“The South Korean government on Monday expressed concerns about the decision by the United States to overrule a sales ban of some Apple Inc. models,” Hyunjoo Jin reports for Reuters.
“The Obama administration vetoed a U.S. trade panel’s ban on the import and sale of some older iPhones and iPads, reversing a ruling that had favored South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Co Ltd. over Apple in their long-running patent battle,” Jin reports. “The move was vehemently criticized by the South Korean media as ‘protectionism.'”
MacDailyNews Take: This is oh-sooo surprising, especially since Samsung has both the South Korean government and the South Korean media nestled snugly in their hip pocket.
Jin reports, “The ministry called on the U.S. trade body and the Obama administration to make ‘fair and reasonable decisions’ as Samsung faces a decision on Friday as to whether some of its phones and tablets infringed on Apple’s patents and should be banned from imports into the United States.”
MacDailyNews Take: If you want that, then stop abusing fair and reasonable terms over Standard-Essential Patents, slavish copier.
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: If our mobile computing CE industry was based on stealing a U.S. company’s IP and committing rampant trade dress infringement against the same U.S. company, and then, all of a sudden, the U.S. finally grew a pair, we’d be concerned, too.
Related article:
http://macdailynews.com/2013/08/05/south-korea-concerned-about-u-s-decision-to-overrule-apple-iphone-ipad-sales-ban/ – August 5, 2013
Obama administration vetoes Apple iPhone sales ban in U.S. – August 3, 2013
Google ready to ditch Android over its intellectual property issues? – July 29, 2013
10 MDN’s takes.
why doesn’t a ‘ ‘ one typed as in ‘ 10’ show in a post?
why doesn’t a ‘plus key’ show in a post at all?…
’bout time a good decision came out of the White House.
They had a lot of other corps behind them, Intel, MS ect but I’d like to know how many “put NSA code in iOS an we’ll make it go away” talks went on to make them leave it until the last minute to act
I wonder about that myself and if its true Apple should go on the offensive about it and let everyone know that the crooked us government is trying to bully them into spying on their users and that Apple is being punished for standing up for their users.
That would make it very difficult for the US to continue trying to strong arm Apple into anything and put tremendous pressure into the US government to backpedal and reverse course and stick up for Apple at every turn.
Double dipping Samsung wants $16.00 FRAND for a $15 chip that the manufacturer of paid FRAND already for a dubious patent that accounts for less than .0000037 of the IP on the chip.
Sounds fair and reasonable to me.
P.E.D. pointed out in Fortune that the more concerning part of the negotiations with Apple included a demand from Samsung that Apple license to them Apple patents that are not SEP. One way of looking at such a one-two punch (higher licensing fee to one licensee & cross-licensing demands) is that Samsung was forcing Apple into an infringing position. Another way to look at it is that Samsung felt confident in their preparation of the battle field — enough palms greased, etc. — that Apple would be forced to meet their demands.
This protest is not surprising at all. We all expected this response from South Korea.
I fear “Blood is thicker than water” Lucy Koh is also in Samsungs pocket. For those who want to call me racist, I can say I’m not a white american christian male.
I fear “Blood is thicker than water” Lucy Koh is also in Samsungs pocket. For those who want to call me racist, I can say I AM a white American christian male.
I can understand the value of color in some circumstances but when someone says “All you Americans look the same to me” (that is if you venture beyond your borders) they are not talking about the color of your skin but the smell of the “I fear” that permeates from you.
The paranoia is palatable, and hey justifiable, heck nearly everyone it out to get you, of course that’s just tit for tat, you seem to be out to get everyone.
Makes you a lot more distinguishable than the color of your skin.
a canadian flag too works
it makes you a lot more distinguishable
South Korean government: ‘uh, we are dumb, we didn’t read about the FRAND abuse and what Apple said about having been charged 4x the rate than other companies by Samsung, and we also didn’t read about Infineon and Qualcomm licenses and that said products already paid the licenses for the patents in question. Waaaah wail cry, we can’t read!…’
😥 😥 😥 😥 😥
South (and North) Korea can take a flying fark. Scummy IP thieves.
The real problem is that the ITC made the original STUPID decision to allow the ban based on FRAND.
Exactly!
The judge who made that decision should be kicked off the bench.
Totally agree. Most of the US govt has said patents are important but FRAND needs reasonable and Fair fees not a way to keep competitors out of market.
Boycott Samsung consumer products.
though that seems righteous – there are products from Samsung that I feel are of quality and well priced that SHOULD not be boycotted. JUST BOYCOTT the smartphones from Samsung.
Samsung lost a television purchase just recently in this household. It’s not about quality and money. It’s about a corrupt business with a puppet government. Given Samsung’s history, it’s crucial to support and purchase Samsung alternatives. When there aren’t alternatives, you should try building it yourself.
