The European Union (EU) is to launch an investigation to ascertain whether Samsung is illegally attempting to hinder its competitors through its patents.
Samsung may not be the only manufacturer implicated, with commentators warning that Apple and Motorola could be targeted for not granting other companies fair access to its patents.
The EU has “opened a formal investigation to assess whether Samsung Electronics has abusively, and in contravention of a commitment it gave to the European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), used certain of its standard essential patent rights to distort competition in European mobile device markets, in breach of EU antitrust rules.”
However, the EU was adamant that the probe was a result of its own findings rather than from complaints made by Samsung’s competitors.
Samsung had so far failed in its attempts to prove that other companies have violated a number of its 3G-essential patents, but analyst Florian Mueller warned “the European Commission can’t wait until Samsung finally wins a ruling based on such a patent and enforces it, potentially causing irreparable harm.”
“Even though Samsung is at this stage the only company to be investigated over this issue, other suspected abusers could face similar inquiries anytime,” he added. “And everyone else who may intend to seek or enforce injunctions based on FRAND-pledged standards-essential patents in Europe will now have to proceed with extra caution.”
The news comes the same day as a court in Dusseldorf declined to overturn a ban on the sale of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany and forms part of a wider worldwide legal battle between Apple and Samsung.
Last week a Dutch court rejected Apple’s claim that the Samsung Galaxy Tab infringed its patents, while a US District Court has refused to grant the company an injunction against Samsung’s smartphones and tablets. For its part, Samsung has failed to get the Apple iPhone 4S banned in France and Italy.
Google parent Alphabet sees market capitalisation surge over $2tn on plan to over first-ever cash…
Google asks Virginia federal court to dismiss case brought by US Justice Department and eight…
Snapchat parent Snap reports user growth, revenues in spite of tough competition, in what may…
Intel shares sag after company shares gloomy revenue predictions, as data centre chip demand hit…
Germany's Tuta Mail says Google broke EU's new DMA rules with March algorithm update that…
US auto safety regulator opens new investigation into adequacy of Tesla Autopilot recall, saying it…