Judge Lucy Koh presiding over the patent trial between Apple and Samsung warned the two companies that now is their last chance to make peace with one another. She foresees that the jury’s verdict will cause both of them to make some sacrifices. “I see risk here for both sides if we go to a verdict,” she announced. “It’s time for peace.”
The judge said that if Apple and Samsung were simply just trying to showcase their intellectual properties in the public eye, then with all the extensive media coverage, “message delivered.” It seems that she might also be implying that the companies should really just suck it up. They are both immensely successful with billions of dollars on hand so coming to an agreement will just be easier on the both of them.
Apple and Samsung are trying to do just that. The two have accepted the judge’s final offer aiming to settle their differences. They are holding one last telephone meeting together. They have before, but were never able to reconcile. Even during the trial when there a technical difficulty resulting in only one functional flash drive for the attorneys, the judge suggested Apple and Samsung push their tables together and share to which Apple attorney Bill Lee replied, “I think we are close enough already.”
If they can’t come to an agreement, the trial will proceed forward and the jury will have to come to a verdict that the judge seems to believe will do some harm to both sides. To Samsung’s advantage, Judge Lucy Koh tossed three of its phones in question from the dispute a few days ago. To Apple’s, there’s still seventeen left.