Samsung Dominates Apple #10

Samsung's latest offering, the Galaxy Note 8.0, had a fantastic showing at this week's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The product is directly competing with the iPad mini that was recently been launched. The Note features an 8 inch screen compared to the iPad's 7.9 inch and a higher resolution than the Apple product. Likely to launch in late April or early June of this year, Samsung boldly claimed that they will double their tablet sales from last year. Interestingly, Apple was nowhere to be found at the week's international conference despite the fact that it has been trying to find growth opportunities in the BRIC markets of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. In India particularly, Apple is struggling to take the lead against Samsung. At the MWC, Samsung also introduced the Samsung Wallet, which will be launched on March 7th, and is directly aimed at Apple's passbook. With the leaders in the industry striving for more market power, it is interesting to wonder what tactics they will chose to implement: offensive innovations or defensive patents? Perhaps it is up to the consumer to decide which they respond to more. 

Conflict of Interest? #9

A UK judge, Hon. Professor Sir Robin Jacob, who ruled in favor of Samsung against Apple has been hired by Samsung. Just last year he issued an order forcing Apple to promote Samsung's products as a punishment for not complying with the initial ruling. Although the judge retired in 2011 and became a professor, according to  Section 9 of the Senior Courts Act 1981, ex-judges can still be invited to sit on the bench. This, I believe poses a issue of a conflict of interest. After having ruled in favor of a party and then consequently being hired by that party, the Judge is showing a lack of integrity, regardless of its legality. For an industry that is so heavily regulated, it's ironic that such such seemingly questionable deals would be allowed in the first place.