Apple and Samsung are at legal loggerheads in at least 10 countries around the world. In one court case, in Korea’s Seoul Central District Court, where Samsung has brought a patent infringement case against Apple’s mobile operating system, Samsung is putting pressure on Apple to show it the iOS 6 source code, according to The Korea Times. The paper reports Samsung is arguing that without seeing iOS 6, it can’t judge whether Apple’s software infringes its technology patents.
The paper quotes court representatives who said Apple’s legal representatives described this request as “insane” — and argued that it makes no sense for Apple to give up its “most important data”.
We’ve reached out to Apple for comment on the case and will update this story with any response.
The patents which Samsung claims iOS infringes relate to a feature that allows iPhone users to check updated messages, weather information and schedules by swiping the top of the screen. The newspaper says Samsung patented this feature in November 2006, subsequently adding it to its Android powered smartphones and tablets including its Galaxy range of devices. While Apple reportedly enabled a similar feature on Apple devices in 2011, following an iOS upgrade.
The newspaper’s source — an unnamed court official — said Apple’s lawyers described the issue as a “complicated technical matter” but also accused Samsung of claiming ownership of a technology that was “already widely in use”.
Apple has reportedly denied prior requests by Google and Motorola to reveal its source code.
Started by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, Apple has expanded from computers to consumer electronics over the last 30 years, officially changing their name from Apple Computer, Inc. to Apple, Inc. in January 2007. Among the key offerings from Apple’s product line are: Pro line laptops (MacBook Pro) and desktops (Mac Pro), consumer line laptops (MacBook Air) and desktops (iMac), servers (Xserve), Apple TV, the Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server operating systems, the iPod, the...
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