Samsung opening statement calls iPhone "inspiring product to everyone"

In the continuing epic battle that is Apple vs Samsung in the USA version of their collection of court cases going on around the world, Samsung has opened with statements that attempt to make it clear that they admire the iPhone. Along with this admiration, Samsung's lawyer Charlie Verhoeven has attempted to make it clear that being inspired by a product is something that everyone does, and that this process is called competition, no copying. Samsung pushed for detailed comparisons between Samsung and Apple devices, showing rounded corners, startup sequences, and home screen configurations as well.

Verhoeven's opening statement for Samsung went so far as to assert that Apple "didn't invent the rectangular shaped form factor" and "didn't invent having a touch screen." Of course his hour and a half statement did not take the same stance as Apple's did, that being the company positioning themselves as the risk-taker in a world (before the iPhone) where they'd have had to risk it all to make a name for themselves in the industry. Instead, Samsung is hoping to make it clear that Apple depends on Samsung for a collection of components in the iPhone including:

• Processors

• Flash memory

• Main memory

Verhoeven made it a point to mention these bits and make it clear that Samsung supplies several parts to Apple for the iPhone. These bits are key components, he said, and Samsung was the one to create them in a way that Apple decided to utilize for their most important products – the iPhone in particular.

"The guts that make this phone work, ... they are all supplied by Samsung. Apparently Apple thinks Samsung invented something, because it's buying products for its own devices." – Verhoeven

The quote above comes from Josh Lowensohn from CNET, direct from the courtroom. Verhoeven noted that Samsung certainly never copied what Apple had made in the original iPhone. Such an inspiring product, he said, was never going to exist without seeing reactions in kind.

"We're not standing here telling you ladies and gentleman of the jury that the iPhone wasn't commercially successful. It was an inspiring product to everyone, including the competition. But being inspired by a product and seeking to make better products is competition. It's not copying." – Verhoeven

Check out the rest of our coverage of the Apple vs Samsung case from its big start today and in the few weeks leading up to this battle. We'll be here throughout the case to bring you up to date happenings as they go down as well – the war is on!