U.K. Court Orders Apple to Make Its Samsung “Apology” More Apologetic
To satisfy a U.K. court ruling originally issued in July, all Apple had to do was craft, post and publish a straightforward apology to Samsung for accusing it of copying the design of the iPad for its own Galaxy tablet, an accusation deemed false by the court.
But no. After fighting the order for several months, last week Apple finally issued a statement in which the only element of “sorry” was regret that the U.K. court had not seen things with the same clarity as courts in other countries.
Her Majesty’s magistrates were not amused.
Today, the U.K. Court of Appeal ordered Apple to pull its original statement off its Web site within 24 hours, and to post within 48 hours a new version that additionally acknowledges that the company’s first try contained statements that the judges called “untrue” and “incorrect.”
“I’m at a loss that a company such as Apple would do this,” said Judge Robin Jacob. “That is a plain breach of the order.”
Apple lawyer Michael Beloff contended the original statement met the court’s requirements, saying the order “is not designed to punish, it is not designed to make us grovel. The only purpose is to dispel commercial uncertainty.”
But the court wasn’t buying it, and when Apple asked for 14 days, instead of 48 hours, to post the new statement, Jacob was aghast again.
“I would like to see the head of Apple make an affidavit setting out the technical difficulties which means Apple can’t put this on” its Web site, Jacob said. “I just can’t believe the instructions you’ve been given. This is Apple. They cannot put something on their Web site?”
Request denied.