Samsung won't try to block Apple's iPhone 4S in South Korea
Samsung has announced it will not seek an injunction in its own country of South Korea against Apple's newly released iPhone 4S.
One reason for the company to avoid legal action against Apple was public relations concerns, according to Korea's Chosun Ilbo. The decision was said to have come at the last minute, as the iPhone 4S just went on sale in South Korea last Friday.
"We concluded that we should engage in legal battles with Apple only in the global market," a spokesperson for Samsung reportedly said, "but not in order to gain more market share in Korea."
It's a different approach from Samsung, which previously filed injunctions in Italy and France, attempting to block sales of the newly launched iPhone 4S. The previous injunction attempts cited two patents owned by Samsung related to 3G communications standards, covering Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, or WCDMA.
Samsung filed similar lawsuits in both Japan and Australia, also seeking to bar sales of the iPhone 4S. None of Samsung's attempts have gained traction thus far, as Apple's iPhone 4S continues a rapid worldwide rollout.
Apple, however, has successfully won bans on Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 in both Germany and Australia. Each company has accused the other of infringing on patented inventions, and the ensuing lawsuits filed by both companies span across the globe.
One reason for the company to avoid legal action against Apple was public relations concerns, according to Korea's Chosun Ilbo. The decision was said to have come at the last minute, as the iPhone 4S just went on sale in South Korea last Friday.
"We concluded that we should engage in legal battles with Apple only in the global market," a spokesperson for Samsung reportedly said, "but not in order to gain more market share in Korea."
It's a different approach from Samsung, which previously filed injunctions in Italy and France, attempting to block sales of the newly launched iPhone 4S. The previous injunction attempts cited two patents owned by Samsung related to 3G communications standards, covering Wideband Code Division Multiple Access, or WCDMA.
Samsung filed similar lawsuits in both Japan and Australia, also seeking to bar sales of the iPhone 4S. None of Samsung's attempts have gained traction thus far, as Apple's iPhone 4S continues a rapid worldwide rollout.
Apple, however, has successfully won bans on Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 in both Germany and Australia. Each company has accused the other of infringing on patented inventions, and the ensuing lawsuits filed by both companies span across the globe.
Comments
Time to kiss and make up... not a bad thing. I think Samsung got the message from Apple: "When stealing our designs, at least put in a little bit of effort, don't be so obvious. It makes us look like pushovers to let such obvious knock-offs exist. Anyway your stuff will never be as good as ours! Haha."
did steve jobs say that?
did steve jobs say that?
no, a theoretical response
So Samesung finally realized their legal strategy is a complete failure so they are giving up or did they decide to put their money into innovation rather than lawsuits and copying everything Apple does?
If Samsung coped everything that Apple did, then they would not be number one in the HDTV market. They also wouldn't have washers and dryers and fridges. Wait, isn't Apple tyring to create their own TV? Hmmm...
I'm sure Samsung feel that they can dominate the iPhone in their home market. So this is PR for them. They want the locals to see that they make something similar with faster clock speed, blah blah blah. This is their redefinition of "innovation".
Apple needs to win this ? it cannot afford to quit, and nor is it.
I'm sure Samsung feel that they can dominate the iPhone in their home market. So this is PR for them. They want the locals to see that they make something similar with faster clock speed, blah blah blah. This is their redefinition of "innovation".
I belive you are correct in that. When you look at it, Samsung is just trying ot foothold another market (and to be fair, it IS making them money) to solidfiy their, uh, companyness. Their other divisions make profits for years to come.
Apple does have less to work with ans they aren't in a lot of markets in retrospect. That's why Apple is being lawsuit frantic. Nintendo has doen it's fair share of lawsuits too. They only make games. Apple only does comptuers.
Maybe it has to do with the fact that if Samsung blocks the iPhone4s Samsung doesn't have anyone else to sell all those components to. Samsung makes a bunch of stuff for the device so blocking it is like shooting itself in the foot.
It's probably the Korean telco industry. iPhone 4S and iPad 3Gs = big moolah for them.
I'm sure some telco bigwigs there said to Samsung, don't even f****** think about it mate.