[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I have to admit, it's kind of dumb of Samsung to design something so identical. Given how utterly bland and boring Apple's industrial design is (thanks Johnny Ive), I would have liked Samsung to go in different design directions and they could have avoided this completely.

Or am I reading it wrong and Apple is claiming the software is infringing? Android owners already pay part of the costs in royalties to Apple. It adds like $20 to each Android system (unless you are in China).

I would like technology to go on the path of pharmaceuticals. They can be patented for a certain time and then generics can be made after that time expires. Companies buying up patents from failing companies or being patent whores (patent very broad concept, sue everyone) is a touchy subject.

That's already the case, I believe patents are good for 20 years. I could be wrong on that, but it doesn't matter. Electronics move so quickly patents could have a limit of 2 years and by the time they expired they'd be mostly obsolete.