German court tosses out Samsung AND Apple patent sueballs

Chaebol dodges slide-to-unlock claim while Cupertino dodges 3G patent suit

Friday saw two new rulings in the ongoing Apple v Samsung patent squabble in Germany.

Judge Andreas Voss handed down one ruling in Samsung's favour (kicking out a claim by Apple over the slide-to-unlock patent) and one in Apple's favour (quashing a claim by Samsung that the iPhone had infringed one of its 3G network patents).

The Foss Patents blog suggests that the death of Apple's slide-to-unlock claim against Samsung in Mannheim won't affect the success of Apple's slide-to-unlock win against Motorola in Munich.

The companies are likely to appeal both of Friday's rulings.

Samsung has taken out seven patent lawsuits against Apple in Mannheim. Apple has at least another six pending.

The battle continues. ®