Samsung may sue Apple over LTE technology

Samsung executives plan to sue Apple if it releases any devices with LTE technology, according to reports.

Samsung's continuing argument with Apple shows no signal of reduction with the company reportedly bullying to take lawful action over long-term evolutionary technology (LTE)

According to a report from the Korea Times, Samsung executives plan to instantly sue Apple if it releases products that use the advanced technology, more commonly referred to as 4G.

Nokia holds the greatest amount of the world's LTE patents at 18.9 per cent but Samsung holds more than 12 per cent of the world's LTE patents, according to data from Thomson Reuters.

Apple has already released a 4G capable device, the iPad 3 but there has been rumor that Samsung could be waiting for the company to release a 4G-capable iPhone before proceeding with a legal fight.

Apple's new iPhone is expected to be released within the next few weeks and is predicted to be a 4G device.

There have been reports that Apple has been in talks with Korean carriers about putting the new iPhone in the country on 4G LTE networks.

Samsung, a South Korean based company, may try to place an injunction on the iPhone 5 which could be one of Apple's most successful devices.

This latest development follows Apple's considerable legal victory over Samsung last week in California when a US jury found that Samsung had violated patents used in the iPhone.

Samsung was ordered by the jury to pay $1.05bn (£664m) damages and Apple immediately announced that it wanted to ban eight Samsung devices in the United States.

A court date to decide the outcome of the case has been set for December 6.

Samsung secured a minor legal victory last night when a Tokyo court ruled that Samsung had not infringed on Apple's patent in Japan.

The case addressed only the synchronizing technology that allows media players to share data with personal computers so was not comparable in scope to the California ruling.