U.S. District Judge Robert Scola said in an order that neither Apple nor Google’s Motorola Mobility unit have any interest in resolving their ongoing patent litigation, instead using the lawsuits as business strategy.
“The parties have no interest in efficiently and expeditiously resolving this dispute; they instead are using this and similar litigation worldwide as a business strategy that appears to have no end,” Scola said in an order. “That is not a proper use of this court.” Apple and Google are battling over “more than 180 claims related to 12 patents, and disputes over the meaning of more than 100 terms” in Florida court.
Scola gave both companies four months to streamline the scope of the case; a failure to do so will put the case on hold until all of the term disputes are resolved. [via Bloomberg]
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