Samsung Goes After Apple's iPhone 5

The Apple Inc. iPhone 5, right, and the Samsung Electronics Co. Galaxy S III

Samsung has just added the iPhone 5 to its list of patent targets, just the latest volley in a heated legal battle between the two titans of mobile.

In this case, Samsung is basically suing Apple not just over the iPhone 5, but also including every product Apple makes that runs the Mac OS or mobile iOS, plus Apple TV.

One thing I find interesting about these patents Samsung is putting out there: They were all filed years before the iPhone came out.

This latest legal fight that the iPhone 5 has gotten wrapped into started on June 15, when Samsung first outlined the suit. It includes two wireless patents, and a few feature patents.

So I went through the details filed with the U.S. District Court and looked at each Samsung patent in this case to see what they're about.

Mostly they're about media — things like Apple's Photo Stream, iTunes Match, the Remote app you use to enable your phone to control Apple TV; it might even cover features like taking a still picture while recording a video.

Given how long ago Samsung filed these patents, there's nothing I see that's specifically targeting the iPhone 5 — Samsung just adding the latest iPhone because it's newest version since the original lawsuit was filed. Keep in mind, this case isn't expected to be heard until 2014. It's just one of many fronts where Apple and Samsung are fighting.

Of course, Apple won an important early victory this summer when a jury said Samsung violated many of Apple's patents related to the iPhone, and ordered Samsung to pay just over $1 billion.

To check out each Samsung patent in this case, click on the links below.

1. US Patent 7756087

2. US Patent 7551596

3. US Patent 7672470

4. US Patent 7577757

5. US Patent 7232058

6. US Patent 6292179

7. US Patent 6226449

8. US Patent 5579239

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