Today’s mobile news roundup features: the court ordering Apple to advertise that Samsung did not copy the iPad; Nokia’s regretful decision; and the Fake Skype app for Android.

Apple to advertise “Samsung did not copy the iPad”

Earlier this month, UK Judge Colin Birss ruled that Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 did not copy Apple’s iPad as it was “not as cool” as the iPad and consumers could not possibly mistaken a Galaxy Tab 10.1 for an iPad.

Now, the same judge is ordering Apple to publish an advertisement on their UK website stating that Samsung did not copy the iPad.  Apple is to include the court’s earlier ruling in their advertisement on their UK site for six months, as well as publish ads of the same accord in magazines and newspapers to clear Samsung of Apple’s copying allegations.

This is one bitter pill to swallow for Apple, as no brand likes to advertise a competitor – especially on their website.

In other trial news, Apple’s request to bar the late Steve Jobs’ comments about going “thermonuclear” on Android’s a$$ was approved by Judge Lucy Koh.  The judge further stated that the trial was really not about Jobs.

Nokia could’ve kept their lead if…

According to the former chief designer of Nokia, Frank Nuovo, seven years before Apple released the iPhone, they already have a design for a phone with a color touch screen set above a single button.  Then in the 1990s, the Nokia team secretly developed a tablet computer with a wireless connection and touch screen.  Consumers never got to see the said devices.  If they had, Nokia could still be the leader of the pack, not frantically trying to catch up to Apple and Samsung.

“Oh my God,” Nuovo said as he browsed through his old slides of product designs. “We had it completely nailed.”

Nuovo recalls how heartbroken he was when Apple jumped on the concept.  What upsets him more is when people refer to Apple’s products as “a concept, a piece of hardware, is unique.”

If they had the wits back then and release the devices, maybe they wouldn’t be in the slumps today.  Nokia just revealed that their net loss for the three months ending June 30 widened to €1.41 billion from €368 million a year earlier.  But the company reported that their reserves of cash improved by €306 million (about $376 million) year on year, due to patent licenses and support payments from Microsoft.  In short, they’re still breathing because of Microsoft.

Microsoft warns users of fake Skype app on Android

Microsoft recently found a threat posing as a Skype app installer for Android devices.  The threat, which goes by the name  Trojan:Java/SMSFakeSky.A, hides in the background of the fake Skype app and sends expensive international SMS or MMS messages that earns the authors lots of cash.  The fake Skype app runs on older (pre Software Installation Script) Symbian phones or Android devices that allow execution of Java MIDlet.  Fake websites hosting the Skype apps/installers were setup by the cybercriminals on Russian and Nigerian domains.