In a case prompted by Apple in April last year, the two companies accounting for more than half of all the world’s smartphone sales, Apple and Samsung, go head to head in a trial by jury on Monday in San Jose, California, accusing eachother of intellectual property infringement.
Apple is demanding $2.5bn in damages, which may be tripled by the judge if she wishes to punish Samsung for wilful misconduct. If awarded, this amount would be the highest patent related verdict to date.
Apple is accusing Samsung of seven patent breaches, including copying the designs for the original iPhone and the iPad, as well as some user-interface elements.
In a counter-claim, Samsung is accusing Apple of breaching five patent rights, relating to the use of 3G technology, integration of a digital camera and email in a single device, bookmarking a picture in an image gallery, and listening to music in the background while using an app.
The evidence will be heard by the jury over at least four weeks, in what is expected to be a complicated case.
The lawsuits between the firms are likely to continue, regardless of the outcome, with both parties scheduled to attend a separate US hearing on 20 August in another patent dispute.
