Last time we heard from the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority, they had blocked Motorola from claiming that their Atrix handset was the world’s most powerful smartphone since its processor is slower than the Galaxy S II’s. While they came down on Samsung’s side that time, that isn’t the case now: they have ruled that the iPhone 4, and not the Galaxy S II is the world’s thinnest smartphone.
First, a little background: Apple has been referring to the iPhone 4 as the world’s thinnest smartphone in advertising and promo materials for a while now, but a rival for the crown popped up when the GSII was released. Samsung’s svelte new model is indeed thinner at certain points, measuring in at 8.71mm at its thinnest. It’s a considerable enough difference from the iPhone 4’s 9.3mm depth that it would’ve been a clear victory were it not for the Galaxy S II’s 9.91mm thick hump.
The ASA ruled that since the iPhone’s thickest point is thinner than the Galaxy S II’s thickest, Apple has the right to continue claiming the title. Samsung likely isn’t too pleased — save for a single thick bit, their GSII is mostly thinner, and Apple gets to maintain their positioning (in the UK at least) as purveyors of slim, sleek design.
Consider it a small victory for Apple, but there are much bigger battles to be fought. Apple and Samsung have been going at it in jurisdictions the world over, and all this means is that Samsung and Apple will have to find different ways to posture at each other.
UPDATE: A reader wrote in to say the official Samsung Galaxy S II dimensions have the device as being 8.49mm thick, as opposed to the 8.71mm as previously reported. The ASA’s adjudication entry for the dispute seems to indicate that Apple U.K. took measurements of the Galaxy S II and came up with the figure as seen above.