Apple`s patent troll strategy fails

Apple`s strategy of making an all-out attack on the Android operating system and Samsung Electronics has met a deadlock.

According to IT sources on Monday, jurors at the first trial of the second patent infringement lawsuit between Samsung Electronics and Apple held Friday at the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Hose (Judge Lucy Koh) announced a verdict that both companies infringed on certain patents of each other.

Among the five patents Apple alleged Samsung infringed upon, including autocomplete while typing, slide-to-unlock motion, data tapping, data synchronization, and unified search, jurors said Samsung did not infringe on data syncing and unified search patents. Given that the Justice Department previously judged that Samsung infringed on autocomplete while typing, the jury has judged that infringement was made on two among four.

While Apple claimed 2.19 billion U.S. dollars as compensation, the jury has told Samsung Electronics to pay 119.63 million dollars. At the first lawsuit the court had ruled Samsung pay 930 million dollars to Apple.

The jurors have also judged that Apple infringes on Samsung on digital image and audio record transmission patents. They told Apple to pay Samsung Electronics 158,400 dollars.

Friday`s results prompted IT industry sources to say Apple`s patent troll catching strategy hasn`t worked well.

Apple initially took Android OS`s basic functions to issue and requested key figures at developer Google to be summoned as witness.

It also demanded 40 dollars of royalty per smartphone and tablet PC of Samsung Electronics. IT industry sources regard such actions as a strategy of patent trolls that demand excessive royalties first and then adjust the amount through negotiations.

An IT industry source said, "Given the content of lawsuit and compensation amount, this is Samsung`s win by decision," adding, "Apple`s lawsuit strategy has virtually failed."