Tag Archives: patent

Samsung Galaxy S, S II, Ace, banned in Europe.

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apple-vs-samsungSamsung has just been dealt a blow by a Netherlands court in its ongoing battle with Apple over trade dress and design patents, as the court has banned the sale of its Galaxy S, Galaxy S II, and Galaxy Ace smartphones in the European Union by Samsung’s Dutch subsidiaries because of patent violations. Curiously, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet has been spared from this particular injunction.

The injunction refers to a specific patent that the Galaxy smartphones violate, and it can be enforced in some, but not all European countries. The countries that Samsung has dodged a bullet in include Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, and Spain, thanks to Apple’s failure to register the patent properly in those countries. Additionally, the block on the sale of the smartphones only applies to Samsung’s Netherlands subsidiaries, not to the Korean company as a whole. Samsung does most of its European distribution through the Netherlands, however, so this will cause a significant shakeup in the flow of Galaxy smartphones in Europe.

The decision handed down by the courts is due to go into effect in mid-October, which gives Samsung time to rearrange its distribution network. The patent in question applies to the photo galleries in Android, so Samsung may be able to work around it with a software update. Apple has also accused Samsung of violating other patents related to scrolling and unlocking the phone, though the court did not include them in this injunction.

[Via: FOSS Patents]

Samsung Galaxy tab ban lifted in most of Europe

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tabSamsung can sell its latest iPad rival in most of Europe again after a German court lifted most of an injunction it had imposed at Apple’s request.

The Duesseldorf regional court said it was questionable whether its authority extended to international companies operating outside Germany, so it restricted a preliminary ban imposed last week on Samsung Electronics to Germany.

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab line of tablet computers is considered the most credible alternative to Apple’s iPad, which has taken the market by storm, selling about 30 million since its launch a year and a half ago.

Apple and others have moved aggressively to defend their intellectual property in maturing markets, especially against Google’s Android software platform, on which the new Samsung Galaxy 10.1 tablet is built.

Android, a latecomer to the mobile market, has become a target by rapidly turning into the world’s most popular smartphone platform. Google is relatively defenseless because it owns few wireless patents, in contrast to older rivals.

On Monday, Google agreed to buy Motorola Mobility, the descendant company of cellular phone pioneer Motorola, for $12.5 billion, largely for its vast patent library.

Apple pressurized by Google-Motorola Deal

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google-appleGoogle’s $12.5 bn buy of Motorola Mobility might hurt Apple’s ability to pressure the Android ecosystem and the iPhone maker may try to strike back by buying up more patent troves, Jefferies & Co said.

The brokerage sees Nokia , InterDigital , and Research In Motion’s patents as potential targets for Apple.
Google has been under pressure to build a patent portfolio after losing out to Apple, Microsoft Corp and others in a recent auction of bankrupt Nortel’s assets.
Google’s acquisition of Motorola Mobility is an attempt by the Internet search giant to fend off increasingly aggressive legal attacks from rivals such as Apple.
“MMI in our view had the broadest and deepest patent portfolio amongst the wireless players,” Jefferies said in a note to clients, adding the buy may spur Apple — sitting on a large cash pile — into making a purchase of its own.
“We believe Apple is a licensee of Nokia and pays significant royalties for cross-licensing … Nokia likely has at least 50 essential 4G patents and likely over 100 essential 3G patents,” the brokerage said.
Essential patents are key parts of technology standards.
Jefferies said RIM spent over $5 billion in acquiring and developing its patent portfolio, according to its calculations, and has critical security related patents that Apple could pursue.
Based on the 63 percent premium Google paid for Motorola Mobility, RIM’s could be valued at something over $20 billion.
InterDigital, which is looking to sell itself and was reportedly being courted by Google, may also interest Apple.

Google Acquires Motorola Mobility

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Google aquires motorolaGoogle Inc. and Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc.  today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Google will acquire Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share in cash, or a total of about $12.5 billion, a premium of 63% to the closing price of Motorola Mobility shares on Friday, August 12, 2011. The transaction was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies.

The acquisition of Motorola Mobility, a dedicated Android partner, will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and will enhance competition in mobile computing. Motorola Mobility will remain a licensee of Android and Android will remain open. Google will run Motorola Mobility as a separate business.

Larry Page, CEO of Google, said, “Motorola Mobility’s total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies. Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of consumers, partners and developers. I look forward to welcoming Motorolans to our family of Googlers.”

Sanjay Jha, CEO of Motorola Mobility, said, “This transaction offers significant value for Motorola Mobility’s stockholders and provides compelling new opportunities for our employees, customers, and partners around the world. We have shared a productive partnership with Google to advance the Android platform, and now through this combination we will be able to do even more to innovate and deliver outstanding mobility solutions across our mobile devices and home businesses.”

So not only are Google getting 1000 patents from IBM, they are getting 17500 with this deal frm Motorola, not to mention another 7500 pending patents! Its a sad sad day for patent trolls(read Apple).

Another thing is Motorola has more patents than Nokia and Nortel put together. Microsoft, Apple, Sony and Ericsson out bid Google for the Nortel patents, now Google has passed them all. They should be sitting on over 26000 patents by the end of this year.

Another complaint filed against HTC by Apple

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Apple Inc. has filed a second patent- infringement complaint against HTC Corporation at the U.S. International Trade Commission, looking to block imports of “personal electronic devices” manufactured by them.

The complaint was filed on July 8, although the notice doesn’t reveal the nature of the complaint.

A judgement is expected on August 5th and the court can actually block imports if they find that the patents have been infringed.

[Via]

Apple’s new target: GetJar

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evil-apple-skullIt’s been merely two days since Apple lost the suit to block Amazon appstore, and now they have issued a ‘cease & desist’ letter to GetJar, a web-based marketplace that serves apps for Android, Blackberry and Nokia phones.

In the letter, Apple’s lawyers take aim at GetJar’s claim, specifically the use of the term “App Store.” Apple asserts that those two words relate to its own mobile application service, and that GetJar should not be using them to talk about its own.

In a statement provided to Mashable, GetJar’s CEO Ilja Laurs said Apple’s cease-and-desist letter was a “surprise.”

“GetJar has been in the business of offering apps to consumers since 2005, well before Apple, and helped to pioneer the model that the general public understands as an app store today,” Laurs said. “We have built a strong, global and growing business around this model, and plan to continue to use the phrase ‘app store’ to describe what we do.”

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