Carl Howe, Device Analyst at the Yankee Group, on the Apple-Samsung Trial

Well the apple Samsung war is heating up we are joined by Carl -- he's the device analyst at the Yankee group and gonna bring us up to speed on the big trial Carl welcome to the show. -- very so what's the basis -- this big lawsuit going on between apple Samsung went in and it and it's weird because Samsung. Manufactures a lot of apple products but besides that Lou what's going on here. Well apple is -- suing Samsung claiming that it android handsets copied patented iPhone features. After it was introduced in 2007. In exchange Samsung is countersuing apple claiming that its patents are invalid so we've got to -- going on and they're going in both directions. With days with. There is a a story last week at the key guys covered it about a lot of secrets regarding apple. You know research and development that are being revealed during the trial what are we learning about apple during the trial. Well I think one of the things we're learning is a little bit about Apple's development process. What many people don't realize is that for every apple product comes to market about. And others are rejected during the design process product that many other manufacturers would happily sell you. So was that incredible product discipline is probably the biggest secretive apple is becoming public. Is is it possible to tell your observation of the. Of the trial is it possible to tell who's winning this trial. I don't think so yet an and that's because only apple has yet had a chance to make its case. They could they take turns during the trial -- apple is up first. Samsung will be up later in the case so what we're seeing only the apple side at this point. On nonetheless based on the pretrial briefs. It looks to me like go like apple has a pretty strong case. And that this certainly scoring a lot of points with some of the evidence they've presented. Simply because knew that that document basically talking. Among the Samsung executives about how they're gonna copy features the. How much longer as the trial of one. I'm I think it's a minimum of six weeks and and could go longer. But six weeks since the initial it initial plan it could go to. They are present I think three days a week to disperse six weeks. They're still on trial that point they go to every day. And just try to try to make sure that the closes out in in some reasonable amount of time. Mostly -- settle out of court. That your expectation here. That's what they would like to have happen and they actually met on that point yet CEOs he had here and the judge ordered them to to settle this out of court they weren't able to get there. And at the end of the day this is basically. A dispute about intellectual property. Do you own -- design or is the design and just available for other people to copy. And you know you can use the same argument in everything from coach handbag the you know BMW grills. It's a tough it's a tough problem to -- to legislate. Now the Samsung galaxy that phone has become very popular. Is that now become a better fold in the iPhone. I I think only consumer can really decide which is the better phone for them you know I I like both phones but for different reasons. I think the iPhone has become the standard by which all of their Smartphone to judge today yup so that's really good for a lot of consumers. The Samsung on the other hand gives you a bigger screen and a different more technical interface so -- the distinctive choice for people who level don't want an iPhone. So they each have their own advantages. I remember when Steve Jobs was sick the the what we were told is that apple has a product backlog going out for five years. Are they gonna be able to maintain their technology lead over companies like whether it's Nokia Samsung. You know all that all the people that are in that business now the Smartphone business is apple gonna be able to maintain their technology league. I think they are injuries this is that there there are unique company on their whole value proposition they make the technology. Kind invisible. No one who buy an iPhone thinks about the fact it has the capacity of touch screen device because at the extreme that work. So I think -- gonna be a lot more of that. And and Brinkley even in the letter. Years to speak out by one person doesn't run a hundred billion dollar company he had a team and that team is still there. Did all right look like you very much for your time we sure appreciate -- my putter that's Carl how device analyst with the Yankee group giving us an update one. Well hottest new -- still walking around that busted screen idea apple. An iPhone app and in my -- -- -- I talked to David in in nieces and need the Eiffel. Verse of the recordings to we will record commercials that island and in -- so. Because that our producer iced -- give me. Literally just give me ten days. And I plan on executing this entire show from a still need to come in to work are you guys go elsewhere you guys get a day off at home -- and don't crash. Come back we need after all right they will be joined next by death or shark from thestreet.com that's right would get stock -- up next and exchange.