AfterDawn: News

Samsung owes Apple $1.05 billion after patent victory

Apple has won its largest decision ever, a sweeping legal victory over rival Samsung.

A U.S. jury found that Samsung had infringed on many of Apple's patents, and awarded the tech giant $1.05 billion in damages.



Apple, the most profitable smartphone maker, and the second-largest, by volume, will likely use the decision to seek full injunctions on Samsung products in the U.S., including the popular Galaxy Note and Galaxy S III devices.

The jury deliberated for just 60 hours before coming back with their decision on the seven patent claims. Apple has long claimed that Samsung stole and copied key features of the iPad and iPhone to create their own devices.

Earlier today, a South Korean court found that both companies were equally to blame and banned the iPhone 4, the iPad and 10 Samsung products like the Galaxy S II.

The jury had seen evidence and instruction about seven Apple patents, five Samsung patents, and damages. Some of Apple's more ridiculous claims including patents for geometric designs with rounded corners.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 24 Aug 2012 22:31

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• 19 comments

• imnomyth

  Man I hate Apple...

  24.8.2012 23:26 #1

• Bozobub

  If Apple thinks this is going to drive sales for them, they're deluded.

  25.8.2012 01:23 #2

• Mysttic

  Quote:
  If Apple thinks this is going to drive sales for them, they're deluded.
  Sadly here I believe you are wrong. Can it be any surprise that an American jury backed an American company? As Samsung states, prices for the tech will drive up, (assuming it isn't banned) and honestly people aren't going to revolt by throwing in their $ to another manufacturer. Some will but most won't. Still this not only limits choice but cost as Samsung will have to offshoot the cost through consumers.

  25.8.2012 01:41 #3

• Bozobub

  Apple's prices are also going to skyrocket for 2 reasons: lack of competition, plus they get their processors from *drum roll* Samsung - lol...
  
  This won't drive anyone who wasn't already going to buy an iPhone towards Apple's products. It's more of a windfall for HTC/other smartphone manufacturers

  25.8.2012 01:44 #4

• Brian0423

  I know this wont sway my choice to get an apple product. I got my galaxy tab and my s3. Love them both. The only reason apple persued samsung is because their product is far more better.

  25.8.2012 04:11 #5

• motormous

  its because of the rabid apple attitude i got rid of my iphone and got a samsung. i liked my iphone but i have a problem with any company that wants to kill all competition because as far as i can see it should be the consumers choice not the coroprate monsters determined to have all the toys in their box.
  

  25.8.2012 04:35 #6

• shadow758

  I don't know why thay can't grow up and play together. I like my Apple but my next phone will be a Samsung due to scrren size.

  25.8.2012 05:39 #7

• KillerBug

  Makes me sad (well, sadder) to be a us citizen. The really annoying part is thatmost of the patents apple claims (for everything, not just this case) were commonplace before apple ever considered using them. RIM could kick Apple around the courtroom use the same claims that apple used against samsung, except they didn't put patents on tech that they didn't invent.
  
  It is easy to blame apple and the court and the jury, but ultimately the fault lies with the us patent office. Almost without exception, every patent granted to apple (not including those bought from other companies) has been for something that someone else was making before the patent application was filed...many times on devices that were inside the patent office itself when the applications were filed!
  
  That said, I also blame the lawyers...the samsung lawyers. It was a jury case. They could have shot down most of the claims simply by bringing in an old blackberry and pointing out the things that apple stole from it. Patent law is pretty clear on that...if you can prove that the patent holder was not the first to make something, the patent is just worthless paper.
  

  
  

  25.8.2012 06:27 #8

• JST1946

  To much greed in the U.S.now.Pretty soon there won't be a middle class. Just the rich and the poor.Everyone is going crazy suing each other.I agree with you 100% KillerBug.
  Oh by the way I don't own any Apple products only Samsung.
  

  20 Year U.S.Army Veteran.Vietnam 1969-1972 101st Abn.Div.

  25.8.2012 07:06 #9

• Bozobub

  Originally posted by KillerBug: That said, I also blame the lawyers...the samsung lawyers. It was a jury case. They could have shot down most of the claims simply by bringing in an old blackberry and pointing out the things that apple stole from it. Patent law is pretty clear on that...if you can prove that the patent holder was not the first to make something, the patent is just worthless paper.
  Samsung's lawyers did bring up the "prior art" argument, actually, with very obvious examples for each of Apple's patents. The jury was simply boneheaded.
  
  Samsung is very likely to win an appeal on this case, imo.

  25.8.2012 11:11 #10

• Dardandec

  Myself and my boy use Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus phones and its a great phone, suits our needs, my daughter is on Blackberry Curve 9360, she loves her phone.
  None of us wish at anytime to get an apple product as they are overpriced and over-hyped,(oops, sorry there is a couple of tiny ipod thingys lying arround- very little used gifts from somebody).
  Sad to here apple won that case, long live the competition.

  25.8.2012 11:43 #11

• Mysttic

  What gets me is the jury claimed that Galaxy line looked too much like the Iphone and it caused them to be confused... Like seriously... Really? You expect all other nations to believe that? Americans should feel sad for those jurors, because honestly the rest of the world is laughing at them right now. Cause if they are that stupid, they should not have been selected as jurors. And if they are not stupid, then they played the system to favor an American company with bias.
  
  Samsung should pay Tide for the rights to use "I can see the difference, can you see the difference?" ad campaign.

