Samsung Elec sues Huawei in China for patent infringement

SEOUL/ HONG KONG: Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Friday it sued Huawei Technologies Co Ltd for patent infringements through multiple courts in China, escalating a legal conflict between the smartphone rivals.

The suits mark the latest salvo in a fight between the world’s No. 1 and No. 3 smartphone makers, who compete fiercely across the world in an industry that researcher IHS says is worth US$ 332 billion this year.

The South Korean firm sued Huawei in a Beijing court about two weeks ago for allegedly infringing six of its patents, a spokeswoman said. She did not elaborate on the types of patents or the other Chinese courts involved.

“Despite our best efforts to resolve this matter amicably, it has regrettably become necessary to take legal action in order to defend our intellectual property,” Samsung told Reuters in a statement.

Shenzhen-based Huawei Technologies – also one of the world’s largest telecom equipment manufacturers – said in a statement it had not received a “formal complaint” but would defend itself as necessary.

“In the absence of a negotiated settlement, litigation is often an efficient way to resolve” intellectual property rights disputes, it said.

Huawei sued Samsung in the United States and China in May, accusing its rival of infringement on patents for fourth- generation (4G) cellular communications technology, operating systems and user interface software.

Chinese technology companies have often been on the receiving end of such lawsuits, so Huawei’s US litigation marked something of a reversal of roles reflecting its growing clout in the global telecommunications and smartphone markets. — Reuters