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Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) Loses Face Over Appeal To Recover Legal Fees

The Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (KRX:005935) patent war has become quite legendary with new twists and turns popping up with every passing week. That the tech giants finally agreed to drop all differences out of the US is clear. But what is irking Apple currently is the fact that it will not be able to recover the $16 million incurred as legal fees in the course of the war.

Judge denies $16 million in legal fees but releases $2.6 million bond

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) had earlier appealed to recover from Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (KRX:005935) the legal fees it had to pay while suing the latter for patent infringement. To win the appeal, Apple had to prove that the case was an exception. Since it failed to do so, Judge Lucy Koh ruled earlier today that Apple is ineligible for the reimbursement.

The ruling also stated that a bond for $2.6 million, which Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) had posted a couple of years ago to block Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (KRX:005935)’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 from being sold on the market, would be released back to the iPhone manufacturer. This minor good news did not offer Apple any respite as the company had decided not to pay attention to enforcing of the ban as that particular tab model had been called off the market by then to be replaced by not one but two newer models.

A brief history of the war

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) sued rival Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (KRX:005935) earlier this year on grounds of patent infringement and demanded $2 billion in damages. Samsung followed suit, charging Apple with violating two of its patents. A verdict was reached in the case albeit it did not soothe Apple’s ruffled feathers as it was awarded only $119.6 million in damages.

Earlier this month, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (KRX:005935) decided to drop lawsuits in all countries and confine their battle over legal issues only in the United States. The settlement with Samsung was not an isolated incident as Apple was noticed to have been on a peace making spree this year. In May, Apple and Google Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL) decided to cool their heels over the latter’s MOTOROLA MOBILITY DL-,01 (FRA:MT8) smartphone patent litigation.