Just when you thought the patent litigation saga between Apple and Samsung was beginning to dwindle into obscurity it has returned with a vengeance. The discontent between the two companies may not have been hitting public headlines as much in recent months, but it has still been simmering away nicely in the background with legal teams from both entities doing their best to represent their sides. In a ruling that has been passed down today, the United States Court of Appeals has ruled that Apple can have yet another stab at trying to get certain offending Samsung smartphones banned from sale.
When the Apple and Samsung legal wrangle first began, it was new and exciting for those watching from the outside. Keeping an eye on the situation and seeing how events unfolded turned into something of a technology based voyeuristic sport, but that was a long time ago. Although it hasn't been publicized as much of late, the bitter legal battle is still continuing, with the latest twist seeing the ITC ruling in June that Apple were guilty of infringing on Samsung's patents, with the potential punishment being a total ban on the sales of offending iOS devices in the United States.
With so many different legal battles roaring on between Samsung and Apple, it's easy to lose track of which court case is which. The one that really stands out from the crowd though is the infamous court decision which awarded Apple a cool $1 billion, with Samsung told to pay up for infringing upon some of Apple’s patents.
For the last few years, Apple and Samsung have been on a legal battle over smartphone patents, demanding massive cash settlements and attempting to ban the sale of each other’s devices. According to the European commission, Samsung might now be issued fines for attempting to use standard-essential patents in its lawsuits, unlike Apple’s, which refer to less restrictive patents.
In light of Apple and HTC's licensing agreement earlier this month, Samsung took the opportunity to express its desire to never settle with the Cupertino company in such a manner. In light of a recent Dutch court's decision, however, the Korean outfit may be forced to retract that statement, for failure to comply with a sales ban on All Galaxy devices running Android 2.2.1 and higher will leave the LCD specialist forced to pay fines of up to €100,000 ($129,000) per day.
Prior to the release of the iPhone 5, Samsung promised the smartphone would be added to the ongoing patent dispute, and since that point, both companies have taken it in turns to name as many of the other's devices as possible. With this weekend being Thanksgiving and all, you might think both companies would take a break, have a little turkey, and enjoy watching the customers flock to stores to grab the limited deals. Apple is not known for taking anything lying down when it comes to intellectual property, though, and in viewing Friday as just another day, took the opportunity to add more of Samsung's devices to the ever-increasing list of claims.
It may have been relatively quiet on the patent front in comparison to the no-holds barred playground that we have been used to over the last twelve months, but Samsung is ensuring that the litigation surrounding alleged patent infringements will continue well into next year. We all remember the major Apple victory earlier this year in a San Jose courtroom, but it appears that Samsung is now going on the offensive side by ensuring that a number of Apple's recently released products are added through a court filing that should see the two technology powerhouses duking it out once again in another bitter legal battle.
The September 14th ruling that saw Samsung ordered to pay Apple a cool billion dollars may be set for review by the ITC, but that hasn't stopped one of Samsung's top men letting loose with a volley that is sure to sting many at Apple HQ. According to the head of Samsung’s mobile and IT division, Apple's iPhone would be impossible if Samsung didn’t license its patents to its fierce competitor.
In the ongoing patent war between Apple and Samsung, it seems one cannot sneeze without the other taking a strong interest, and with Apple having reached a settlement with Taiwanese rival HTC earlier this week, Samsung is seeking a copy of it.
US Judge Permits Both Apple And Samsung To Include Jelly Bean And iPhone 5 In Ongoing Patent Dispute
Scarcely a week goes by without significant developments in the continual Apple vs. Samsung legal battle, and with Samsung forewarning Apple it would immediately bring the iPhone 5 into the dispute upon release, the Korean company has stayed true to its word. Both Samsung and Apple have recently requested newer devices be added to the fold, and US Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal has today given the Galaxy maker the go-ahead to include the iPhone 5.
