If you’re shopping for a new phone and can’t seem to decide between the iPhone and the Galaxy S4, it’s probably because the two are apparently more similar than you first realized. The parent companies of the two products, Apple and Samsung respectively, are currently engaged in a California lawsuit. The accusations come from both sides and are over patents that both companies claim to hold regarding intellectual property. The latest device that is caught in the legal crossfire is Samsung’s new flagship handset, the Galaxy S4. With its addition this would be the twenty third device that Apple has piled on to the case, however they removed another from the suite to keep the scales even. That’s right; Samsung also has a long list of twenty-two devices of theirs that they believe Apple has infringed upon. The addition of the Galaxy S4 however is most likely a more strategic play than the other twenty-one, as it is easily poised as the chief competitor to Apples latest iPhone.
This request was made to U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh this past Monday but is actually the exact opposite of what Apple was asked. Both sides have been rigorously fighting it out in the courtroom, but have been asked to keep their list of what they believe to be infringing devices to 10 per side. Both companies have also been asked to keep their lists of corresponding infringed patent claims to no more than five, presumably to keep the case civil and lower the stakes. They have been asked to submit this list no later that February, when hopefully this long-standing patent war will see an armistice.
This case may play a big role in the next big launch wave of smart phones, as I said, the Galaxy S4 is posed as the biggest threat to Apple’s business right now and is still on the up rise. If it is found not to be in violation of any patents and continues selling, it will surely still pose a threat to the launch of Apples next device both in sales and quality. Because as you can assume, these companies aren’t wagering pennies and dimes on this case, but put millions of dollars at stake.