Apple and Samsung fined for patent infringement

A South Korean court has ruled Apple and Samsung both infringed each other’s patents when designing some of their mobile devices, banning products by both from sale nationally.  

Apple

The ruling comes as a Californian jury continues its deliberation in a $2.5bn (£1.6bn) trial over patent infringement in the US.

Apple was judged to have infringed two of Samsung’s telecoms patents. Samsung was found to have infringed a patent on Apple’s “bouncing back” ability.

As a result, a judge in the South Korean capital Seoul banned sale of some products by both in the country. Among those phones and tablets prohibited will be Apple’s iPhone4 and iPad2, while Samsung’s Galaxy SI and Galaxy Tab 10.1 have been banned.

Both will also have to pay compensation to each other. Samsung have been ordered to pay Apple 25m won (£14,000), while Apple must pay 40m won (£22,000).

The compensation, however, is nothing in comparison to the money at stake in the case reaching almost at conclusion in the US. Apple is seeking $2.5bn (£4.6bn) from Samsung after accusing its rival of copying iPhone and iPad features, an accusation Samsung denies. The court heard closing arguments earlier this week and jury is currently considering evidence.

Samsung has filed suits against Apple in homeland South Korea and elsewhere, alleging Apple infringed patents.

Read Mark Ritson on what the US case has revealed about Apple’s marketing culture.

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