It’s official: this is the end of Apple versus Samsung in the Australian courts.
It has been a clash of the titans in Australia between Samsung and Apple. The pair sparred in courts all over the world about patent infringement in different products, and sought retail bans on potentially infringing products.
Now, though, the fight is over, and the guns have fallen silent around the world: Apple and Samsung have agreed to put aside their differences in every jurisdiction around the world, except for the US.
Apple today confirmed to Gizmodo that it is dropping its legal action against Samsung in the Federal Court of Australia as a result of the decision to withdraw litigation from all around the world.
The pair were locked in a tight legal battle over several products being sold in Australia, including Apple’s iPhone products and tablets and phones from both the Samsung Note and Samsung Galaxy line-up. The legal stoush first started when Apple filed for an injunction in August 2011 which would have prevented the Galaxy Tab 10.1 from being sold in Australia, with Cupertino alleging potential patent infringements.
The case spiralled out of control, and landed in courtrooms all over the world.
In the US where the case will continue, Apple has already been awarded over $US1 billion in damages by a jury. The pair will keep fighting before the US courts over patent infringement allegations from both sides.
Apple and Samsung said jointly of the decision to withdraw legal action:
Apple and Samsung have agreed to drop all litigation between the two companies outside the United States. This agreement does not involve any licensing arrangements, and the companies are continuing to pursue the existing cases in U.S. courts
It’s over. Not with a bang, but a quiet fizzle.