WorldWide Tech & Science. Francisco De Jes�s.
Netherlands: Dutch court ruled Samsung does not infringe Apple patent.
A Dutch court in Amsterdam has ruled Samsung Electronics does not infringe an Apple Inc patent by using certain multi-touch techniques on some of the Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablet computers.
Apple argued in September in the Hague court that Samsung infringed its patent on multi-touch function, which lets users use two fingers at one time on a touch screen.
"With these products Samsung does not infringe the claims that Apple has made," the court said in its ruling on Wednesday.
Apple lost a preliminary injunction on this patent in the Dutch courts last year and also lost its battle in the courts in Britain against HTC Corp, and in Germany against Samsung and Motorola Mobility, which is owned by Google.
The Dutch court acknowledged that its multi-touch patent ruling was similar to those in Britain and Germany.
Samsung said it welcomed the Dutch court's decision, while Apple declined to comment on the ruling.
The Hague has become an important court room battle ground between companies making mobile phones and tablet computers, as court actions there are considered to be cheap, speedy and efficient.
The Dutch court's ruling comes ahead of a decision in the United States from the International Trade Commission on Thursday over claims that Samsung infringed on Apple patents.
REUTERS.
