Samsung Agrees To Pay $548 Mln To Apple For Patent Infringement

The South Korean tech giant, Samsung Electronics, has finally agreed to pay Apple $548 million it owes for infringing the patents and designs of the latter. 

"Samsung continues to reserve all rights to obtain reimbursement from Apple and/or payment by Apple of all amounts required to be paid as taxes. [...] Samsung further reserves all rights to reclaim or obtain reimbursement of any judgment amounts paid by Samsung to any entity in the event the partial judgment is reversed, modified, vacated or set aside on appeal or otherwise, including as a result of any proceedings before the USPTO addressing the patents at issue or as a result of any petition for writ of certiorari filed with the Supreme Court. Samsung notes that the Patent Trial and Appeal Board has issued a final decision of invalidity on the '915 Patent, and Apple filed a notice of appeal to the Federal Circuit in the USPTO last week”, according to Samsung’s statement.

While the statement suggested that Samsung might further appeal this matter to the Supreme Court, on Thursday afternoon, both companies filed a joint case management statement with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, in which Samsung says it has "has made arrangements to complete payment to Apple”, Foss Patents reported.

IBTimes reported that initially Apple had sued Samsung for $2.5 billion. In 2012, the iPhone maker was awarded $1 billion in damages, but was later reduced on appeal to $930 million. The amount was split into $548 million for technology patents and $382 million for charges that Samsung copied Apple's packaging materials, according to BBC. The second damages claim is due to be decided next year.

"We are disappointed that the court has agreed to proceed with Apple's grossly exaggerated damages claims regardless of whether the patents are valid," a Samsung spokesperson told NewsFactor. "While we've agreed to pay Apple, we remain confident that our products do not infringe on Apple's design patents, and we will continue to take all appropriate measures within the legal system to protect our products and our intellectual property."