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Chip Lawsuit Aims to Block iPod Imports

Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 at 10:05 AM - by

Memory chip maker Spansion filed a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics that alleges the company is violating flash memory patents it owns. The filing aims to block imports of products that use Samsung-produced memory, including Apple's iPod and RIM's Blackberry smartphones, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The case also names companies that use Samsung flash chips, including Apple, Research in Motion, Lenovo Group, Sony, and Sony Ericsson -- a move that Spansion may have taken to put more pressure on Samsung. If successful, Spansion estimates that its suit could block upwards of 100 million products a year from entering the United States.

Despite the possibility of preventing flash memory-based devices from coming into the country, don't expect to see empty electronics store shelves any time soon. It could take upwards of 16 months for the court to issue a ruling, and Spansion and Samsung could strike a deal that ends the litigation -- and it isn't likely the court would block imports because the negative customer impact would be too high.

A Sony Ericsson spokesperson commented "We're surprised with the news today, because until now we've not been served with any papers about the lawsuit." Other companies, including Apple, have not commented.

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