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Apple and Korean-based Samsung continue to fight over intellectual property. The disputes are surrounding patents for the iPod, iPad and iPhone devices. The suits may have a far-reaching impact on American customers. Consumers might need more quick installment loans to acquire their Apple products in the end.
Patent infringement causes Samsung demands
Samsung, the world's largest maker of computer memory chips, filed a lawsuit yesterday in the High Court in London to block iPhones, iPads and iPods -- manufactured in the United Kingdom -- from being imported to the U.S. On June 28, the Korean firm also asked the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) to block importation of the products. Samsung said the Apple products contain its components. These components have been patented, supposedly.
Apple and Samsung both filing lawsuit
A couple of months ago, Apple filed lawsuit against Samsung to fire back. This was done in California federal court. Apple said that Samsung copied its iPad, iPhone and iPod devices. Apple said the business copied the look, feel and design of the devices. Apple further claimed harassment by the Korean firm, which is allegedly demanding to see prototypes of the new iPad 3 and iPhone 5.
Sued in many places
There have been past disputes for these electronic giants. This isn't the first. Samsung has previously sued Apple in Seoul, San Francisco, Tokyo and Mannheim, Germany. As the companies rely on one another very heavily, the spat is ironic. Almost all of Apple's memory chips come from Samsung. This makes the company significant.
Both court battles could take several months to settle. Should Samsung succeed, the iPod could become a rare and much-sought-after collector's item in the U.S.
Quarrels are nothing new
It is expected that these kinds of quarrels occur. They are not new. In 2006, the American wireless firm Qualcomm petitioned the International Trade Commission to block the import of goods from Finnish corporation Nokia over patent infringements. The ITC disapproved the request, but Nokia was concerned enough to pay Qualcomm a settlement in 2008 to avoid a lawsuit over the same problems.
Apple also asked the ITC to block the United States importation of Nokia phones last year. Still, Nokia patent rights are now being used by Apple. It paid about $1 billion last year to make this take place.
Importation has been stopped in the past
The International Trade Commission did agree to block the importation of a phone containing Qualcomm chips in 2007. Broadcom is situated in California. It said that it violated patent rights and filed a petition against the block. A federal court eventually overturned the decision. Qualcomm chips could be found in Verizon wireless phones. The company assumed it would have hurt business a lot.
Information from
Daily Finance
dailyfinance.com/2011/06/30/samsung-lawsuit-ipad-iphone-import-ban/
Bloomberg
bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-30/samsung-sues-apple-in-london-following-u-s-iphone-ipad-patent-lawsuit.html
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