In a curious twist in the legal struggle between Apple and Samsung, Samsung has decided not to attempt to block sales of the iPhone 4S in South Korea, Samsung’s home country.
The decision, according a report from The Chosun Ilbo, appears to be motivated by public relations concerns, as Samsung does not wish to foster bad relations with South Korea consumers by blocking the iPhone 4S there.
We concluded that we should engage in legal battles with Apple only in the global market, but not in order to gain more market share in Korea.
Samsung reportedly debated the issue right up until the last minute. Samsung has filed similar injunctions in France, Italy, Australia and other countries, none of which have so far been decided in their favor. This decision follows early news that Samsung has been granted access to the iPhone 4S source code by an Australian court.
Despite the decision, Samsung is still expected to file injunctions to block the sale of the 4S in additional countries. Samsung remains a significant supplier for many components used by Apple in their devices.
