http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10782751 eu probes samsung in war on patents samsung took hit in battle against rival apple when european union announced investigate whether illegally trying hinder competitors. samsung electronics , apple engaged in strategic war on patents in many countries try draw market share each other.
the eu's antitrust watchdog thinks south korean company may overstepping bounds , began formal investigation whether samsung using lawsuits on patents on 3g wireless technology hinder competitors, including apple. the european commission, acting eu's antitrust enforcer, said suspected samsung of not giving other companies fair access patents holds on standardised 3g technology mobile devices - despite committing in 1998. spokeswoman commission said probe affected tablets such apple's latest ipad, uses standardised wireless 3g technology.
commission said samsung last year sought legal injunctions against other device makers in several eu states, alleging patent infringement.
under eu patent rules, company holds patents standardised products required license them indiscriminately @ fair price.
if samsung found guilty of unfairly restraining competition, can fined 10 per cent of annual revenue related investigation. "samsung has think how wants deal [the probe]," said florian mueller, patent analyst.
in eu, samsung has sued apple in germany, france, italy, britain, netherlands , spain. has legal proceedings against competitor in us, south korea, japan , australia, mueller said.
however, mueller said, samsung may withdraw lawsuits against apple following news of european investigation.
battle between 2 companies began in april, when apple sued samsung in united states, alleging product design, user interface , packaging of samsung's galaxy devices "slavishly copy" iphone , ipad.
samsung, global no 1 in tvs , no 2 in smartphones sales, responded filing lawsuits accused apple of patent infringement of wireless telecommunications technology.
spokesman said european commission began probe after investigation of market, rather reacting complaints samsung's competitors. however, commission last year sent antitrust questionnaires both apple , samsung.
spokesman added similar probes started against other companies strategically using patent lawsuits stop competitors selling similar devices.
nam ki-yung, spokesman @ samsung electronics in south korea, said company looking @ details of news on probe had no immediate comments.
commission stressed investigation did not mean samsung did breach bloc's rules. samsung gets chance respond commission's concerns, other market participants.
judge rules samsung wrongly used ipad's prestige appeals court in germany yesterday ruled in favour of apple in patent war samsung, saying samsung not sell galaxy tab 10.1 (pictured) nor galaxy tab 8.9 in country because closely resembled ipad 2, in violation of unfair competition laws.
"samsung wrongly used enormous reputation , prestige of ipad," duesseldorf state court presiding judge wilhelm berneke wrote in ruling.
samsung's successor tablet, galaxy tab 10.1 n, not affected ruling, , company said while decision disappointing, largely irrelevant.
"today's ruling of little factual relevance due new model galaxy tab 10.1 n, , ... decision therefore of no indicative value respect other legal proceedings involving galaxy tab 10.1 n," samsung said.
dutch court ruled on january 24 galaxy tab tablet not copy of apple's ipad, , sold in holland. in december high court in sydney dismissed apple's appeal.
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