If the two sides were hard and fast in their positions, like some politicians, it might have taken 1/2 and hour. Closer to 3 hours sounds more like two sides trying to come to some sort of middle ground they both can live with. Settlements are never as big as court ordered decisions, but they happen sooner, cost less, and are money in the bank versus trusting one's fate to others. I would hope that a settlement with Apple, based on the millions of products that they have infringed on would have to be pretty significant.