On Tuesday, December 6, the US Supreme Court put an end to a long-term dispute between the two goliaths. The story started in 2011, when Apple filed a lawsuit against Samsung accusing it of infringing some smartphone design patents. The American company claimed Galaxy tabs and other devices were copying many iPhone and iPad features. Samsung responded with countersuits in several countries insisting that it was actually Apple that replicated some of the Samsung’s developments in its new products.
After the first hearing, Samsung was instructed to pay Apple $930 million compensation; however, the defense subsequently managed to cut it down to $399 million. Furthermore, the 8 judges of the Supreme Court unanimously agreed that infringement of the patents had not been proved, and now it is for the lower court to set the final sum in satisfaction which is expected to be not more than $160 million. The verdict is especially remarkable since the court ruled in favor of Apple for the last two times.
