Samsung Pulls iPhone 4S From Patent Case, But Fight Continues

Samsung on Friday pulled the iPhone 4S from an ongoing patent case against Apple in Germany, but the company said it was purely to speed up the process and does not mean Apple is off the hook regarding its popular smartphone.

"In order to expedite proceedings, Samsung excluded without prejudice claims relating to the iPhone 4S in its lawsuit in Mannheim, Germany," a Samsung spokesman said in a statement. "This was done in order to ensure a timely resolution to the proceedings in Mannheim, and does not affect legal action taken by Samsung elsewhere."

Despite the fact that the iPhone 4S has been removed from this particular case, "Samsung has in no way waived the right to assert its telecommunications standards-related patents in relation to the iPhone 4S," the company said.

"Where appropriate, Samsung may continue to take further legal action to assert its telecommunications standards-related patents in relation to the iPhone4S," the spokesman concluded.

The news was first reported by patent blogger Florian Mueller, who is in attendance at today's hearing in Manheim and has been tweeting about the proceedings.

With the iPhone 4S or not, the companies reportedly face a few hurdles. Bloomberg reported that Judge Andreas Voss said Apple and Samsung might have trouble proving that they're violating each others' patents.

Samsung is going after Apple and its iPhone 4S in various courts around the country, but thus far, it has not had much luck. Earlier this month, Samsung to have the device banned in France. Last month, an Italian judge also for a ban on the Apple iPhone 4S in the country.

Samsung, meanwhile, is also in Japan and Australia.

Recently, meanwhile, a U.S. judge for a preliminary injunction against four Samsung products that Cupertino claims infringes upon its patents.