eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.
Apple clearly isnt letting go of this whole Samsung-infringed-our-patents thing.
Although the two companies are already locked in courtroom battles around the world, Apple has decided to open yet another front against its rival. In this case, Apple is suing Samsung in California over the latters Galaxy Nexus, claiming the smartphone violates four patents.
The case itself in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, is Apple Inc. vs. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., et a 12-00630.
The four patents in question revolve around certain key aspects of the Apple iOS interface, including the ability to unlock a smartphone by gesturing on an unlock image (basically, Apples slide-to-unlock feature), and another for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data, which patent expert Florian Mueller dubbed the data-tapping patent. This last one, he noted in a Feb. 11 blog posting, is particularly important.
The only older one, the data tapping patent, should be a slam dunk, Mueller wrote. It succeeded in the ITC, a notoriously difficult forum where only about 1 out of 20 smartphone-related patents is deemed violated.
Moreover, this current lawsuit could present Samsung with some significant issues. This time around, Apple focuses [completely] on strong technical patents, Mueller added. Last time, the emphasis was mostly on softer, design-related rights. I would never have referred to those as Horsemen of the Apocalypseby comparison, those rights were more like pussycats.
Samsung has scored some hits of its own in the battle between the two companies. A German court recently refused to grant Apple a preliminary sales ban on the Samsung Galaxy 10.1N tablet and Galaxy Nexus smartphone, although the one against the original Galaxy Tab 10.1 still stands. Samsung has also proven more than willing to hit Apple with countersuits, all but guaranteeing the legal tussle will drag out for some time to come.
Before his death, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs called Google Android a stolen product and threatened to engage in thermonuclear war against it. His ire was reportedly so great that, in a meeting with former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, he refused to consider any sort of Android-related payout. I dont want your money, he said, according to Walter Isaacsons recent biography. If you offer me $5 billion, I wont want it. Ive got plenty of money. I want you to stop using our ideas in Android, thats all I want.
Months after his passing, Apple continues to take that mission to heart.
Follow Nicholas Kolakowski on Twitter