Apple and Samsung have trimmed the number of claims they will assert in a broad intellectual-property lawsuit regarding smartphone and tablet products.

Last week, Judge Lucy Koh of the US District Court for the Northern District of California ordered the two companies to boil down the number of claims to be considered in the intellectual-property lawsuit concerning their smartphone and tablet products by May 7. Otherwise, the lawsuit would be postponed to next year. The Judge said that it would be be very hard to continue the trial due to the numerous alleged infringements.

Judge Lucy Koh of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on May 2 asked Apple and Samsung to boil down the case, which involves patent infringement and other claims, so a jury can comprehend the issues in a streamlined trial scheduled to begin July 30. Koh wants to give each side 25 hours to present its case.

Apple decided to narrow the case on its patents for jury trial to four utility patent claims and a small set of design-related claims.

Commenting on Apple's move, Samsung said Apple has done little to streamline the case. For its part, Samsung dropped two patents from the lawsuit, reducing the total number of claims based on those patents.

Apple sued Samsung in April last year for violations of a range of Apple patents and trademarks in Samsung Android smartphones and tablets. Samsung countersued on patent claims. In February this year, Apple filed another, separate suit against Samsung, this time on products released after the first suit was filed.