Despite the end of the patent war between Apple and HTC, other and more important lawsuits continue around the globe, between Apple and Samsung (KSE: 005930), by far the biggest maker of Android smartphones. "It's the first major sign of a stand-down we've seen in the smartphone wars," said Christopher V. Carani, a patent lawyer with McAndrews Held & Malloy in Chicago. According to Mr. Carani, the HTC settlement should not be seen as a sign that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) might resolve its disputes with Samsung, which involves more important patents. The stakes in Apple's dispute with Samsung are far higher than they were in its battle with HTC. Those stakes have certainly increased after the latest estimates by IDC, where Samsung leads the smartphone market share during the third quarter of this year, dethroning Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL).