Infograph highlights Apple's litigious ways

This is a bit of a tongue-in-cheek comment, but there are some aspects of truth to it. Not too many companies run their in-house legal department as a revenue generating unit like Apple does, and when you consider that Apple won a $1.05 billion jury award against Samsung last year, you see what we mean. For those of you older than today's school kids, who are just as likely to be carrying around a top-shelf handset as working stiffs, you might remember the early days of the Apple iPhone.

Once the Apple iPhone was branded a success, the device was reverse engineered up the wazoo as other phone manufacturers needed to put out a competitive model. Fearful of Apple's patents, you might recall that the early so-called iPhone killers like the LG Voyager or the Samsung Instinct (non-smartphones, by the way) or even the Motorola DROID, did not come to market with multitouch and pinch-to-zoom. Eventually, a software update brought the capability to the Motorola DROID.

Since 2011, Apple patent battles have developed into a cottage industry and judging by the media and public attention received by last year's Apple-Samsung legal battle, the next trial set for 2014 could have the anticipation reserved for the Super Bowl or a heavyweight fight. And the participants are becoming as well known as any NFL quarterback. Think we're overstating this? We bet you can recognize a picture of Judge Lucy Koh more quickly than you can identify a photo of the Quarterback for the Cleveland Browns.

source: AndroidGuys