Apple's victory could mean fewer smartphone options

Analysts from Wall Street to Hong Kong debated whether a jury's decision that Samsung Electronics ripped off Apple technology would help Apple dominate the U.S. smartphone market over Android rivals, or amount to one more step in a protracted legal battle over smartphone technology.

Many analysts said the decision could spell danger for competitors who, like the South Korean Samsung, use Google's Android operating system to power their cellphones. A loss to the Android-based market would represent a big hit for Google as well. "I am sure this is going to put a damper on Android's growth," New York-based Isi Group analyst Brian Marshall said, "It hurts the franchise." Other companies could choose to pay Apple licensing fees for access to the technology or develop smarter technology to create similar features that don't violate the patent — at a cost likely to be passed onto consumers.