Apple and Samsung CEOs to Meet for Court-Moderated Settlement Talks over Patent Issues

FOSS Patents reports that the chief executives of Apple and Samsung, along with their respective general counsels, will meet within the next 90 days at a San Francisco courthouse for a court-moderated discussion aimed at settling the long-standing patent dispute between the two companies. As outlined in a joint statement before the court:

As directed by the Court, Apple and Samsung are both willing to participate in a Magistrate Judge Settlement Conference with Judge Spero as mediator. At Apple, the chief executive officer and general counsel are the appropriate decision-makers, and they will represent Apple during the upcoming settlement discussions. At Samsung, the chief executive officer and general counsel are also the appropriate decision-makers, and they will represent Samsung during these settlement discussions.

The report notes that the settlement talks are "semi-voluntary" in that the court can only compel the parties to meet and talk, but can not force them to reach an agreement. It also in the best interest of the two companies to make their most senior officials available for the discussions so as to demonstrate for the court a good faith effort at resolving the dispute.

apple samsung logos
Apple would obviously be represented by CEO Tim Cook and general counsel Bruce Sewell, while Samsung would appear to be sending representatives from the parent company including CEO Gee-Sung Choi.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

15 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.2

Friday December 5, 2025 9:40 am PST by
Apple is about to release iOS 26.2, the second major point update for iPhones since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least 15 notable changes and improvements worth checking out. We've rounded them up below. Apple is expected to roll out iOS 26.2 to compatible devices sometime between December 8 and December 16. When the update drops, you can check Apple's servers for the ...
Intel Inside iPhone Feature

Apple's Return to Intel Rumored to Extend to iPhone

Friday December 5, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Intel is expected to begin supplying some Mac and iPad chips in a few years, and the latest rumor claims the partnership might extend to the iPhone. In a research note with investment firm GF Securities this week, obtained by MacRumors, analyst Jeff Pu said he and his colleagues "now expect" Intel to reach a supply deal with Apple for at least some non-pro iPhone chips starting in 2028....
ive and altman

Jony Ive's OpenAI Device Barred From Using 'io' Name

Friday December 5, 2025 6:22 am PST by
A U.S. appeals court has upheld a temporary restraining order that prevents OpenAI and Jony Ive's new hardware venture from using the name "io" for products similar to those planned by AI audio startup iyO, Bloomberg Law reports. iyO sued OpenAI earlier this year after the latter announced its partnership with Ive's new firm, arguing that OpenAI's planned "io" branding was too close to its...
iPhone 17 Pro Cosmic Orange

10 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's iPhone 18 Pro

Monday December 1, 2025 2:40 am PST by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models at the same time, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 18 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. One thing worth...
Photos App Icon Liquid Glass

John Gruber Shares Scathing Commentary About Apple's Departing Software Design Chief

Thursday December 4, 2025 9:30 am PST by
In a statement shared with Bloomberg on Wednesday, Apple confirmed that its software design chief Alan Dye will be leaving. Apple said Dye will be succeeded by Stephen Lemay, who has been a software designer at the company since 1999. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Dye will lead a new creative studio within the company's AR/VR division Reality Labs. On his blog Daring Fireball,...
maxresdefault

iPhone Fold: Launch, Pricing, and What to Expect From Apple's Foldable

Monday December 1, 2025 3:00 am PST by
Apple is expected to launch a new foldable iPhone next year, based on multiple rumors and credible sources. The long-awaited device has been rumored for years now, but signs increasingly suggest that 2026 could indeed be the year that Apple releases its first foldable device. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we've collated an updated set of key details that ...
Apple John Ternus 2019

Will John Ternus Really Be Apple's Next CEO?

Friday December 5, 2025 9:01 am PST by
There is uncertainty about Apple's head of hardware engineering John Ternus succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, The Information reports. Some former Apple executives apparently hope that a new "dark-horse" candidate will emerge. Ternus is considered to be the most likely candidate to succeed Cook as CEO. The report notes that he is more likely to become CEO than software head chief Craig Federighi, ...
ios 18 to ios 26 upgrade

Apple Pushes iPhone Users Still on iOS 18 to Upgrade to iOS 26

Tuesday December 2, 2025 11:09 am PST by
Apple is encouraging iPhone users who are still running iOS 18 to upgrade to iOS 26 by making the iOS 26 software upgrade option more prominent. Since iOS 26 launched in September, it has been displayed as an optional upgrade at the bottom of the Software Update interface in the Settings app. iOS 18 has been the default operating system option, and users running iOS 18 have seen iOS 18...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 Release Candidates to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Wednesday December 3, 2025 10:33 am PST by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 updates to developers and public beta testers, with the software coming two weeks after Apple seeded the third betas. The release candidates represent the final versions of iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 that will be provided to the public if no further bugs are found during this final week of testing....
Johny Srouji

Apple Chip Chief Johny Srouji Could Be Next to Go as Exodus Continues

Sunday December 7, 2025 10:41 am PST by
Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies Johny Srouji could be the next leading executive to leave the company amid an alarming exodus of leading employees, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reports. Srouji apparently recently told CEO Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving" in the near future. He intends to join another company if he departs. Srouji leads Apple's chip design ...

Top Rated Comments

JS77 Avatar
178 months ago
More disputes need to be settled with "sit downs". Less litigation and less money going to lawyers is always a good thing.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dagamer34 Avatar
178 months ago
I'm tired of patents making the news. I just want cool stuff.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ShiftyPig Avatar
178 months ago
There was a cover piece about this a few weeks back in BusinessWeek that started with the summary of some proceedings in California when the judge openly mocked Apple for bringing on the patent wars. "The last time you were here, you said you had a business relationship - I forget what the number was, $8 million? $8 billion?"

The problem for Apple is that if it doesn't win (or when it doesn't win, as has been the case), it actually impairs the company's position when negotiating cross-licensing deals. Because Steve was too busy throwing a hissy fit and trying to fight a proxy war on Android by crying over rounded corners instead of *actually* taking on Google, it's put the company in a worse position. Tim has done a commendable job of fighting smart battles and ignoring the stupid ones.

Apple has absolutely no reason to negotiate anything with thieves, unless it's under legal compulsion to do so.

Though a simple "discussion" sounds innocuous enough.
The problem is that Apple is complaining over elementary design issues while Samsung countered with legitimate technical patents. For example.... the front of the iPad - ripped off from a 1994 design:



Based on the preliminary ruling from December, taking this to trial wouldn't end well for Apple.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Peace Avatar
178 months ago
What a farce. They should have Judge Judy presiding.

I don't see this going anywhere except back into the boxing ring.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iDisk Avatar
178 months ago
Cook Strategy

I wonder if the reason Tim Cook, is so quick to settle disputes with clients, is because he wants Apple to spend their money on things that generate profit.

Apple is spending Hundreds a million on these things that could go towards things that advance technology.

Cook is blazing the trail in wanting to give up on whats been an on-going battle for a few years.

............

I wonder if Cook is willing to just raise the white flag, and tell competitors don't waist your time in disputes with Apple.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
basesloaded190 Avatar
178 months ago
I picture the opening scene of Wedding Crashers when I imagine these two companies sitting at a table
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)