Verizon Sides With Samsung Against Apple's Lawsuits

[dgstorm]

Here's an interesting turn of events. Verizon Wireless has officially taken a legal stance beside Samsung against Apple's lawsuits. For those who haven't heard (maybe living under a rock), Apple sued Samsung in California on April 15 asking for a ban of its devices in the United States. This is on top of multiple similar lawsuits that Apple has brought against Samsung world-wide. There will be a hearing in the U.S. case on October 13; however, on September 23rd, Verizon filed a legal document taking the side of Samsung. The filing states, "The requested injunction of certain Samsung products will harm Verizon Wireless and U.S. consumers. It also has the possibility of slowing the deployment of next-generation networks -- such as Verizon Wireless's -- contrary to the stated goals of the U.S. government." Here's a quote from the Reuters article with some more info,

Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Other U.S. operators such as AT&T Inc, Sprint Nextel and T-Mobile USA did not immediately say whether they also plan to weigh in on the case.

It's interesting to see one of the carriers get involved in this, especially since they risk having Apple pull access to the iPhone. This really takes things to a whole new level, and puts a different perspective on it. Up until now, most folks have been discussing whether Apple or Samsung is wrong, or if the patent system is to blame, etc. No one has really brought forth the "butterfly effect" argument. It does make sense though. If Samsung's mobile and tablet products get banned from the United States, it could have a ripple effect that would impact the carriers as well as the consumers at a time when the world seems to be having an economic meltdown.

Perhaps Apple should just work out a settlement deal with Samsung and be done with it. What do you think?

Source: Reuters

 

[haxerpaylay]

I hate all of apples products, I hope they die in a ditch.

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums

 

[JohnnytheK]

Hey I got an idea, Samsung pays Apple $3 per device and Apple pays Samsung $2. Everybody pays MS $1 and they also pay $2 to Google.

Everybody's won and getting money and innovation isn't stifled.

 

[SquireSCA]

If this is the only way that Apple can get people to buy their products, by trying to take all other products off of the market, then they are doomed.

Apple needs to get back into the business of making phones, not feeding our legal system... Looking at the long list of updates that iOS5 is bringing to the table, it will almost catch them up to where Android was over a year ago. In fact, Apple's iOS page has a features and enhancement list that is almost identical to what Android had listed as standard last summer.

Way to go Apple.

 

[Bullitt6996]

Apple...Really?

I'm simply amazed at the level apple is willing to take things. I really don't think they expect to win most of these obviously frivolous lawsuits, but while the case is being heard they can certainly ask for an injunction against samsung to keep their competitor from launching products while apple launches their own. One of these judges is bound to figure this out eventually and use it to set precedent in future cases. Sooner or later, apple will have no options but to shut up and compete in the open market.

 

[SquireSCA]

I'm simply amazed at the level apple is willing to take things. I really don't think they expect to win most of these obviously frivolous lawsuits, but while the case is being heard they can certainly ask for an injunction against samsung to keep their competitor from launching products while apple launches their own. One of these judges is bound to figure this out eventually and use it to set precedent in future cases. Sooner or later, apple will have no options but to shut up and compete in the open market.

I laugh. Because many people keep touting how Apple is the most wealthy company in the world, and that none of the market trends or Android sales bother them, that they are not worried, that they are happy, etc...

And yet look how desperate they are. Trying to use the court systems all over the world, frovolously, going so far as to Photoshop the competition's products to make it look more like theirs, etc... Doing anything and everything that they can to try and keep others from selling their products, so that Apple won't have to compete with them fairly in the market...

That's deparation, that is not something that a company that is "happy" and "not concerned" does... These are the actions of a company that is not happy, that is very worried about the future, etc...

 

[Oowoon]

Apple is just being plain greedy here. Hopefully, they have no chance of winning this.

Sent from Apex'd GB Droid 2

 

[OneTenderRebel]

I don't understand how people are confusing this as Apple trying to make another lawsuit case????? This is just Verizon protecting itself, not Apple announcing another lawsuit. But whatever, we always need new threads for people to voice their completely weird hatred for inanimate objects.

 

[czerdrill]

I laugh. Because many people keep touting how Apple is the most wealthy company in the world, and that none of the market trends or Android sales bother them, that they are not worried, that they are happy, etc...

And yet look how desperate they are. Trying to use the court systems all over the world, frovolously, going so far as to Photoshop the competition's products to make it look more like theirs, etc... Doing anything and everything that they can to try and keep others from selling their products, so that Apple won't have to compete with them fairly in the market...

That's deparation, that is not something that a company that is "happy" and "not concerned" does... These are the actions of a company that is not happy, that is very worried about the future, etc...

the whole photoshop thing was just forum fodder as was evidenced by the outcry that happened...only on Android forums. Let's look at it logically. Even if Apple had photoshopped the thing to deliberately pull wool over the court's eyes, don't you think at some point in the proceedings that a judge would have looked at the two physical products and seen that they are not the same size? As you can see by the utter lack of it being an issue in the actual courtroom, the "Apple photoshopped cuz they're desperate" stuff was just something that someone found and thought would be a good discussion topic on a forum...which it was. Its legal ramifications were nil.

 

[regkilla]

Damn you Verizon! Hope Verizon still gets the iPhone 5 and iPad 3!

 

[OneTenderRebel]

Damn you Verizon! Hope Verizon still gets the iPhone 5 and iPad 3!

they will, Verizon is just looking out for their financial well being here.

 

[jroc]

Yea...it is interesting to see Verizon chime in like this...

About a settlement deal...I dont know all the specifics about it but I dont think its just all on Apple to settle. I think Samsung has to also agree to whatever settlement they were to come up with. I remember reading somewhere before the lawsuits, they were in talks about some kinda of settlement or something for months. No agreements could be reached then the lawsuits came.

 

[OneTenderRebel]

Unfortunately, until something is changed drastically, I think we are in for more of these patent lawsuits. We have yet to really see what Google plans to do with their newly acquired patents.

 

[ilikemoneygreen]

I think Verizon is being smart here. It obviously sales a lot of iphones, so that means even apple will watch its step. If apple did pull their product, then thats millions out of its pocket so i dout that would happen. Verizon is just playing as daddy.... smacking the kids because they are arguing. As for a potential settlement between samsung and apple, i dont see it happening. The gloves are off and its not just a particular patent thats just at state. Apples going after the general look and feel of samsungs products. In a settlement wouldnt that mean sammy would admit that its copying apple? 0.o

 

[sophocles]

Seems like this is hinting that Apple's next iPhone on Verizon won't have LTE....