Apple Didn’t Infringe Samsung’s Patents, Japanese Court Rules

Another chapter ended today in the Apple vs. Samsung global patent litigation: a Japanese court has ruled that Apple’s iPhone 4s, iPhone 4, and iPad 2 do not infringe on Samsung’s patents, Bloomberg reports.

A win for Samsung could have been a major blow for Apple in a market where the iPhone accounted for 3 out of 4 smartphones sold in the past quarter. Samsung, of course, is disappointed with the ruling. It will review its options and is not excluding an appeal.

“We are disappointed by the court’s decision,” Samsung said in an e-mailed statement earlier today. “Upon a thorough review of the ruling, we will determine which measures to take, including an appeal.”

The ruling comes as the two tech giants are making preparations for the second round of the patent infringement lawsuit in the US. The first round has ended with $930 million damages being awarded to Apple, and the second will kick off on March 31. This time Apple is asking for $40 per Samsung unit in damages for five patents in total.