Apple looks set to request that the courts ban certain Samsung smartphones or tablets from sale in the United States, with a final hearing set to take place towards the end of September.
If you thought the decision to find in favor of Apple was the end of the Apple vs. Samsung court battle in the United States, then think again, because we’re only just at the half way point.
As pointed out by TheVerge, the ruling which sees Samsung forced to pay Apple a cool $1 billion is just the beginning of what may prove to be a highly damaging situation for the Korean firm. Not only has the company been told to cough up a hefty chunk of cash, but there is also the possibility of some high profile device bans across the United States.
As of right now, Apple has until August 27th to file its requests, with Samsung having just two weeks in order to assess those requests and then respond. The final hearing is then penciled in for September 20th, which is when we find out just what Samsung devices we will, or will not be able to buy.
Apple is already in a strong position going into the final round of litigation, and the company has already claimed that Samsung’s patent infringement has caused the company "irreparable harm," leaving it fairly clear that banning products from sale is something the iPhone maker will be aiming for. That means that Samsung could be left with all manner of devices unable to be sold in one of its largest markets. Ironically, this may prove helpful to other Android phone makers, rather than Apple itself.
Samsung and Apple have been duking it out for some time now, and across multiple continents, but this is the first time the pair have been so close to such a dramatic resolution. A ban of Samsung products in the United States, at least until they have been altered to remove the relevant patent infringements, would be a real milestone in the whole legal saga that has blighted both companies for so long.
In the end, what do you make of this whole fiasco? You know where to drop your thoughts.
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