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Featured: Let the Infighting Begin - LG Slaps Samsung with Litigation

Featured: Let the Infighting Begin – LG Slaps Samsung with Litigation over OLED

By Tom Dawson
September 27, 2012

This mobile industry of ours has gotten so large now that the amounts of money involved are scary –  a company can either rise up to the top spot or languish in the depths, just take a look at Palm. It’s no surprise then that companies want to protect their lock on exclusive technology and to make sure that either the public or the industry as a whole realise that the technology came from them. Just like Apple and Samsung in that lawsuit companies are crazy to make sure they can stamp what they believe is rightfully theirs. The US Patent system may have granted Apple those crazily vague patents but even in Korea, patent litigation is starting to heat up. The two biggest names out of South Korea and coincidentally big rivals between each other, are to go at each other over OLED – Organic LED – technology. The screens we see in a lot of phones these days.

LG Display has filed suit in the Seoul District Court against Samsung for infringing against their patents surrounding OLED displays and their bezels. LG is accusing Samsung of infringing on seven patents relating to the Korean firm’s “Narrow Bezel” technology. A total of five Samsung devices are involved in the case and these include:

  • Galaxy S III
  • Galaxy S II
  • Galaxy S II HD
  • Galaxy Note
  • Galaxt Tab 7.7
For these devices LG is seeking roughly $6.25 Million in damages. When asked for a statement LG Display had this to say – “This lawsuit has been filed both to enforce LG Display’s intellectual property rights and promote fair competition. Samsung Electronics and Samsung Display must stop using the patents without permission.” It’s uncommon to see lawsuits brought against rival companies but it’s strange to see two companies so close to each other like this. However, it’s hardly that surprising seeing as Samsung recently accuses LG themselves of ‘stealing’ Samsung’s OLED technology. Whatever comes of the case it doesn’t look Samsung will suffer anything more than a fine and at $6 odd million, I don’t think Samsung will sweat it all that much.