US/EU/South Korea: Apple, Samsung may make patent peace as Google fights

Reports coming from South Korea say longtime smartphone rivals Samsung and Apple may soon make peace and reach a deal regarding patent royalties.

As the two companies engage in legal battles regarding smartphone patent licensing, sources say the companies my look to reach a joint settlement on the feuds as soon as early January.

The two companies initiated a similar process last year, but 17 hours of discussion failed to lead to an agreement.

Now reports say the companies are willing to try again as they look to settle disputes over royalties paid to each other for use of their smartphone patents. Samsung is reportedly looking to ink a cross-licensing deal to continue using Apple’s standard-essential and commercial patents; but Apple, reports say, is looking for $30 for each Samsung device that uses Apple patents.

According to reports, Korea’s Fair Trade Commission, as well as US and EU authorities, are all working with the firms to work out a potential deal.

Google sues Rockstar group

As Samsung and Apple are rumored to be making peace in the patent wars, Google is reportedly taking a different route.

Reports say Google has filed a lawsuit against patent group Rockstar, which is run by Microsoft, Apple, Blackberry and other smartphone makers, as Google looks to get legal clearance to use seven Rockstar patents.

Google filed the case in California late last month in efforts to have a judge declare non-infringement on the patents, which Rockstar claims are in licensing violation by Google’s smartphone Android operating system.

The Rockstar group, also owned by EMC, Ericsson and Sony, has risen concerns before; the American Antitrust Institute recently sent a letter to the US Department of Justice regarding the group, questioning the validity of such “horizontal collaboration” between the firms.

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