GADGET DESIGNER Apple has added Google's Android 4.1 Jelly Bean mobile operating system to an existing lawsuit against Samsung in California.
The company told US Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal of its intention on Monday, adding that it thinks Samsung's Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet also infringes its patents. This might be in retaliation afterSamsung aired its plans to go after the Iphone 5 for allegedly infringing its patents on wireless technologies, but Apple has taken things one bit further by throwing Google into the mix.
It's still unclear why Apple is going after Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, or the Galaxy Note 10.1 for that matter, and the firm has not yet responded for our request for comment.
However, Adam Leach, principal analyst at Ovum said Apple's latest move is to simply try and slow down its ever-increasing competition. He told The INQUIRER, "I think Apple's agenda is just to slow down the competition wherever they can.
"I think ultimately they know they're not going to be able to stop Samsung and Android from trading they're just going to try and slow them down, tying their time money and executives up in a court case. The only thing they get out of this is slowing them down."
Android Liao, a lawyer for Apple said that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus is the only smartphone running Android 4.1 Jelly Bean that Apple wants to add to its patent complaint,Bloomberg reports. However, Liao added that Apple also wants to add 17 devices that could use a stylus, even if they don't ship with one included.
Samsung understandably opposes the addition of "stylus products in 17 new devices" to Apple's claims.
Victoria Maroulis, an attorney for Samsung said, "By adding the stylus, Apple is going to enlarge the case significantly."
This move shows that that the tedious legal war between Apple and Samsung is nowhere near over, despite Apple scoring a $1bn verdict over its rival in US court in August. Preliminary hearings are set to kick off in the US next month relating to this latest case, which might decided whether Apple can permanently ban Samsung devices in the US, including the firm's most popularSamsung Galaxy S3handset.
The lawsuit to which Apple added the Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet and Android 4.1 Jelly Bean mobile operating system is scheduled for trial in 2014, so it looks like these legal battles are set to continue for at least another two years, if not five or more years counting inevitable appeals.
Source:Inquirer
