Samsung ordered to reveal additional sales data in Apple case

gavel court
Secrets are hard kept in this case

The world has entered a new year, but old battles rage on nonetheless.

Even as the rest of us turn over new leaves, new developments have occurred in the ever-raging war between Samsung and Apple.

This time, Samsung was denied a request to keep certain sales figures hidden in the case.

San Jose, Calif. Judge Lucy Koh, who has got to be tired of this case and its petulant parties by now, on Monday reaffirmed her Dec. 10 ruling that Samsung must reveal data relating to units sold of certain undisclosed products during specific months.

The tides of patent war

This is not the first time Samsung has been ordered to show its hand; last summer the South Korean company was forced to reveal sales data relating to the period between June 2010 and June 2012.

At the time, Apple was forced to divulge similar data, as well.

Then in October, Koh refused Apple's requests to use financial documents containing "trade secrets" in its case against Samsung without revealing them to the public.

By then, Apple had already won more than $1 billion (UK£615 million, AU$952 million) of Samsung's money, but it was and still is seeking more damages.

Samsung, meanwhile, is still trying to appeal that decision.

Of Samsung's latest appeal to keep these sales numbers secret, Koh wrote, "Samsung's appeal involves pricing information and profit margins," whereas the exhibit she's ordering the company to file "only lists the number of units sold in each of several recent months."

Therefore, too bad for Sammy.

However, Samsung did win one small victory on Monday. Koh granted a separate request to have the publication of per-unit profits for two specific phones delayed. The court now awaits an appeal on that subject.

More riveting developments are sure to follow through 2013 and the rest of eternity.

Via Bloomberg

Michael Rougeau

Michael Rougeau is a former freelance news writer for TechRadar. Studying at Goldsmiths, University of London, and Northeastern University, Michael has bylines at Kotaku, 1UP, G4, Complex Magazine, Digital Trends, GamesRadar, GameSpot, IFC, Animal New York, @Gamer, Inside the Magic, Comic Book Resources, Zap2It, TabTimes, GameZone, Cheat Code Central, Gameshark, Gameranx, The Industry, Debonair Mag, Kombo, and others.


Micheal also spent time as the Games Editor for Playboy.com, and was the managing editor at GameSpot before becoming an Animal Care Manager for Wags and Walks.