The New Year is traditionally a time of fresh starts, clean breaks and countless other clichés which involve letting bygones be bygones. When billions of pounds are at stake, however, all this goes out the window.

Apple has slapped its first patent infringement accusation on Samsung as the legal battle between these two smartphone powerhouses grumbles on into 2012.

The technological bickering revolves around specific functions on Android 4.0, which Apple lawyers claim have been half-inched straight from the iPhone’s iOS. The ‘slide to unlock’ function has been under patent by Apple for some time now, and the Cupertino gang believe they have good grounds on which to haul up – specifically – the Google Nexus for patent infringement.

Both Apple and Samsung have been selling phones by the truckload over the Christmas period in particular, so it can be seen as a shrewd move by Apple to try and pull the rug from under Samsung’s Nexus: Google’s pride and joy.

Plenty of mud is being slung from Samsung’s camp as well: the technology giants claiming that Apple has helped themselves to 3G technology which Samsung claim legal ownership of.

Whatever the eventual outcome of these claims and counter-claims, things look set to get a whole lot worse before a resolution is found.