Apple and Samsung are once again in the news and this time it is not for topping their sales chart or launch of a new phone, but for a massive legal war between the two rival companies. It all started when Apple filed a lawsuit against Samsung on the basis of patent and design rights infringement. However, Samsung fought back with its own patent infringement lawsuits. Now once again earlier this year the California based company filed a case against Samsung for breaching the fair trade laws. A judgment was passed that Samsung must pay Apple 1 billion dollars as fine. Rumors regarding this issues that Samsung paid Apple with loaded trucks of 5 cent coins went viral on the internet. It was later made clear that no such thing happened and Samsung has not paid Apple anything yet, as it wanted to Re question the judgment.
Both the companies are suing and counter suing each other for the patent rights infringement. Apple criticized Samsung for its pretty high licensing fee, but also claimed that it is ready to pay for the patent use only on the on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory standards, or FRAND. Under the FRAND commitment, companies are obliged to offer their patented technologies in a fair way when they are considered “standards-essential” within the industry. Apple had brought the issue to European union already, prompting an anti investigation.
In response to Apple’s April 2011 accusation that Samsung is blatantly copying the iPhone and the iPad, Samsung countersued Apple that it is using its standard-essential patents without permission.
Regarding the present lawsuit Apple filed against Samsung, The antitrust watchdog will take the rulings into consideration, the official said. In South Korea, a judge recently ruled that both the companies are guilty of infringing the other company’s patent rights and so they should pay each other some small amounts as damages. The judge said that the devices which are featured for infringing features should be banned. But as they are no longer available for sale it would not have any effect.
Apple and Samsung are mired in a huge legal battle that in a massive legal war that compasses continents. The stakes are huge (to the tune of billions), and the winner has the potential to get hold of the market for years to come.
