On December 6, the Supreme Court reversed Apple’s $399 million patent infringement verdict against Samsung. The decision – the first from the Supreme Court to interpret design patent damages since 1886 – arguably raises more questions than it answers.
In a series of widely-publicized cases around the globe, Apple and Samsung have been battling over the alleged infringement of smartphone designs since 2011. Through multiple trials and appeals, Apple eventually obtained a $399 million verdict for Samsung’s infringement of three Apple design patents covering various aspects of the iPhone, including the front screen and ‘rounded corners.’