Samsung copied iPhone technology, court told

Samsung faced two options to compete in the booming mobile phone market after Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone to critical acclaim in 2007 — innovate or copy, an Apple lawyer told a US court yesterday.

Samsung chose to copy, making its smartphones and computer tablets illegal knock-offs of Apple’s popular products, Harold McElhinny told the jury.

Samsung “has copied the entire design and user experience” of Apple’s iPhone and iPad, McElhinny said during his opening statement at the patent trial in San Jose, California, involving the world’s two largest mobile phone makers.