Outcome of Apple and Samsung’s patent talks expected on Friday

The outcome of patent talks between Apple CEO Tim Cook and senior Samsung executives could be disclosed as soon as Friday, when Samsung’s chairman, vice chairman and mobile chief Shin return to meet in Korea.

The Korea Herald reports that vice chairman Choi Gee-sung and mobile chief Shin Jong-kyun will return from talks with Tim Cook in San Francisco tomorrow, meeting with chairman Lee Kun-hee, who is also rumoured to be returning to Seoul at that time.

The meeting was ‘requested’ by Judge Lucy Koh in April, a representative of the Northern District Court in California, who is currently presiding over two lawsuits that Samsung and Apple are fighting in the state.

Overseen by U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero, the voluntary meeting would have made either party look like they were being uncooperative if they hadn’t taken part.

There is no guarantee that the meeting will have resulted in a resolution of the patent fight between the companies, but it is probably the most public demonstration of a commitment to discussing licensing agreements, rather than more legal posturing.

If an agreement can’t be reached, the two companies will go to the US International Trade Commission, with both parties filing complaints with the trade agency.

Apple and Samsung are embroiled in over 30 patent lawsuits across the world, which cover the design and technologies used in their smartphone and tablet products.