
The patent war between Apple and Samsung is far from over
BEACON TRANSCRIPT – After almost five years since the beginning of the Apple and Samsung patent dispute, Samsung agrees to pay Apple $548 million.
Apple and Samsung are known for being the greatest tech giants in the world, especially when it comes to smartphones and operating systems. Being the two most important, they are also, naturally, in a constant competition for the first place. However, the competition has not necessarily been a friendly one, as the two companies have been fighting in court the so-called patent-war for the last five years.
However, whether it’s because of the approaching holiday season or because the dispute has become tiring, the companies finally decided to settle. The settlement implies that Samsung is to pay Apple $548 million as it was ordered by the federal court of San Jose which hosts the trial. The payment will be made in full in ten days after Apple issues the official invoice of the settlement.
However, although Apple is sure to receive the money, Samsung managed to find some loopholes in the agreement. Therefore, despite their agreement to pay Apple for the patent, Samsung still retains the right to appeal and even to reclaim the amounts paid. In other words, Samsung can take its money back, or at least part of it, at any time. Of course, Apple is disputing these rights to appeal and hopes to keep what it has managed to legally obtain.
What should be even more concerning for Apple is that Samsung announced earlier in August they are ready to go with the trial all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States regardless of the numbers of appeals they have to make. They’re decision came after they lost a series of appeals since the patent war began in 2011.
All in all, despite reaching this agreement the war between the two major tech companies Samsung and Apple is far from being over. This was, as they say, but a battle being won and not the war so we should be expecting many other appeals and unexpected turn of events.
Image source: www.bing.com