Samsung Might Get Slapped With $15 Billion Fine For Trying To Ban Apple Sales In Europe

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Apple and Samsung have been raging a legal war against each other across the globe. While Apple won a $1 billion lawsuit against Samsung in the U.S. earlier this year, the two giants have exchanged blows in Europe as well, but neither side has come out on top yet.

However, a new report claims that Samsung might be facing a serious blow from the European commission that is seeking to impose some huge fines on Samsung for trying to get Apple products banned in Europe.

The Guardian has reported that the Samsung could face fines running into billions of dollars over its attempts to use its “standard-essential” patents on 3G to ban sales of Apple’s iPhone and iPad in Europe.

Samsung isn’t the only company that is facing big fines either. Google-owned Motorola Mobility might face similar fines for trying to get Microsoft’s Xbox 360 banned in Europe too by using their standard-essential patents.

Potential fines for Samsung could run up to 10% of the company’s worldwide turnover, which would be about $15 billion for Samsung. Samsung could face big fines in the U.S. as well because the U.S. Justice Department is investigating Samsung’s use of standard-essential patents in cases against Apple.

While Apple has tried to have Samsung’s products banned too, Apple has used patents that are not part of any standard in their legal proceedings. Apple offered to pay a licensing fee on the patents for 3G owned by Samsung, but Samsung refused.

Source: The Guardian

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