Apple vs. Samsung Lawsuit to Drag Into Eighth Year With Retrial Scheduled Next May

The never-ending legal battle between Apple and Samsung over the design of the iPhone will likely stretch into its eighth year of proceedings.

apple v samsung 2011

Apple's original complaint accused Samsung of copying the iPhone's design

Lucy Koh, the judge who has been presiding over the case since it began in April 2011, has scheduled a five-day retrial between May 14 and May 18 of next year, according to court documents filed electronically on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, Koh ordered that a new trial is required to determine whether Apple's $399 million award for Samsung's design patent infringement should stand or whether a new damages trial is required.

Apple successfully sued Samsung for infringing upon the iPhone's patented design, including its rectangular front face with rounded edges and grid of colorful icons on a black screen.

Apple's damages were awarded based on Samsung's entire profit from the sale of its infringing smartphones, but Samsung argued that the amount should be a percentage based on individual components like the front bezel or display.

The case progressed all the way to the Supreme Court, which recommended that the U.S. Court of Appeals reconsider the damages amount that Samsung owes. The trial has since returned to the U.S. District Court in Northern California where it began.

Apple's statement about the case from last December:

Our case has always been about Samsung's blatant copying of our ideas, and that was never in dispute. We will continue to protect the years of hard work that has made iPhone the world's most innovative and beloved product. We remain optimistic that the lower courts will again send a powerful signal that stealing isn't right.

Apple was initially awarded nearly $1 billion in damages, but a significant part of the decision was reversed in 2015, leaving Samsung owing $548 million. The amount was eventually lowered to $399 million, and now it may be adjusted again.

Tag: Samsung

Popular Stories

apple tv 4k new orange

New Apple TV Expected Later This Year With These New Features

Saturday July 12, 2025 3:09 pm PDT by
A new Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Rumors Faster Wi-Fi Support The next Apple TV will be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. He said the chip supports ...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...
iphone 16 pro pro max

iPhone 17 Pro Models With BOE Displays Will Be Sold in China Only

Thursday July 10, 2025 11:59 pm PDT by
iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models with displays made by BOE will be sold exclusively in China, according to a new report. Last week, it emerged that Chinese display manufacturer BOE was aggressively ramping up its OLED production capacity for future iPhone models as part of a plan to recapture a major role in Apple's supply chain. Now, tech news aggregator Jukan Choi reports...
top stories 2025 07 12

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, iOS 26 Beta 3, and More

Saturday July 12, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
The iOS 26 public beta release is quickly approaching, while developers have recently gotten their hands on a third round of betas that has seen Apple continue to tweak features, design, and functionality. We're also continuing to hear rumors about the iPhone 17 lineup that is now just about right around the corner, while Apple's latest big-budget film appears to be taking off, so read on...

Top Rated Comments

hlfway2anywhere Avatar
101 months ago
Seriously......a fight over 7 year old tech thats obsolete and has cost millions in legal struggles. I have many pieces of tech that have rounded corners. Sorry apple, you didn't invent that. Add colorful icons to that. Guess they better sue nintendo, sony, and EVERY OTHER MANUFACTURER.

Beyond ridiculous at this point.
Smartphones did not look like that until Apple did it. AND Samsung had a whole strategy guide written up to copy the iPhone. That’s the point.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ignatius345 Avatar
101 months ago
Seriously......a fight over 7 year old tech thats obsolete and has cost millions in legal struggles. I have many pieces of tech that have rounded corners. Sorry apple, you didn't invent that. Add colorful icons to that. Guess they better sue nintendo, sony, and EVERY OTHER MANUFACTURER.

Beyond ridiculous at this point.
1. I think they're trying to set a precedent and 2. come on, the similarities are just glaring. It's very obvious that Samsung looked at the iPhone and just did their best to copy it exactly.
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jonnyb098 Avatar
101 months ago
Seriously......a fight over 7 year old tech thats obsolete and has cost millions in legal struggles. I have many pieces of tech that have rounded corners. Sorry apple, you didn't invent that. Add colorful icons to that. Guess they better sue nintendo, sony, and EVERY OTHER MANUFACTURER.

Beyond ridiculous at this point.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
101 months ago
Hey Samsung, we're going to sue you for hundreds of millions of dollars for copying our iPhone, but could you make our iPhone X screen for us pretty please?
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macfacts Avatar
101 months ago
Smartphones did not look like that until Apple did it. AND Samsung had a whole strategy guide written up to copy the iPhone. That’s the point.
You must be very young and never seen palm os PDAs, win mobile phones, Nokia tablets (n770). Devices leading up to the iPhone were converging on that design. Smaller bezels, thinner device.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
stainless Avatar
101 months ago
Let me educate all of you, whom have never patented anything... this case is HUGE!! This case is going to set precedence for many future cases, as Apple had a design Patent! You know when you hear "X Asian country stole our design!!" Most of the time it's referencing a Utility Patent but in this case it's referencing a Design Patent, and while there are other cases won-lost on Design Patents, this is a very serious as to set the tone for what a blatant copy should cost the copier... i.e. SAMSUNG made $500MM not only through the copied product but through ancillary means; product category recognition, accessory sales, brand recognition, alternative product sales, etc. Thus, should SAMSUNG be punished for $500MM or $750MM as to not encourage future copying of someone else's hard work? If SAMSUNG benefits and only pays $100MM, then it's a lose, not only for Apple but ALL OF AMERICA! As you will see company, after company from manufacturing countries take the "What are they going to do, charge me 1/5 of a years profit, tens years afterwards! Hahaha!!!" As far as we Inventors are concerned, Samsung should be responsible for the original nearly billion judgement! Further to this, this process needs to be reduced to Arbitration level of judgement, 12-18 month and you cannot appeal! Most Inventors can't afford to drag on a court case for 2-3 years let along 7!! Shame on this Judge Koh!!
[doublepost=1509029787][/doublepost]
Seriously......a fight over 7 year old tech thats obsolete and has cost millions in legal struggles. I have many pieces of tech that have rounded corners. Sorry apple, you didn't invent that. Add colorful icons to that. Guess they better sue nintendo, sony, and EVERY OTHER MANUFACTURER.

Beyond ridiculous at this point.
You need to look into Design Patents, as that is what this case is revolving around... Apple was granted a full Design Patent, that Samsung blatantly copied!
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)