Galaxy Nexus was not designed to avoid Apple patent suits, Samsung exec says

Speaking during the AsiaD conference in Hong Kong recently, Samsung’s head of global mobile product strategy Won-Pyo Hong denied reports that the Galaxy Nexus was designed to avoid lawsuits with Apple. “At the time this was not really an issue,” Hong said, speaking about the design process of the phone. “I don’t know where that rumor is from.” The gossip started with an early report from an industry insider who suggested Samsung delayed its planned launch in San Diego due to last minute tweaks that were required to avoid patent lawsuits. Then on Wednesday, Yonhap News Agency quoted Samsung’s mobile head Shin Jong-kyun on Wednesday as saying, “We will avoid everything we can and take patents very seriously. We will see if [the Galaxy Nexus] will be 100 percent free [of lawsuits].” Shin’s quotes certainly suggest Samsung made an effort to avoid patent infringement suits, but for now Samsung is saying that is not the case. Samsung and Apple are locked in a number of patent infringement lawsuits around the globe.Read