Samsung goes all Rocky, vows to keep fighting

Looks like Samsung’s had “Eye of the Tiger” playing on repeat ever since the jury ruled against it in its landmark trial against Apple.

In a statement made today, the South Korean tech giant said “We will take all necessary measures to ensure the availability of our products in the US market.” Those are very definitely fighting words.

For its part Apple says it reserves the right to look for permanent injunctions against 28 Samsung products the trial’s 9-strong jury said infringed on Apple’s patents.

It has however offered “to address a portion of the immediate, ongoing irreparable harm that Apple is suffering”.

“As a last resort, we can think about workarounds,” a Samsung official told news agency AFP on condition of anonymity.

The jury awarded the Cupertino-based giant US$1.05-billion in damages, “providing ammunition for more legal attacks on its mobile-device rivals,” reports the Wall Street Journal.

The case focused around Apple’s claim that Samsung “slavishly” copied its mobile products (specifically the iPhone and iPad). Samsung countered with the simple defence that it didn’t.

The California jury found that several of Samsung’s devices had infringed Apple’s software and design patents. But dismissed Samsung’s claims that several of its patents had been contravened and awarded it no damages.

The judge in that trial Lucy Koh has set aside 20 September as a date for a hearing on the enforcement of injunctions against Samsung.

At the hearing, Samsung will also be able to make its case for overturning the trial ruling. Apple meanwhile will request punitive damages, which could see the US$1.049-billion dollars it was awarded tripled.