Samsung Sues Apple (Again)

The legal battle and animosity between Apple and Samsung appears to grow with each passing day. Samsung took further action in The Netherlands on Friday and added four more lawsuits to the quickly swelling pile of litigation between the two tech titans. At stake? Dominance in the smartphone and tablet markets.

Samsung's newest suits aim to prevent Apple from selling the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 1, and iPad 2 in The Netherlands. Samsung asked for a preliminary injunction, and its complaints will be heard in court on Monday.

"We'll be pursuing our rights for this in a more aggressive way from now on," Lee Younghee, head of global marketing for mobile communications, said Friday in an interview with the Associated Press.

This particular complaint centers on the use of standards-essential 3G wireless technology in Apple's products. Standards-essential patents or technology are agreed upon internationally and generally accepted as standards. Nokia has used this type of patent attack against Apple, too.

Apple has already won a preliminary injunction against Samsung in The Netherlands, which extends to a handful of other European countries. The injunction prevents Samsung from importing a smattering of its Galaxy Android smartphones. Nor can Samsung import and sell its Galaxy Tab tablet in Germany.

Neither company has commented publicly on the newest round of litigation, but Samsung's Lee said the company is going to take a firmer stance. "We've been quite respectful and also passive in a way. However, we shouldn't be … anymore."

Earlier this week, an unnamed Samsung executive said that the company plans to take Apple's unannounced iPhone 5 to court in Korea the moment it debuts. "For as long as Apple does not drop mobile telecommunications functions, it would be impossible for it to sell its i-branded products without using our patents," said the exec. "We will stick to a strong stance against Apple during the lingering legal fights."

The two companies have locked horns over smartphone and tablet patents and design issues all around the world. Apple started the patent war when it filed litigation against Samsung in the U.S. in April. Samsung responded. The two companies have gone tit-for-tat in The Netherlands, Germany, the U.K., Korea, Japan, and Australia.

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