Apple Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd eventually settled a seven-year patent dispute. Two hi-tech giants used to accuse each other of violating the copyright and patent legislation and even sued for damages. However, this dispute has been the most painstaking.
Interestingly, the parties managed to resolve the multi-million dollar dispute out of court. Back in 2012, Apple Inc. submitted a claim to Samsung, charging its South Korean rival with stealing several technological solutions devised for iPhone. Samsung allegedly employed them in Galaxy smartphones. The US corporation estimated its losses at $1 billion and demanded compensation. Having failed to collect this amount, Apple Inc. was ready to reach a compromise, claiming $290 million. The company had bad luck again. After a short pause, Apple Inc. resumed its complaint in 2015, demanding $548 million before legal proceedings are launched. This time, Samsung again asserted its interests. Remarkably, the South Korean manufacturer did not deny its fault, but estimated the fact of borrowing technologies at $28 million. Terms of settlement are unavailable for the public as both parties evaded comments on which amount they agreed.
It is too early to say that the patent war is over. The electronic giants have been involved in a series of patent infringement lawsuits in different countries. By the way, according to court verdicts they both have been found guilty of copying technologies and design and penalized.
