Sony contests Dutch seizures of Playstations

GAMING CONSOLE MAKER Sony has confirmed that Dutch customs agents are seizing Playstation 3 consoles and that it will appeal an injunction against its gaming devices obtained by its rival LG Electronics.

The problem arose last week when LG secured a preliminary injunction in the European Union that directed customs to seize any imported PS3s.

LG claimed that Sony was infringing its patents relating to Blu-ray technology, which means a full-scale war could be on the cards, given how essential Blu-ray is to PS3s.

If LG wins its case against Sony, the Japanese company will have to either alter the PS3, stop shipping to Europe, or pay LG patent licensing royalties, the latter of which is the most likely outcome.

According to Reuters, Sony will appeal the injunction, saying that it has not infringed LG's patents. The companies have been at each other's throats since an agreement between them ended three years ago.

The Dutch authorities indicated that Sony had been given notice of the potential seizures in late February, but that had not stopped the company from shipping its products into the country anyway.

The consoles can be held for up to 10 days, with a possible 10 day extension while waiting for an outcome to the dispute, which might prove costly for Sony. µ