Apple’s longstanding court battle with Samsung took a new twist this week as a US judge denied Apple’s request for a sales ban on Samsung devices in the country. Cupertino has been tackling the Korean giant for a few years over patent infringements and has won several times, proving that Samsung did indeed use Apple ideas on its products without permission.
The result of the case is not even in question, Samsung’s defense has never been robust as the company has instead focused on trying to limit its punishment. That largely worked as at the end of this round of fighting the company was made to pay just $119.6 million in compensation. That is far below the $2 billion Apple wanted and is a mere drop in the ocean for a company the size of Samsung.
I agree with Apple’s stance on this. According to the court, Samsung did infringe on patents and did then use them in its devices, something in the tech world that is tantamount to stealing. This is proven and judged upon, so why is the fine so small? Why are the consequences for Samsung so easy to take? It is easy to see why many people think that Samsung was actually the big winner of this case.
Apple says even the $2 billion it was requesting would be more than fair, considering Cupertino says the overall loss it made from the infringements is incalculably high. When the court only awarded Apple just under $120 million in damages, the company was incensed and appealed, saying that if Samsung could not get a high fine then the infringing products should be removed from sale.
This week a judge shot that request down while also reiterating that Samsung would only have to pay the $119.6 million in damages. Apple has said it will appeal, which will mean going through the whole process again and likely with a different judge. However, I cannot help but feel that Apple is fighting a losing battle and should just take the compensation and move on from this saga.
Apple and Samsung choose to end all litigations they have against each other outside of the United States earlier this month.
