Apple and Samsung are going at it again, in a second patent infringement court battle that kicks off with jury selection today. Things didn't work out so well for Samsung the first time around; in this round, Apple is seeking $2 billion in damages—double its first payout—over accusations Samsung infringed on five of its patents on newer devices. It wants $40 for each device sold with features like "slide-to-unlock," universal search, and the ability to tap a number inside a text message to dial it. On the flip side, Samsung is accusing Apple of infringing on two of its patents. But the tech giant drawing a heavy portion of the case's attention is actually Google, the New York Times reports. To wit, the Wall Street Journal reports "the docket might as well read Apple Inc. v. Google Inc."
That's because four of the features in the crosshairs are part of the Android OS, reports the Journal, which points out that "the stakes are higher" than they were in 2012, because the targeted patents relate to the iPhone 5 and Galaxy S3, which saw heavy sales. The Guardian notes that Apple can't attack Google directly because infringement only arises when the Android code is put into hardware, but Google engineers will likely take the stand in an effort to help Samsung defend itself. A Boston University law lecturer seems to think Google is fairly safe, noting that by the time the trial (pegged at lasting about a month) and appeals wrap up, newer devices will already have flooded the market. "To kill Android with a half-dozen patents just seems like a long shot." (More Samsung stories.)
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