You are asking the wrong questions. Samsung isn't being accused of "knocking off" an iphone. They are accused of copying SOME of the functionality of the iphone

You are asking the wrong questions. Samsung isn't being accused of "knocking off" an iphone. They are accused of copying SOME of the functionality of the iphone. Also, this isn't about consumers (directly) AS you are right, if Samsung decided to stop making phones, users would have fewer phones to choose from. It is indirectly about consumers though, as Apple may have never ventured down the path to creating the iPhone if they couldn't patent some of it.