iPhone 4S Could Be Pulled Off Shelves by Samsung on Antenna Design Breach
Tech giants Apple Inc. and Samsung may enter another patent battle with the antenna system of the new iPhone 4S.
This is according to a report that analyzed the improved antenna system on the recently launched iPhone 4S.
Apple unveiled for the iPhone 4S a dual-antenna that allowed the user to switch between the two antennas when they send and receive a messages or content. This new design may breach Samsung's patent.
The system used by Apple is similar to the antenna system developed by Danish professor Gert Frolund Pedersen that he later sold to Samsung, according to reporting by according to Danish news site ComON.
Last week, Steve Jobs' successor, Tim Cook, unveiled the iPhone 4S, which sports a 3.5-inch screen; an 8-megapixel, 1080p high-definition camera; an A5 dual-core chip processor that is seven times faster than the graphics processor in the iPhone 4; two antennae to transmit and receive data; CDMA and GSM connectivity; 8 hours of 3G talk-time, and new applications like Siri and Find My Friends. Siri is a voice-recognition system Siri that turns the device into a hands-free personal assistant. The Let's Talk iPhone event was met with lukewarm reactions from critics and fans who were hoping for an iPhone 5, which was expected to have major design changes. But the death of Jobs, tagged as one of America's greatest CEOs and innovators, has spurred record pre-orders for the iPhone 4S.
The South Korea-based company after the unveiling of the iPhone 4S filed lawsuits seeking to block the iPhone 4S in France and Italy.
The injunction motions were on account of violations of Samsung's wireless patents. Samsung said it is planning to file preliminary injunctions in other countries.
Apple has already started taking pre-orders for the iPhone 4S at the end of the week. The device will be available in the U.S, Australia and other countries starting Oct. 14. It remains to be seen if Samsung could stop -- at least parts of -- the global launch of the iPhone 4S as courts have yet to issue a ruling.
According to Reuters, Samsung won't seek a halt or postponements of the suits in light of the demise of Steve Jobs. Samsung had earlier cancelled the Oct. 11 launch of its newest smartphone, the Samsung Nexus Prime, the first phone to run on Google's Ice Cream Sandwich.
Prior to the suits against the iPhone 4S, Samsung has been on the receiving on of Apple's patent infringement claims.
Apple said in lawsuits filed in three continents that South Korea-based Samsung copied the "look and feel" of Apple's iPhone and iPad. These claims are hurting Samsung's fastest growing business. Samsung's new products are seen as threat to Apple's devices.
In Australia, Apple obtained an injunction on the sale of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, as part of the lawsuit alleging the tablet copies the iPad in a number of respects. Apple said no to an offer courtesy of business rival Samsung to settle their tablet dispute. The prolonged ban is already killing the commercial viability of Samsung's Galaxy Tab in the Australian market.
Apple's lawyer in Australia Steven Burley said that the company wanted the court to rule and decide on the infringement claims. The Federal Court in Australia is expected to hand down its decision on whether to block the launch of the device. If unable to launch in October, Samsung has said it is unlikely Australia will see the Galaxy Tab 10.1 arrive at all.
The iPhone 4S is scheduled to go on sale in Australia this Friday. Apple has been taking pre-orders on the device since 6 p.m. on Friday, but customers who wish to order one now face a one- to two-week wait on getting the iPhone 4S direct from Apple.
Optus and Vodafone also began taking pre-orders over the weekend, and Telstra is expected to announce its plans soon.