Apple, Samsung take patent battle into the ‘hot tub’

Apple and Samsung are embroiled in a high-stakes patent battle in several countries, but only in Australia are they also engaged in “hot tubbing.”

Rather than a gaggle of lawyers hammering out their differences in the jacuzzi, the term refers to expert witnesses giving evidence in court together — rather than one by one — in the witness box.

Officially known as “concurrent evidence”, it has become increasingly common in Australia in complex, technical trials.