Batalia legala dintre Samsung si Apple a luat o intorsatura neasteptata in cursul zilei de ieri cand ITC (International Trade Comission) din SUA a decis ca anumite iDevice-uri ale companiei Apple trebuie scoase din vanzare deoarece incalca un brevet de inventie al Samsung. Apparatus and method for encoding/decoding transport format combination indicator in CDMA mobile communication system este denumirea acelui brevet de inventie, Apple a recunoscut faptul ca incalca brevetul Samsung, insa spune ca trebuie sa i se permita sa il licentieze in termeni rezonabili, pentru ca vorbim de brevete FRAND, iar cei 2.4% din valoarea fiecarui iDevice vandut este o suma prea mare pentru americani.
Under the modified constructions, the Commission has determined that Samsung has proven that the accused iPhone 4 (AT&T models); iPhone 3GS (AT&T models); iPhone 3 (AT&T models); iPad 3G (AT&T models); and iPad 2 3G (AT&T models) infringe the asserted claims of the ‘348 patent. The Commission has further determined that the properly construed claims have not been proven by Apple to be invalid and that Samsung has proven that a domestic industry exists in the United States with respect to the ‘348 patent. The Commission has determined that Apple failed to prove an affirmative defense based on Samsung’s FRAND declarations.
iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 3G, iPad 3G si iPad 2 3G sunt iDevice-urile care intra sub incidenta deciziei de interdictie a vanzarii, majoritatea dintre ele fiind deja indisponibile in magazinele companiei Apple. Decizia data astazi nu intra imediat in aplicare, ea putand fi anulata de Casa Alba in termen de 60 de zile, sau de un apel formulat de catre compania Apple. Daca niciunul dintre aceste doua lucruri nu se va intampla, atunci ele vor fi scoase din vanzare pana cand Apple si Samsung vor gasi un punct comun pentru stabilirarea unor termeni de licentiere.
We are disappointed that the Commission has overturned an earlier ruling and we plan to appeal. Today’s decision has no impact on the availability of Apple products in the United States. Samsung is using a strategy which has been rejected by courts and regulators around the world. They’ve admitted that it’s against the interests of consumers in Europe and elsewhere, yet here in the United States Samsung continues to try to block the sale of Apple products by using patents they agreed to license to anyone for a reasonable fee.
In fata deciziei, cei de la Apple au anuntat ca vor face apel si ca ea oricum nu are vreun impact asupra vanzarii trrminalelor in SUA. Mai mult decat atat, purtatorul de cuvant al companiei sustine ca strategia celor de la Samsung a fost deja respinsa de instantele mai multor tari de pe glob, inclusiv in Europa unde coreenii ar fi recunoscut ca si-au derulat afacerile intr-o maniera care contravine intereselor consumatorilor.
Indiferent care va fi situatia, peste 2 luni Apple oricum avea de gand sa scoata aproape toate terminalele respective din vanzare, exceptie facand iPhone 4 care probabil ar mai fi stat un an pe piata.
