If you’ve been following the Apple vs Samsung battles, and chances are that you are, then you’d be aware of the basis of the whole case. On the tablet side of things Apple claims Samsung copied the iPad design. The design in question is essentially a rectangle with rounded edges. And since the Galaxy Tab series from Samsung uses the same design principle, Apple claims they have a valid case against Samsung.
And if you believed Apple didn’t have a case, then you better believe it now. The famous rectangle with rounded corners patent has just been granted to Apple by the US Patent and Trademark Office. Previous patents on the iPhone designs have included additional features like the home button, but this rectangle with rounded corners patent is just as the name suggests. It gives Apple ownership of what can essentially be seen as an incredibly broad and generic design. A design that millions of tablets use every day, a design that seems far too simple to be owned by anyone.
Is Apple going to use this to sue OEMs? They have already sued Samsung. But this patent opens doors for cases against many other manufacturers as well. Let’s see which way Apple takes it.