Jury Awards $1 Billion to Apple in Battle over Patents vs. Samsung


Okay, both parties are reviewing the findings, but here’s the short story: the jury found that Samsung owes Apple more than $1 billion. For more precise updates, check below.

Update 7:18pm EDT: Worth keeping in mind: the jury had to answer over 700 questions on a 20 page worksheet. An amazingly complex case. It’ll probably take some time for the tech news to sort out exactly what all of the infringement means, and exactly how this will change the industry. But the takeaway is this: Samsung’s infringement has cost them over a billion dollars. Apple, meanwhile, doesn’t have to pay Samsung a single cent.

Update 7:13pm EDT: It looks like we’re reaching the end here. As far as I can tell, in every instance, Apple has triumphed over Samsung.

Update 7:11pm EDT: Now, another part of this is that Samsung had several patents they claim that Apple violated. Looks like Apple got off scott free according to the Wall Street Journal: “Apple didn’t infringe any of Samsung’s patents.” 

Update 7:08pm EDT: One big question is whether or not Samsung’s devices violated Apple’s iPhone 3G’s “trade dress” which Wikipedia tells me means, “characteristics of the visual appearance of a product or its packaging.” According to the Verge’s live blog, 6 devices violated the 3G’s trade dress: Fascinate, Galaxy S i9000, The Galaxy S 4G, Showcase, Mesmerize, Vibrant

Update 7:06pm EDT: $1,051,855,000 in damages awarded to Apple. You read that number right. Over one billion dollars.

Update 7:04pm EDT: Whew, there’s a ton to cover and I’m not a lawyer, but I know what this sentence from the Wall Street Journal means: “Samsung smartphones and tablets infringed six of Apple’s patents in a high-stakes case and upheld the validity of all of Apple’s patents in the trial.” There were only six patents up for discussion… Samsung has been found guilty of violating all of them.

Update 7:00pm EDT: Question 3 deals with Apple patent #7864163, which covers tap-to-zoom. According to the Verge live blog, these following devices were found to infringe:

“Droid Charge, Epic 4G, Exhibit 4G, Fascinate, Ace, Prevail, Galaxy X, Galaxy S 4g, S II AT&T, i9100, S II Tmobile, Galaxy Tab, Tab 10.1, Infuse 4G, Mesmerize, and Replenish… Droid Charge, Epic 4G, Fascinate, Prevail, S 4G, SII ATT, S 2 TMobile, Galaxy Tab, Mesmerize and Replanish … Galaxy tab 10.1”

The following device were found not to infringe:

“… COntinuum … Captivate, Indulge, Intercept, Nexus S 4G, Transform and Vibrant”

Update 6:57pm EDT: Question 2 deals with Apple’s patent #7469381. This deals with things like pinch to zoom. Samsung failed to prove this patent was invalid. Again, a variety of Samsung’s phones and devices were found to infringe this patent.

Update 6:53pm EDT: Here’s some more details. Question 1 the jury was asked to consider is whether or not Apple patent 7469381 was infringed. This patent deals with what happens when content scrolls off screen and how content “bounces” back into view. All Samsung’s de vices which were on trial, including the entire galaxy S line, the Galaxy Tab, and several other devices, were found to infringe on Apple’s patent.

Update 6:50pm EDT: According to the WSJ, we should all keep in mind that “there’s no jury verdict yet on Apple patents’ validity.”

Update 6:47pm EDT: According to The Verge, here’s the laundry list of Samsung devices that have been found to infrige upon Apple’s patents:

“Captiavte, Continuum, Droid Charge, Exhibit, Prevail, Galaxy S 4G, S II AT&T, SII T Mobile, Galaxy Tab, Gem, Indulge, Infuse 4G, Mesmerize, Nexus S 4G, Tranform and Vibrant … Droid Charge, Epic 4G, Fascinate, Prevail, S 4G, SII ATT, S 2 TMobile, Galaxy Tab, Mesmerize, Replenish … Galaxy Tab 10. … Captivate, continuum, droid charge, fascinate, Galaxy Prevail, Galaxy S 4G, Galaxy S II, i9100, Galaxy s 2 Tmobile, Tab, Tab 10.1, Gem, Indulge, Infuse, Nexus S 4G”

Update 6:44pm EDT: According to the Wall Street Journal, Samsung infringed an “Apple patent relating to screen bounceback and a patent relating to multitouch”

Update 6:42pm EDT: Sounds like Samsung is in trouble. 2 claims of patent infringement announced already for a variety of Samsung’s devices.

Update 6:40pm EDT: Apparently the jury reached a verdict more than four hours ago. Everyone in the courtroom has now assembled, and Judge Koh is looking over the documents.

Quite possibly the biggest tech courtroom battle of all time, the massive lawsuit between Samsung and Apple over a whole mess of issues including whether or not Samsung’s various phones and tablets infringed upon Apple’s intellectual property. And now it has reached an end—the jury has reached a conclusion and any minute now we’ll find out the verdict so stay tuned!