I am still hoping hoping this patent war will soon come to an end. It has been dragging on for half a decade now. And I’m getting tired of seeing articles about it.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it is right that someone copies another or abuses the system.
Why don’t we just let the consumer decide which is better. Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and other devices vs. Samsung’s washing machine, refrigerator, and dryer.
I could not disagree more. Android is a stolen product ripping off the iPhone and never should be on the market. If android can go back to ripping off RIM instead of Apple then we can talk.
Based on recent events, it seems more like Apple is only concerned about Samsung. You rarely hear apple suing HTC or other Android phone manufacturers. Heck, if this was a war on Android, why bother with Samsung instead of just confronting Google, the maker of Android?
Not saying you are wrong. It most likely started out that way. But now, the guns are all aimed at Samsung alone. This leads me to believe that (pure) Android is no longer the focus of this war.
Are you really that dumb? OK, let me explain. Going after “everyone” involved with Android is, not just impractical, but UNNECESSARY! Going after the one that blatantly copies is sufficient to stop the others. It’s called strategy.
Well Paul, none of the competitors would have anything worthy to challenge Apple if it wasn’t for Android.
Apple Designs the hardware and arranges for manufacturing to met the demands of large qualities and high quality specs required — plus Apple designs the software, the OS. IN my opinion Apple holds rights to the complete CONCEPT of this SMART PHONE… both hardware and software MAKE the innovation. So Google has to be hit harder… there has been plenty of time for other companies to rise up and offer a OS with their own hardware. WebOS and HP tried. NOKIA tried. RIM tried… Samsung could have used something other then Android. THE OPENNESS OF ANDROID lets Samsung alter and customize to be more like Apple. NO ONE here other than Apple has innovated… and the competition has made improvements and nice offerings… but APPLE should also benefit from them also – due to the ownership of what a REAL MODERN SMARTPHONE has become these days.
Googles Android is only HALF the problem but its the right one to kill off. Apple got to market first… Google altered its OS until it was basically a clone.
I also asked why not just go after Google, the creator of Android. You take out Android from the source, you take out the copycats. Wouldn’t that have been easier?
and YES i agree with you 100% Steve – wf2013
agreed Steve,
Steve Jobs wanted to go GlobalNuclear on Google and was willing to use up every penny in the Apple Vault to see Android dead.
Was this Cooks negotiations with Jobs to try another approach?
It is taking too long and we have yet another WINDOWS vs MAC situation because of it. Plus its another disappointment from the CEO of Apple who reaps in a huge pay cheque and is enjoying the lime light. He might be the only guy capable at the moment – but still that doesn’t make it right either.
Apple came to market first.
Both hardware and software are KEY to the innovation on what defines a Smart Phone since 2007. And Apple provided those TWO key components as a solution when no one else did.
The auto industry has patents and protections from competitors.
The pharmaceutical companies also have protection on innovations and advancements… why not Apple?
The problem I see about going after Google is that Google gives Android out for free. If you sue Google for infringement, how do you calculate a penalty? They make no profit directly form Android.
HTC entered into licensing agreements with Apple.
and HTC makes a nice phone too…
it would be even better if it ran iOS though
an that licensing agreement was said to be offered
to Samsung once long ago, BUT they declined.
Hello, the choice to steal hardware looks and design and customize Android was deliberate – BAN all Samsung phones NOW.
agreed
Excepting attorneys earning a living on such matters, I think we’re all tired of this.
But letting consumers decide implies that there is a time limit on seeking recourse for someone ripping you off. And the judicial system is not designed to meet time limits. By design the legal system seeks stability in the laws of the land.
If we let our principles fall victim to our impatience we become a weak society indeed.
agreed – but what society are you speaking of, the USofA?
oh there, not here.
I hope Apple has a plan in place to get rid of Samsung as a supplier of parts and to get rid of China as an assembler.
Let’s say that it takes an hour of labor to assemble an iPhone. Let’s also round the minimal Chinese hourly labor rate to $0. Let’s assume that an American assembly line worker would get $16 per hour for his or her labor, and that support costs (taxes, payroll processing, etc.) would be 100%. That would be $32 added to the cost of every iPhone. Would it be worth it?
Great point and no it would not be worth it UNLESS the product was truly superior and well protected from copyright and worldly competition that would need to be drastically inferior.
Unfortunately Samsung builds Apple products.
Samsung does make a fairly nice product.
Google, stupidly is the American traitor – offering the OS freely to over seas manufacturing – competition was far too easy.
but well said, however, lets look at the bigger picture…
Apple does not pay individual Chinese workers pay cheques.
