Samsung Already Planning to Target iPhone 5 with Patent Lawsuits

Apple has yet to announce the iPhone 5, but Samsung is apparently already making plans to target it with patent lawsuits as the intellectual property dispute between the two companies continues to escalate. Word of Samsung's plans comes from a "senior executive" at the company and was reported to The Korea Times.

"Just after the arrival of the iPhone 5 here, Samsung plans to take Apple to court here for its violation of Samsung's wireless technology related patents," said a senior executive from Samsung Electronics, asking not to be identified.

"For as long as Apple does not drop mobile telecommunications functions, it would be impossible for it to sell its i-branded products without using our patents. We will stick to a strong stance against Apple during the lingering legal fights."

Samsung is stepping up its attacks on Apple's products after courts in several countries have issued injunctions barring Samsung from selling its Galaxy Tab devices in those markets following complaints of intellectual property infringement from Apple.

samsung logo
Samsung is unable to make any preemptive strikes against the iPhone 5 because Apple has yet to reveal any details on the device, meaning that Samsung has no product against which to lodge infringement claims at this time. But Samsung is clearly preparing its case based on patents it owns related to basic wireless technology, which the iPhone 5 will no doubt be using. Once the device is introduced, Samsung will be free to make its infringement claims against Apple and the iPhone 5.

The report from The Korea Times also briefly cites unspecified "officials" who claim that the iPhone 5 will include near-field communication (NFC) technology. Reports thus far have been uncertain about whether such technology would appear in the iPhone 5 or be held for the iPhone 6, but general consensus has been leaning toward NFC not being included in the iPhone 5.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Feature

iOS 26.1 to iOS 26.4 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Saturday October 18, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
iOS 26 was released last month, but the software train never stops, and iOS 26.1 beta testing is already underway. So far, iOS 26.1 makes both Apple Intelligence and Live Translation on compatible AirPods available in additional languages, and it includes some other minor changes across the Apple Music, Calendar, Photos, Clock, and Safari apps. More features and changes will follow in future ...
ios 26 1 liquid glass opaque

iOS 26.1 Beta 4 Lets Users Control Liquid Glass Transparency with New Toggle

Monday October 20, 2025 10:57 am PDT by
With the fourth betas of iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS 26.1, Apple has introduced a new setting that's designed to allow users to customize the look of Liquid Glass. The toggle lets users select from a clear look for Liquid Glass, or a tinted look. Clear is the current Liquid Glass design, which is more transparent and shows the background underneath buttons, bars, and menus, while tinted ...
iPhone Siri Glow

Some Apple Employees Have 'Concerns' About iOS 26.4's Revamped Siri

Sunday October 19, 2025 7:39 am PDT by
iOS 26.4 is expected to introduce a revamped version of Siri powered by Apple Intelligence, but not everyone is satisfied with how well it works. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said some of Apple's software engineers have "concerns" about the overhauled Siri's performance. However, he did not provide any specific details about the shortcomings. iOS 26.4 will...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.2 Update for iPhones Coming Soon

Friday October 17, 2025 7:35 am PDT by
Apple's software engineers continue to internally test iOS 26.0.2, according to MacRumors logs, which have been a reliable indicator of upcoming iOS versions. iOS 26.0.2 will be a minor update that addresses bugs and/or security vulnerabilities, but we do not know any specific details yet. The update will likely be released by the end of next week. Last month, Apple released iOS 26.0.1,...
Apple iPad Pro hero M5

New iPad Pro Has Six Key Upgrades Beyond M5 Chip

Saturday October 18, 2025 10:57 am PDT by
While the new iPad Pro's headline feature is the M5 chip, the device has some other changes, including N1 and C1X chips, faster storage speeds, and more. With the M5 chip, the new iPad Pro has up to a 20% faster CPU and up to a 40% faster GPU compared to the previous model with the M4 chip, according to Geekbench 6 results. Keep in mind that 256GB and 512GB configurations have a 9-core CPU,...
maxresdefault

Here's How the iOS 26.1 Transparency Toggle Changes Liquid Glass

Monday October 20, 2025 1:55 pm PDT by
With the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple added a toggle that makes Liquid Glass more opaque and reduces transparency. We tested the beta to see where the toggle works and what it looks like. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. If you have the latest iOS 26.1 beta, you can go to Settings > Display and Brightness to get to the new option. Tap on Liquid Glass, then...
HomePod mini and Apple TV

Apple's Next Rumored Products: New HomePod Mini, Apple TV, and More

Thursday October 16, 2025 9:13 am PDT by
Apple on Wednesday updated the 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Vision Pro with its next-generation M5 chip, but previous rumors have indicated that the company still plans to announce at least a few additional products before the end of the year. The following Apple products have at one point been rumored to be updated in 2025, although it is unclear if the timeframe for any of them has...
iOS 26

What's New in iOS 26.1 Beta 4

Monday October 20, 2025 1:02 pm PDT by
Even though we're at the fourth beta of iOS 26.1, Apple is continuing to add new features. In fact, the fourth beta has some of the biggest changes that we'll get when iOS 26.1 releases to the public later this month. We've rounded up what's new below. Liquid Glass Transparency Toggle Apple added a toggle for customizing the look of Liquid Glass. In Settings > Display and Brightness,...
kohler toilet sensor

Kohler Launches $600 iPhone-Connected Toilet Camera That Monitors Your Health Through Waste Analysis

Monday October 20, 2025 1:42 pm PDT by
Kohler is expanding its line of bathroom products with Dekoda, an iPhone-connected device that's designed to be attached to a toilet rim (via The Verge). The device's included "sensors" point into the toilet bowl, allowing it to analyze what goes on in the bathroom. According to Kohler, Dekoda is a health tracker that can monitor gut health and hydration, as well as detect the presence of...

Top Rated Comments

DESNOS Avatar
184 months ago
There needs to be a patent section. That would take care of most of the stories nobody wants to read.
Score: 51 Votes (Like | Disagree)
andyr2120 Avatar
184 months ago
Not good

This will not end well for anyone - not for Apple, Samsung, not even for consumers. Well, ok - lawyers will do just fine!
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
chrismarle Avatar
184 months ago
Ok. The phone has not even been announced and they are already planning to sue Apple for a device that they don't even have any details.

Samsung is such a troll.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Benjamins Avatar
184 months ago
"For as long as Apple does not drop mobile telecommunications functions, it would be impossible for it to sell its i-branded products without using our patents. We will stick to a strong stance against Apple during the lingering legal fights."

lol Samsung those are called standard essential patent, you are required to offer a fair licensing term ....
Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThemacNub Avatar
184 months ago
Samsung's lawyers need to be given the death penalty - in every country that they exist.

And i guess Apples lawyers deserve the same then?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacinDoc Avatar
184 months ago
lol Samsung those are called standard essential patent, you are required to offer a fair licensing term ....
As you say, Samsung can't refuse to offer Apple fair licensing terms for essential communications technology, other legal actions between the companies notwithstanding. Otherwise, no company other than Samsung could make mobile phones, and given the patent portfolios owned by other companies, even they couldn't make then due to the IP that Samsung has to license under fair licensing terms.

I quite dislike this whole line of thinking, though, to announce that you are going to sue someone for patent infringement on a product before you even know what they are making. Now we know why Samsung demanded to see prototypes of the iPhone 5 "and any future products".
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)