Apple, tell Samsung what’s the deal between you and HTC: US Judge.
Apple has been ordered by US Justice Paul Grewal to disclose to Samsung the terms of its licencing deal with HTC. Currently Apple and Samsung are entangled in numerous legal disputes across the globe.
Grewal cautioned the documents are intended for “attorney-eyes-only.”
“Many third parties to this case have had their licensing agreements disclosed subject to an attorneys-eyes-only designation because the confidential financial terms were clearly relevant to the dispute between Apple and Samsung,” court documents said.
After two years of stop-start litigation between HTC and Apple, the two finally made peace by reaching a broad 10-year licensing deal. Although the terms of the deal have never been revealed, speculation has it HTC is to pay Apple an undisclosed licensing fee.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, Samsung intends on using the details to support its case of licensing Apple’s technology, as opposed to having the sale of its products permanently halted, which is what Apple is seeking.
“According to Samsung, the settlement agreement undermines Apple’s assertion that an injunction is a more appropriate remedy than money damages,” the filing said. “Apple responds that it is willing to provide the settlement agreement but notes that HTC objects to the production of the agreement’s financial terms because of their competition value”.
In the most recent quarter, the IDC claims Samsung’s market share grew to 31%, more than doubling Apple’s 15%.
