Apple and Samsung in Talks to Settle Patent Disputes Says Report
Like the sun rising in the morning and setting in the evening, the feud between Apple and Samsung seemed like it would be with us until the end of time, an evergreen source of tech news fun. But a post on Neowin today points the way back to a report in the Korea Times, which says that the two companies have started discussions to settle their various patent disputes and keep their future interactions out of the world’s various courtrooms.
According to the post, the Korean paper cites “an unnamed sources at the country’s Fair Trade Commission,” who says that Samsung and Apple are in talks to sign a “cross-licensing” deal allowing Samsung to enjoy some of Apple’s design patents. The upshot for Apple is that it’s seeking over $30 for each Samsung product sold after the licensing deal is made—a hefty sum, but one that may ultimately be less than whatever Samsung is ordered to pay after the next rounds in court.
And if Apple and Samsung can’t come to an accord out of court, that’s exactly where they’re headed next. The post points out that the most recent showdown between the companies resulted in a judgment against Samsung to the tune of $888 million. And with more Samsung devices coming out that are, let’s face it, imitations of Apple’s line of products, there’s surely more courtroom drama to come.
Next to that, it may ultimately be in Samsung’s favor to figure out a way to just shave off a portion of its sales income and funnel it directly to Apple, instead of waiting for judges and juries to make that decision for them—not to mention what must be ever-skyrocketing attorney fees. Of course, all of this could turn out to be pretty moot if the report isn’t as accurate as it purports to be. Until a representatives from either company come out and confirm that they’re talking about a settlement, it’s all just air.
It definitely does seem to be in both companies’ best interests to settle, though, since it seems that neither company plans on abandoning the courtroom as a means of settling their disputes anytime soon otherwise.