Samsung, Google could be fined billions over abusive efforts to ban Apple sales in Europe

“Samsung, the south Korean electronics giant, could face fines running to billions of pounds from the European commission over its attempts to use its ‘standard-essential’ patents on 3G to ban sales of Apple’s iPhone and iPad in Europe,” Charles Arthur reports for The Guardian.

“The Google-owned smartphone company Motorola Mobility may face similar penalties over its attempts to ban sales of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 through its use of SEPs relating to Wi-Fi and the H.264 video standard,” Arthur reports. “Both companies could yet receive fines in the US as well, where the federal trade commission weighed in earlier in December in a court case between Motorola and Apple, arguing that Motorola’s use of SEPs amounted to a ‘hold-up.’ Samsung is also being investigated by the US justice department over its use of SEPs in cases against Apple.”

Arthur reports, “The European commission’s competition arm, run by Joaquin Almunia, issued a formal statement of objections last Friday. The potential fines can run to 10% of a company’s worldwide turnover, which in tSamsung’s case would amount to nearly $15bn (£9.3bn), based on its 2011 revenues of $148.9bn. The commission opened its investigation into Samsung in January.

Read more in the full article here.

[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Dan K.” for the heads up.]

14 Comments

  1. Instead of taking cash from Google and SameSong, why not go after the lawyers for malpractice? The court should file against their license and deny their ability to practice.

  2. Apple never usually wins cases of any significance against anything that has to do with Android. The judge always sides with Android saying that its too important for the common man to let Apple suppress. I’m sure the judge will be lenient and let Samsung and Google escape without owing a cent and their promise of never abusing Apple again. Apple’s chances of getting $15 billion from either Samsung or Google are nil.

    Everything Apple does will end up getting stolen by some other company that will build it cheaper and sell it cheaper and Apple will retain it’s zero growth curse on Wall Street. Apple is lucky to have won the billion dollar judgment from Samsung which so far hasn’t helped Apple one bit.

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