Oh Samsung, you are making this too easy

“Having a look at the otherwise impressive Galaxy S II phones from Samsung, I noticed that the USB AC power adapter had a ‘familiar’ feel to it to it,” 9 to 5 Mac reports.

“Turns out, it is almost an exact replica, within a millimeter in every direction,” 9 to 5 Mac reports.

“As you can imagine they both put out the same power, 5V at 1A,” 9 to 5 Mac reports.

See the photos in the full article here.
 
 
 

MacDailyNews Take: As if we needed it, yet another reason to continue avoiding Samsung knockoffs:

Boycott Samsung. We no longer buy Samsung-branded products and advise our millions of readers worldwide to also avoid purchasing Samsung-branded products until they cease stealing Apple’s patented IP.

Apple’s products came first, then Samsung’s:

Samsung Galaxy and Galaxy Tab Trade Dress Infringement

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Lynn Weiler” and “Dan K.” for the heads up.]

Related articles:
Why are Apple’s icons on the wall of Samsung’s store? – September 24, 2011
Verizon sides with Samsung against Apple, asks court to deny preliminary injunction – September 24, 2011
Samsung threatens to step up patent fight with ‘free riding’ Apple Inc. – September 23, 2011

85 Comments

  1. Now why would Samsung do this, do you think:

    1. They hire only engineers straight out of school?
    2. They have no industrial designers?
    3. They have no OS of there own?
    4. Their back is against the wall w/few customers for existing phones.
    5. They see the future staring in their face from Apple?

    I vote for all of the above.

  2. While Apple may indeed have a good case against Samsung the truth of the matter is that all tech companies are using the same factories to produce their products. The fact that their AC to USB power adapters are so similar should not be surprising.

    1. Not at all.
      The factories don’t design the products they manufacture for other companies.
      The factories build the products to the specs that the companies give the factory.

      If the factory is producing a product that is an almost exact replica of another company’s product, that’s not the fault of the factory that is manufacturing the copy.

    2. … reason every phone I’ve ever owned has a different power cord from every other one? Like the design of the frickin’ power cord is some sort of Trade Secret?!? So, Apple needs to spend money – which must be factored into the price of the phone – to design what could – should – be a box-standard cord?
      I can understand the IP aspects of the OS, the screen, the electronics – even the form factor of the shape – but the cord? Manufacturers ought to be forced to make the cord to a given standard unless they can prove – in court – that there’s an advantage to a different design. Having proven that, they should have to share the design freely.
      Talk about senseless costs!

      1. This is NOT about the *CORD*. It is about the AC to DC converter. Apple designed one that was/is very compact. More compact than almost any one I have ever seen. Up until Apple’s little white cube, I had not seen anything that small and simple.

        I don’t have any idea if Apple patented this design. They should have, but maybe they didn’t. However, the Samsung adapter is an obvious rip-off of the Apple design. If Apple didn’t patent it or protect the design in some way, then Samsung is *legally* free to copy it. But even then, it does not make it the right thing to do.

  3. Yes it’s seems obvious that they are ripping of Apples IP. But I just brought a 64 inch Samsung TV recently which is great. I love apple and their products but they don’t make TVs yet! Luckily apply is big enough to fight their own battles without me.

    1. I compared Samsung and some other TV’s. Decided to buy Sharp. It had better black and whiter whites than Samsung. Sharp uses the four pixel “yellow” to increase contrast.
      Although I would not buy Samsung now, there are better TV’s.

      1. You’re insane. I have the Samsung PN64D7000 plasma and there is no Sharp made that can hold a candle to it. In fact the only TVs that even compare and/or beat it are the flagship Panasonics and the Kuro’s of yesteryear.

        A boycott is ridiculous considering that would have to include many Apple products that have Samsung parts in them.

        1. I was not referring to Plasma. Currently no plasma can overcome the general natural lighting of the room that the large screen is in. Insane would be buying a Plasma. Area is too large and bright- by the Architects design. If I used plasma it would be too dim. I compared to other LED’s and found it better. Insane not.

        2. I live in a large open space loft with a wall of 20 foot windows that fill my place with sunlight. Never had a problem with brightness. In fact once calibrated I had to lower the brightness even for the daytime settings.

          You may be right in saying Sharps are better on the LCD side. Wouldn’t know, anymore then which PC vendor makes the better windows box.

          My point was simply that Samsung may make derivative, knock-off products in their mobile devices devision, but the folks over in their television R&D do pretty good work. Boycott or don’t boycott, but to try and paint the entire company’s products as inferior is just not substantiated.

      2. “Sharp uses the four pixel “yellow” to increase contrast.”

