The most recent Apple vs Samsung case is over, with Apple being awarded $120 million in damages whilst Samsung picked up $160,000 for an infringement by Apple on one patent. While the trial may be a success for Apple (despite being awarded significantly less than the $2.2 billion they claimed was owed), the jury foreman for the case has come out and said that "Ultimately, the consumer is the loser in all this" in a statement to the San Jose Mercury News (via Ars Technica).
Thomas Dunham, a retired IBM supervisor, said: "Ultimately, the consumer is the loser in all this" before continuing, "I"d like to see them find a way to settle. I hope this (verdict) in some way helps shape that future." Dunham also claimed that the verdict was not intended to "send a message to one company or another" rather that it was "based on the evidence that was presented to us."
Apple"s lawyers released a statement praising the verdict, claiming that "Samsung wilfully stole our ideas and copied our products." Samsung"s lead attorney, John Quinn, hit back at this, saying:
Of course we"re pleased that the jury awarded Apple six percent of what they were asking for. But even that can’t stand, because Apple kept out all the real world evidence and didn’t produce anything to substitute for it, so you have a verdict that"s unsupported by evidence—and that"s just one of its problems. In post-trial motions and on appeal, we will ask the judge and the federal circuit to cut the six percent verdict to zero, which is where it should end.
This trial is now essentially over, with Samsung planning on fighting the verdict according to their lawyers.
Source: San Jose Mercury News via Ars Technica | Gavel image used in background via Shutterstock