
Samsung filed complaint no. 337-2824 yesterday against Apple with the International Trade Commission concerning "Mobile Electronic Devices, Including Wireless Communication Devices, Portable Music and Data Processing Devices, and Tablet Computer."
Filing a complaint like this with the ITC means Samsung is asking for the ITC to place an import ban against the iPhone, iPad, and iPod. If the ITC agrees to investigate the complaint, a decision wont be reached for 16-18 months. Apple has routinely defended itself against ITC complaints (Nokia, Motorala, HTC, and Eastman Kodal) and things aren't likely to change. Life at the top appears to be quite harsh for Apple (not really).
While the complaint may just be another legal annoyance for Apple, the strain it is likely to put on the business relationship between Samsung and Apple wont end up well. Samsung has shown its priorities to be manufacturing consumer electronic devices, not simply being a supplier to Apple. Even if their is more money to be made shipping higher margin Tablets and phones than supplying chips as proposed by FOSS Patents, losing nearly $8 billion in guaranteed revenue from Apple seems ludicrous. Especially concerning the non-success of Motorola's Tablets.
It appears Apple and Samsung have turned into the dysfunctional family next door. Domestic dispute after domestic dispute wake the neighborhood up, then one day, only the wife and kids show up to the summer potluck, and everyone knows why.
Source: Foss Patents
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