You may have heard by now that Apple late last week sued Samsung over some patent infringements covering a variety of devices including Samsung’s Galaxy S smartphone and Galaxy Tab tablet lines. Samsung has now responded with a lawsuit of its own, also alleging patent infringements:
On April 21, Samsung Electronics filed a lawsuit in the Seoul Central District Court,
Korea against Apple Inc. citing five patent infringements. Separately, Samsung filed a suit in a court in Tokyo, Japan citing two patent infringements, and in Manheim, Germany citing three patent infringements.Samsung is responding actively to the legal action taken against us in order to protect our intellectual property and to ensure our continued innovation and growth in the mobile communications business.
According to Reuters, the patents in question involve power reduction during data transmission, 3G technology for reducing errors during data transmission, and wireless data communication technology.
For its part, Apple sued Samsung alleging that the latter copied the iPhone and iPad’s “technology, user interface and innovative style” in its Galaxy S smartphones and Galaxy Tab tablets.
“Rather than innovate and develop its own technology and a unique Samsung style for its smart phone products and computer tablets, Samsung chose to copy Apple’s technology, user interface and innovative style in these infringing products.”
Apple is one of Samsung’s largest customers, buying billions worth of components such as chips and displays. How these two lawsuits will affect this relationship remains to be seen.