Apple’s case against Samsung gets support from Dieter Rams, Calvin Klein & other designers

Apple vs Samsung (Apple before and after iPhone)

Apple’s mega-lawsuit against Samsung is now in the hands of the United States Supreme Court, which should start hearing Samsung’s appeal over Apple’s design patent case in October. Ahead of court proceedings, Apple today filed an amicus brief containing support from 111 famed designers.

Some of them include well-known names like Jony Ive’s friend Dieter Rams, fashion designer Calvin Klein and iSpaceship building designers over at Lord Norman Foster.

In the amicus brief, Apple reiterates its argument against Samsung that history shows that a product’s visual design drives sales and becomes the product itself in the minds of consumers. Because design is particularly important for consumer products with complex technology, successful technology companies use design to differentiate themselves from competitors.

Dieter Rams, Calvin Klein, Norman Foster and over a hundred of the world’s top design professionals cite cognitive science to explain why design matters and why Apple was entitled to the full amount of damages.

Apple’s stance is that Samsung’s infringing design which sells the product makes it possible for the South Korean firm to realize profits. Given the jury’s earlier infringement finding that Samsung did copy the iPhone’s look and feel, Apple says Samsung must disgorge its total profits while cautioning that Samsung’s arguments to the contrary rest “on a fundamental misunderstanding of design patents”.

Even though Apple was awarded almost 1 billion in damages in 2012, Samsung was eventually ordered to pay about $548 for copying the iPhone’s design. The South Korean firm continues to appeal that decision.

For those wondering, an amicus brief is a legal document filed in appellate court cases by non-litigants with a strong interest in the subject matter. These briefs advise the court of any relevant arguments that it might choose to consider, but isn’t obliged to.

Thanks, Carlos!