Judge OKs iPhone 5, newest Galaxy devices for next big trial
Some of Apple and Samsung's latest mobile devices can be
added to an upcoming trial between the two tech giants.
by Josh Lowensohn
November 16, 2012 10:10 AM PST
(Credit: CNET)
Some of Apple and Samsung's latest devices have been
given the go-ahead to be included in an ongoing lawsuit between the two tech
giants.
In an order yesterday, U.S. magistrate judge Paul Grewal
granted motions from both companies that sought to add devices launched after a
legal cutoff in mid-June.
That shortlist includes Apple's iPhone 5, which debuted
in September, Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1, the U.S. model of the Galaxy S3, and,
notably, Google's Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS in conjunction with the Galaxy
Nexus smartphone.
The new devices add to an already impressive tally by
Apple, which is accusing 19 of Samsung's devices of infringing claims from
eight of its patents. The case, which is separate from one a Northern
California jury decided in Apple's favor in August, is scheduled to go to trial
in March 2014.
The most curious bit is the inclusion of Google's Android
operating system into the spat. So far, the battle between the two companies
has been seen as a proxy for a fight between Apple and Google, though much of
Apple's offense during its previous suit against Samsung focused on exterior
design issues and not just what it said were similarities to patented software
features.
In the order, Grewal notes that Apple can't just target
the Android OS for all Samsung devices, and that the OS itself is not something
Samsung developed. Instead, the use of the OS is restricted simply to the a
Samsung's smartphone, the Galaxy Nexus. "The court will not permit a
sweeping amendment that might apply to devices other than those properly tied
to Samsung," he said.
Both companies have time to add other devices to the
fray. In the closing of Thursday's order, Grewal gave Apple a not-so-subtle
warning that it should refrain from trying to block any efforts on Samsung's
part to do just that with some of its latest products, which have not yet been
brought into the spat.
"Given the early stage of this litigation and the
reasoning of this order, the court notes that Apple should think twice before
opposing similar amendments reflecting other newly-released products -- e.g.
the iPad 4 and iPad Mini -- that Samsung may propose in the near future,"
Grewal wrote.
Comments
Post a Comment