Google Backs Samsung In Patent War With Apple

[webfact]

Google backs Samsung in patent war with Apple

Cho Ji-hyun

The Korea Herald

Google Inc.’s executive chairman Eric Schmidt sided with Samsung Electronics in its ongoing global patent war with Apple when he expressed concerns about restriction of innovation and choice.

“I think one of the worst things that have happened in the last few years has been the belief that somehow … one vendor could stop the sale of another vendor’s phones and devices. Literally prevent choice, prevent innovation,” he said in a press conference held in southern Seoul.

“The last thing we want is innovation being stopped, significant products being stopped.”

Schmidt’s statement indicates that Google’s official stance over the controversial Samsung-Apple patent dispute has somewhat changed since last month.

The US-based software giant had then tried to draw the line between itself and its major customer Samsung by releasing an official statement which said most of the discussed patent infringement claims don’t relate to the core Android operating system.

With such moves being detected, Samsung hinted it may shift further towards its multi-mobile-platform strategy and give more weight to other mobile operating systems like the upcoming Tizen.

Samsung’s multi-OS strategy deals a blow to Google since the Korean handset maker is the top customer for its Android software.

“We’re obviously working through that and (will) try to make sure we stay on the right side of all of these issues,” Schmidt told reporters. “Ultimately, we will answer ‘innovation’ as opposed to ‘capitalist.’ ”

He also said “there’s plenty of prior art” in terms of Apple’s patents, while not going into the specific details.

Schmidt’s visit to Seoul, which was arranged to announce the roll-out of its “Nexus 7” tablet PC here, takes place less than a year since his last visit to Korea in November.

With meetings scheduled with major vendors, Schmidt engaged in a talk with Choi Gee-sung, head of Samsung Group’s corporate strategy office, and Samsung Electronics’ mobile chief Shin Jong-kyun. Google’s Andy Rubin also joined the meeting that lasted up to 80 minutes at Samsung’s office in southern Seoul.

“We had a good discussion, we’re good partners but I can’t go into any more details,” said Rubin following the meeting.

Schmidt did not respond to any of the questions.

The discussion is expected to have centered on their partnership in Google’s next lineup of Nexus 7 devices and likely to have touched on the topic involving their future cooperation in the patent battle against Apple in the US.

The new 7-inch Nexus 7 with a 16-gigabyte hard drive, built in cooperation with Asus, will be available at the online and on-site stores of Lotte Mart and Hi-Mart, priced at 299,000 won (US$267).

-- ANN 2012-09-28

[RudieTheFoodie]

Apple will only go down hill from here on in. Their products are pretty, but low quality and the software is way behind Google too.

Edited September 28, 2012 by RudieTheFoodie

[R10wota]

Apple will only go down hill from here on in. Their products are pretty, but low quality and the software is way behind Google too.

That is why Samsung had this document produced and circulated within their Design Team.

http://www.scribd.co...rt-on-S1-iPhone

The patent war is actually with Samsung - Not Google. Yes Google makes Android for samsung but that is just the operating system and all those extra Tweaks that "Needed Improvement" according to this document is all developed or modified by samsung.

Android is a good software and needs improvement too and so is the iOS. Both are still evolving and both has their positive and negative points. But trying to make their GUI similar to Apple's is not a fair game. Just go through this document and you'll know what I mean - and what "google had warned samsung not to do."

Edited September 28, 2012 by R10wota

[skybluestu]

Steve Jobs will be turning in his grave!

[asiawatcher]

Google notwithstanding, each have their own ideals. Apple is riding up on laurels and heading for market saturation. The new i5 is not that great, but then Samsung are changing upgrades now only about 9 months since their latest release. I think the tech heads have gone stupid. How fast is enough, why do I need a 64Gig SD chip to plug in? How many tacky games do we need on a phone, why can't we simply have an inexpensive device that makes calls and can SMS. All these devices are doing is bogging us down with time consuming and time wasting 'gadgets'. I for one bought a $30 Nokia at Tesco and it works great. My iPhone 3G and 4S now sit on my desk. My buddy recently had his Samsung Galaxy knocked off and he also figured a $30 cheapie works fine. The other phones make great paper weights albeit expensive ones but who wants to pay $600+ for a device to make phone calls?

Edited September 28, 2012 by asiawatcher

[Ban Sao]

Google notwithstanding, each have their own ideals. Apple is riding up on laurels and heading for market saturation. The new i5 is not that great, but then Samsung are changing upgrades now only about 9 months since their latest release. I think the tech heads have gone stupid. How fast is enough, why do I need a 64Gig SD chip to plug in? How many tacky games do we need on a phone, why can't we simply have an inexpensive device that makes calls and can SMS. All these devices are doing is bogging us down with time consuming and time wasting 'gadgets'. I for one bought a $30 Nokia at Tesco and it works great. My iPhone 3G and 4S now sit on my desk. My buddy recently had his Samsung Galaxy knocked off and he also figured a $30 cheapie works fine. The other phones make great paper weights albeit expensive ones but who wants to pay $600+ for a device to make phone calls?

You are wrong 64 and soon 128 gig micro sd cards are esential for a smart phone. Stick with your 500 baht phone or get a iphone 5. But you are banned from android. Edited September 28, 2012 by Ban Sao

[davejones]

Google notwithstanding, each have their own ideals. Apple is riding up on laurels and heading for market saturation. The new i5 is not that great, but then Samsung are changing upgrades now only about 9 months since their latest release. I think the tech heads have gone stupid. How fast is enough, why do I need a 64Gig SD chip to plug in? How many tacky games do we need on a phone, why can't we simply have an inexpensive device that makes calls and can SMS. All these devices are doing is bogging us down with time consuming and time wasting 'gadgets'. I for one bought a $30 Nokia at Tesco and it works great. My iPhone 3G and 4S now sit on my desk. My buddy recently had his Samsung Galaxy knocked off and he also figured a $30 cheapie works fine. The other phones make great paper weights albeit expensive ones but who wants to pay $600+ for a device to make phone calls?

smart phones are used for a whole lot more than just making phone calls and sending text messages. If that's all you want to do, then your cheap phone will be fine. But why on earth did you buy TWO iphones if you don't need nor like them? And why don't you sell then or give them away if you no longer have a need for them?

Edited September 28, 2012 by davejones

[Riggi]

...... who wants to pay $600+ for a device to make phone calls?

I spend 99% of my time looking at my phone (browsing the web, email, ebooks, games, facebook, chat etc) and about 1% making phone calls.

Which is why the big screen Galaxy Note is worth the expense to me.

Sometimes I can go 2 or 3 days without making or receiving a call, but I would send and receive plenty of other communication via the phone in that time.

If you mainly just the phone to make calls and send sms, then you're right, a 2000 baht phone will probably suffice.

But amongst my friends, not many call or sms anymore. It's mainly FB messages, LINE, Whatsapp, Google Talk etc. Because they use data, they are essentially free if you have a data plan.