Samsung has been ordered to pay Apple $539 million for infringing on patents. The battle began seven years ago, and it was agreed upon that Samsung, a South Korean company, was guilty. The jury had to decide if Samsung should have to pay damages based on sales of its smartphones or just their components that infringed the patents. They decided on a payout based on damages. According to Bloomberg, Apple wanted $1 billion, but Samsung argued it should pay only $28 million. Apple claims that Samsung infringed on three patents: “Covering the rounded corners of its phones, the rim that surrounds the front face, and the grid of icons that users view” as well as “two utility patents, which protect the way something works and is used."
“Today’s decision flies in the face of a unanimous Supreme Court ruling in favor of Samsung on the scope of design patent damages,” Samsung said in a statement after the verdict. “We will consider all options to obtain an outcome that does not hinder creativity and fair competition for all companies and consumers.” Bloomberg also reports that Samsung claims it was never about the money. “We believe deeply in the value of design, and our teams work tirelessly to create innovative products that delight our customers,” the company said.
