A panel of three judges in a South Korean court handed down a split decision against Apple and Samsung, stating that the companies violated each others patents.
The court assessed fines and damages against both technology manufacturers, requiring Apple to pay approximately $17,650 to Samsung for each of two violated patents and cease sales of the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 in South Korea, while Samsung must pay approximately $22,000 to Apple and stop selling its older Samsung Galaxy S, Galaxy SII, and Galaxy Nexus smartphones as well as the 7-inch and 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab tablet devices.
The lawsuit, originally filed by Samsung, with a countersuit filed by Apple in South Korea, focused on the same patents currently being fought over in the case in a U.S District Court, where Apple is claiming that Samsung infringed upon its patents and trade dress, and Samsung is claiming Apple owes licensing fees for using 3G technology that’s covered by its patents.
One interesting part of the ruling; the South Korean court stated that “Apple and Samsung smartphones were dissimilar enough that there would be “no possibility” for consumers to confuse the products of the two companies.”
