Apple and Samsung may have reached a patent deal

By Williams Pelegrin Updated July 14, 2014

Last month, it was reported that Apple and Samsung were to call a ceasefire on patent disputes against each other. Unfortunately, the exact opposite panned out, leaving us with barely any hope that the two companies could resolve their differences. A new report from The Korea Times just might rekindle that hope.

According to an unnamed industry official, both companies are “trimming down the number of disputed issues.” The official said that Apple and Samsung are attempting to find common ground, something we’ve seen both companies attempt in the past. “It’s too early to say that the ongoing working-level talks will produce an immediate breakthrough, but we are more practical about trying to find a solution,” said the official.

Why is it more practical? For one, Apple continues to be one of Samsung’s top three clients for the South Korean company’s displays in the first quarter of 2014. In addition, according to another source, Apple is eyeing Samsung OLED technology that could end up in its future wearables.

What lends credence to a possible cease fire is both companies filing motions to drop all cross-appeals related to last year’s U.S. International Trade Commission ruling related to Apple’s infringement of several Samsung-owned patents, as well as a separate verdict that determined Samsung violated several Apple patents. This is all according to FossPatents’ Florian Müeller and “other sources.”

All we have to do now is wait and see whether a ceasefire will finally come to fruition between Apple and Samsung.

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Williams Pelegrin

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Williams is an avid New York Yankees fan, speaks Spanish, resides in Colorado, and has an affinity for Frosted Flakes. Send…

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