Deals are made with manufactures. Big Contracts. Trusted deals. Even factories are built just to manage the situation. Due to things cheaper to be done over there. These deals fuel the Korean and Chinese economy. Their people and their country benefit. Not the USofA. Apples profits do not directly help the economy here. And its pretty much that simple. All companies dealing business over seas are guilty this way. It became the norm – yet – it doesn’t make it right nor good in the bigger picture.
Consider keeping more money in our own country, the costs and profits seem high, but it fuels our own economy and growth and families which live here. Individual pay cheques are spent here and the money circulates into other areas of our own economy. Thats the bigger picture ok.
Just take a look at the cities and changes over the decades. American and world money is paving the future for China. From poverty to prosperity… now compare the city you live in and judge the changes and growth. Selling out for the cheapest labour is short sighted and a choice only best for big business… the CEOs and the Stock Markets. Unless Mr. Cook and you are chums Zeke I see no reason why you would not agree. So, change is worth it… because our country is worth it – our people your neighbours and you are worth it RIGHT?
As an investor, you will never have the power you think you have — you are a tiny potato, gains will be up an down as the real money flow circles around you. Don’t be delusional.
“Apple profits do not directly help the economy here.”
Since Apple doesn’t repatriate profits, I’m unclear where “here” is. In the macroeconomic sense, Apple is leveraging profits to buy back shares which have no border. Presumably Apple is buying shares from holders who no longer want them, so this can therefore be considered “good.”
“Selling out for the cheapest labour is short sighted and a choice only best for big business…”
Wow. Your supposition is that every consumer in America will pay more money for something “Made in America” defies the economic complexities of struggling families everywhere. (I note that you spelled “labour” in the manner of the Commonwealth, so replace “America” above with whatever country you wish)
and right you are… I am not an Americano
i am Canadian – so here is there… still the same should be said for anything one country has — I could mention Nortel and its Canadian patents and innovations Apple and others salivated over… and mention the Canadian governments stupidity to let those Canadian items be sold off… as yet another way to suggest in keeping things here… sad though
yet my view point remains that Apple created and innovated with hardware and software on a unique product solution that took the world by storm, it is rightfully American and should be protected so. And that the pride of building such a device back home does fuel the economy in the USofA by keeping spending dollars there… its definitely a greater plan and a bigger picture.
Ikea was a success, because the retailer kept things local fro a long time, once well established it branched out to other countries and shares profits globally. A completely different story and products nevertheless a good example.
Furthermore, Jim
every purchase of an iDevice is PROFIT earned to APPLE and does return to APPLE in the USofA, which then is distributed to the employees all around the world who sell the device.
Manufacturing and Factory deals are upfront and contracted – plus draw from the savings Apple has OR is projected to profit from — so very very different. Meaning DIRECT profit pays overseas manufacturing. Its Foxconn owners who pay the workers NOT Apple. Its Foxconn who hires not Apple, yet Apple may have high standards to be met and therefore seemingly have a say in the matter.
here – there – everywhere — grover from ss
JIm, though a product is MADE in the USofA does not mean only Americans are offered to buy it. It can be sold anywhere in the world – in the many Apple stores globally.
If truly you have a superior product – of great value and is worth having – the increase in price places the prestigious label and perceived value where APPLE believes they are better suited in the market.
I am not specifying about stock options and by backs… the stock is a game of perceived profits, gains and growth on money valued by a company… the stocks fuel the few who invest that way… but thee economy is far greater than the game of money. — so whats your point Jim?
“Apple is leveraging profits to buy back shares which have no border” this is good sure – but are you actually benefiting? Is your neighbourhood prospering — like the days of the model T-Ford and the community of people who worked the plants.
Its a different world now… its greedier. And you are a tiny potato no matter what you think.
““Made in America” defies the economic complexities of struggling families everywhere” – not everywhere… in the USofA Jim…. its a start. When the USofA big businesses abandoned the factories of America to save huge dollars in labour costs… it was to BENEFIT the company not the PEOPLE not the economy… to PROFIT for the OWNER over 2,000 %. The only way you will share in present methods of business is by the use of the product and stocks. Does that future seem positive.. if so ride it out
jim.
I’m still pissed at the Koreans over the 1988 Olympic Boxing scandal between Roy Jones Jr. and Park Si-Hun. It seems as if cheating is in these peoples’ culture, and they’re proud of it! Then when something goes a little, not so their way, the play victim and whine that they’re being screwed.
exactly… breed to scam, cheat and lie
yet its not that simple, not all are corrupted this way
there are great Korean people who work here and see things differently
greed effects even the CEOs of our beloved Apple
If they’re unhappy perhaps North Korea will listen sympathetically.