Apple has the last laugh against its fight with Samsung as an US court has ordered Samsung - which sold around 50 million phones in April-June, almost twice the number of iPhones - to pay $1.05 billion damages, after ruling that the South Korean firm infringed on some Apple patents.
The verdict was a big win for Apple, and it marks the end of one of the biggest corporate patent wars among tech giants Apple and Samsung. However the damages are less than half the $2.5 billion compensation it sought - although that could yet be increased by the judge - and are just 1.5 percent of annual revenues from Samsung's telecoms business.
This defeat will dent Samsung Electronics Co's $21 billion cash-pile.Samsung's crown product jewels, Galaxy Range of smartphones and the tablet business have been seen as the powerhouse behind Samsung's rapid growth, which has been earning around 70% of total profit. The group had net profit of $4.5 billion in April-June.2012
Also, Apple's demands for Samsung to pay it a royalty on its phone sales could hit rival phones using Google's Android operating system more than it hits Samsung. If anything, the blaze of publicity from the high-profile, high-stakes US litigation has made Samsung's brand more visible and recognised.
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