US Judge Orders Apple To Share HTC Deal Details With Samsung

another random user writes with this news from the BBC: "A U.S. judge has ordered Apple to disclose details of its patent-sharing deal with HTC to its rival, Samsung. Apple and HTC signed a 10-year licence agreement earlier this month, but did not make the details public. Samsung, which is also involved in various patent disputes with Apple, asked the courts to tell Apple to furnish the information. It said it was 'almost certain' the deal covered some of the patents at the centre of its dispute with Apple. The court ordered Apple to produce a full copy of the settlement agreement 'without delay,' subject to an 'attorneys' eyes only' designation, meaning it will not be made public."

Re:The public loses out once again...

[Dupple]

Yeah we do. I can understand HTC and Apple wanting confidentiality, there's all sorts of confidentiality clauses and Samsung seemed happy at first with the redacted document. Clearly the judge isn't and has ordered this limited disclosure.

It looks like HTC asked for the redactions and Samsung accepted.

"HTC has advised the parties that it is willing to acquiesce to Apple’s production of the agreement on two conditions: (1) the Agreement must be marked Highly Confidential – Attorneys’ Eyes Only under the protective order; and (2) the consideration amount must be redacted," Apple said, "Samsung has agreed to both conditions."

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/21/apple_redacted_agreement_samsung/ [theregister.co.uk]

Sadly no source from The Registers article. Afterwards Samsung asked to see the whole thing.

http://allthingsd.com/20121121/apple-happy-to-redact-htc-deal-down-to-33-words-just-for-samsung/ [allthingsd.com]

Now it looks like Samsung gets to see the whole document "without delay" now that the judge has ordered it.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/22/us-apple-samsung-idUSBRE8AL04020121122 [reuters.com]

Re:So... What if what Samsung claims is true?

[Anonymous Coward]

Apple claims that patents in question are so valuable, that you can not price them in money. Therefore (according to Apple), Samsung products should be banned from the market. Samsung wants to prove that Apple sold those patents to HTC and therefore they have monetary price. If they have a price, Samsung products should not be banned. Even if the product is found to be infringing, Samsung would have to pay money instead of having banned product.

Re:Apple shot themselves in the foot...

[dryriver]

I own a Samsung smartphone, tablet computer and laptop. Each product was well priced, well designed and quality built and works flawlessly so far. I've had zero issues with any of these products. So yes, I appreciate the quality Samsung brings to the market. Does that make me a fanboy? Hardly.

Re:The public loses out once again...

[thaylin]

May want to look at a more reliable source when it comes to litigation. If Samsung was happy with the redacted version it would not have went to oral arguments: http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=2012112121031884 [groklaw.net]

Re:So... What if what Samsung claims is true?

[thaylin]

It helps because there are patents apple states it cannot and will not license to others because of the harm it would cause them. If they licensed them to HTC then that proves at worst they were wrong, and at worst they lied to the court.