Apple and Samsung fail at making peace in patent war
Once again an attempt at settlement talks between the two tech giants seems to have fizzled as the two sides sue each other over smartphone and tablet products.
As the Apple vs. Samsung patent trial rapidly approaches, settlement talks between the two companies still seem to be stymied, according to Reuters.
Apple CEO Tim Cook met with two of Samsung's top executives, vice chairman Choi Gee-sung and mobile chief Shin Jong-Kyun, in an undisclosed meeting last week to see if the two sides could resolve the matter before trial, according to Reuters. But the talks were to no avail -- mediation between the two companies still seems to have fallen short.
The two tech giants became embroiled in this legal battle in April 2011 when Apple filed a lawsuit in California accusing Samsung of copying "the look and feel" of its iPad tablet and iPhone smartphone. Samsung quickly responded with a countersuit against Apple, taking the fight overseas to South Korea, Japan, and Germany.
Throughout the pre-trial back-and-forth, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh for the Northern District of California tried pare down the case by getting the companies to resolve some of their differences out of court. The companies have butted heads over everything from the claims presented in the case to how things will be presented in the courtroom.
According to Reuters, the fact that it seems like no agreement was made in the talks last week, most likely means that the lawsuit will continue to trial. However, a settlement is still possible even after a trial gets under way.
The Apple Samsung trial is scheduled to begin in federal court on July 30 in San Jose, Calif. CNET contacted Apple and Samsung for comment. We'll update the story when we get more information.