Why Can’t We Be Friends? Apple & Samsung to Resume Settlement Talks

The ongoing conflict between Apple and Samsung is an evergreen – it seems like it’ll never end, no matter how many court cases we have to sit through every few months. But a new report suggests that the two warring tech companies may soon work out their differences and put an end to their drawn-out legal shenanigans.

A report in the Korea Times, helpfully re-reported by a post on CNET, says that Samsung and Apple have “resumed working-level discussions” to get all patent infringement lawsuits filed between the two companies dismissed, once and for all. That’s because earlier this month, both companies were ordered to pay damages to the other for patent infringement. While Apple had been awarded the lion’s share, with an order for Samsung to pay $119.6 million, Apple too was ordered to pay its rival $158,400.

From there, the two companies have decided to once again try to hash everything out. As you may have ascertained, this isn’t the first time the two companies have tried to work out their disagreements outside of the courtroom. Late last year, the first reports of settlement talks first arose. But in February, it seemed as though those talks had broken down, which led the two companies back to the courtroom, which for the aforementioned outcome.

What will make things different this time? Who even knows? At the end of the day, each side’s accountants need to figure out whether continuing this litigation in court will be justified with whatever awards the juries decide on. As this conflict drags on, the lawyers earn more money – meaning that whatever gains the companies would reap from being awarded damages would likely be ultimately nullified.

At this point, it seems likely that both sides have had enough of paying endless amounts of money to their legal teams, and would rather just have the whole business over and done with. At least, that’s how I feel – and I don’t even work for either of these companies.

[Source: CNET]