Apple dramatically expands case against Samsung in Australia
updated 06:55 am EST, Fri February 3, 2012
Stakes raised in Apple case against Samsung
Apple has initiated a massive expansion of its lawsuit against Samsung in Australia, according the The Australian. Its lawsuit now encompasses 278 claims across 22 patents that cover 10 Samsung devices, some of which are yet to go on sale locally. In its initial claim against Samsung, which had resulted in a temporary ban on the sale of its Galaxy Tab 10.1, Apple had chosen to test only three of its patents.
In the NSW Federal Court, Samsung’s legal team admitted that Apple had ‘enormously’ increased its claims against the Korean tech titan. As a result of the escalation, Samsung’s lead barrister Neil Young said that the company was in no position to raise a defense against the latest claims as it had been ‘give only days notice.’ Consequently, Samsung’s legal team advised the court that it would need until mid-May to properly study the claims and make an appropriate reply.
Apple and Samsung have both experienced small wins in the ongoing Australian case. Following a temporary injunction that Apple had initially secured against the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Samsung won an appeal allowing the device to go on sale pending further hearings. In retaliation, Samsung has launched a counter-suit in Australia claiming that Apple has infringed upon its patents pertaining to 3G connectivity.
However, Samsung has had little success with similar lawsuits that it has begun in other countries where it has asserted the same patents. A German court has so far invalidated two 3G-related patent claims against Apple. A decision on its third and final 3G patent claim is currently pending.
