Samsung ordered to pay Apple £180m over copyright violations
An American court has ordered Samsung to pay £180m ($290m) in damages to Apple over copyright infringements of patented features on the iPhone and iPad – such as ‘pinch and zoom’.
The latest verdict in a long-running spat between the two tech giants was a retrial of an earlier court decision, which found Samsung liable for a hefty $1.05bn over copyright violations.
A jury ruled that Samsung had indeed copied Apple technology in 13 of 26 suspected devices, bringing the total legal bill for Samsung to $840m once a fine levied in an initial verdict is factored in.
In a statement Apple said: “For Apple, this case has always been about more than patents and money. It has been about innovation and the hard work that goes into inventing products that people love.
"While it's impossible to put a price tag on those values, we are grateful to the jury for showing Samsung that copying has a cost."
Samsung is expected to appeal the decision however, claiming that Apple should not be able to claim ownership of the ‘basic rectangle’ shape of mobile phones.
Yet another trial is scheduled for March to decide whether current Samsung handsets also violate Apple patents.