That was a design patent[1], which are different from normal patents. A design patent is a form of legal protection granted to the ornamental design of an artic

That was a design patent[1], which are different from normal patents. A design patent is a form of legal protection granted to the ornamental design of an article of manufacture. Design patents are a type of industrial design right. Whether you think it is a valid design patent or not is a different question. There is no doubt that the outline of the iPhone was iconic, and Apple was trying to protect that, and Samsung was trying to ape it. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_patent https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_patent