Are cell phone manufacturers turning into patent trolls? The Korea Times reports that Samsung Korea is already preparing to sue Apple for infringing wireless patents in the iPhone 5, which hasn't even been announced.
"For as long as Apple does not drop mobile telecommunications functions, it would be impossible for it to sell its i-branded products without using our patents. We will stick to a strong stance against Apple during the lingering legal fights," an unnamed senior executive allegedly told the Times.
At this point, Samsung doesn't have access to the next-generation iDevices, so the only way Samsung could really prepare for a lawsuit is if it owns some extremely broad mobile patents that no cell phone manufacturer can avoid. In June, a U.S. judge denied Samsung's request to see an iPhone 5 or an iPad 3 just so it could build a future case for to sue Apple for patent infringement.
The patent war between Apple and Samsung began in the spring, when Apple sued Samsung for copying the look and feel of iPhones and iPads with its Galaxy S line. Months later, Apple and Samsung are fighting patent battles in at least 12 courts, nine countries, and four continents. For the full list, see Every Place Samsung and Apple Are Suing Each Other.
Samsung recently countersued Apple in Australia, where the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 has been banned temporarily. A month earlier, Apple sued Samsung Australia for copying the Apple iPad in the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, and convinced a judge to order Samsung to delay the tablet's launch. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is also banned in Germany, pending trial.
Losing track of all the Apple iPhone 5 rumors? Be sure to check out What the iPhone 5 Might Look Like and Six Amazing Phone Technologies We Want in iPhone 5, as well as the 8 Likely iPhone 5 Rumors, and 2 Wild Ones slideshow below.