• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there

1

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military

2

'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032

3

Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Tech

Supreme Court Will Hear Apple-Samsung Patent Case

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 21, 2016, 11:02 AM ET

Is the long-fought patent battle between Apple and Samsung entering its final act?

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear the patent case between Apple (AAPL) and Samsung (SSNLF). The court has accepted Samsung’s appeal that it shouldn’t be forced to pay hundreds of millions of dollars in damages to Apple for alleged patent infringement, and says it will hear the case in the term that begins in October.

The Supreme Court’s decision is a major victory for Samsung, which has long argued that Apple’s patents are invalid. The justices will specifically determine whether a $399 million judgement against Samsung for allegedly mimicking certain aspects of Apple’s iPhone design are indeed “slavishly” copying Apple’s products, as the Cupertino, Calif.-based company has said, or if the patents hold no weight.

In its petition to the court in December, Samsung said that the way laws are being interpreted in the Apple case are not “in line with modern times.”

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

“If the current legal precedent stands, it could diminish innovation, stifle competition, pave the way for design patent troll litigation, and negatively impact the economy and consumers,” Samsung added.

In a statement on the decision, Samsung said, “We welcome the Court’s decision to hear our case. We thank the many large technology companies, 37 intellectual property professors, and several groups representing small business, which have supported our position.

“The Court’s review of this case can lead to a fair interpretation of patent law that will support creativity and reward innovation.”

Apple did not immediately responded to a request for comment.

The Supreme Court’s decision, which stands in stark contrast to the one between Oracle and Google, which it kicked back to the lower court, will effectively end a worldwide patent war between the companies.

Both Apple and Samsung have argued that the other copies its designs and concepts, and sued each other from the U.S. to Germany. Apple was dealt its first victory in 2012, when a jury determined in a lower court that Samsung had copied Apple’s designs. Apple had hoped to be awarded $2.75 billion in that case, but its damages were ultimately pared down to $1 billion. After a series of appeals and rulings, that figure was knocked down to $548 million.

In December, Samsung made the somewhat-surprising move to pay the $548 million in damages, with one caveat: It wanted Apple to agree to give the cash back if the patents were deemed invalid or the Galaxy S7 maker were to win a case on appeal. Now the case is in appeal, and the Supreme Court’s ruling will decide the fate of at least a chunk of that cash.

For more about Apple and Samsung, watch:

The $548 million in damages was finally decided by the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals last year. In August, Samsung’s petition to the court for a new trial was struck down. The decision left Samsung with the option to either pay Apple and move on or appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Samsung ultimately chose the latter—and it paid off.

The Supreme Court will analyze Apple’s so-called ‘915 patent, which describes how the pinch-to-zoom feature works on touch devices. While Apple has argued that the patent is valid (part of its damages come from the intellectual property), it has failed to make its case to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

To make its case, Samsung challenged the patent’s validity several years ago, forcing the USPTO to review whether the ‘915 patent was indeed “patentable.” After its first review in 2012, the USPTO, which had previously awarded the patent to Apple, determined that it was invalid and should not have been awarded. The USPTO has subsequently reviewed the patent and again found that Apple’s technology wasn’t patentable. Last December, the USPTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board issued its final decision on the matter, deeming it invalid.

In response, Apple last year filed an appeal to the Federal Circuit court over that ruling in hopes of keeping its patent and the damages that go with it.

Apple has had similar trouble making its case for other patents it claims Samsung violates. Last month, for instance, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in favor of Samsung. The court ruled that Apple’s patents related to turning alphanumeric characters, such as phone numbers, into links, as well as the iPhone’s slide-to-unlock feature, were “obvious”—a term used to describe technologies that should not have been allowed as patents. That case reversed an earlier decision that awarded Apple $120 million in damages for allegedly violating the patents.

Read more: Samsung Will Pay Apple for Damages—But Wants the Cash Back

Now with the Supreme Court in its sights, Samsung will undoubtedly have some supporters. Last July, industry giants including Google (GOOGL), Facebook (FB), eBay (EBAY), and others filed a brief supporting Samsung with the Federal Circuit Court. The companies said in the brief that if Apple’s victory is allowed to stand, the company could engage in similar lawsuits against other technology firms. They feared such a move would negatively impact the development of “useful modern technologies” and “have a devastating impact on companies.”

It’s now time for the Supreme Court to chime in. So get ready: Apple and Samsung are gearing up for their biggest fight yet.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Geoffrey von Maltzahn and Kimberly Powell on stage at Fortune Brainstorm Tech
AITerm Sheet
AI drug discovery leaders warn U.S. health funding cuts risk falling behind global rivals
By Lily Mae LazarusJune 10, 2026
1 hour ago
Kevin O'Leary wears a silver and black suit with a chain of basketball cards around his neck.
AIData centers
From the Trump administration to Kevin O’Leary, there’s a new narrative that China is to blame for plummeting data center popularity
By Sasha RogelbergJune 10, 2026
3 hours ago
JB Straubel, co-founder of Tesla and founder and CEO of Redwood Materials, speaking at Fortune Brainstorm Tech 2026 in Aspen, Colorado. (Photo: Michael Faas/Fortune)
NewslettersFortune Tech
Why China is outpacing the U.S. power grid
By Andrew NuscaJune 10, 2026
3 hours ago
A $7 billion horse race: Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley battle for ‘lead left’ position ahead of OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs
Startups & VentureFinance
A $7 billion horse race: Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley battle for ‘lead left’ position ahead of OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs
By Shawn TullyJune 10, 2026
5 hours ago
Visa’s CFO downplays the importance of stablecoin and agentic commerce to the U.S. payments giant—at least in the short term
Bankingdigital and mobile payments
Visa’s CFO downplays the importance of stablecoin and agentic commerce to the U.S. payments giant—at least in the short term
By Angelica AngJune 10, 2026
5 hours ago
Man in a white shirt and jacket.
InnovationBrainstorm Tech
Marc Lore’s robots make 500 burrito bowls an hour. A human can make 45
By Amanda GerutJune 9, 2026
12 hours ago

Most Popular

Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
Asia
Pentagon accuses Alibaba, Baidu and BYD, three of China's biggest companies, of supporting the Chinese military
By Kate O'Keeffe and BloombergJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
Economy
'We are rapidly running out of time': Watchdog sounds Social Security alarm after 22% cut confirmed for 2032
By Nick LichtenbergJune 9, 2026
19 hours ago
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
Success
Costco CEO Ron Vachris rose from forklift driver to the C-suite without a college degree: ‘Don’t chase a title’ is the career advice that got him there
By Preston ForeJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 9, 2026
23 hours ago
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
Environment
Trump, who has repeatedly called climate change fake, is now threatening Brazil with tariffs over the deforestation of the Amazon
By Sasha RogelbergJune 8, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, June 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, June 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 9, 2026
23 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.