Apple, Samsung in fresh legal battle

San Francisco: Apple and Samsung return
to a California court on Tuesday for
another round in the blockbuster patent
trial between the two biggest smartphone
makers, Agence France Presse reported.
A jury trial will reconsider damages
awarded last year in the case stemming
from Apple’s allegation that its South
Korean rival illegally copied technology
from the iPhone and iPad.
The new trial became necessary after a
judge cut some $450m from a damage
award of more than $1bn to be paid by
Samsung.
Judge Lucy Koh, in her ruling in March,
affirmed the remainder of the award,
amounting to $598.9m. But a new trial
must be held to reconsider some of the
allegations.
Apple accused its rival of massive and
willful copying of its designs and
technology for smartphones and tablets
and won the landmark case in a jury
decision in August 2012. But the case has
been on hold pending multiple appeals.
The California case is among several
pending in courts and administrative
agencies around the world between the
two electronics giants, each of which
accuses the other of infringing on its
patents.
After years of following and refining the
iPhone’s pioneering innovations — a
strategy that resulted in bitter patent
battles with Apple — Samsung has
dethroned its California-based rival to
become the world’s top smartphone
maker.
Judge Koh set the jury trial to start
Tuesday and, if the case drags on, the
jury could pause for the Thanksgiving
holiday from November 27 to December
1, and resume on December 2.
Even though Apple won its case, this has
not had much impact on the new
smartphones hitting the market.
Samsung extended its lead over Apple in
the global smartphone market in the third
quarter, according to surveys.