Samsung Hit With $3 Million Damages Over Roaming Technology Patent

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Samsung has suffered a legal setback in the United States over a patent related to international roaming technology in its Galaxy smartphones. The jury ordered the company to pay $3 million in damages to the plaintiff. It’s unclear whether the Korean firm plans to appeal the decision.

Samsung Galaxy phones’ roaming technology found to infringe U.S. patent

In 2024, Vasu Holdings LLC, a U.S. patent management firm (NPE), filed a lawsuit against Samsung. The NPE alleged that the international roaming technology used in Galaxy smartphones infringed several of its patents. However, both sides agreed to limit the dispute, leaving three patents for the judgment.

Recently, a jury in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas found that Samsung infringed U.S. Patent No. 8,886,181. As a result, it awarded Vasu Holdings $3 million in damages. The other two patents in the case (U.S. Patent Nos. 10,368,281 and 10,419,996) were found not to have been infringed. The jury rejected the Korean giant’s claim that patent ‘181 was invalid.

While the damages are small relative to Samsung’s annual revenue, the ruling is significant. The decision could solidify Vasu Holdings’ position in future licensing negotiations. An intellectual property attorney said the Korean firm could file a Judgment as a Matter of Law (JMOL). It might also appeal the verdict before the court issues its final judgment.

It will be interesting to see if Samsung decides to appeal or agree to pay the damages. We’ll let you know if the court’s final outcome doesn’t match the jury’s verdict.

Meanwhile, Samsung is facing a major intellectual property lawsuit in the UK. Swiss watchmaker Swatch is seeking $170 million in damages. It alleges the Korean firm allowed third-party apps to offer Galaxy Watch faces that resemble the designs of several of its watch brands.

Written by

Binay Konwar

Binay Konwar started his blogging journey in 2014 and has since written plenty of tech articles. At present, he is working as a News Writer at SammyGuru, covering everything about Samsung. He holds a Master's degree in Mathematics, but his real passion lies in tech and writing. In his free time, he enjoys playing chess and watching movies.

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