Apple gets $290M in Samsung patent dispute

By Scott Martin

SAN FRANCISCO — A federal jury on Thursday returned its damages verdict against Samsung Electronics, saying it should pay Apple $290 million in the patent dispute involving technology used in iPhones and iPads.
The decision came after two days of deliberations that began when U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh gave jurors instructions following closing arguments from both sides in the San Jose courtroom.
Apple and Samsung are embroiled in worldwide patent litigation disputes spanning multiple courts. Legal experts say Apple's lawsuits against Samsung serve as a proxy war against Google's Android operating system.
Apple was seeking $380 million. Samsung said it should pay $52 million for the use of such features as the iPhone maker's "pinch to zoom" in 13 older products.

"For Apple, this case has always been about more than patents and money," Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said in a statement. "It has been about innovation and the hard work that goes into inventing products that people love."
Apple's legal win brings its damages haul against Samsung to $929 million, including an order in March that awarded $599 million over 14 products and one in April for $40.5 million.
"We are disappointed by today's decision, which is based in large part on a patent that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has recently deemed invalid," Samsung spokesman Adam Yates said in a statement. "While we move forward with our post-trial motions and appeals, we will continue to innovate with groundbreaking technologies and great products that are loved by our many customers all around the world."
Last year, a jury awarded Apple more than $1 billion, finding Samsung had infringed its patents in 26 products. However, Judge Koh later ruled the jury had miscalculated damages for 13 products.
"Today's damage award was much larger than Samsung had argued for, but still significantly less than the $400 million vacated by Judge Koh after the first trial," said Mark McKenna, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame.
In March, a jury trial is set to hear Apple claims that current Samsung models are infringing on patents protecting its iPhone and iPad.
Apple attempts to ban Samsung from selling some of the devices in question landed a legal victory Monday. The U.S. Federal Circuit of Appeals in Washington, D.C., ordered Koh to reconsider Apple's demands that some of the products a jury found infringed Apple's patents be barred for sale in the United States.
Koh in December turned down Apple, ruling that the company didn't prove that consumers bought Samsung devices instead of Apple devices because of the infringement.
"While certainly a rousing victory for Apple, this is not over by any means," says Anthony Michael Sabino, a professor at St John's University.