Apple and Motorola were due to go to court in Chicago next week, in a Jury trial, but now the federal judge dealing with the case has cancelled the trial in a pretrial conference.
Florian Muller from Foss Patents has been following the case, and it looks like the case will now be headed for the Federal courts, and it could be some time in 2014 before the case is resolved.
Meanwhile Judge Posner has entered a tentative order dismissing the case with prejudice because no party can establish relief. A detailed order will come down within a week, but most likely this is now headed for the Federal Circuit. Given where things stood before the pretrial conference, it’s in Motorola’s interest to avoid the four patents Apple is asserting in Chicago, but in the greater scheme of things, it also means that Google won’t be able to win any ruling in the U.S. against Apple before 2014 other than an ITC decision, which is increasingly unlikely to be the import ban it requested. For Google’s ambitions to stop Apple’s assertions against Android, and in light of the $12.5 billion it just coughed up for Motorola, that’s a setback.
The Background of the Apple vs. Motorola Case
The legal battle between Apple and Motorola has been ongoing for several years, with both companies accusing each other of infringing on various patents. Apple has claimed that Motorola’s smartphones, which run on Google’s Android operating system, infringe on several of its patents related to smartphone technology. On the other hand, Motorola has countered with its own set of patent infringement claims against Apple. The stakes are high, as the outcome of this case could have significant implications for the smartphone industry and the ongoing patent wars between major tech companies.
The case was initially set to be heard in a Chicago court, with a jury trial scheduled to begin next week. However, in a surprising turn of events, the federal judge presiding over the case has decided to cancel the trial during a pretrial conference. This decision has left both parties in a state of uncertainty, as they now prepare for the next steps in the legal process.
Implications for the Tech Industry
The cancellation of the trial and the subsequent move to the Federal Circuit could have far-reaching consequences for both Apple and Motorola, as well as the broader tech industry. For Apple, the delay means that it will have to wait longer to potentially secure a favorable ruling against Motorola. This could impact its ability to assert its patents against other Android manufacturers, as a victory against Motorola could have set a precedent for future cases.
For Motorola and its parent company Google, the delay is also a setback. Google acquired Motorola for $12.5 billion in 2012, largely for its extensive patent portfolio. The company had hoped that these patents would provide a strong defense against Apple’s legal attacks on Android. However, with the case now potentially dragging on until 2014, Google will have to wait even longer to see if its investment in Motorola pays off.
The broader tech industry is also watching this case closely, as it could influence the ongoing patent wars between major players like Apple, Google, Samsung, and Microsoft. A ruling in favor of Apple could embolden the company to pursue further legal action against other Android manufacturers, potentially leading to more lawsuits and increased tension in the industry. Conversely, a ruling in favor of Motorola could strengthen Google’s position and provide a boost to the Android ecosystem.
In the meantime, both companies will continue to prepare for the next phase of the legal battle. The Federal Circuit is known for its expertise in patent law, and its eventual ruling could have significant implications for the future of smartphone technology and the ongoing patent wars.
Source Foss Patents
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