Samsung said it doesn't believe it owes Apple a nickel and that there will be dancing in the streets of Cupertino if the jury awards them even $100 million, during closing arguments in the Apple vs. Samsung trial.
Apple told the jury that anything short of a massive award for damages would validate Samsung's 'illegal strategy' to copy the features of the iPhone, reports the WSJ. Apple is seeking $2.2 billion in damages from Samsung.
“We don’t think we owe Apple a nickel,” said John Quinn, a Samsung lawyer. “They’ll be dancing in the streets of Cupertino if you give them $100 million.”
This is the second Apple vs. Samsung trial. Apple won the first trial and Samsung was ordered to pay them $1 billion in damages. The jury award in that case was adjusted down slightly to $992 million.
Apple is accusing Samsung of infringing on five utility patents that cover narrow software features such as auto-correct, slide to unlock, universal search, and others. Samsung is also counter-suing Apple for two utility patents that cover wireless video transmission and a method for organizing digital photos.
In his closing arguments, Apple lawyer Harold McElhinny said the iPhone was a revolutionary product and it caught the industry off-guard.
“Where was Samsung before the iPhone? You know the answer to that one. They didn’t even have a smartphone,” said McElhinny. He also noted that Samsung was not 'brave enough' to have its executives fly in from South Korea for cross-examination.
McElhinny told jurors that legal action was a last resort because Samsung refused to stop copying the iPhone even after being warned to stop. “Samsung was committed with trying to get away from patent infringement,” he said. “Apple simply can not walk away from its inventions.” McElhinny also told the jury that “We’re counting on you for justice.”
This time around Samsung brought Google into the mix to help its defense. “We’re not pointing the finger at Google,” said Samsung lawyer Bill Price. “We’re saying they independently developed these features, and they don’t infringe.”
Notably, a lawyer for Google testified recently that the company has agreed to take over defense of some of the claims in the case and compensate Samsung should it lose on those claims.
The jury has begun deliberations, you can follow iClarified on Twitter , Facebook , Google+ , or RSS to find out the verdict.
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