The Apple versus Samsung debacle has been going on for a considerable amount of time, and with so much back-and-forth between the tech giants regarding who stole which patent, it’s quite easy to lose track.
The smartphone and tablet market is fiercely contested, and with both into the habit of stockpiling patents to not only enhance products, but prevent their respective adversary (and other rivals) from utilizing them.
It goes without question that if Samsung feels Apple is benefiting, making money, and thus harming business by plagiarizing one of its own innovations, then the Korean company has a duty to cry wolf, and although much of the running has been done by the Cupertino company in dragging the two companies through the courts, Samsung has its fair share of grievances.
In the post-Steve Jobs era, things seem to have calmed down, with the placid-natured Tim Cook looking to present an air of calm about the fiasco, which has frequently descended into playground-like cheap shots between the two. Before the latest wrung of disputes were heard by the courts, Cook, along with Samsung’s CEO, were obliged to take part in a meeting to try and find a resolution, but even considering the Apple head-honcho’s reluctance to partake in ongoing conflict, no such agreement was reached, and the next chapter of Apple versus Samsung would still require plenty of ink.
In the very latest, a District Court in the Netherlands, has decided the original iPad, the iPad 2, along with the iPhone 3G, 3GS and iPhone 4, are in violation of a Samsung patent with regards to the way the 3G connectivity operates. European Patent EP1188269 apparently protects "Apparatus for encoding a transport format combination indicator for a communications system," and Dutch site WebWereld.nl notes the court has advised the consumer electronics pairing to try and figure out their own compensation deal.
Given how badly the clear-the-air talks prior to the court date are reported to have gone, a figure is unlikely to be reached that will adequately satisfy Apple or Samsung. Moreover, the Korean company was still ordered to cough up the €800,000 in costs to Apple, since the court threw out two of its other patent complaints, which doesn’t bode well for the mutual exchange both camps will need to be present for.
There is no indication of a sales ban, which would certainly put the courtroom cat amongst the pigeons, but we’ll keep an eye open for any developments on this story.
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