Apple and Samsung settle

APPLE and Samsung have ended a years-long patent battle over copied iPhone design with an undisclosed settlement, according to a US court filing yesterday.

The world’s two biggest smartphone makers reached a truce in their seven-year-old court battle a month after a federal court jury ordered Samsung to pay Apple some $539 million for copying patented iPhone features.

That award was seen as a victory for Apple, which had argued in court that design was essential to the iPhone.

Financial terms of the settlement were not revealed and neither company elaborated on the brief court order, which dismissed the litigation dating back to 2011.

“Whereas the court has been advised by the parties that the above-entitled action has been settled, all remaining claims and counterclaims in this case are hereby dismissed with prejudice,” US District Court Judge Lucy Koh wrote.

“This case has always been about more than money,” an Apple statement read.

“It is important that we continue to protect the hard work and innovation of so many people at Apple.”

South Korea-based Samsung declined to comment.

Apple’s lawsuit claimed Samsung, now the world’s biggest handset maker, copied the design and other features of the iPhone as the smartphone market was exploding.

The case had been sent back to the district court following a Supreme Court decision to revisit an earlier $400 million damage award.