Is It Too Late for an Apple-Samsung Settlement?

The two tech titans may have gone too far to reach a peaceful resolution. Last week, Apple AAPL attempted to suck Google GOOG into its ongoing patent dispute with Samsung. The iPhone maker asked a judge to force Google to hand over documents relating to Android, the primary mobile OS featured in Samsung's smartphones and tablets. Two days later, Magistrate Judge Paul Grewal ordered Google to provide Apple with the search terms it used when providing court-ordered documents that related to Android's source code. As this and other legal battles continue for Apple and Samsung, one can only imagine if the end will ever come. "I think the longer this goes on…the trajectory is for continued action in litigation rather than resolution," Cheryl Milone, founder and CEO of Article One Partners (a patent validation community), told Benzinga. "I think that the time for a resolution would have been before the trial." Consequently, it could take some time for a resolution to come. "There will need to be another time when the business risk itself is assessed," said Milone. "I don't think that time has come. I think the opportunity came and passed." Milone is amazed at the number of Apple and Samsung cases that have proceeded. "You don't generally see this many cases between companies get to trial," she said. "There just seems to be a level of need for intervention within telecom companies that's at a higher level than you generally see in the industry. Generally companies are able to resolve as opposed to expand -- and they're clearly expanding litigation in the telecom space." Louis Bedigian is the Senior Tech Analyst and Features Writer of Benzinga. You can reach him at 248-636-1322 or louis(at)benzingapro(dot)com. Follow him @LouisBedigianBZ