Apple Rests Its Case, Samsung Convinces Judge to Toss International Galaxy S, S2 and Ace From the Lawsuit
Looks like we’re one step closer in wrapping up the soap opera that is the Apple vs Samsung patent trial. Apple has finally rested their case today while Samsung gave a last ditch effort to throw out Apple’s side of the case based on Apple’s failure to meet its legal burden. Judge Lucy Koh wasn’t buying it, but Samsung did manage to squeeze in a small win after the judge agreed to throw out a few Samsung devices from being considered as part of their alleged patent infringement.
Oddly enough, the devices no longer being considered as part of the case were a few Samsung devices widely considered to look most similar to the iPhone (thanks to the inclusion of a centered home button) like the Samsung Galaxy Ace, as well as international versions of the Samsung Galaxy S, and Samsung Galaxy S2. However, the remaining 17 devices sold here in the US are still fair game, and consist of the majority of sales that Apple feels entitled to. Still, something tells me Apple will have a harder time arguing the AT&T Samsung Galaxy S Captivate among other modified Galaxy S variants infringed on their design patents.
Apple is looking for around $2.5 billion from Samsung, claiming a figure of roughly 2 million iPads and iPhones Apple missed out on, due to consumers purchasing Samsung devices instead. Samsung is now making their case to the jury, calling a number of witnesses to help them argue that they didn’t, in fact, infringe on any of Apple’s patents and that many of those patents should have never been granted in the first place. Things like Apple’s rubber band effect, as well as 1-finger and scrolling and pinch-to-zoom are all being shown as prior art, and never invented by Apple (just stolen and marketed really well). Let’s hope the jury has just a smidgen of common sense.