Court orders Samsung to pay Apple $119.6m


A US court has ordered Samsung to pay Apple $119.6 million (£71m) as the latest round of patent disputes come to a head.


With a Californian jury deeming Samsung has infringed on two Apple-held patents, the Korean manufacturer has been ordered to compensate its bitter rival following the month-long legal dispute.


Although a substantial sum, the enforced fine marks less than 10 per cent of the $2.2 billion Apple was seeking, having claimed Samsung had infringed on five of its patents – including intellectual rights to the iPhone and iPad’s “slide to unlock” features.


With Samsung having attempted to counter sue Apple for its own claimed patent infringements, the same court has order Apple to pay the Galaxy S5 maker $158,000 in damages.


“Though this verdict is large by normal standards, it is hard to view this outcome as much of a victory for Apple,” Brian Love, a Santa Clara University law professor told the BBC.


He added: “This amount is less than 10 per cent of the amount Apple requested and probably doesn’t surpass by too much the amount Apple spent litigating this case.”


Apple and Samsung have been fighting patent disputes around the world for a number of years. Back in late 2012 Samsung was ordered to pay Apple almost $1 billion in damages. The company is still challenging this decision.


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