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A US Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday reversed a 2014 jury verdict that had found Samsung Electronics infringed on three of Apple’s patents and had awarded the iPhone maker $119.6 million.
Apple originally had sought $2.2 billion, claiming Samsung infringed on eight software patents.
Apple maintained that Samsung infringed on patents for sliding to unlock the phone, autocorrecting text and detecting when a series of numbers can be dialed to make a phone call. The three-judge panel ruled that the first two of the patents should not have been granted in the first place and said Samsung didn’t infringe on the third, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal and other news organizations.
The case is one of two major suits between the companies, the last remains of a global patent war that began in April 2011 when Apple accused Samsung of “slavishly” copying the iPhone. An Apple victory in the other case, involving the patented designs of the phone, was upheld on appeal and is awaiting possible consideration by the US Supreme Court.
“We have spent decades developing some of the most revolutionary products and services in the technology industry, and today’s decision proves that we did not infringe on any of Apple’s patents,” Samsung said in a statement. “Today’s decision is a win for consumer choice and puts competition back where it belongs — in the marketplace, not in the courtroom.”
Apple declined to comment on the verdict.
The appeals court also upheld the jury’s previous decision that Apple infringed on a Samsung patent, for which it was ordered to pay $158,500. Samsung initially asked for $6.2 million in that patent claim.
