As Apple and Samsung are still locked in battle in court over a patent infringement lawsuit, one has to wonder how expensive the whole thing might cost. We already know that both companies have paid an enormous amount of money to expert witnesses who they’ve had working on the case for the last couple years, but what about the other fees? Luckily it seems that at least for Samsung, all of the court costs won’t have to come directly out of their own pocket. According to some emails between Google and Samsung, Google plans on assisting their biggest Android manufacturer with some of its legal costs, which we would wager might not be the case if the shoe was on the other foot. Samsung may not like having to adhere to Google’s guidelines for the Android ecosystem, but they sure seem content to accept money on Google’s behalf to help shoulder the cost of this case.
According to Google’s patent attorney, the email correspondence was from 2012 with emails stating that Google would help defend Samsung in the case and help them with court costs, which includes costs associated with losing the case should that end up the result. While every manufacturer that chooses to produce a device running the Android operating system has a choice to include Google Apps or not, the choice to do so requires the signature of said company on a Mobile Application Distribution Agreement that Google has laid out as part of the terms and conditions. It is because Samsung signed this agreement that Google agreed to help them in court with fees. As stated in yesterdays post about the case, Apple is requesting damages in the amount of $2.191 billion, although Samsung had their own damages expert analyze the data and come to more a reasonable sounding solution of $38.4 million instead. Whatever the cost ends up being, Samsung won’t be paying all of it. What do you think of Google agreeing to pay for some of Samsung’s court fees? Is it their contractual obligation for requiring OEMs to sign the agreement for the use of Google Apps? Or do you see it as more of honorable gesture?