Deal terms could render Apple immune to some suits

Samsung has formally requested details of the contract between Apple and wireless supplier Qualcomm, the Korea Times reports. The action was taken through a US District Court in California, and is intended to discover whether a cross-licensing deal between Samsung and Qualcomm means that "Apple's buying Qualcomm chips is as good as paying for the patents." Depending on the exact arrangement, Apple may be immune to related patent infringement lawsuits from Samsung.

"We need all agreements pursuant to which Qualcomm supplies or supplied 'Qualcomm MDM6610' chipsets to any person of entity and all documents that evidence, reflect or refer to the use by Apple of Qualcomm chipsets in iPhones or iPads," part of Samsung's court documents read. "One of Apple's primary defenses is that it is entitled to use the chipsets at issue...Samsung seeks to streamline discovery in the litigation with Apple by requesting these highly-relevant documents only once, rather than issuing duplicative requests in each of the foreign litigations." A Samsung spokeswoman, Lim Yoon-jeong, has reportedly confirmed the company's petition.

If it gets access to the Qualcomm contract, Samsung will submit the information to courts in eight different countries, including France, Germany, Japan, Italy, Australia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and its home nation of South Korea. Apple and Samsung remain engaged in a pitched, worldwide legal battle. An Apple spokesperson in Seoul, Steve Park, tells the Times only that the company will protect its IP from "blatant copying."

By Electronista Staff