Apple’s longstanding suit against Samsung has finally come to an end. Late last week, Samsung filed documents indicating their intent to pay Apple $548 million as part of their longstanding patent dispute which began all the way back in April of 2011.
While Apple’s initial victory resulted in a judgement of about $1.1 billion, subsequent rulings have since lowered that amount, resulting in a final damages award of about half a billion dollars. As a point of interest, Apple was initially asking for about $2.5 billion in damages.
Samsung’s willingness to pay Apple comes after the Court of Appeals recently denied Samsung’s request for review. Specifically, Samsung is none too happy about having to pay out damages for patents that the USPTO has since ruled were invalid. Of course, Samsung’s filing with the court indicates that the company will pursue all means to ask for their money back if any part of the ruling is ultimately reversed or modified.
Samsung’s statement reads in part:
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.
Apple, of course, in its own filing takes umbrage with Samsung’s right to seek reimbursement. Clearly, there’s no love lost between these two companies who have been battling it out in courts across the globe for about 4.5 years now.
In any event, Samsung noted that it would be willing to pay Apple $548 million as soon as December 14 provided that Apple sends them an invoice in a timely manner.
source: networkworld.com
