The patent battle between Apple and Samsung continues to roll on, and the latest revelation is that when Apple first introduced the iPhone way back in 2007, apparently Apple didn’t bother to find out if there was a license they needed to take in order to use Samsung’s technology when Apple entered the smartphone market.
According to an article over on Bloomberg, a Samsung lawyer has told a US trade judge that Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007 using Samsung technology that it didn’t want to pay for, and also stated that the iPhone, iPod Touch and Apple iPad have infringed as many as 4 patents that all came from two decades of work that Samsung had spent improving mobile phones.
Charles Verhoeven of Quinn Emanuel, Samsung’s lawyer, at the start of the International Trade Commission trial in Washington also stated that all of those things that Samsung has built up, Apple was using when they entered the market, and didn’t even inquire if there was a license to take.
William Lee of WilmerHale, Apple’s lawyer responded that Samsung raised the patent issue back in 2010 after Apple confronted by Apple that Samsung was introducing products that copied the iPhone and Apple iPad, and Lee went on to say that during that 3-to-4 year period Samsung never suggested Apple gear infringed patents, so for almost 4-years there was no infringement claims, and then an infringement problem arose.
Lee continued with Apple has benefited from the success of their iPhone, iPod Touch and Apple iPad, but it isn’t only Apple who has benefited, as Apple has paid Samsung billions of dollars for components.
No doubt the tit-for-tat claims in the patent infringement battle will continue between Apple and Samsung for quite a while yet; however, if Apple didn’t seek a license for using Samsung tech when Apple delivered the iPhone back in 2007, although Samsung should have probably contended the matter back then, it doesn’t mean Apple has an automatic right to use Samsung tech just because a few years have passed…agree or disagree?