As the patent infringement lawsuit saga between Apple and Samsung continues, new chapters continue to be added with each passing day. In the latest development, a US judge has allowed both Apple and Samsung to “expand” the scope of their lawsuit to their newer products. Apple has been allowed to include the newly launched Galaxy Note and the Galaxy S III to the list of devices that according to them infringe upon their patents. At the other end, Samsung has managed to convince the judge to include the just launched iPhone 5 to the list of Apple devices that Samsung says infringes upon its patents.
It was on Thursday, 15 November that US Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal allowed both these companies to add new products to their ongoing lawsuits. Back in October, Samsung filed an appeal asking the court to include the then just launched iPhone 5 to the case. Samsung claims that the iPhone 5 infringes upon 8 patents that Samsung owns. Interestingly, the decision to add the iPhone 5 to the list of Apple devices that infringe upon Samsung patents went unopposed by Apple. Even the judge was of the opinion that Samsung has acted with “reasonable diligence” while asking for the iPhone 5 to be added to the lawsuit. At the same time, the Judge also warned Apple to “think twice before opposing similar amendments reflecting other newly released products – e.g. the Ipad 4 and iPad Mini- that Samsung may propose in the near future.”
That said, Apple did manage to add the Galaxy Note 2 and the Galaxy S III to the case. They also went one step ahead and has managed to include Google as well in the suit with Android 4.0 Jelly Bean to the list of products that infringe upon Apple’s patents.
With Google too now in the fray, the legal wrangles between these corporate giants is only set to intensify further!
