Samsung Electronics is withdrawing all its court requests for injunctions to block sales of Apple products in Europe due to patent infringement. Samsung said the decision applies to claims of infringement on patents essential to industry standards. The company said it was better for companies to compete on the market, rather than in the court room.
The decision affects lawsuits in Germany, the UK, France, Italy and Netherlands, a senior official at the company told Bloomberg. Samsung will continue litigation that seeks damages in intellectual property disputes.
Samsung's decision may be related to the EU's ongoing investigation into whether the company violated agreements to license standards-essential patents to other mobile-phone makers on fair terms, known as Frand licensing agreements. The EC confirmed the investigation at the start of 2012, but has yet to report on its conclusions.
