The smartphone patent war appears to be over, which doesn't bode well for any potential acquisition and with negative implications for any Samsung "partnership"....
Apple, Samsung Agree to Mediator in Effort to Settle Suit
By Joel Rosenblatt Jan 9, 2014 12:54 AM ET
Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Samsung Electronics Co. agreed to a mediator in an effort to resolve their patent disputes over smartphone technology before their next trial in San Jose, California, set to begin in March. Senior legal executives at the companies met Jan. 6 to discuss “settlement opportunities,” according to the agreement filed yesterday in federal court in San Jose. U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh requested in November that both sides submit a settlement discussion proposal before trial.
The companies agreed to retain a mediator “who has experience mediating high-profile disputes,” according to the filing, which doesn’t name the person. The chief executive officers and three to four company lawyers, without any outside attorneys present, will attend the mediation before Feb. 19, according to the filing.
Apple and Samsung previously tried and failed to reach agreement in court-ordered settlement negotiations. In 2012, in their first patent-infringement case in San Jose, U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero handled negotiations. The companies also met at least twice in 2011 to discuss settling their dispute before the U.S. International Trade Commission, according to a company filing.
The world’s top two smartphone makers have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in legal fees on claims of copying each other’s features in a global battle to dominate the market.
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