the law. Judges don't take too kindly to people acting dumb when given an order they don't like.
The UK is a sovereign country. If Apple wish to sell their products here, they should follow UK law. They don't get to deliberately confuse a court order by adding mentions of similar court proceedings around the world, as they do not apply here.
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CapitalQ Avatar
160 months ago
I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought Apple was making a mockery of the judge's ruling in the current "apology".
Score: 34 Votes (Like | Disagree)
maflynn Avatar
160 months ago
Two weeks - really. I don't think anyone buys that excuse
Score: 33 Votes (Like | Disagree)
OllyW Avatar
160 months ago
Apple should change it to "The Samsung Galaxy Tab did not infringe on the iPad's design since it's simply not as cool."

Alternatively they could grow up and simply upload the message they were ordered to post and it will all be done and dusted.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)