Take that, Apple. Dutch court cool with Samsung Tab design
by Roger Cheng January 24, 2012 5:36 AM PST
Apple suffered another legal setback after a Dutch court sided with Samsung Electronics, ruling that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 does not infringe upon the iPad's design.
A court in The Hague, Netherlands, dismissed an appeal by Apple, its latest attempt to get Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 banned from the country, according to legal blog Foss Patents. A lower court in The Hague had initially dismissed a similar request by Apple in August.
The ruling comes a week before a similar decision is expected in a German court over a ban that was initially placed on the Galaxy Tab, said Florian Mueller, who runs Foss Patents. He said the decision could remove the ban, dealing Apple yet another legal defeat.
Apple and Samsung representatives weren't immediately available to comment to CNET.
This just the latest legal development in the ongoing battle between Apple and Android manufacturers. Apple has gone after a myriad of Android partners in part to halt the momentum of Google's mobile platform, but also to eventually extract a licensing fee. But the effort has been a costly one, with Apple rumored to have spent $100 million on its litigation against HTC alone.
So far, Apple hasn't come up with much of a concrete victory. Its only decisive win was a U.S. International Trade Commission ruling that found one out of 10 patents was infringed by HTC. But HTC has several months to create a technical workaround to the patent, rendering the victory fairly meaningless.
Google, meanwhile, is attempting to load up on patents with its planned acquisition of Motorola Mobility. Presumably, those patents would benefit all Android partners.
Apple and Android companies such as HTC and Samsung are attempting to get a firm ruling banning its products from a major country, which would force the two sides to start negotiating a cross-licensing agreement. But until such a decision arrives, both sides will continue to up the ante and file one lawsuit after another in courts around the world.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57...ple-dutch-court-cool-with-samsung-tab-design/
Did Apple blow $100 million in its legal fight against HTC?
Apple may have spent $100 million in its legal assault against HTC over what it believes is ripped-off technology used in Android mobile devices.
That's according to Dan Lyons, who posted on his blog today about the rumored $100 million price tag for legal expenses for Apple's first set of claims against the company.
A representative for Apple wasn't immediately available to comment to CNET on the figure.
If true, that represents a significant cost--even for a company as cash-rich as Apple--for little gain. After more than a year of legal wrangling, the U.S. International Trade Commission came down in Apple's favor for only one of 10 patents, which HTC says it is readying a workaround for. The ITC also gave HTC several months to implement the workaround.
Apple is pursuing legal action against a number of Android players because it wants to halt the growing momentum of Google's mobile platform. Ultimately, however, it will likely have to settle with some sort of resolution and cross-licensing agreement, although the companies are far apart in agreeing who would pay for what.
Apple has another claim pending with the ITC, and is fighting off claims of infringement from HTC. Apple is also embroiled in an even more complicated and wide-ranging lawsuit with Samsung Electronics.
While $100 million may seem like much, it's mere spare change for a company that earned a profit of $6.62 billion in the third quarter alone. Apple is expected to report a blowout fourth quarter tomorrow.
As such, neither Apple nor its Android opponents look ready to settle anytime soon.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57364258-94/did-apple-blow-$100-million-in-its-legal-fight-against-htc/
by Roger Cheng January 24, 2012 5:36 AM PST
Apple suffered another legal setback after a Dutch court sided with Samsung Electronics, ruling that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 does not infringe upon the iPad's design.
A court in The Hague, Netherlands, dismissed an appeal by Apple, its latest attempt to get Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 banned from the country, according to legal blog Foss Patents. A lower court in The Hague had initially dismissed a similar request by Apple in August.
The ruling comes a week before a similar decision is expected in a German court over a ban that was initially placed on the Galaxy Tab, said Florian Mueller, who runs Foss Patents. He said the decision could remove the ban, dealing Apple yet another legal defeat.
Apple and Samsung representatives weren't immediately available to comment to CNET.
This just the latest legal development in the ongoing battle between Apple and Android manufacturers. Apple has gone after a myriad of Android partners in part to halt the momentum of Google's mobile platform, but also to eventually extract a licensing fee. But the effort has been a costly one, with Apple rumored to have spent $100 million on its litigation against HTC alone.
So far, Apple hasn't come up with much of a concrete victory. Its only decisive win was a U.S. International Trade Commission ruling that found one out of 10 patents was infringed by HTC. But HTC has several months to create a technical workaround to the patent, rendering the victory fairly meaningless.
Google, meanwhile, is attempting to load up on patents with its planned acquisition of Motorola Mobility. Presumably, those patents would benefit all Android partners.
Apple and Android companies such as HTC and Samsung are attempting to get a firm ruling banning its products from a major country, which would force the two sides to start negotiating a cross-licensing agreement. But until such a decision arrives, both sides will continue to up the ante and file one lawsuit after another in courts around the world.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57...ple-dutch-court-cool-with-samsung-tab-design/
Did Apple blow $100 million in its legal fight against HTC?
Apple may have spent $100 million in its legal assault against HTC over what it believes is ripped-off technology used in Android mobile devices.
That's according to Dan Lyons, who posted on his blog today about the rumored $100 million price tag for legal expenses for Apple's first set of claims against the company.
A representative for Apple wasn't immediately available to comment to CNET on the figure.
If true, that represents a significant cost--even for a company as cash-rich as Apple--for little gain. After more than a year of legal wrangling, the U.S. International Trade Commission came down in Apple's favor for only one of 10 patents, which HTC says it is readying a workaround for. The ITC also gave HTC several months to implement the workaround.
Apple is pursuing legal action against a number of Android players because it wants to halt the growing momentum of Google's mobile platform. Ultimately, however, it will likely have to settle with some sort of resolution and cross-licensing agreement, although the companies are far apart in agreeing who would pay for what.
Apple has another claim pending with the ITC, and is fighting off claims of infringement from HTC. Apple is also embroiled in an even more complicated and wide-ranging lawsuit with Samsung Electronics.
While $100 million may seem like much, it's mere spare change for a company that earned a profit of $6.62 billion in the third quarter alone. Apple is expected to report a blowout fourth quarter tomorrow.
As such, neither Apple nor its Android opponents look ready to settle anytime soon.
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57364258-94/did-apple-blow-$100-million-in-its-legal-fight-against-htc/
