While the iPhone 5 was released recently, Samsung added it to their U.S. lawsuit soon afterward. The Samsung/Apple lawsuit is not scheduled to go to trial until March of 2014.
Apple
The Apple and Samsung lawsuit is just the tip of the iceberg. In the coming months, we can expect class actions and personal lawsuits to multiply. And if they do, they’ll need a host of expert witnesses. Samsung’s verdict seems to be a compromise between the companies’ respective positions. In the end, we’ll likely see a very complex legal process. Let’s take a look at some of the key issues that could make or break the Apple and Samsung lawsuit.
At the start of the lawsuit, Samsung was focusing its efforts on the semiconductor business. Apple was one of Samsung’s biggest buyers and the CEO visited Steve Jobs several times. Until 2007, Apple and Samsung were friendly, but the relationship took a turn when Samsung introduced a touchscreen device that ran the Android operating system. After Steve Jobs called Samsung a copycat, Samsung filed a lawsuit against Apple. Despite this, the lawsuit failed to achieve its goals.
Samsung
In an epic battle for patents, Samsung and Apple have come out on top. The jury in the largest US patent case ever found in favor of Apple and declined Samsung’s counterclaims. But that doesn’t mean Samsung’s legal battle is over. Samsung has already settled a few other cases in the past, and it has the right to bring these back to court if necessary. Let’s take a look at a few of those cases to get a clearer picture of what went down during this trial.
In the recent case of Samsung and Apple, the company sent 30 trucks filled with nickels to the headquarters of the tech giant. And when Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, heard about the coins, he called them to apologize. Eventually, they agreed to settle for $290 million. But it wasn’t enough to make Apple accept such a low-ball offer. Then, the company was slammed by its customers for refusing to honor the deal.
Microsoft
The Microsoft-Samsung dispute sprang up in August when Samsung filed a lawsuit alleging that the company did not make the contractual payments it promised to make. Although the documents were sealed, the contents were made public today. According to Samsung, the Nokia purchase voids the cross-licensing agreement between the two companies. The company is requesting that Korean regulators change the royalty terms.
As part of the trial, a nine-person jury has been hearing testimony from both sides for nearly a month. Both sides have been arguing that Microsoft stole Apple’s designs, which ultimately motivates consumers to buy the products. As a result, Samsung owes Apple its entire profits. After all, the design is the most powerful factor in the consumer’s decision-making process. In the minds of consumers, the visual design of a product is the product itself.
The verdict in the Samsung Apple lawsuit v Google lawsuit is expected sometime before the end of April. The jury will deliberate each day of the trial. The case is based on Samsung’s alleged breach of patents that allegedly occurred between April 2009 and October 2011. The case is the first of its kind in U.S. court history. Several people have already written in support of the plaintiff. A jury should hear the case before a judge so that both sides can present their arguments in court.
The plaintiffs allege that Google paid off Samsung Electronics Co. for developing a rival app store. Samsung is a top Android phone manufacturer, and they allege that Google tried to “buy” them off by turning their Galaxy app store into a Play Store white label. The lawsuit also alleges that Google prevented Amazon from using its distribution store for Android. The case is also likely to involve other companies in the app distribution business.
Neonode technology
Samsung and Apple are battling over a patent that involves Neonode technology. The Neonode patent was invalidated in a German lawsuit, but Samsung argues that it improved upon its patent. The Neonode technology makes it possible for smartphones to detect gestures and perform predefined functions. The lawsuit also points to previous references to Neonode technology. Neonode, which was founded in 1992, is now part of Samsung.
The Neonode patent is a critical component of many smartphones today. Apple was granted a patent on this technology in 2011, and it has since been used by numerous companies, including Samsung. Other smartphone manufacturers worried that Apple would copy their features were outraged. Samsung’s Neonode patent is a key part of its legal defense in the Apple lawsuit. Samsung is now trying to make Apple pay for copycatting Neonode technology.
