"iPhone 5 Could Face Potential Patent Issues"

Samsung Galaxy Phone

As Apple prepares in launching what could be its next iPhone, its bitter rivals waiting in the wings waiting to give the company the late Steve Jobs co-founded a taste of its own medicine.

If the rumors are true that the new iPhone will come with global 4G LTE connectivity, competitors such as HTC and Samsung are considering suing Apple for patent infringements and will ask the proper courts for a sales ban in the United States.

Yes, just like having rounded corners in rectangles, technologies involving 4G LTE connectivity are also patented. Different smartphone makers have accumulated patents through the years in preparation for any patent lawsuit. Apple has yet to release an iPhone with 4G LTE and rival companies may take advantage of the situation and prevent the new iPhone from being released.

HTC has sued Apple for patent infringement, targeting the latter’s LTE-connected iPad. The U.S. International Trade Commission has declare it would not proceed with HTC’s request without evidence. Although HTC has presented eight patents, the ITC only considered two of them as valid. Meanwhile, Samsung is continuing its patent battle against Apple, taking legal action in Europe and the United States.

Apple has taken its 4G LTE issue very seriously. Recently, the company has acquired a horde of LTE-related patents, owning 4.9 percent of total LTE patents this year (from zero patents last year), compared to Samsung’s 12.7 percent.

Source: The Korea Times, via TechCrunch