A seven-year patent infringement battle over Samsung’s copying of several major iPhone features is finally over, the judge in the case has confirmed.
Back in 2011, Apple successfully alleged Samsung’s Galaxy phones had stolen patented software features like bounce back, pinch to zoom, tap to zoom and had copied the iPhone’s hardware design in a number of ways.
Apple was initially awarded $1 billion in compensation, but a number of appeals over many years eventually brought that figure down to $539 million, which was the figure awarded as recently as this May.
Samsung had appealed for a new trial, claiming it was more than the $399m it had managed to barter down to. Thankfully, for the sake of everyone involved (including us as reporters and yourselves as readers) the two parties have managed to come to an agreeable settlement.
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The final amount Samsung will have to play remains undisclosed, so it seems we’ll never know how much Apple will get from the long-running case. Regardless, it’s likely to be small fry compared to the 13.8 billion in net profit the firm announced for the first three months of 2018.
‘Samsung blatantly copied our design’
Apple hasn’t commented on the settlement, but is referring media outlets back to its comments in May.
Last month it said: “We believe deeply in the value of design, and our teams work tirelessly to create innovative products that delight our customers. This case has always been about more than money. Apple ignited the smartphone revolution with iPhone and it is a fact that Samsung blatantly copied our design. It is important that we continue to protect the hard work and innovation of so many people at Apple.”
Judge Lucy Koh, of the Northern District Court of California, has published a filing announcing the settlement.
It reads: “Plaintiff Apple Inc. and Defendants Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Samsung Electronics America, Inc., and Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC would like to inform the Court that they have agreed to drop and settle their remaining claims and counterclaims in this matter.”
Are you relieved this is the end of the Samsung vs Apple patent war? Or were your fascinated by the battle between the world’s most dominant mobile makers? Let us know @TrustedReviews on Twitter.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
