The Apple vs Samsung trial has been in the news again this week a few times. Last year Apple won one of the biggest lawsuits in their ongoing Android battle and a Judge awarded them over $1 billion in damages from Samsung for patent infringement. While that numbers slowly been dropped, today Judge Koh removed 450 million from that, and ordered a new damages trial with a fresh new Jury.
This is just one more interesting turn of many in this crazy lawsuit we’ve been following for months and months. Today Judge Koh has decided to cut a little over $450 million dollars off of the settlement, which brings Apple’s earnings down to 600m. Not only that, she also wants a new trial and Jury to look over and confirm what devices actually infringe on patents and copyright.
Koh says that “the Court identified an impermissible legal theory on which the jury based its award” and that she’s since changed the award. Koh further explains that more than 14 different Samsung devices are in question, and will get a new trial with a fresh Jury and perspective to try and sort things out. One being the Nexus S which obviously doesn’t look anything like an iPhone if you ask us.
The full list of devices in question are the Galaxy Prevail, Gem, Indulge, Infuse 4G, AT&T Galaxy S II, Captivate, Continuum, Droid Charge, Epic 4G, Exhibit 4G, Galaxy Tab, Nexus S 4G, Replenish, and Transform. So for now it appears that Samsung is off the hook for at least some of that hard earned cash. Just when we thought things were about to end we are right back where we started, at least for a few devices. No date or additional details have been set but we’ll update when we know more.
[via SlashGear]
Nice!!!! Go sammy
So, two possibilities: either she finally saw reason over the alleged copying of overly generalized style elements and fantasy patents; or she is opening the second round of the lawsuit to give Apple an even bigger payday.
Apple should end up paying Samsung’s legal fees and more.