"They're really focused on 'How big is the install base,' and 'How capable are we [of monetizing] that install base,'" he says of developers. "So if you really think about how these rulings play out as a developer, you already have some issues with fragmentation ... it can reduce the potential number of screens you can reach."

Will Stofega, director of mobile device research for IDC, agrees that the potential stifling of creativity is one of the more serious issues posed by the continuing legal threat from Apple and others.

"What could end up happening is a situation where the market starts to become problematic in the sense that you have one company dictating what their competitors' innovations are going to be," he says.

Nevertheless, the effects of litigation shouldn't be overemphasized.

"You won't have a situation where, all of a sudden, [because of] this patent dispute, Apple will ... stop selling iPhones and Samsung will stop selling Android phones," says Wang. Almost without exception, companies will simply adjust their feature sets, pay a fee for the patent, or find some other way to reach an agreement, and business as usual will resume.