Samsung may sue Apple over iPhone 5's LTE feature

The launch of the highly touted iPhone 5 may set the stage for yet another legal tussle between Apple Inc. and Korea's Samsung Electronics, a tech site reported Tuesday.

 

CNET cited a report on the Korea Times that said Samsung may take "immediate legal action" against Apple if the iPhone uses Long Term Evolution (LTE).

 

A source of The Korea Times quoted Samsung as saying Europe and the United States "are our primary targets."

 

The Korean electronics giant, Apple's major rival in the mobile arena, holds several patents for the faster fourth-generation LTE wireless networking, CNET noted.

 

"Samsung, which has been locked in a series of high-stakes patent trials with Apple, had previously threatened to sue the iPhone maker if it were to release LTE-enabled products," it added.

 

Amid reports that the iPhone 5 will have LTE capability, CNET quoted Korea Times as saying Samsung "has decided to take immediate legal action."

 

CNET said Samsung's revelation follows a US trade judge's hinting that Apple might not be able to persuade him that a pair of HTC patents related to 4G LTE technology should be invalidated in a case that could lead to an import ban on the latest iPad and the iPhone 5.

 

CNET also noted that while 4G LTE technology was expected to be included in last year's iPhone model, the iPhone 4S. Apple went at the time with HSPA+, a speedier 3G technology. — TJD, GMA News