Just when I thought the legal battle between Apple and Samsung couldn’t take any more interesting turns, an unexpected yet curiously logical twist comes out.
Samsung claims that Stanley Kubrick, the acclaimed film maker whose works include A Clockwork Orange, envisioned the iPad’s design in his film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Since the film was released in 1968, this obviously precedes Apple’s patent design in 2004 by several decades. (click on the screen grab below to view the clip)
Although this documentation is still sealed from the public, Foss Patents managed to take a peek at a redacted version. The excerpt from Samsung is as follows:
Attached hereto as Exhibit D is a true and correct copy of a still image taken from Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film “2001: A Space Odyssey.” In a clip from that film lasting about one minute, two astronauts are eating and at the same time using personal tablet computers. The clip can be downloaded online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ8pQVDyaLo. As with the design claimed by the D’889 Patent, the tablet disclosed in the clip has an overall rectangular shape with a dominant display screen, narrow borders, a predominately flat front surface, a flat back surface (which is evident because the tablets are lying flat on the table’s surface), and a thin form factor.
Samsung also includes “The Tomorrow People” a British television series that aired in the 1970’s, as having depicted a design similar to Apple’s tablet.
In retrospect, Samsung’s strategic legal move make sense since a majority of today’s technology was first envisioned by artists before it was made into reality.
If you want a recap of our coverage of the battle of Samsung vs Apple, visit the links below:
Apple sues Samsung for allegedly copying the iPad
Revenge of the Sammy – Samsung files suit against Apple in Europe and Asia
War of the patents heats up, Samsung files new suits against Apple in the US
Samsung is forced to give Apple a sneak peek
Samsung wants to see Apple’s unannounced products
Source(s): FossPatents, CNET