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Topic: Samsung

Samsung CEO: iPhone couldn't exist without our patents

Summary: Samsung chief Shin Jong-kyun claims that no smartphone -- Apple or otherwise -- could exist without Samsung patents, and the company is willing to fight to prove that.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By for Hardware 2.0 |

While smartphone maker HTC has buried the legal hatchet and decided to settle all its legal disputes with Apple, Samsung is showing no signs of capitulating, with the Korean smartphone giant's chief executive now engaging in a war of words with the Cupertino, Calif.-based technology giant.

Speaking to The Korean Times, Samsung boss Shin Jong-kyun claims that no smartphone -- Apple or otherwise -- could exist without Samsung's patents.

"The truth never lies. Without Samsung-owned wireless patents, it’s impossible for the Cupertino-based Apple to produce its handsets," said Shin, adding: "Samsung is very strong in terms of portfolios of wireless patents."

"Samsung’s legal team is effectively responding to this fight. Yes, a new trial for the case is a possibility," said Shin.

Last week, Shin told Korean new site Yonhap News that the company had no plans to copy HTC and settle with Apple.

"It may be true that HTC may have agreed to pay 300 billion won ($276.6m) to Apple, but we don't intend to at all."

Samsung and Apple have been locked in a fierce patent battle that extends across four continents since April 2011. In August, a court ordered Samsung to pay Apple over $1 billion in damages for infringing several iPhone and iPad patents with its Galaxy S-series smartphones. Samsung has since appealed against the ruling.

In other territories Apple has not enjoyed the same legal success, with courts in both the Netherlands and Japan dismissing Cupertino's claims of infringement by Samsung.

Earlier this month market research firm Strategy Analytics released a report suggesting that Samsung's Galaxy S III ousted Apple's iPhone 4S as best-selling smartphone.

Topics: Samsung, Apple, Patents, Smartphones

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75 comments
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  • the apple goons must pay the piper

    for the privilege for making a phone, not the other way!
    The Linux Geek
    Reply 1 Vote

    • Apple phones

      Apple invented ipod touch and then stole some phone IP and turned it into a phone.
      yes i realise the ipod touch was after the iphone but would Apple have done so well if it launched an ipod touch and never the iphone?
      warboat
      Reply 1 Vote

    • Do the math...

      If iPhones couldn't exist without Samsung SEPs, then neither could Samsung phones exist without all the thousands of OTHER SEPs that make up a STANDARD. Does Samsung pay all the other SEP holders 2.5% of the total device value in return? Nokia alone holds the largest number of cellular SEPs, far in excess of Samsung. Are they charging everyone else implementing the Standard 2.5%?. Not even remotely close
      n1000 x 2.5% would mean your phone cost about $5000!
      Samsung don't charge anyone else on that basis so how do they justify charging Apple alone?
      They can't. It's not FAIR, not REASONABLE and certainly not NON-DISCRIMINATORY.
      frogspaw
      Reply 1 Vote

      • What?

        Your maths don't make sense. Try again.
        Little Old Man
        Reply Vote

      • What is the iPhone made of?

        Samsung display, processor, RAM, flash memory. iPad? Samsung display, processor, RAM, flash memory. Apple is building their car out of Ford engines, transmissions, engine electronics and windshields, and then suing Ford for also selling cars with four wheels and seatbelts. Obviously this won't end well.
        symbolset
        Reply Vote

        • Wrong

          The display is fabbed by a number of companies, including Sharp, and is NOT Samsung technology. It is fabbed to Apple's spec. The processor, also, is designed by Apple, the company that fabricates it is totally irrelevant. The RAM is fabbed by a number of companies, chiefly Toshiba.
          So in short, you are full of it, and don't know what you are talking about.
          Try learning the facts instead of just repeating stuff you heard online.
          .DeusExMachina.
          Reply Vote

      • "...how do they justify charging Apple alone?"

        Because Apple sued them first. Duh!

        If someone was suing you, wouldn't you protect yourself with everything you have?
        michaellashinsky@...
        Reply Vote

  • BAN SAMSUNG!

    BAN SAMSUNG! Yea!
    PogoBlue
    Reply 1 Vote

    • if you ban samsung

      then you have no iphone chips and no iphone.
      warboat
      Reply 1 Vote

      • how is that?

        Which are the Samsung designed chips that go in the iPhone? Care to name them all?
        danbi
        Reply 1 Vote

        • SoCs

          Without seeing the actual manufacturing agreement between Apple and Sumsung, it is hard to say how many of Samsung's designs were put into Apple's SoCs. They do manufacture all of Apple's chips and considering Samsung is the largest designer of SoCs, I would venture a guess that says many Samsung patents went into Apples SoCs. Therefore without Samsung, Apple could have never produced the Apple TV, iPad, iPhone or Touch.
          mack083184
          Reply Vote

        • lemme throw some LIGHT on it...:P

          Mr. Danbi..ever heard of A-5 chip???..it is manufactured by Samsung....which powers iPhone 4S.......ever heard of A-4 chip....n many other CHIPS.....which are manufactured by Samsung.....like RAMs..displays...
          Rish Jain
          Reply Vote

  • Apple might have some market value, but...

    everybody knows that Samsung is the big fish. #1 assurance company, #1 tech company, #2 naval company, one of the best construction company... seriously... don't go against Samsung...
    Apple is already losing ground and Samsung could beat Apple at its own game.
    Simon Tupper
    Reply 5 Votes

    • Really, where's the Samsung OS?

      Without an OS Samsung's phones and tablets would be nowhere to be found!
      GoPower
      Reply 2 Votes

      • Really thats all you got?

        You do see and know samsung is not just a smartphone maker right? Lol Well obviously you don't. Even with no os Samsung is still a bigger company then apple is. Hopefully Samsung yanks all its patents from Apple and the useless sterile Iphone and ipads all go away.
        Fletchguy
        Reply 3 Votes

        • Hmm

          A bigger company with less revenue . And not number 1 largest tech company in the world. Oh,yes. Samsung are thieves . Apple too, but in another way. When iPhone was launched they had a settle and Apple warned Samsung from copying apples iPhone . Samsung didn't listen. See the result - 1 billion to pay
          Maria Davidenko
          Reply 1 Vote

          • Another way?

            Samsung are bad thieves, apple is a good thief?

            Well done, fanboy post of the day currently sits with you.
            Little Old Man
            Reply 2 Votes

          • Straw man argument much?

            .DeusExMachina.
            Reply Vote

          • Nice

            Well,you can't argue with the fact that the number of brilliant ideas possible is limited. That's why they steal one from another .they always were,they always do and - they allways will do. ThIs will never end. But ... Samsung steals the idea from Apple, polishes it, sales it and stands its their idea! It uses Apple's patents for free and dares to argue with this at all countries. What the hell is this?
            If you've started to speak in this tone , so, do it write:it's more suitable to call me "fangirl",no problem
            Maria Davidenko
            Reply Vote

        • Oh!

          Hyundai make reasonably good cars but they are not silver Porches or white Beamers
          IC12
          Reply 1 Vote
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