Samsung Agrees To Pay Apple $548M To Settle 5-Year Patent Battle

It’s been a long time coming, but Samsung and Apple’s ongoing patent battle has finally come to an end: a little under five years since the two technology giants first clashed in court over patents, Samsung has agreed to pay $548 million to settle the long-running dispute with Apple.

The two sides filed a joint court statement [PDF] confirming that Samsung would fork over the $548 million the court awarded Apple in September by Dec. 14 (h/t ZDNet).

While it’s a lot less than the $1 billion in damages Apple was first awarded, after multiple appeals brought down the amount to this new total, but that doesn’t mean it wants Apple to keep the money forever: Samsung might appeal the decision with the U.S. Supreme Court after trying — and failing — to contest the damages in the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. Samsung wants to lop off nearly $400 million of the damages awarded.

Thus, Samsung is claiming “all rights to obtain reimbursement from Apple,” pending the results of any further appeals.

“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,” said Samsung.

At the center of this potential appeals bid is Apple’s pinch-to-zoom ‘915 patent, which the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled invalid in December last year. Apple is seeking an appeal over that decision, as well, and disputes Samsung’s claimed right to reimbursement.

“Apple notes that Samsung purports to reserve rights to obtain partial reimbursement in the future of judgment amounts it has paid. Apple disputes Samsung’s asserted rights to reimbursement,” said Apple.

by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist