Apple And Samsung Enter Mediation Talks

A quick reminder in case you're not following the various legal battles happening across the tech industry right now: everyone is suing everyone. One of the most prominent cases involves a legal tussle between Apple and Samsung, with Cupertino pointing fingers at the South Korean manufacturer, claiming that they blatantly copied various products. Now, the courts have ordered the two companies to try and settle the issue before the trial starts.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Samsung CEO Choi Gee-sung will enter a mediation process in San Francisco as ordered by a judge. The two executives will discuss the various patent and design issues at play and try to reach an agreement ahead of the trial, due to start on July 30th. Patent experts believe that there won't be any success during mediation, however, with Florian Mueller saying that the "dispute isn't ripe for settlement."

Both companies have already been asked to simplify the case, with so many claims and accusations that the appointed judge believed it would be too complicated for a jury. An Apple spokesperson pointed to a previous statement saying that the company would protect against "blatant copying", while Samsung has countersued Cupertino over patent infringement. It makes for a tense situation given that Apple uses Samsung components in products like the iPhone and iPad, but JK Shin believes that there's still room for negotiation.

[via Reuters]