Samsung: We don't intend to negotiate with Apple
It appears Samsung Electronics won't be following in HTC's footsteps. HTC on Saturday settled its long-running legal dispute with Apple, raising expectations that Samsung may do the same. But the Korean conglomerate's mobile chief, J.K. Shin, has told the Yonhap News Agency that the company will bank on a legal resolution instead of an out-of-court settlement. Shin said he doesn't intend to negotiate at all with Apple, illustrating just how far apart the two companies are. While Apple scored a significant victory in the U.S., there are a number of legal clashes going on around the world, all with varying levels of success so far for either side.CNET has contacted Samsung for comment on the HTC settlement, and we'll update the story when the company responds. Analysts predict that HTC will have to pay Apple up to $280 million a year as part of the cross-licensing deal, but HTC President Jason MacKenzie told CNET that the settlement wouldn't materially affect the company's financials. HTC was the first company that Apple sued over patents related to Android. At the time, HTC was the leader in Android smartphones, having jumped out ahead of its rivals. Nowadays, the company is still struggling to find its footing and is far behind leader Samsung, which is the world's largest smartphone manufacturer. Samsung has nearly a quarter of the mobile device market in the third quarter, compared with Apple's 5.5 percent share, according to Gartner. Shin also told the Korean news service that he expects fourth-quarter smartphone sales will be as strong as its third-quarter numbers, when sales of the Galaxy S III helped drive record operating profit.
