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So, $1bn is not enough for you, eh? Not if you’re Apple, it would seem. The Cupertino-based company is seeking another $707 million (£435 million) from Samsung in its patent case, Foss Patents reports.
Apple is seeking an extra $135 million on what the jury deemed “wilful” patent infringement, along with another $400 million under ‘trade dress’ (a legal term for the phone’s distinctive design and appearance). Add to this supplemental damages of $121 million based on Samsung’s sales between 1 July and Judge Lucy Koh’s judgement, along with $50 million of pre-judgement interest until Apple is paid, and you get the magic number of $707,061,678. Wow.
That brings the total Apple is seeking to $1,756,121,384. It could even jump to $1,911,963,273 if the court grants Samsung’s wish to disaggregate the jury award but ends up siding with Apple.
And then there are the permanent injunctions Apple is likely to request. These would see some Samsung devices banned from sale, forcing the Korean company to redesign them, much as it did with the Galaxy Tab 10.1n. These injunctions could spread far beyond the devices in the case to phones and tablets with similar features, such as the Galaxy S3. So Samsung could be forced to redesign pretty much its entire range.
Of course, Judge Koh could still refuse the new claims, along with the injunction requests. But if I were Samsung, I wouldn’t book any holiday any time soon.
Apple won more than $1 billion in damages in the biggest tech trial ever. Every single one of Samsung’s counter claims was rejected. Apple said the result found Samsung’s behaviour “wilful” and sent “a loud and clear message that stealing isn’t right”. Samsung responded by claiming the result wasn’t a win for Apple but “a loss for the American consumer”.
Should Apple seek more damages? I think it’s proved its point and should be happy with the message the win sends, rather than trying to bleed Samsung dry. The mess with its Maps app shows Apple is in danger of focusing on vendettas against rivals at the expense of making good products. And it’s not exactly short of a bob or two.
What do you reckon? Let me know below or on Facebook.
