Apple, Inc. is seeking $1 billion dollars damages in federal court against Samsung, alleging that the Korean electronics giant stole its intellectual property for use in its as-yet-unannounced electronic watch. Swiss watch maker Swatch has filed its own suit.
Who own rights to rumors
Apple is claiming that even though it has never produced a watch or even announced its intentions to do so, the mere fact that it is rumored to be working on one is sufficient grounds to prevent Samsung from entering the market. “Apple has been enjoying significant attention as a result of the iWatch rumors and now Samsung is honing in on the action,” said an Apple attorney who requested anonymity. ”
Samsung is counter-suing and seeking a permanent injunction against any Apple product that could possibly be worn on a wrist, arguing that the rumor mill has speculated that Samsung will beat Apple to market and therefore any product that Apple might create will, obviously, be a rip-off of Samsung’s rumored product.
In the mean-time, Swatch has filed a trademark suit against Samsung claiming that, since Apple will likely call its watch the “iWatch” it’s inevitable that Samsung will call its the “sWatch” which, of course, violate Swatch’s trademarks.
The International Trade Commission has scheduled a hearing to determine whether it will prevent Timex from importing any watches. There are absolutely no grounds for such an import ban but – hey – why should that stop anything.
(In the unlikely event you haven’t already figured this out, this is satire)