A judge for the Northern District of California has ordered Apple and Samsung to trim the number of claims they plan to stress upon in the case between the two companies which is centered on intellectual-property rights concerning tablets and smartphones. Apple and Samsung will be given 25 hours each to present their case. The order from the judge came so as to ensure that the jury will be able to understand the specific issues at hand better and arrive at their decision during the trial which is scheduled to begin on the 30th of July.
Apple stated that a lot is at stake since Samsung has now become the leading producer of handsets in the market with a rise in the sales of their ‘copycat’ products. However, following the judge’s orders, Apple is willing to systemize the number of claims it wishes to stress upon. They are dropping three utility patent claims, two design patent claims, six trademark claims and infringement claims relating to the packaging of the products.
They are now going to narrow the claims to four utility patents in particular along with other design related claims. The four utility patents are a part of Apple’s multitouch functions. Under the claims related to the iPhone’s design with respect to the body and the icon layout, Apple pointed out that these design patents too have been violated by a large number of Samsung products.
Nevertheless, Apple is demanding for a bench trial in the future wherein a judge will decide over the claims it is currently dropping off.
Samsung does not believe Apple has helped in streamlining the trial in any manner by dropping only two out of its total seven design patent claims, five of which have been allegedly infringed upon by at least fourteen Samsung products. Samsung, on the other hand, has narrowed its claims to seven patents from twelve. Samsung’s experts had identified 75 claims in all which Apple products infringe upon, but following the judge’s order, they plan to drop 60 of them and go ahead with only 15, therefore reducing their claims by about 80%.
Motions were filed by both the companies arguing over Apple’s appeal that the judge should inform the jury about Samsung destroying evidence related to the case which would have otherwise favoured Apple’s case. Samsung is asking for time to respond to this appeal by Apple. Both the companies are involved in 50 lawsuits in different countries.
