Mediation talks between Apple and Samsung have reportedly broke down, with neither side agreeing upon a compromise in their ongoing patent dispute. Neither party has confirmed the news, though multiple insider reports claim the most recent meeting was unproductive, meaning a final solution will need to be decided in court. In January, a judge ordered both sides to meet to discuss a possible settlement, though reports claimed discussions were getting heated over an anti-cloning disagreement.
Samsung co-CEO JK Shin was reportedly scheduled to fly out to the U.S. next week, before the judge's imposed February 19 deadline, but insiders now say Shin has no plans to visit with Apple. Given the history between the two companies, and the stakes involved, it's no surprise that either side is willing to budge without a court's intervention. According to a report from FOSS Patents last month, Samsung was unwilling to reach a settlement with Apple because of an anti-cloning agreement, which Samsung reportedly said is at odds "with the strategy that enabled [it] to become the global market leader in smartphones."
Both companies are scheduled to meet back in court on March 31, where Apple is seeking to get an injunction against older Samsung products stemming from a ruling back in 2012. As of now, Samsung is on the hook to pay Apple around $980 million for infringing on the Cupertino company's products.
