July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Samsung is planning to ask a court that’s considering Apple’s request for a sales ban of Samsung’s Android smartphones and tablets to force Apple to reveal the deal it recently reached with HTC, according to a Reuters report.

Although terms of that deal have not been released, analysts believe that HTC is paying Apple between $6 and $8 per Android phone in exchange for Apple licensing its iPhone and iPad patents. At that rate, Apple stands to collect between $160 million to $200 million each year, based on HTC’s current shipping volumes.

An agreement with Samsung would be much more lucrative, perhaps $1.5 billion each year, but Samsung has made it fairly clear that it is more interested in fighting than in paying. Or at least, it appeared to do so.

This, however, is a sign that perhaps Samsung does have some interest in negotiating — but with its eyes open, knowing what HTC is already paying. Or it is simply a tactic to avoid a sales ban in the U.S., since courts are generally reluctant to solve infringement issues with a complete ban when a licensing agreement is at least in theory possible.

My guess is that much of the tech world is now hoping that Samsung is successful in its attempt, as the HTC agreement would reveal precisely how much Apple values its patents and doubtless other interesting and until-now private information about Apple, its business dealings, and its licensing strategy.

photo credit: Johan Larsson via photopin cc

July 9-10, 2013
San Francisco, CA

Early Bird Tickets on Sale

Samsung isn’t letting Apple halt sales of its phones in the U.S. without a fight.

In response to the eight devices Apple asked to have banned in the U.S. yesterday, Samsung issued a short statement in South Korea earlier this morning, the Wall Street Journal reports.

“We will take all necessary measures to ensure the availability of our products in the U.S. market,” Samsung said.

Those measures include filing to stop the injunction, appealing to judge Lucy Koh, or changing its devices, a Samsung rep told the WSJ. Given Samsung’s performance in court so far, I have a feeling the company’s best bet is to drastically change the affected phones (and perhaps rush a few off the market). Samsung has also begun discussing the removal of features from its phones, sources tell the WSJ.

On Friday the jury in the Apple v. Samsung trial ruled that Samsung had willfully infringed on Apple’s patents, and it ordered Samsung to pay more than $1 billion in damages.

Judge Koh has scheduled an injunction hearing for September 20 to determine which Samsung devices will be banned in the U.S. Samsung also has time to issue its own response to Apple’s request before the hearing.