Samsung Found Guilty, Fined $1 Billion for Infringing iPad, iPhone Patents

A nine-member jury in San Jose, California on Friday rejected Apple's "rectangle" design patent related to the shape of the iPad, and claims that Samsung diluted trade dress for the iPad's appearance. But other than those, Apple emerged victorious after the jury found Samsung guilty of violating nearly every single claim of design and/or technology patent violations by the Galaxy Tab and Samsung smartphones. While Apple had sought upwards of $2.5 billion in damages, the jury ordered the Korean electronics giant to pay Apple (a still staggering) $1.049 billion. The jury also rejected counterclaims that Apple violated Samsung's utility patents.

What Else You Need To Know:

- The biggest violators of Apple's patents were Fascinate, Epic 4G and Galaxy S II, according to the jury's 21-page decision read by U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh.

- Samsung, which is expected to appeal the decision, said Friday's verdict will lead to "fewer choices, less innovation, and potentially higher prices."

- Apple is coming back to court next month to ask Judge Koh to issue an injunction and order Samsung pull tablets and smart phones from shelves.

- Apple has current and potential cases against other Android device-makers like HTC and Motorola

Other sources

The verdict brings an end to the four-week patent trial that left spectators and the industry reeling at the inner workings of two of the world's largest tech companies. - Michelle Fitzsimmons, Tech Radar

The verdict in this case is both a victory and a defeat for the tech world. It's a victory for those who believe in diversified design and protecting intellectual property rights. But it's a defeat that Apple was able to defend and extract damages from a patent on a gird of colorful rounded squares as an app launcher (among others). - Derek Kessler, webOS Nation

Other: Court officials: Apple v. Samsung jury has reached a verdict
GigaOM: Breaking: Reports say jurors in Apple-Samsung reach a verdict

Most court watchers predicted the ruling would not come until next week because of the case’s complexity.
Other: Live: Apple vs. Samsung verdict
Other: Jury reaches verdict in Apple-Samsung trial: court officials
PCWorld: Breaking News: U.S. Jury Reaches Decision in Apple/Samsung Patent Case
Tech Radar: Apple vs Samsung trial: a patent attorney weighs in

It's unusual for patent cases to get this much press. That has to do with the fact that it hits where people live - most people have one or the other of the phones [iPhone, Galaxy S, etc.] at issue.
Android Central: Apple v. Samsung v. Apple: It's almost over, only, not really
All About Symbian: Apple vs Samsung verdict reached – expect appeals

Basically this entire drawn out and ridiculous set of lawsuits is almost over — only it isn’t. No matter what the outcome we will most certainly see an appeal from one side, if not both.
Android Central: Apple vs. Samsung US verdict is in... but we have no idea what it is yet!
Other: Jury: Samsung infringed Apple's software patents

On the question of inducement — in other words, did the Korean company force its US divisions to infringe — the jury ruled yes to all devices on '381, yes for all devices but the Replenish on '915, and yes for all devices but the Captivate, Continuum, Gem, Indulge, Nexus S 4G, Transform, and Vibrant on '163.
: Samsung loses in Apple trial, found to infringement all patents for almost all devices

Samsung has also been found guilty of willful infringement for most patents in question for most of the company’s devices, except for the Galaxy Tab.
Chip Chick: Verdict Reportedly Reached In Apple v. Samsung Trial
SlashGear: Samsung guilty on dozens patent infringements vs Apple

All of the devices listed were found to be infringing upon claim 19 of 301 patent including SEC, SEA, and STA: Galaxy Tab Wi-fi (SEA), Captivate (STA), Continuum, Droid Charge, Exhibit 4G, Galasy Ace, Prevail, S 4G, S II, Galaxy Tab, The Gem, Indulge, Infuse 4G, Mesmerie, Nexus S 4G, Replenish and Vibrant.
Other: Samsung infringed on Apple design patents, jury rules
Other: Apple vs. Samsung: the verdict
Other: Jury: Samsung diluted Apple's trade dress for the iPhone, but not iPad

As for the iPad and the unregistered iPhone, the jury found no dilution of the devices' trade dress.
SlashGear: Samsung patent infringement ruled “willful” vs Apple

Question after question it appeared that names like Captivate, Continuum, Droid Charge, Epic 4G, Fascinate, Galaxy S i9000, S 4G, Showcase, Gem, Indulge, Infuse 4G, Mesmerize, and Vibrant were each death bells for Samsung as infringements appeared against patents like D’677, 381, 163, and more.
Other: Jury awards Apple $1.05 billion in Samsung patent dispute ruling

The jury was tasked with reviewing each patent, assigning a cumulative dollar amount to over 700 patent-specific questions.
GigaOM: Disaster for Samsung: Jury awards Apple $1.05 billion in patent case

