Samsung was hoping to nail Apple for 3G patent infringement in Germany, but a judge has already tossed one of them out the window. Six other patents are still being investigated, but details on that particular case are skimpy for now. Apple has in the same breath shot back at Samsung for infringing on a slide-to-unlock patent with the Galaxy Nexus. Apple had pulled out this patent against HTC two years ago, though it doesn't look like they won on that particular front.
Germany has been a bit of a hotbed for mobile patent cases lately. Apple has most recently attacked Samsung for design infringement on ten phones, and previously earned an injuction against Galaxy Tab 10.1 sales. Of course, Apple isn't winning all of their fights in Germany; Motorola recently won a case against Apple for 3G patents.
It's a messy web of companies suing and counter-suing over arguably broad claims to intellectual property. Rarely do these episodes conclude with the dramatic import bans that are initially threatened, and that's a good thing - we would probably have way fewer phones to play with if these lawsuits ended without some kind of compromise.
Source: FOSS Patents, x 2
Reader comments
Apple defends against 3G Samsung patent claim in Germany, fires back with slide-to-unlock lawsuit
slide to touch was around long before the iphone, apple should never have been granted the patent on it. this is a loss and waste of money on apples part.
sadly in this world it doesnt matter who invented but who has the money to patent...example i could invent product x but i dont have the money to patent i cant stop anyone from xopying it and patenting it themselves and claiming the right to product x...just shows how ridiculous things are. anyway dont think apple have a shot with this slide to unlock,they failed with this against samsung in the netherlands law suits.
on the back and also the vibrate cwitsh is no longer a cwitsh it is a button probably because people would turn the swith while it was in the pocket the edges are flat just like iPhone 4 but the curves
does anybody car about these lawsuit stories any more?
Whether you do or not, you should. It's ridiculous patent claims and lawsuits of this kind that take away freedom from all of us. In the interests of defending its patents, Apple is all too willing to deprive anyone else of making competing, superior products (and make no mistake Android is a superior OS in most regards).
Lawsuits over whether a human being can slide their finger along a piece of glass to unlock their device are destructive of Rights.
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