Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. both lost patent cases against each other in a court in Germany on Friday in the latest twist in the long-running battle between the two electronics powerhouses over mobile phones and tablet computers.
The Mannheim Regional Court turned down Samsung’s attempt to defend its mathematical coding procedures in processors. It also rejected Apple’s claim over features for unlocking touch screens.
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An illuminated image of a Samsung Electronics Co. tablet and Galaxy smartphones are seen on display at the company`s booth at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday. (Bloomberg) |
Delivering the verdict, Presiding Judge Andreas Voss said neither company proved the other had infringed on patents.
Samsung lost because “the standard does not protect the result but the way to reach the code,” whereas Apple failed because Samsung’s products “do not use a displayed pre-determined path on the touch screen,” the judge said.
Samsung said in a statement the dismissal of the Apple’s case confirms that it “had not violated Apple’s intellectual property,” and “regrets” the ruling on its own suit and will lodge an appeal.
Apple’s Seoul office was not immediately available for comment.
The verdict comes as the two tech giants have been engaged in a patent battle since last year with about 30 lawsuits in 10 countries. Apple and Samsung are scrambling for the top spot in the rapidly expanding global smartphone and tablet markets, with their popular iPhone and iPad, as well as Galaxy phones and tablets.
In October, Samsung overtook Apple as the world’s largest smartphone vendor, according to Strategy Analytics, a research firm.
Germany has been a hotspot for legal disputes among global gadget makers in recent years. California-based Apple won a ruling in Munich against Motorola Mobility Holdings early this week.
Last month, Samsung lost a suit against its U.S. rival over third-generation wireless telecommunications standards at a Mannheim court in Germany. Samsung said it has already appealed.
The Korean company expanded its suit on Dec. 16 by adding two other patents into the case.
By Shin Hyon-hee (
heeshin@heraldcorp.com)