Apple won rulings based on its “design patents” which covered the shape of its iPhones. The jury did not, however, side with Apple on its controversial “rectangle” design patent that related to the shape of the iPad.
Legit Reviews: Jury Awards Apple $1.051 Billion On Claims Against Samsung
Android Central: Samsung found guilty of most patent-infringement charges from Apple. Fined $1 billion.
Other: Samsung awarded no damages in Apple patent counter-suit
PCWorld: Federal Jury Decides Largely in Apple's Favor, Samsung Hit With $1 Billion in Damages
Other: Jury Finds Samsung Guilty of Patent Infringement – Apple Awarded over $1 Billion in Damages

One surprising result was that the jury did not find that Samsung infringed upon patent D’889 with the Galaxy Tab, “trade dress registration of the iPad’s appearance,” when the tablets did appear so similar.
SlashGear: Apple damages vs Samsung: ZERO

Samsung challenged Apple in this case on patent claims for UTMS standard technology as well as several other smaller items. Across the board, Apple was found not guilty – no wrongdoing in ay way at all.
Other: Apple decisively wins Samsung trial: what it means
Other: Microsoft employees react to Samsung vs. Apple verdict, 'Windows Phone is looking gooooood right now'
Android Central: Apple vs Samsung verdict: Jury finds predominantly for Apple, orders Samsung to pay over $1 billion in damages

It'll take a while even for those well versed in trademark law to sift through the fine details and add perspective and clarity, and help form some sort of informed opinion on what this means for Apple, Samsung, and mobile going forward.
Other: Apple triumphs over Samsung, awarded over $1 billion damages
Other: Wall Street Reacts to Apple's Legal Win Over Samsung: Maybe, Let's Not Kill All the Lawyers!

Shares of the tech giant, which have risen 76 percent in the last year, are now up almost 1.8 percent, or $11.73, to $674.95. Apple’s stock closed Friday afternoon at $663.22.
GigaOM: Victory over Samsung on historic anniversary for Apple

Apple told the Wall Street Journal: ”The mountain of evidence presented during the trial showed that Samsung’s copying went far deeper than even we knew … We make these products to delight our customers, not for our competitors to flagrantly copy.”
Android Central: Samsung hit with $1,049,343,540 verdict in Apple lawsuit; maybe Palm could have helped?

Apple and Samsung could have settled out-of-court, but both were too indignant about the whole ordeal to actually come to an agreement of any sort. And, of course, Samsung could have just not willfully infringed upon Apple's designs and none of this would have happened. But was there another way out, a way Samsung could have had a nuclear deterrent to push back against Apple's threat of thermonuclear war?
Android Central: Apple, Samsung comment on $1 billion U.S jury verdict

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.
GigaOM: Samsung’s exposure: It can survive the Apple hit

Samsung is much more than a phone maker, but its smartphone business has been a growth juggernaut in recent years as its Galaxy line has emerged as the flagship brand for Android phones and the iPhone’s one legitimate challenger in the smartphone wars.
GigaOM: Triple damages and injunctions: what comes next for Apple and Samsung

This is where it gets interesting. Since some of Samsung’s products are still on the market, Apple is coming back to court next month to ask Judge Koh to issue an injunction to ban them. But this appears unlikely due to a 2008 Supreme Court decision that made injunctions far less common.
Tech Advisor: Jury decides in Apple's favour, Samsung hit with $1B damages
Other: Apple vs. Samsung: the jury's final verdict form shows the breadth of Apple's win
PCWorld: Quik Verdict in Apple Trial Doesn't Mean Jury Shirked Its Duty, Expert Says
PCWorld: Jury Decides in Apple's Favor, Samsung Hit With $1B Damages
Tech Radar: Samsung found guilty of patent infringement, Apple awarded over $1 billion

Linda Kennedy, a patent lawyer interviewed by TechRadar about the trial, said that both parties could have potentially walked away with damages, though the jury clearly ruled Samsung's arguments didn't hold water in the court of law.
ZDNet: Apple vs. Samsung verdict: It doesn't matter
Other: Apple vs Samsung verdict: Android devices to ban after Apple $1 billion win in U.S. court

Of the four Samsung handsets sold by AT&T in the past, only the Galaxy S II Skyrocket is found on the carrier’s website, although, admittedly, the carrier is still selling a Continuum Glide, a device that could also be found to be infringing in later rulings.
PCWorld: The Apple-Samsung Verdict: 11 Q&As
Android Central: Apple vs. Samsung juror: Knew after first day that Samsung had wronged Apple

While a jury in one case, in one jurisdiction can't be extrapolated into the larger, world wide Apple vs. Samsung patent dispute, the narrative Apple was able to tell, the momentum given to them by the victory, and what Ilagan is revealing about this jury's take on the strength of Apple's case should be carefully considered by all parties going forward.
Other: Apple vs. Samsung juror: 'it was clear there was infringement' (update)

According to juror Manuel Ilagan, it was clear after the first day of deliberations that the jury was mostly in agreement.
Other: Jury didn't want to let Samsung off easy in Apple trial
: More...

Samsung Found Guilty, Fined $1 Billion for Infringing iPad, iPhone Patents

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