(FILES) This file photo taken on March 31, 2012 shows the US Supreme Court Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The US Supreme Court on March 21, 2016 opened the door to reducing the hundreds of millions of dollars in damages owed by Samsung to Apple in the blockbuster patent case between the world's biggest smartphone makers. The court agreed to hear one element of the South Korean giant's appeal -- it will not reconsider Samsung's guilt, but will look at whether the penalty was excessive for copyright infringement of certain components within the electronics. / AFP PHOTO / KAREN BLEIER
The US Supreme Court stepped into the high-profile patent fight between the world's two fiercest smartphone rivals, Apple and Samsung, agreeing to hear Samsung's appeal of what it contends were excessive penalties for copying the patented designs of the iPhone.
Samsung Electronics Co Ltd paid Apple Inc more than US$548mil (RM2.20bil) in December related to a jury verdict from 2012. It is seeking to pare back the US$399mil (RM1.60bil) of that amount that was awarded for infringing on the designs of the iPhone's rounded-corner front face, bezel and colourful grid of icons, saying they contributed only marginally to a complex device.
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