Early prototype images of iPhone, iPad surface

Apple Inc.and Samsung Electronics have been warring for a while now over a host of unresolved patents and by the way of these patent tussles a host of early prototype images of both the iPhone and iPad have surfaced. These images, that are part of court documents depict the designs that the iPad and the iPhone could have embodied. An entire stack of images with The Verge show just what thoughts Apple had at the outset for their devices. 

Early prototype of the iPhone 4 (Image credit: TheVerge)

Some of the pictures with The Verge show iPads with kickstands and an eight-sided iPhone (with diagonal corners)! Interestingly, one of the iPad prototypes had the word 'iPod' etched on the rear. Also seen in the image stack is what is being referred to as the early prototype of the iPhone 4. Codenamed N9, the prototype of the iPhone 4 features the usual glass and metal design and is known to have a much smaller screen. 

The company has been finding itself grabbing headlines, off late. A while back we carried a report about Apple CEO, Tim Cook affirming that while he loves India, he believes that there are other countries where Apple has higher potential in the intermediate term. Cook was answering questions pertaining to Apple's presence (or the lack of it) in the country, and the company's future growth plans in India.

Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics, are two of the better known names in the smart devices arena, and at one point the two had been friends. It has been a while now since the two have been embroiled in a legal tangle over a host of unresolved patents. One of the interesting turns in the lawsuit, came in recently when judge Colin Birss ordered Apple to publish a notice on its U.K. website and in British newspapers, informing consumers that the Galaxy Tab's design has not been copied from the iPad. The court essentially required Apple to highlight its July 9 decision in the notice. A report by Fitch Ratings, the decision as taken by the British judge was in contrast to what a court in the U.S. affirmed, wherein it put into effect partial injunctions against the sale of Samsung products in the U.S.

Fitch Ratings finds the legal battle between the two giants will go on for another 12 months, with over 40 different lawsuits pending with courts across the world.