Apple Samsung HTC 4G LTE suing game
As you know, there is no real love lost between Apple and manufacturers that make Android devices, especially when you consider Apple taking legal action against certain rival manufacturers over patent infringement. The latest of which, and probably one case that garnered the most attention was Apple fighting Samsung in the courts, and we all know how that ended up, with Samsung on the losing end.
However, there have been many rumours that Samsung will sue Apple if the firm ever released a 4G enabled iPhone, and as we all know, the iPhone 5 is a 4G LTE enabled iPhone. The word is HTC is already making moves to sue Apple over the use of 4G LTE, and the company was the first to introduce 4G LTE tech devices in the United States, but Apple wants the HTC’s 4G LTE patents ruled as invalid.
When it comes to Samsung, word is doing the rounds on the net waves that the South Korean firm will sue Apple if they deliver a 4G LTE enabled iPhone, and as the new iPhone 5 does indeed play nice on 4G, and will do so in several countries as we reported earlier, the big question is will Samsung try to have the iPhone 5 banned because of that LTE functionality?
Well it isn’t clear at the moment whether Sammy will drag Apple into the courts over the matter, but apparently Samsung does hold the largest quantity of LTE patents, about 819, whilst Apple has 318, and in a recent article it was said that Samsung was looking to continue or extend the legal battle with Apple even though Samsung lost the last round.
So if true it could mean the mobile space is set for yet another long round of legal fighting between Samsung and Apple, this time with Samsung looking to have a ban placed on the iPhone 5 if successful, and something no doubt would cause quite an upset with the iOS faithful.
Of course there was a dispute between Apple and Samsung over 3G patents, which Samsung lost because 3G are covered by FRAND; however when it comes to LTE, 4G patents are not covered by FRAND since according to an article over on Legit Reviews, by way of The Korea Times, LTE patents are new and highly valued.
So it would appear that Samsung and HTC just might have a good chance of being victorious in getting the iPhone 5 banned over 4G LTE, although of course nothing is certain at this point in time.
I talked with an iPhone 4S user earlier today, and apart from showing some disappointment in the look of the iPhone 5 being much the same as the iPhone 4S, so he isn’t too sure whether to purchase the device because he would have like to see a different design with the iPhone 5, we touched on the matter of 4G LTE and the possibility of Samsung getting the device banned.
My iOS faithful friend said that if Samsung where to sue Apple over LTE, Samsung would probably go for a cross-licensing deal with Apple, as it’s too much money to throw away for Samsung, and mentioned a comment from someone that said, ‘Apple is far too big of a beast to let their iPhone 5 be banned from store shelves,’ to which my reply was simply, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
However, one does have to say that it wouldn’t be that surprising if Samsung was on the revenge trail looking to give Apple a taste of their own treatment considering Apple managed to get some Samsung and HTC devices banned in the past.
But what to our readers think about all this suing game, do you feel HTC and Samsung should go after the iPhone 5 in the courts, or do you feel it is about time everyone became friends in the mobile space, stopped suing each other and got on with delivering exceptional devices for the customer?
Feel free to share your opinions on whether the patent infringement fighting should be stopped to our comments area below.
Comments
46 thoughts on “Apple Samsung HTC 4G LTE suing game”
Become friends in the mobile space… that’s laughable. I can’t see a company being sued and having some of their products banned to cozy up and say I forgive you: not unless it’s been a few years in between. Apple won against Samsung over rectangle with rounded corners, I can’t see Samsung not expecting to be victorious over technology.
yes sue em
I wish multiple manufacturers would team up when it comes to these kind of things, then they would have a better chance of winning in the courts. HTC and Samsung vs Apple would be a really nice battle since both HTC and Samsung have innovated a product which apple have simply grabbed a already existing product, modified slightly and put their own brand name on it. I read a comment the other day saying those apple farmers and juice companies should sue apple for using the name of a fruit that’s been around far longer then the company. Would be really funny if that did ever happen.
i say Samsung and HTC should take Apple for all they got. Take them down and give them their own medicine. Apple is trying to get the GS3 and the Note2 banned in the US, so they should get the iPhone 5 banned. Apple deserves to be hit hard.
You underestimate the corruption of US judges.
It’s the truth. Good luck to a US judge allowing a Korean company to ban the products of the American baby in their own country. Although I hope Apple loses their shirt on this one. Karma’s a what?…
But they are US patents, they were registered in the US so Apple will have to fall in line. As a judge recently said to Apple when they said they wanted HTCs LTE patent case thrown out. An ITC judge said “Apple has a difficult road ahead of them providing clear and convincing evidence that the HTC patents are invalid”.
If Apple have infringed, yes go for a ban first then negotiate licensing rights as any business should.
I would normally agree, except due to the unreasonable nature of Apple, I do not see any reason for a company that they just attacked so severely to show any mercy. Apple demands bans, so should Samsung and HTC.
