As a result of losing a patent legal dispute that lasted for almost three years, Samsung agreed to pay Apple nearly $600 million.
The legal action began in 2011, when Apple accused Samsung that its Galaxy line of smartphones are actually inspired (read: copied) after the iPhone's design. The judges agreed with the Cupertino-based company and offered damages in the amount of more than $1 billion, which were eventually adjusted to $548 million.
Apple initially received damages of $930 million by a jury's decision in the U.S. District Court in California, which stated that Samsung did infringe on Apple's design and utility patents. An appeal at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit addressed the issue of protectable trade dresses, and emptied the damages connected to trade dress dilution. The final decision still required Samsung to shell out $548 million to compensate for damages.
On Thursday, Dec. 3, in a joint case management statement filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, Samsung affirmed that it is prepared to pay the spicy sum to Apple.
The payment totaling to $548,176,477 must finalize in a ten day period after Samsung receives Apple's invoice. However, Samsung reserves the rights to reimbursement, should the verdict change.
"Samsung further reserves all rights to reclaim or obtain reimbursement of any judgment amounts paid by Samsung to any entity in the event the partial judgment is reversed, modified, vacated or set aside on appeal," according to the case management statement.
Samsung's actions prior to the new statement hinted that the South Korean OEM intends to take the "Apple versus Samsung" judgment to the Supreme Court, in an appeal case.
In November, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit rejected the proposal to hold a full-bench hearing to review the damages award in the disputed patent's case.
After the first couple of Galaxy handsets resembled the iPhones to a high degree, the later models from the South Korean manufacturer took an independent design path. A good example of that is the Galaxy S6 Edge, with its curved screen.
As it looks, the Apple vs. Samsung ordeal is far from over and 2016 might bring new twists and turns for the patent war between the two tech giants.
Photo: Joe Gratz | Flickr
