Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930) was ordered to pay $290.45 million damages to Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) in connection with the patent infringement case between the two smartphone and tablet manufacturers.
Samsung violated some of the technology of Apple
In August last year, the jury found that Samsung violated some of the technology that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) integrated in its iPhone and iPad devices. The jury originally ordered the South Korean electronics manufacturer to pay $1.05 billion in damages to the Cupertino-based tech giant.
However, Presiding Justice Lucy Koh ordered a retrial on the damages award because the jury made an error in the computation and struck $450 million. During the retrial, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) demanded $380 million in damages, but Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930) argued that it should only pay $52 million for using the “pinch to zoom” technology in thirteen older phones.
During the retrial, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) marketing executive Phil Schiller emphasized that Samsung hurt the brand and reputation of the iPhone and iPad maker. He said the availability of a similar-looking product led consumers to question Apple’s innovation and design skills, and it became more difficult to create demand for its products because Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930) copied many attributes, designs, features, which are “the very essence of what Apple is all about.” He also said, “If we don’t have that, we don’t have Apple’s business.”
On the other hand, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930)’s attorney William Price challenged Apple’s innovation by asking if Apple owned a patent on a product being beautiful and sexy. He pointed out that the technology industry tends to follow the trends of products that are successful by demonstrating that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) decided to develop the iPad Mini after Samsung introduced the 7-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab.
Early this year, the court scheduled a trial regarding the allegation of Apple that the latest devices of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (LON:BC94) (KRX:005930) violated the patents of its iPhone and iPad.
Apple’s demand to prohibit Samsung
The Cupertino-based tech giant succeeded in its attempt to ban the sale of some of the devices of its rival in the United States. The U.S. Federal Circuit of Appeals in Washington D.C. ordered Judge Koh to reconsider Apple’s demand to prohibit Samsung from selling the infringing devices in the country. In December, Judge Koh rejected Apple’s demand because it failed to prove that consumers opted to buy Samsung devices because of the integration of the infringed features.
Samsung and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) are engaged in patent disputes worldwide. According to some legal experts, the lawsuits filed by the Cupertino-based tech giant against the South Korean electronics manufacturer serve as a proxy war against the Android operating system of Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG).