Samsung would shoot themselves into the foot if they ban the iPhone completely. Samsung is still making a number of parts for the iPhone. Royalties for each phone sold would be a continuous source of additional income. Samsung might sell more phones if the iphone is banned but not everyone will necessarily go for samsung, …
i dont hink they care i saw a news that samsung was about to cut ties with apple beacese hey are trying to use 3 partys to get away with it so they are about to engit.
True, but you have to admit, being the world’s largest smartphone manufaucturer, it is very likely that they would make more money off the increase in phones than they would just from royalties on iPhones. It is all speculation, but that’s not really what this is about. They are standing up to a bully, and for that I applaud them.
I agree with all of you samsung, and htc should sue it didn’t stop apple, the need to be brought down a peg to let them no they are not above all. I’m not hating apple makes a great product I don’t on a apple or samsung phone I have a mytouch 4g HTC its a great phone. What im tired of is going in all theses department stores looking accessories, clock radios,and stuff for my phone but the make it only for apple not everyone has a apple phone why are all these manufactures are only making this stuff for apple is beyond me. So I guess u can’t blame some of these other phones resembling the iphone they are just trying to compete otherwise everyone will have a iphone and there will be no more individuality.
I’m sick of all the lawsuits stifling innovation and progress in the tech/mobile space, but until both sides are beaten to a bloody pulp, nothing’s gonna change. Apple has been the bully and the first to draw blood, and they need a good taste of their own medicine. So I say… sue the hell out of em!
yes! yes! oh yes! sue that bitch’s ass off……Apple started it, they must taste it!
Sue Apple for all their worth then call it quits.
I dont know why people care. It’s like they get paid by samsung and HTC to flame all over the net. You’re not making or losing any money over this so why do you care? It’s like when everyone hated Microsoft. Now every one hates Apple. In a few years time, everyone is gonna hate Samsung. When you ganna learn, all companies are the same. Greedy and thirst for power, get over it.
We are not losing money, but we are losing the ability to make choices as consumers. If the best technology is taken off the market in an effort to force consumers to settle for the mediocre competition, can you not see how this negatively affects all of us? Apple is a patent troll trying to create a monopoly. Then want everyone to have an iPhone, and for many people, myself included, this is simply unacceptable. If the iPhone is the only mobile phone on the market, I predict phone booths will make a comeback.
I do not work for any mobile electronics manufacturer.
You just dont get it.
apple have been sphincters from the beginning.
Samsung actually go all out to give customers what they want, compared to apple giving you what they want you to have.
This is how it has always been with apple.
I’m an ex apple user of 15 years ago for that reason.
Think of Samsung LCD TV’s, superior features, innovative, great value.
Same with their phones.
Yes Apple deserves some of its own medicine. Did they invent the touch screen or was it copied ? Did they invent the mp3 or just jump on the bandwagon ? I think its greed.
Where would we be if no one tryed making anything because it allready been designed so no improvements Living in caves? rubbing sticks together for fire?.I have several pairs of trainers they all do the same job and are simalar design but not the same manufacturer, is this another lawsuit waiting to happen ? No cos apple don`t make trainers .Get real grow up or shut down and give up apple your pathetic childish and down in public estimation. Thought more of apple but youve been in the barrell to long and gone bad. Nothing short of a Rotten Apple
Sue apple, they need to be knocked down back to near obliteration.
I sure hope Someone has the balls to put a stop to the Apple machine. Apple is WAY too big for its britches and need to get knocked down to size. I think Samaung will have the balls to do it but I don’t think HTC will, even if they do win. I think the CEO of Samsung should call the CEO of HTC and offer him ten million dollars in his Pocket to persue a ban of the LTE iPhone if they win in court.
Oh because Apple is big they need to be sued and shut down? It’s sad that people hate on Apple just to hate. They have one of the greatest mobile OS’s and have great phones as well.
No they need to be sued to show them what it is like to have their products banned. They may have one of the best OS and phones but that does not mean they have to stifle competition. If they believe their products are so superior, then let the public decide, except they will not do that because their latest iphone 5 is not even up to the standards of most of the recent smart phones. Suing by patent legislation is the only way they see of leveling the playing field now. Unfortunately they are just making themselves more hated than ever before. Sad but true facts, a once great company is declining due to competition….and they dont like it at all!
Why do we hate Apple ? The company is one of biggest hypocrites of all.ifnyou truly do your research Apple took many existing technologies put their own spin on it and patented it. True they put all this in a blender and created the Smartphone, ok kudos. But they need to get off their high horse and lose the school bully attitude. Here’s a quote for you to ponder
“A good artist copies a great artist steals” (Steve jobs)
I share your feelings but I must say, apple did not invent the smart phone(HTC did 5 years before, the O2-XDA). I want to add; nor the capacitive touch phone(LG did), nor multitouch(too many to name but Elan for one, Microsoft another), nor appstore(Microsoft & Handango), nor ipod(Creative), nor icons & homescreens(SPB), nor mobile radio technology(Nokia MS Motorola HTC ++), nor tablets(Microsoft & all++) Apple did invent crappy iOS with it’s infinite drag menus, it’s trojan itunes, it’s micro-universe and it’s unbelievable arrogance in claiming to have invented the smartphone and multitouch.
