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Samsung loses U.S. trial, owes Apple more than $1 billion in damages
After several comings and goings over the past few months, the Apple v. Samsung verdict has come in, widely favoring Apple who claimed in U.S. courts that Samsung's Android smartphones and tablets infringed on its intellectual property, including patents, trademarks and user interface.
The verdict was unanimous, giving Apple the right to $1.045 billion in damages, a handsome figure that nonetheless comes short of the $2.5+ billion the Cupertino-based company was seeking from Samsung. Some of the offending products in this case include the Nexus S, Epic 4G, Galaxy S 4G, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, and several others.
Note that this only spells the begining of the end of the U.S. trial between the two companies. As with most legal matters, appeals from both sides are likely to come.
A number of legal experts were quick to note that the jury's finding willful infringement on Samsung's side opens the door for further damage compensation, beyond the $1+ billion awarded thus far. The verdict also sets a precedent that Apple may take advantage of in other related pending litigations against the likes of HTC or Motorola Mobility. Robert Barr, executive director of the Center for Law and Technology at the University of California, Berkeley had this to share:
The amount of damages is extraordinary. A billion dollars in damages is extra. It’s one of the biggest patent verdicts ever. That’s a huge amount of damages. And the judge has to now decide whether to increase that for the wilfulness. And the judge could increase that as much as triple. The judge has to still decide if there will be an injunction against future sales or a recall of product.
Apple and Samsung released official statements following the verdict. Apple spokeswoman, Katie Cotton, said:
We are grateful to the jury for their service and for investing the time to listen to our story and we were thrilled to be able to finally tell it. The mountain of evidence presented during the trail showed that Samsung’s copying went far deeper than even we knew. The lawsuits between Apple and Samsung were about much more than patents or money. They were about values. At Apple, we value originality and innovation and pour our lives into making the best products on earth. We make these products to delight our customers, not for our competitors to flagrantly copy. We applaud the court for finding Samsung’s behavior willful and for sending a loud and clear message that stealing isn’t right.
Evidently, Samsung's reaction paints a grimmer picture, claiming the jury's decision could result in industry-wide consequences:
“Today’s verdict should not be viewed as a win for Apple, but as a loss for the American consumer,” Samsung said in a statement. “It will lead to fewer choices, less innovation, and potentially higher prices. It is unfortunate that patent law can be manipulated to give one company a monopoly over rectangles with rounded corners, or technology that is being improved every day by Samsung and other companies. Consumers have the right to choices, and they know what they are buying when they purchase Samsung products. This is not the final word in this case or in battles being waged in courts and tribunals around the world, some of which have already rejected many of Apple’s claims. Samsung will continue to innovate and offer choices for the consumer.”
According the Wikipedia, as of July 2012 Apple and Samsung were involved in more than 50 lawsuits around the globe with billions of dollars in damages claimed between them.
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User Comments: 93
Got something to say? Post a comment-
US juries eh ? How can they let ordinary joes make decisions like this ?
If this is held in appeal, then everyone's silicon will get more expensive.
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This is truly sad. Soon we will only have the choice of what Apple product we want because they are going to sue the pants off of everyone else for ever having used plastic in their devices...... Who needs innovation when we can have litigation right?
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Now that the gate is open, Apple will soon go after ASUS and rest of the android device manucfacturers. I really hope Google starts flexing its muscle and kick Apple where it hurts. Clearly, Apple is targeting Google's ecosystem.
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1 person liked this |
Well the good thing is that it will force companies like Samsung to actually develop their own stuff and truly innovate as they claim. While iOS has a great interface, surely somebody will come out with something original and as good if not better.
In the end, we, the consumers, will end up with better stuff from all the companies in the long run.
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Apple didn't invent shit they simply improved upon pre-existing technology.
By 2002 companies like Palm were releasing smartphones, like the TreoSmartphone, which included include wireless web browsing, email access, computer sync, and a third party suite of applications
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I have the original Samsung Galaxy S and most definitely did not buy it because it looks like an iPhone. I was, in fact, slightly dismayed at its iPhone resemblence.
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Littleczr said:
What exactly was the dispute over? Maybe some one can link me up.
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I'm interested with what will happen now to Apple's stock.
