Apple vs Samsung; Steve Jobs Personally Tried to Solve Patent Disputes in 2010?

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Apple is fighting Samsung in over 20 patent infringement cases filed by one or the other in various countries. It all started with Apple suing Samsung in April, calling the South Korean company out for allegedly stealing iPhone and iPad designs and using them in its current lines of Galaxy smartphones and tablets.

Samsung replied quickly with lawsuits of its own alleging that Apple is infringing various telecommunication patents the South Korean giant holds. From then on it was just a matter of time until the conflict spread to other continents. The two companies are now engaged in a legal feud spread over multiple countries: USA, UK, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Holland, South Korea, Japan and Australia.

Today we’re looking at the Australian trial where it was revealed apparently that Steve Jobs, one of Apple’s co-founders and former iconic CEO, has been personally involved in the talks with Samsung over patent infringements way back in 2010.

According to Bloomberg, Jobs was only involved after “the ultimately unsuccessful talks over the Galaxy smartphone began.” That’s what Richard Lutton told the Federal Court in Sydney, in his capacity of senior director at Apple and patent attorney for the company.

“Samsung is an important supplier with whom we have a deep relationship,” Lutton testified in response to questioning by Samsung lawyer David Catterns. “We wanted to give them a chance to do the right thing.”

It is not yet known what Jobs’ role in Apple’s negotiations with Samsung was and what happened between the two rival companies in 2010. But it’s definitely interesting to see this side of a story. After all, if Jobs decided to join the talks with Samsung it must have been very important to him personally. We’ll we ever read about it in his upcoming official biography?

Earlier this year we heard that officials from the two sides may have entered settlement talks, but those reports were quickly denied as both Apple and Samsung seemed to be still interested in fighting it out in courts.

The hearings in Australia will determine whether Samsung will be able to sell the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in the country or not. The South Korean Android device maker has been stopped from selling the tablet in the region so far and it will be interesting to see how the court will rule.

German and Dutch courts have already issued injunctions against Samsung products. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 is banned from selling in Germany, while the Samsung Galaxy S II, the Samsung Galaxy S and the Samsung Galaxy Ace are temporarily banned in The Netherlands.