patents

In a recent BGR poll, tens of thousands of readers made their voices heard when we asked if you thought Samsung (005930) ripped off Apple’s (AAPL) designs. The majority, 49%, thought that Samsung’s devices didn’t make use of Apple’s protected IP. About 9% were unsure if Samsung was guilty but the remaining 42% thought Apple’s patented designs had been stolen — and unfortunately for Samsung, the jury agreed. Samsung was slapped with $1.05 billion in damages on Friday when the jury found that 21 of Samsung’s smartphones and tablets infringed on various Apple patents. As Samsung gets set to appeal the ruling, we want to hear from you. Was justice served last week or did the jury miss big when it decided that Samsung stole Apple’s protected IP? Cast your vote in the poll above.

Analysts who predicted that Samsung (005930) would get slaughtered by Apple (AAPL) in the biggest patent trial of the century so far, pat yourselves on the back. The jury’s verdict against Samsung on Friday was absolutely devastating in all respects as the jury found that Samsung violated multiple Apple patents with many of its big-name products. Click below for the full details. More →

As the jury in Apple (AAPL) and Samsung’s (005930) high-profile patent battle in San Jose, California begins to deliberate, a verdict has been handed down in a similar trial taking place half way around the world. A South Korean court on Friday turned in a split decision in a trial between the two consumer electronics giants, finding that devices from each company infringed upon patents held by the other. Sales bans have been put in place on devices from each side, though no current-generation devices from either side are covered by the ruling — in fact, The Wall Street Journal reports that the majority of affected devices are no longer sold by either company. In addition to the sales bans, Apple was ordered to pay $35,300 in total damages for two patent violations, or 0.0004% of the $8.8 billion in net profit it took in last quarter. For the one patent Samsung was found guilty of infringing, the court ordered it to pay $22,000 in damages, or 0.00037% of its most recent quarterly profits. More →

Apple (AAPL) claims that Samsung (005930) earned $2.4 billion on smartphones and tablets that stole the company’s protected designs and technology. The South Korean electronics giant disagrees, however, and said Apple’s numbers are about $1.72 billion off. In the ongoing trial between the two companies, Samsung on Thursday called Michael Wagner, a former partner at PriceWaterhouse who has 36 years experience in calculating corporate damages, to the stand. During his testimony, Wagner suggested that Apple’s estimates were way off, and Samsung actually earned roughly $519 million on sales of the devices Apple claims are infringing its IP. More →

Justice Lucy Koh has not been afraid to bust heads during the Apple (AAPL) v. Samsung (005930) patent trial. On Thursday, she issued an epic smackdown to Apple attorneys who apparently wanted to call an endless parade of witnesses to the stand despite only having just over six hours left to cross-examine Samsung’s witnesses and to call up any remaining witnesses of their own. At one point Koh questioned whether Apple’s lawyers were “smoking crack” for thinking they could get away with their current strategy. More →