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Darth Shiv said:
If they infringed then I don't think $1 billion is the way to go about fixing it
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Only Apple wins. Everyone else (yes, all the iSheep as well) loses. A sadday for technology, a sad day for consumers.
Don't get me wrong, having worked as a designer and having ip stolen, I know patents have value. But this whole case has been about stupid things (rounded corners, icons, and so on). Goodbye free world, when "Adolph Apple" takes over...
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Yeah -- if Apple thinks that I'm going to buy one of their stupid iJunk phones, they've got another thing coming.
I'll save my money and wait for their "patent" to expire. Given that, supposedly, they were developing this stuff what -- like 10 years ago? Well, we just need to wait until about 2019 or so -- then we can all enjoy the benefits of not owning an Apple anything.
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1 person liked this |Littleczr said:
Lest not hate on apple here the truth is: Apple = best Hardware ever, operating system = lame.
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Yeah, now other companies will have to innovate more and mindlessly copy Apple less. It's a huge loss for consumers.
(sarcasm)
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Well the good thing is that it will force companies like Samsung to actually develop their own stuff and truly innovate as they claim. While iOS has a great interface, surely somebody will come out with something original and as good if not better.
In the end, we, the consumers, will end up with better stuff from all the companies in the long run.
What do you suggest, triangle tablets and smartphones? This all has to stop. Someone needs to stop Apple. What this all means is that if your phone is rectangular, then the company that sold it to you will now have to buy licenses from apple to use the patent of a rectangular phone or tablet. Apple literally can sit on its ass and rake the money in just cause they own the patent for a rectangular phone. This has and will damage the smart phone market. But yay for the jurors. They all get to retire for the rest of their lives.
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I just got a patent on a method for entering comments so you all owe me more money than you'll ever earn.
Really stupid laws, really stupid decision.
Samsung US should file for ch11 and move all it's assets to Canada, then maybe the law can see some sense and change the patent system.
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slamscaper said:
Apple's claims are completely ridiculous and unfounded. I cannot believe the verdict went this way. Because of this, I have lost all faith in the US legal system.
Samsung's post-trial statement hits the nail on the head. We live in a sad world when companies like Apple can get away with what they're doing. Great products or not, Apple has demonstrated that they have no morals and they'll do whatever it takes to stay on top.
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I see Apple loosing in the long run, ppl are sick of nazi-apple. Soon ppl will riot apple stores, burn em down, vandalizing every Apple billboard they come over too.
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This is great, apple need it ...... wait
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1 person liked this |Darth Shiv said:Lest not hate on apple here the truth is: Apple = best Hardware ever, operating system = lame.
Apple doesn't make the hardware. They just assemble it... the touchscreen... isn't that from Samsung?
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Darth Shiv said:I just got a patent on a method for entering comments so you all owe me more money than you'll ever earn.
Really stupid laws, really stupid decision.
Samsung US should file for ch11 and move all it's assets to Canada, then maybe the law can see some sense and change the patent system.
Or setup online stores based overseas and undercut the local US market prices even more...
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Matric said:
Just when you thought legal systems could not be anymore stupid and disconnected from the real world, they make a decision like this. Does this mean Ford can sue Chevy because they both have blue coloured cars with round headlights. Or can Edwin Belin sue Apple and pretty much everyone on the planet for transmitting a photograph over fibre optics.
Now I understand why there are so many bad lawyer jokes.
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Littleczr said:
The case was not If apple can patten those designs but if Samsung intentionally violate apples pattens.
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Lest not hate on apple here the truth is: Apple = best Hardware ever, operating system = lame.
Watcha Smokin there Mr Little? It must be some really strong shit.
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Littleczr said:Watcha Smokin there Mr Little? It must be some really strong ****.
Actually I was drinking captain morgain with coke. But yeah I much rather have an android phone.
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Apple's claims are completely ridiculous and unfounded. I cannot believe the verdict went this way. Because of this, I have lost all faith in the US legal system.
Samsung's post-trial statement hits the nail on the head. We live in a sad world when companies like Apple can get away with what they're doing. Great products or not, Apple has demonstrated that they have no morals and they'll do whatever it takes to stay on top.
US Illegal System. The system is utterly terrible, the whole Government is.
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