Mixed verdict in Apple-Samsung patent fight
SAN JOSE, Calif. — A federal jury said on Friday that Apple and Samsung had infringed each other’s patents on some mobile devices, a split decision in the latest court fight between the two technology giants.
The jurors found that at least some Samsung devices infringed two of four patents at issue. The judge in the case, Lucy H. Koh, had already ruled that Samsung infringed a fifth patent.
For infringing the patents, the jurors concluded, Samsung must pay Apple $119.6 million in damages, far below the $2 billion that Apple had demanded in total.
The Galaxy S3, the cellphone that is one of Samsung’s flagship products, accounted for the biggest portion, contributing $52 million of the damages.
The jurors decided that Apple violated one of the two Samsung patents at issue, awarding Samsung $158,400 in damages. It had sought $6 million for both patents combined.
The verdict and damages, which were being reviewed by the lawyers for the two sides, are not big financial blows to Samsung or much of a gain for Apple, two of the world’s most successful consumer electronics companies. And the decision does not give any clear momentum to either company in their continuing patent disputes, which have spanned several years and countries.
In 2012, Apple won its first big patent fight against Samsung, and Samsung still owes $930 million in damages.