South Korean Court Rules Samsung And Apple Infringed On Each Other’s Patents, Bans Products

A South Korean court has ruled that both Apple and Samsung are guilty of infringing on each other’s patents. As a result, both companies are banned from selling the infringing devices in the country, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The Seoul Central District Court said Apple infringed on two of Samsung’s technology patents, while Samsung violated one of Apple’s patents. Both companies are required to pay small amounts in damages and have been ordered to stop selling the infringing products in South Korea. This includes Apple’s iPhone 4 and iPad 2 and Samsung’s Galaxy S, Galaxy S II, and Galaxy Nexus smartphones, as well as the Galaxy Tab and Galaxy 10.1 tablet computers.

The court also ruled that there was “no possibility” that consumers could confuse Samsung and Apple smartphones as both feature different logos on the back of each model. Samsung’s smartphone icons were found not to infringe on Apple’s patents.

The three-judge panel ordered Apple to pay 20 million won ($17, 650) for each violated patent, while Samsung is ordered to pay 25 million won ($22,000), falling short of the 100 million won ($90,000) that both companies were seeking from the other in damages.

Samsung is guilty of infringing on Apple’s patent for bounce-back technology, which occurs when a user scrolls beyond the edge of a photo, web page, or document and it bounces back into place.

This is just one of many court cases that Apple and Samsung are involved in, with similar issues in other countries — Apple accuses Samsung of violating its design patents by copying its smartphone and tablet PCs, while Samsung says Apple is using some of its wireless communication technology without paying a fee.

This mirrors the current case in the U.S., which is still awaiting a verdict from the jury.

Source: The Wall Street Journal via Electronista and Reuters via ModMyi
Image Credit: DAWN

Kaylie lives in Ottawa and got her first Mac in 2007 and is now a fan for life.