  25.8.2012 11:45 #12

• KillerBug

  Originally posted by Bozobub: Originally posted by KillerBug: That said, I also blame the lawyers...the samsung lawyers. It was a jury case. They could have shot down most of the claims simply by bringing in an old blackberry and pointing out the things that apple stole from it. Patent law is pretty clear on that...if you can prove that the patent holder was not the first to make something, the patent is just worthless paper.
  Samsung's lawyers did bring up the "prior art" argument, actually, with very obvious examples for each of Apple's patents. The jury was simply boneheaded.
  
  Samsung is very likely to win an appeal on this case, imo. Must have missed that. All the more depressing then. I wonder how much stock each of the jurors got.
  
  
  Originally posted by Mysttic: What gets me is the jury claimed that Galaxy line looked too much like the Iphone and it caused them to be confused... Like seriously... Really? You expect all other nations to believe that? Americans should feel sad for those jurors, because honestly the rest of the world is laughing at them right now. Cause if they are that stupid, they should not have been selected as jurors. And if they are not stupid, then they played the system to favor an American company with bias.
  
  Samsung should pay Tide for the rights to use "I can see the difference, can you see the difference?" ad campaign. By Apple's own logic, their devices should be banned for using tons of prior art. I'd really love to see RIM take them to court as there could only be a few results:
  1.) All apple mobile devices get banned and apple pays hundreds of billions to RIM.
  2.) Apple admits how insane this all is and drops the whole thing.
  3.) We get yet another open and obvious example that money is more powerful than law, and RIM devices get banned for using technology that Apple stole from them.

  25.8.2012 12:11 #13

• LordRuss

  Originally posted by Mysttic: What gets me is the jury claimed that Galaxy line looked too much like the Iphone and it caused them to be confused... Like seriously... Really? You expect all other nations to believe that? Americans should feel sad for those jurors, because honestly the rest of the world is laughing at them right now. I'm right there with you.
  
  When I was getting my Design Engineering degree the foremost thing we were taught was brand loyalty or brand recognition. If you can't pick that item up & within 5 seconds tell who that item basically belongs to, you failed your job.
  
  So even if that phone were made by Dodge, there should be enough design features in that phone to make it a Dodge phone to readily make it Brand recognizable.
  
  I simply REFUSE to believe these simpletons can't tell what an iPhone is. The damn things really haven't changed in, how long? I mean REALLY changed. The basics are still there. Not to mention that damned half eaten logo. If that don't give it away nothing will.
  
  All that aside... Doesn't Samsung have Apple's balls in a vise over two other court cases yet to be resolved? Or is this just another one of those "Russ, get out of the medicine cabinet!" again?
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  25.8.2012 15:02 #14

• Interestx

  Corrupt justice.
  
  This happened in San José, Calif.
  Apple corp's HQ hometown....seriously?
  Ha ha ha ha ha.
  Bet they had a great laugh over that one.
  
  I just hope Samsung have the sense to countersue in South Korea, downtown Seoul ought to be about right & fair in light of this - and they can pay for all of this by jacking the price of all those Samsung components the iPhone uses.
  
  The Apple customerbase will pay through the nose regardless so it's win-win for Sammy.
  
  As for the case itself?
  You might as well have all the car manufacturers line up to sue each other for making cars that are so similar.
  
  
  
  

  25.8.2012 15:07 #15

• LordRuss

  Originally posted by Interestx: Corrupt justice.
  
  This happened in San José, Calif.
  Apple corp's HQ hometown....seriously?
  Ha ha ha ha ha.
  Bet they had a great laugh over that one.
  
  I just hope Samsung have the sense to countersue in South Korea, downtown Seoul ought to be about right & fair in light of this - and they can pay for all of this by jacking the price of all those Samsung components the iPhone uses.
  
  The Apple customerbase will pay through the nose regardless so it's win-win for Sammy.
  
  As for the case itself?
  You might as well have all the car manufacturers line up to sue each other for making cars that are so similar.
  
  
  
  No kidding!?! I wonder how Apple would feel when that bear trap slammed shut on their nuts on that side of the ocean?
  
  The only problem I see with the cost of components going up though is Samsung can only 'stick it to them' after current contracts have been met. Then they could graciously bow out, thus leaving Apple with a sore culo looking for hardware.
  
  Talk about playing 'hard ball'.
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  25.8.2012 15:33 #16

• Azuran

  Quote:The only problem I see with the cost of components going up though is Samsung can only 'stick it to them' after current contracts have been met. Then they could graciously bow out, thus leaving Apple with a sore culo looking for hardware. I see this flawed logic pop up quite often and I don't understand it. Why would Samsung turn away a high volume customer with a AAA credit rating? To "stick it" to them? The only people Samsung will be sticking it to is themselves. Sure it might cause a hiccup in Apple's supply, but eventually they will recover. Then it will be business as usual for Apple while Samsung will be that much poorer.
  

  25.8.2012 21:09 #17

• Bozobub

  If you read the recent news, Apple has already lost their case in S. Korea. So this case is even siller =p ...

  25.8.2012 22:34 #18

• aeonstom0

  "Some of Apple's more ridiculous claims including patents for geometric designs with rounded corners."
  
  I may as well bring a lawsuit to the Apple executive for looking like me............ and Maybe I'll win in the USA
  

  5.9.2012 01:55 #19