Apple and Samsung have been ordered to stop selling some smartphones and tablet computers in South Korea and pay damages after a court ruled they each infringed the other’s patents.
The South Korean court said that Apple had infringed two of Samsung’s wireless patents, while Samsung had infringed on a fruity firm patent related to a “bounce-back” touchscreen feature, Bloomberg, the Financial Times and others reported.
The court also awarded damages to both sides, but only enough to cause a momentary fumble in their pockets. Apple only needs to pay 40m won ($35,000, £22,000) and Samsung just has to hand over 25m won ($22,000, £14,000).
The Seoul Central District Court ruling called for a partial ban on sales of products including iPads and smartphones from both companies, though the verdict did not affect the latest-generation phones — Apple’s iPhone 4S or Samsung’s Galaxy S3.
The ruling affects only the South Korean market, and is part of a larger, epic struggle over patents and innovation unfolding in nine countries. The biggest stakes are in the U.S., where Apple is suing Samsung for $2.5 billion over allegations it has created illegal knockoffs of iPhones and iPads.
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