In the latest development in the Apple vs. Samsung worldwide legal battle, Apple has received a significant wrist slap from Britain’s Court of Appeal, requiring that Apple run a public apology for bringing the action against Samsung. The court ordered that Apple must make the apology both on its website and in newspapers—in at least 14-point Arial.
Reuters notes that Apple “has been instructed to run advertisements saying Samsung did not copy its registered tablet designs,” and that this ruling will prevent further suits on the matter throughout Europe.
At the same time, Apple has received a significantly promising statement from the court regarding why its claims were dismissed. Judge Colin Birss noted that Samsung’s Galaxy tablets “do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design…. They are not as cool.” Many suspect that this backhanded compliment will make its way in to Apple’s “apology”—notably commenter SEDAGIVE?! on the Gizmodo post regarding this development.
Although Apple could appeal the ruling, Darren Smyth of EIP (an intellectual property law firm in England) suspects that “[f]or the design of tablets in Europe this should be the final word.”
(photo: Shutterstock: 46159378)
Graham Martin is an attorney in Minneapolis, focusing on contracts. He runs the Pro and Contracts blog, and would like to become a senior partner in a law firm without being an associate first. If you have an in, you should take it first, but give him a heads-up as well.
Read the comments below or add one of your own.
The worst part about the apology-sanction is that Apple must write it in Arial font.
Do you think the judge knows that Arial is Microsoft’s bastardized version of Helvetica?
I’m anticipating a motion from Apple to permit it to use Helvetica, instead of Arial.
I would love to see what legal precedent is cited for such a motion, and what Samsung’s opposition would be.
Thanks for quoting me. In response to the above comments, the requirement is that the font be no smaller than 14 point Arial – it does not have to be that font. Also, it is not possible for that the “backhanded compliment will make its way in to Apple’s “apology”” as the wording of the notice is decided by the Court of Appeal and listed at the end of yesterday’s decision.
Aaand there it is. Arial 14 pt, even. LOL
A message like this should be sent in Comic Sans.