Samsung is facing major trouble: the American firm Lepton Computing LLC has filed a lawsuit against them. The core of the claim is simple: “We invented foldable phones 10 years ago, and Samsung stole our ideas.”

What exactly is the dispute about? Lepton claims they patented the key “features” of the Galaxy Fold and Flip models back when no one even dreamed of such screens (between 2008 and 2013). This concerns:

• The folding mechanism: How the hinge works so the screen does not crack.

• The smart screen: How an application automatically “jumps” from the small external screen to the large internal one when you open the phone.

• Protection: A special design that leaves a gap between the screen halves so they do not scratch each other.

What are the plaintiffs demanding? Lepton’s owner has taken a radical stance. He does not just want money but a complete ban on the sale of all foldable phones in the US.

What is Samsung’s position? Samsung calls these accusations strange. Their main argument is: “We released our first foldable phone in 2019, while the patents Lepton is referring to were only registered in 2021. How can you steal something that did not legally exist yet?”

People’s reaction. On the internet, people are mostly laughing at this story. Users joke that no one has ever heard of “cutting-edge phones from Lepton,” and the company is simply trying to “chase clout” and make money from patent disputes.

What’s next? Now, the court must determine whether Samsung actually used secret Lepton prototypes that were allegedly shown to them back in 2013, or if this is just an attempt by a small company to sue a giant. If Lepton wins, the foldable smartphone market in the US could be in jeopardy.

Founder of Research & Patent group Intectica, author of patent algorithms for solving problems in the pharmaceutical industry, patent attorney certified in all intellectual property objects (Patents, Design, TM), with education in chemistry and law, chief expert of the patent institution of Ukraine UKRPATENT (1997-2004). Member of international organizations, including ECTA, PTMG, UAM, lecturer and blogger.