SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal judge today rejected Apple's (IW 500/4) request to ban an array of Samsung (IW 1000/14) smartphones and tablets found to have infringed on patents held by the American tech giant.
U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh, who oversaw the blockbuster patent trial, finalized the damage award to be paid by the South Korean electronics giant at $929 million.
But in a separate order, the judge denied Apple's request to ban 23 Samsung devices, saying there was no evidence that consumer demand was driven by the infringing elements.
But because of the fast-moving nature of the business, the devices at issue in the case are no longer being sold.
Judge Koh noted that "the only new fact is that Samsung represents that no infringing units are currently in the marketplace."
She added that "Apple presents no evidence that any current Samsung devices incorporate the patented features. As such, it appears that the public interest slightly favors Samsung."
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2014
