Samsung, Apple drop patent war outside US
August 07, 2014  04:16
Arch-rivals Samsung and Apple have decided to drop a series of bitter patent disputes pending in multiple courts outside the United States, the South Korean electronics giant said today.

The two companies have been locked in a prolonged war of legal attrition in close to a dozen countries, with each accusing the other of infringing on various patents related to their flagship smartphone and tablet products. 

"Samsung and Apple have agreed to drop all litigation between the two companies outside the United States," Samsung said in a statement. 

"This agreement does not involve any licensing arrangements, and the companies are continuing to pursue the existing cases in US courts," it added. 

The patent row kicked off in earnest back in 2011, when Apple sued Samsung in a US court, and swiftly went trans-continental with cases being heard in South Korea, Germany, Japan, Italia, the Netherlands, England, France and Australia among others.

The fight will continue in US courts where Apple has accused its South Korean rival of massive and wilful copying of its designs and technology for smartphones and tablets, and has asked for a bar on US sales of Samsung smartphones and tablet computers.
« Back to LIVE

TOP STORIES