Samsung must pay Apple $539 million for violating iPhone patents

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Samsung
Samsung argued it should pay just $28 million.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

A jury has decided that Samsung must pay Apple $539 million in damages, following four days of deliberation — and years of ongoing legal battles.

The verdict is almost exactly in the middle of the $1 billion in damages Apple was requesting, and the $28 million Samsung’s lawyers felt the South Korean tech giant should pay.

Of the total sum, $533,316,606 relates to Samsung’s infringement of three key iPhone design patents. The additional $5,325,050 million covers two more utility patents that Samsung also was infringing on.

In a statement issued after the verdict, Apple said that, “It is a fact that Samsung blatantly copied our design … “We’re grateful to the jury for their service and pleased they agree that Samsung should pay for copying our products.”

Samsung, meanwhile, complained that the verdict contradicted an earlier decision in which the extent of damages had been disputed. “Today’s decision flies in the face of a unanimous Supreme Court ruling in favor of Samsung on the scope of design patent damages,” Samsung said. “We will consider all options to obtain an outcome that does not hinder creativity.”

A brief history of Samsung vs. Apple

Samsung’s battle with Apple — and vice versa — has been raging on for seven years. This week’s decision marked the third retrial over the same five patents being contested in the suit.

Apple was originally awarded $1.05 billion in damages from Samsung back in 2012. However, Judge Lucy Koh reduced this figure after finding errors in the calculations used to get there. In 2013, Apple was awarded $290 million, only for this to be appealed by Samsung to the Supreme Court.

Jump forward to December 2016, and the Supreme Court agreed with Samsung’s argument that it was unfair to punish its entire profits based on one element of a design.

We wish we could say that this was the last we’ll hear of it. But with Samsung’s statement, you just know that the lawyers are back in their meeting room today discussing where to go next!

Source: CNET

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