        I can’t believe you fell for that marketing scam. The yellow pixel does nothing but make your image *less* colour accurate. RPG already has yellow very well represented, adding a dedicated yellow either does nothing or makes it overrepresented depending on how heavily its used.

        Panasonic Plasma’s are the way to go.

    2. You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and I do respect that. However, to me, there’s no compromise on ethics. There may be grey areas where things aren’t well defined, but if I know something to be blatantly unjust and wrong, I can’t conscientiously support that.

      Shiny TVs are enticing, I can understand the dilemmas and temptations, but my personal ethos just aren’t up for these trade-offs. Matter of fact, Samsung, Google, MSs of the world can’t pay me direct to compromise my sense of what is just and unjust. I’m not for sale.

  4. Funny, I was out looking at a new 55 inch TV, I saw a Samsung, it had a nice picture comparable to the LG and Sony… My gut reaction was NOT TO BUY Samsung. I am a Apple fan and the where lack of respect for IP has just gone too far, I am voting with my wallet!

    NO Sammy products for me going forward.

    1. “…..going forward”

      As opposed to what, going backward?

      Most ridiculous, over used, geek speak phrase ever.

      “No more….” implies in the future or for all those that studied english at Balmer Institute, going forward. Toids

      1. you’re missing the point. If we are going to pick and choose which of their products to boycott than hooray. Count me in. I’ll keep my Mac products, and all the products they make that are best in class from a price performance aspect like my plasma, and boycott (as I usually do) inferior products like their BS phones and tablets. Kind of like Apple buying their chips, and suing them for stealing their IP. This is just a little less Black and white then the usual MacDaily good guys vs villains take.

        Sorry, but they make damned fine plasmas IMHO.

  5. Samsung is vindictive. They are instigating a war based on retribution, not merits. As a long-time Apple fan, I am offended. I suspect that many other Apple fans feel the same way.

    Boycotts are not an attempt to hurt the target. They are an effort to send a message whether the target is an industrial monster or a country.

    All Apple fans should boycott Samsung consumer products until Samsung realizes that it’s customers’ opinions matter. There are better alternatives to every Samsung consumer product out there. Apple fans are a sophisticated and discerning group and will find them.

    START NOW!

    1. “Samsung is …. instigating a war based on retribution, not merits.”

      *DING* Samsung are faking righteousness while actually insisting upon a fictitious right to ripoff IP. They hid behind a paper facade. They will BURN for their vacuous arrogance. They are soooo screwed. I’m enjoying this…

  6. I bought a Samsung 24″ TV/Monitor earlier this year and nothing Samsung since. Don’t get me wrong I am very pleased with my purchase, it is a good TV/Monitor.

    Since I do not plan on buying anything Samsung anyway a boycott would be easy.

        1. I know that’s right Allllllesssandro! Go on n’ tell’em hunney!

          I find it rather interesting that the filthy, pedantic jezebel can neither write, nor punctuate a complete sentence. The little harlot even failed to capitalize his own name, for cripes sakes.

          Jon, you tramp…make note of the following:
          [So, no. It doesn’t mean “no class” — you have no class.]

  7. This company is such a scumbag immoral POS. Take them down Apple! Their management is obviously also comprised of morons to pissoff their largest customer worth several BILLION a year. How can you be so stupid? Oh, that’s right, their entire corporate culture is based on “invent nothing, copy everything”.

  8. Typical Asian business thinking: do the same thing as everyone else, drive the value of what you do to zero due to tons of people doing exactly the same thing. I can’t wait to get back to the states.

  9. To be perfectly fair, 5V is the USB 2.0 spec and 1A is the maximum current that can be supported. Check out any USB A/C-based charger and you will see the same. Computer USB output is usually 500mA max, which is why your iPod charges faster using the wall adapter.

    The physical similarity, however, is quite interesting. Perhaps this is just a generic design owned by a 3rd party supplier to Apple?

  10. All of you Apple crybabies on here please ask your parents for your pacifier and shut the hell up. Who cares if the Samsung Galaxy S2 looks like the iPhone. You don’t see Sony suing everyone because all the other plasmas look like it’s plasma.

    1. “Who cares if the Samsung Galaxy S2 looks like the iPhone.”

      The law.

      P.S.
      I’m copying your screen name since you seem totally cool with IP theft. You don’t mind, right? Who cares if my alias looks like yours.

    2. Back when CRTs were the best monitor in town, the best was the Sony Trinitron. Yes, Sony patented it. Anyone who tried to sell a Sony Trinitron knock-off got sued out of existence. Yes, Sony does protect it’s IP.

      Any other worthless examples?

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