Even before it has even appeared on shelves, the iPhone 5 already is set for a lawsuit. Samsung plans to challenge Apple in court to prevent the next-generation handset reaching South Korean soil, according to a Monday report.
“Just after the arrival of the iPhone 5 here, Samsung plans to take Apple to court for its violation of Samsung’s wireless technology related patents,” an unnamed Samsung senior executive told the Korea Times. Since April, the two companies have filed 23 lawsuits against each other in courts around the world.
Another unnamed Samsung executive is quoted saying the South Korean company is “quite confident” in its legal position. So far, Apple has gained a permanent sales injunction in Germany, with Samsung voluntarily holding off on Australian sales while a judge there waits for more data. Apple has also filed suit in Japan against Samsung.
Although the two companies are embroiled in multiple lawsuits, Samsung remains a supplier for the tech giant. This thorny ‘frenemy’ status again came to light when unnamed Samsung officials informed the South Korean publication the iPhone 5 would include near-field technology allowing the handset to serve as an e-wallet. One hitch: Apple has never confirmed it will offer such a feature. Last week, a former Samsung U.S. manager told a court he had leaked supply data about the yet-unnamed and unreleased iPad in 2009.
Ed Sutherland is a veteran technology journalist who first heard of Apple when they grew on trees, Yahoo was run out of a Stanford dorm and Google was an unknown upstart. Since then, Sutherland has covered the whole technology landscape, concentrating on tracking the trends and figuring out the finances of large (and small) technology companies.
21 responses to “Samsung Planning to Sue Apple Once iPhone 5 Hits Korea”
Now they are just being stupid.
How is having a flat screen with a screen that’s visible when it’s turned on a viable argument but the coding that allows you to communicate wirelessly with a cell tower “stupid”??
…Idiot…..
Patent law is beyond me. Good luck to everyone involved.
Maybe it’s time for a Samsung Boycott?
Maybe it’s time for a Samsung Boycott?
I think the implication was that it’s “stupid” because banning the iPhone in south Korea is kind of a classic “shooting yourself in the foot” move. There is nothing to be gained but disappointing most of the people in your home country. The hit to Apple’s sales will be minimal at best.
Right…..
It’s like South korea is such a huge country with huge customer base….
South korea is like one of the smallest markets in the world. Samsung is getting hammered in Europe. If Samsung wishes to kick apple out of South Korea, then Apple should do the same. Kick Samsung out of US.
How irony… They supply A5 chip to Apple and yet they want Apple to fail. Samsung has absolutely no brains.
South korea has a pretty large consumer market actually. Don’t really know where you got “one of the smallest” from.
Out of court settlement, those two companies have got to do it. I’m running out of popcorn.
a5 chip is not longer with samsung
We need don’t sue people panda