After what can be considered downtime between the two tech giants, Apple is out for Samsung’s blood yet again. Apple has recently filed an amendment adding Samsung’s latest device, Galaxy S4, to the list of infringing devices in a lawsuit that is schedule to take place in 2014. Of course this isn’t the least bit surprising considering the litigious recent history between the two companies. However, in a somewhat surprising move, Apple has included a new complaint against Samsung in regards to… Google Now.

Apple is claiming Google Now violates U.S. patents 8,086,604 and 6,846,959, two patents related to Siri, as a “universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system”. You may be thinking: how is it surprising that Apple is gunning after Google Now? It isn’t. What is surprising is Apple going after Samsung for Google Now.

You see Google Now is an inherent part of Android that Samsung has absolute no control over. Google Now comes with all devices running Android 4.1 and higher, and it is completely built and controlled by Google… not Samsung. It would make more sense if Apple went after Samsung for S Voice, Samsung’s iteration of voice command apps. Then again, Apple has a history of attacking Android vis-a-vis suing Android manufacturers as opposed to going for Google directly, so I suppose this isn’t surprising at all.

It remains to be seen if Apple’s claims will hold up in court. Personally speaking, I’m finding it hard to believe Apple will be able to win this particular fight. After all, Google has had voice search way before Apple bought Siri for iOS. And Google Now was approved by Apple to appear in Apple App Store (albeit in a slightly watered-down version as compared to Android); if Apple thought it was infringing on Apple IP, then why approve it? Apple has denied apps in the past for lesser reasons.

[via FOSS Patents, Droid-Life]