Apple are reducing themselves to the level of a patent troll at the moment.
Last time I checked the best way of out-competing the competition was to release great and innovative products, instead of trying to claim that anyone making something kinda like something you make is copying you.
Apple has ALWAYS been litigious, they're just getting worse now.
There was a load of whining from Google recently about the sale of Novell's patents - bought by Apple and Microsoft (no, seriously). Apparently Google was invited to be part of the purchase, but declined. It's all a load of bloody nonsense. These manufacturers are only paying serious money for these patents to stop actual patent trolls buying them and then figuring out who they can sue on the basis that they own the patent that someone else secured for something totally different.
America. What a crock of sh*t.