In a move to counter claims made by Samsung, Apple has revealed the details of an early iPhone prototype codenamed "purple." Apple says this proves that the company has not copied Sony hardware as was claimed by Samsung.
Apple said in the filings that "purple" went on to become the culture of iPhone generation in 2005 and is similar to the iPhone 4, which was released last year. Apple employed designer Shin Nishibori to give a spin to Sony in a "design exercise."
According to the filings:
"During development of the iPhone, Apple's industrial designers created numerous concepts, including this one dated August 2005 - a rectangular shaped phone with evenly rounded corners, a band running around the midpoint of its body, a centered display on the front fact, a menu button centered below the screen, and a speaker slot centered above the screen.
"This design (code-named "purple") predates by many months Mr. Fadell's 2006 e-mail forwarding an article about Sony design and Sony's new Walkman ... The existence of this design conclusively rebuts Samsung's suggestion that Apple looked to Sony for a portable electronic device that is 'square with a screen,' has 'corners [which have been rounded,' and lacks 'excessive ornamentation' or buttons"
The company insists that its rectangle-with-rounded-corners style was not a Sony inspiration but it was a design it had been working on. Its designer had admitted that though Sony-styled details were added only as a part of "design exercise", the final product did not carry these features.
"Samsung no doubt intends to distract the jury from its own copying by suggesting that Apple, too, has copied a competitor," said Apple. It wants the Nishibori's design removed from the evidence list, "Because this evidence is not admissible to prove the invalidity of Apple's patents."
Sources believe Sept. 12 is the day when iPad mini and iPhone 5 might be unveiled.
