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After Apple sued Samsung in April of 2010 for “slavishly” copying the design of the iPhone and the iPad, Samsung retaliated with its own lawsuit against Apple. According to Samsung, Apple’s iPhones and 3G iPads violated Samsung’s patents for 3G wireless technology. Samsung used this ammunition against the iPhone 4S, filing an injunction against the device just hours after it was released.
Both Samsung and Apple filed lawsuits and countersuits across the world, and while many of those legal battles are still pending, both companies have faced losses and victories.
Back in October, Samsung’s legal attempts suffered a devastating blow after a Dutch court  rejected its claims that Apple violated the 3G wireless patents, stating that the patents were standards-based and couldn’t be used for lawsuits.
It seems that defeat has led Samsung to change its tactics. The Korean company has decided to accept Apple’s statement that Apple’s 3G license is already covered by the purchase and payment for the Qualcomm chip in its devices.
Samsung’s decision to drop the issue came about in Mannheim, Germany, one of the main courts the two companies are battling in. According to Samsung, the decision was made to streamline a case, but curiously, it only came after the defeat in the Netherlands, a denial in Germany, and another defeat in France. As a result, Samsung will no longer be trying to ban the iPhone 4S in Germany.
Though Samsung conceded on that particular battle, the company is not giving up its fight against Apple. “Samsung has in no way waived the right to assert its telecommunications standards-related patents in relation to the iPhone 4S,” the electronics giant stated. “Where appropriate, Samsung may continue to take further legal action to assert its telecommunications standards-related patents in relation to the iPhone 4S.”
Currently, Samsung is still looking to get the iPhone 4S banned in Japan and Australia. Apple has also faced some losses lately – a U.S. Judge denied Apple’s request for a preliminary injunction against four of Samsung’s products, and the Australian injunction against Samsung was lifted, allowing the company to sell its Galaxy Tab in the country.
[via Electronista]