Samsung chief: Galaxy Nexus 'designed to bypass Apple patents'
Amid the conflicts and legal battles between Apple and Samsung over the alleged infringement of networking and design patents, Samsung has a seemingly lethal weapon up its sleeve, designed to battle head-to-head with the main smartphone rival, the iPhone.
According to Samsung's mobile chief Shin Jong-Kyan, the new Galaxy Nexus, which runs the Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich" operating system, was designed to bypass Apple's patents and further legal disputes.
Speaking to the Korean Yonhap News Agency, Jong-Kyan said the day before the Nexus launch: "Now we will avoid everything we can and take patents very seriously", adding that while patents can be difficult to identify, Samsung had "tried to ensure no known patent by Apple" is included in the new smartphone.
Jong-Kyan went on to criticise Apple, saying that the company will not achieve much from its legal action, but that Samsung is "losing the pride in our brand" as a result.
His comments, made on Tuesday, were under embargo until after the launch yesterday.
Apple, on the other hand, remains sceptical, stating on numerous occasions that the Korean smartphone and tablet giant "appropriated its intellectual property".
Apple secured a temporary ban on sales of Samsung's Galaxy Tab tablet in Germany and Australia, after the courts said a selection of Samsung's products breached design patents owned by Apple.
Efforts are under way by Apple in the United States to ban a series of Samsung's Galaxy phones and tablets, with a court ruling expected soon. As the U.S. has one of the largest share of tablet and smartphone consumers -- with one in four U.S. users owning a Samsung phone -- the ban would mark a major blow against Samsung's smartphone business worldwide.
But Samsung is fighting back against Apple's claims, by filing motions in France and Italy, and later on Japan and Australia, in a bid to halt the sale of the recently released Apple iPhone 4S. Claiming Apple infringes its networking patents, industry experts and analysts claim that Samsung's legal fightback will be 'futile'.
Related:
- U.S. judge: 'Samsung tablets infringe Apple patents'
- Samsung seeks to ban iPhone 4S amid patent row
- Samsung ramps up Apple fight: Now seeks ban in Australia, Japan
- Samsung's Galaxy Tab banned by German court: Pulled from IFA tech show
- Apple wins Samsung Galaxy tablet ban in Australia
- One in four U.S. phones is a Samsung; BlackBerry, Motorola losing ground