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EU Charges Samsung With Abusing Vital Telecoms Patent

Posted by Soulskill on from the jig-is-up dept.

Dupple sends this news from Reuters: "The European Commission charged Samsung Electronics on Friday with abusing its dominant position in seeking to bar rival Apple from using a patent deemed essential to mobile phone use. The Commission sent a 'statement of objections' to the South Korean group, with its preliminary view that Samsung was not acting fairly. 'Intellectual property rights are an important cornerstone of the single market. However, such rights should not be misused when they are essential to implement industry standards, which bring huge benefits to businesses and consumers alike,' Competition Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said in statement."

5 of 96 comments (clear)

  1. Re:And yet... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    Design patent vs basic FRAND patent. Shut your pie-hole, fandroid.

  2. good by Lawrence61 · · Score: -1, Troll

    SamDung is a maker of cheap plastic imitations of phones.

  3. Re:And yet... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    Apple didn't agree to be part of a standards body and put FRAND terms on their "rounded corners" patents, then subsequently renege on on said agreement when it became inconvenient.

    Yeah, I know what you're going to say next. Apple demanded they pay less than anyone else. So? What's that have to do anything? It's called negotiation. Why is unfair that apple demand better terms, like any business should?

  4. Re: Stupid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    You know or can cite what others are specifically paying? Thought not. Most licensing deals are confidential.

    Apple wasn't low balling, Samsung was double dipping - trying to get apple to pay twice

  5. EU has it totally wrong... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Samsung isn't attempting to bar them from using a patent. They are attempting to bar them from using it without paying for it.
    There's a difference.

    Apple stole the rounded corner rectangular design.
    Apple stole the bounce-back idea.
    Apple stole the pinch idea.
    Apple has stolen everything that people think makes Apple great.

    Apple has stolen Samsung's technology, then sued Samsung for using the same ideas that Apple stole, so Samsung is pushing back to keep Apple from stealing ideas that Samsung developed (yes, Samsung really made something rather than stealing it like Apple does).

    Hopefully the EU will get their heads out of their collective asses and start thinking straight...