Samsung May Sue to Block the Release of the Apple iPhone 5

A fresh battle in the cut-throat patent wars between Samsung and Apple could break out soon. Industry sources indicate that the S. Korean company is going to try to block the release of Apple's latest smartphone.

According to a report in the KoreaTimes, Samsung is going to claim that the iPhone 5 infringes on some of its patents related to 4G LTE. This device, which was announced yesterday, will be Apple's first with this high-speed cellular-wireless networking technology.

The source at Samsung, whose name was not reveled, told the newspaper:

"It's true that Samsung Electronics has decided to take immediate legal action against the Cupertino-based Apple. Countries in Europe and even the United States - Apple's home-turf - are our primary targets."

This is still an unconfirmed report, and Samsung has yet to officially reveal if it really plans to try to block launch of the fifth-generation iPhone.

Tit for Tat

This move would be in retaliation for Apple's lawsuits against Samsung. A U.S. court recently ruled that some Samsung smartphones and tablets infringe on Apple's patents. The company has been ordered to pay over $1 billion in damages, and Apple is asking a judge to ban the U.S. import and sale of a range of Samsung's devices, including its flagship Galaxy S III.

Now it appears Samsung is going to try to block the release of Apple's next flagship smartphone. If it succeeds, it would be a severe blow to Apple, as handset sales are the source of a large majority of the company's revenue and profits.

Source