As the Apple v Samsung case proceeds it’s become more and more clear that Samsung has drawn inspiration from Apple for its Galaxy S line of devices. But was there an opportunity for Apple and Samsung to finish this thing before it started? From the looks of it, there was.
A report from AllThingsD shows that Apple actually took the effort to settle with Samsung in October of 2010. Executives from Apple apparently met with Samsung Executives in hopes of striking a licensing deal with the manufacturer; $40 a tablet, and $30 a phone. It was well known in, even in 2010, that Apple was accusing Samsung of infringing on Apple design with their own Galaxy S, but litigation was avoided at the time because Samsung was a supplier to Apple.
Countless judges have been frustrated by Apple and Samsung’s reluctance to settle their massive case. Now we know why; they had already tried.