Over ‘Slide to Unlock’ Touchscreen Technology
In 2012, Samsung Electronics and Apple had a big patent battle over the “slide to unlock” smartphone technology. Now eight years later, the two smartphone giants are both facing a patent infringement suit over the slide-to-unlock function filed by Neonode, a Swedish display company that acquired a patent for the technology first.
Neonode filed the suit against Samsung Electronics and Apple with the Western District Court of Texas on June 8.
The story involving Neonode and the two companies dates back to eight years ago. In 2012, Apple filed a complaint against the Android group including Samsung Electronics, claiming that the group infringed on its slide-to-unlock patent. The table was turned with the emergence of Neonode, which released the "N1m" smartphone with a slide-to-unlock function before Apple applied for a patent on the touchscreen technology.
At the time, Samsung claimed that Apple's patent was invalid because Neonode already had a similar technology. As a result, Apple's patent was nullified in a German court. Neonode became an eyesore for Apple and a benefactor for Samsung Electronics.
Now, Neonode is attacking both companies, forcing them to unite. Neonode took issue with certain functions of Samsung and Apple smartphones based on two patents related to the slide to unlock function.
Neonode claims that Samsung phones’ features such as slide to unlock on the initial screen and push icons to receive or reject a call are in infringement of its patents.
Neonode also claims Apple phones’ features like QuickPath typing and slide-to-unlock infringe on its patents.
The problem is that neither Samsung nor Apple is free from the litigation eight years ago. Samsung Electronics actively promoted Neonode's advanced technology to nullify Apple's patent at the time. It cannot swallow its words easily. Neonode remembers what Samsung said eight years ago. It noted in its complaint that "Samsung Electronics has acknowledged the patent since 2012."
Apple is facing an even more embarrassing position. If it refuses to recognize Neonode's patent, it amounts to denying its own patent. If Apple loses its patent suit against Neonode, it will be put into Samsung Electronics' position in 2012.
"The Apple iPhone X series, the iPhone 11 series, and the iPad Pro 3rd and 4th Generations directly and indirectly infringed on our patent," Neonode said in the complaint.