After months of negative headlines about its exploding devices, Samsung can finally chalk one in the “win” column. Or at least “losing less” column.
On Tuesday the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Samsung in the company’s fight over $399 million awarded to Apple as damages related to the company infringing on the iPhone’s design. The $399 million figure comes from the profits of 11 Samsung smartphone models a lower court ruled copied Apple’s design features, including the use of a grid of icons.
According to federal law, a company that illegally uses a patented design is liable “to the extent of his total profit.” Samsung appealed this decision, stating Apple should only be entitled to profits derived from the components in Samsung’s devices that infringed on Apple’s patents, not the profits derived from the whole phone.
In a unanimous 8-0 ruling, the court agreed that Samsung should not be held liable for the total profits of the 11 devices in question. The case has been sent back to the lower courts to reassess the damages Samsung owes Apple.
H/T CNBC