Apple & Samsung bosses to meet over suit claims

Apple and Samsung have received a court order from US District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California ordering Apple CEO Tim Cook to meet with Samsung CEO Gee Sung. The general counsels of both companies were directed to join in a two day mediation session to try and settle Apple's claims that Samsung's smartphones and tablet computers infringe patents which cover the design and feel of iPhones and iPads.

Samsung also issued an infringement counterclaim over their Galaxy smartphones. In a statement Judge Koh said that she is trying to avert a July trial which would amount to “cruel and unusual punishment” for a jury, because of the broad scope of the dispute. Industry insiders claim that the companies are unlikely to settle this week, with others feeling it could well be a ‘global war'.

So far, Apple and Samsung have filed 30 lawsuits against each other in 10 different countries. Samsung have said that Apple's patents are invalid and that they are the real victim of infringement.

An Apple spokeswoman said “blatant copying is wrong, and we need to protect Apple’s intellectual property when companies steal our ideas.”

Kitguru says: We can't see the relationship getting any better, over a simple meeting between the CEO's.

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