The patent wars between Samsung and Apple are continuing, with Samsung aiming to its US copyright fine further, after a judge decided to reduce the original sum from $1.05bn to $600m.
Judge Lucy Koh late on Friday knocked $450m off the $1.05bn award, and ordered a new jury trial to decide how much – if any – damages Samsung should pay for infringements by 14 handsets and tablets from the original case.
Back in August 2012, Apple won a US patent claim against Samsung in US courts. The original case, a jury decided that some Samsung products had copied the appearance of Apple’s iPhone 3GS, and also infringed a “rubber-banding” patent when trying to scroll past the top of an onscreen list, and the “tap to zoom” function to enlarge text on screen with a double tap of the finger.
The new decision from Koh does not overrule the jury’s decision in the original trial; the new jury will only decide the size of damages to be paid over 14 other products that were found to infringe Apple’s patents on design or use, or both.
Now, Samsung is looking to further reduce its hefty bill and said it would dispute the new $600m fine.
“Samsung intends to seek further review as to the remaining award,” it said in a statement.
Apple’s shares tumbled yesterday, sending its market value below $400bn for the first time in more than 13 months.
It’s market capitalisation fell below energy giant Exxon Mobil, which regained its position as the world’s most valuable public firm.
Apple and Samsung have waged war in courts across the globe over the past two years over alleged copying of each other’s technology.
The feud has extended to the UK courts, where Samsung was found not to have copied Apple’s iPad, in part because Samsung’s tablet was “not as cool” as its rival’s device.