No, because no one like a bully or a dictator. Enjoy spending $30 on a 12 cent accessory so your iPhone 4 stuff can work with your iPhone 5 stuff.
Oh because apple is big that means they have a free license to sue and not be sued over patents? Your as pathetic as the apple company itself!
They need to be shut down because they think they own everything they ever stole to put in the iPhone, and happily sue anyone taking cues from THEIR thefts. Apple is a well known, self-proclaimed thief, but a thief of the worst kind- They steal others’ ideas, patent them, and then sue the world over thinigs they did Not invent… Let me see here.. A small list for you. The color black, flat faced rectangular touch screen phones, icons, multitouch, voice search that searches locally as well as the internet. That’s just to name a few. They are scum.
Just to make sure that Apple gets a taste of their own medicine let all the LTE patent holders band together and pull Apple products off the shelves and see how they like it. They certainly do not innovate any more and suing in patent disputes does seem to be the only way Apple is going to make money now. Let them see what it is like to have their products banned, may must open the market up wider again.
Give apple everything they deserved as they have been the bully far too long, and need to be taken down so that big head of theres becomes sized up. As what is wrong with a bit of competition let the people decide what phone they want. As they deserve there own medicine. Go bit that! Apple!. Or should we say Apricot, Strawberry, Peach…………!
Do on to others as they do on to you. Samsung will hit apple with it’s Lte patents lawsuit and Htc will also. There is consequences for arriving late to the party. Apple is useless simply for clueless joe’s who are uneducated simpleton’s with no knowledge of technology. Piss on Apple..
Unto
So in the cases apple won did they offer licensing to samsung.
No… their stuff is just banned. They have to redesign a new product.
stealing 4G is unethical if apple want to sell in the US they will need to sell a phone
that doesnt violate patents just like samsung.
THIS IS NOT FAVOURITISM OR ANTI-APPLE this is what the market has done historically. Apple are not exception
The real question is is how come all the other vendors dont have a problem?
Gee … maybe they licenced the technology…
If apple can sue samsung over a green “make call” icon, when green has been used for “make call” since day 1 of the mobile phones nearly then surely samsung can sue apple for ripping off their technology – esp after they already warned apple about it.
Although from what ive seen the majority of manufacturers are not into this “patent” battling rubbish, only Apple, who seem to be using it as a way of compensating for their lack of technical development and a diminishing market share.
I say sue them , apple deserves to be on the other end of a massive lawsuit, it will serve them right, no iPhone 5 with the infringed 4g LTE patent in the USA, I hope they get hit hard, I’m sorry I actually purchased the new iPad, Apple is just a out of control monster who wants nothing more then to gobble up everything just to stay on top.
LTE is a much better reason to sue than the Apple’s ‘Rectangle with rounded corners.’
Well, it just shows the level at which the two companies are; one is suing the other for using a design that looks a bit similar to theirs while the other for stealing their technology.
And lastly the Americans. Poor people, if everything goes right they might have to live without the iphone, samsung tab, and other android smartphones. 🙁
I think they should as they started the pathetic game, probably due to sammy catching up with them and I cant see in a court of law american or not how a judge can rule in favour of apple in previous court battles and not in favour of sammy/htc for basically the same thing, but this could just be me as I personally dont like apple as I find them over priced and too above themselfs. Whats good for one is good for another, one might say.
of course samsung and htc should pursue the suit. apple has fabricated evidence and made such ridiculous suits over such things as the rounded corners on the SGS1 and other such suits over the last years. its ridiculous. someone needs to put apple in its place and if they have to team up to do it, then so be it. apple has turned into nothing but a techno-bully.
Do you have proof that fabricated evidence
if apple wants the HTC’s 4G LTE patents ruled as invalid thne the patent office should invalidate apples round edge rectangle patent as phones have been round edged rectangle design since before apple released there iphone,
they also want the HTC’s 4G LTE patents ruled as invalid so they can patent it themselves most likely.
Would someone please shoot me a message when Samsung and HTC take them down so I can take my dog to take a CrApple at the Cupertino Office before they shut it down. Thanks
What i can see happening is either a cross licencing, but since HTC’s patents are Valid, and are NOT FRAND(investigated in the EU), HTC can really beat Apple to a pulp, since Apple might actually delay their iPhone, and ALL of HTC’s patents are Valid, they are the first to market with 4G (LTE AND WiMax) They really can cause trouble for Apple. Perspective: HTC can charge as much as it wants for it’s patents, ie, HTC can charge $100 per phone that uses LTE, and be innocent because it’s patents are NOT Frand.
Unbelievable how Apple can patent rounded square icons and the look of a phone. Well they will soon get a rather uncomfortable and costly reminder that patents surprisingly are also used for the technology behind the phone, not just the beautiful little icons.
I will be watching this space!
sue em back to the gargage they were made in