Samsung has suffered a blow in Japan where a Tokyo court ruled in favor of Apple over a patent lawsuit that it had brought against its rival for the use of data transmission technologies.
Times of India reports that a District Court in the Japanese capital ruled that Samsung did not have rights over the use of the technologies, rejecting the claim that it had lodged back in 2011. The Galaxy S III-maker had been seeking an injunction to prevent the sale of a number of Apple’s devices in Japan, in addition to unspecified damages.
“We are disappointed by today’s court decision. Following a thorough review of the ruling, we will take the measures necessary to protect our intellectual property rights,” Samsung said in a statement reported by Reuters.
Samsung has previously tasted success in Japan, last year a court had ruled against a claim from Apple that it had breached a patent related to the synchronising of music and video data in devices to servers. However, the company was also unsuccessful with a sales injunction attempt against the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S in Japan, after the Tokyo District Court rejected claims that the devices infringed on patents related to downloading apps.
The Korea-based phone-maker may dominate the smartphone industry, but it is still smarting from the momentous victory that Apple landed over it last year, and the $1 billion plus fine that followed.
In a memo to employees, Apple CEO Tim Cook called its lawsuit against Samsung a matter of “values” and noted that evidence showed its rival’s copying had actually gone farther than originally suspected. In its defense, Samsung published an internal memo saying that it, unlike Apple, is prioritizing innovation over litigation.
Image via Sweetlabs / Flickr
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.