The court has ruled that Samsung must pay damages of $399m to Apple for infringing upon a patent relating to the aesthetic design of Apple's iPhone products. The ruling is the latest chapter in a lengthy history of patent disputes between the two tech giants.
Pushback
Samsung has spoken out against the ruling, arguing that the decision reflects an 'antiquated' approach to patent law that risks 'stall[ing] innovation and the progress of technology'. On Friday, the Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA), the trade group for Google, Microsoft and other large technology firms, lodged a 'friend-of-the-court' brief in support of Samsung that urges the court to reconsider its verdict. As the patent infringement relates to such a small subset of the iPhone's design (namely, the aesthetic design of the original iPhone's outer case), CCIA are concerned that similar patent review cases will be used to the advantage of shell companies acquiring patents in order to launch lawsuits against major competitors if the verdict is allowed to stand. Such a legal precedent may leave many firms exposed to unworkable legal risks and struggling to reach new innovative terrain. Sources: Forbes; Bloomberg Business; Android Authority
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