Tokyo court drops Apple’s patent case vs. Samsung

TOKYO—A Tokyo court on Friday dismissed Apple Inc.’s claim that Samsung had infringed on its patent — the latest ruling in the global legal battle between the two technology titans over smartphones.

The Japanese court case addressed only the synchronizing technology that allows media players to share data with computers and was not comparable in scope to thearger victory that Apple won in the US last week.

Samsung Electronics Co. of South Korea, the world’s largest maker of phones, welcomed the Tokyo District Court ruling that its technology that allows media players and personal computers to share music files and other content did not infringe on Apple patents as confirming “our long-held position.”

“We will continue to offer highly innovative products to consumers, and continue our contributions toward the mobile industry’s development,” the company said.

The Apple lawyer present at the courthouse declined to comment, and the company said later it had no comment, including whether it intended to appeal. In the past, Apple has accused Samsung of copying Apple products.

In a session lasting just a few minutes, Judge Tamotsu Shoji said he did not think Samsung products fell into the realm of Apple technology and dismissed the lawsuit, filed in August last year.

Apple, the Cupertino, California-based maker of the iPhone and iPad, is embroiled in similar legal tussles around the world over whether Samsung smartphones, which rely on Google Inc.’s Android technology, illegally used Apple designs, ideas or technology. (AP)