Apple demands over $2B from Samsung for patent infringement

Samsung should pay more than US$2 billion for repeated infringement of Apple patents in more than 37 million smartphones sold in the U.S., a Silicon Valley jury was told Tuesday as a trial between the two companies got underway after more than two years of preparation.

Apple opened its case by declaring, "the reason the damages are high is because the scope of Samsung's infringement is massive," but Samsung hit back soon after, telling the jury that the Apple figure was "a gross, gross exaggeration and an insult to your intelligence."

Samsung is accused of infringing five Apple patents related to smartphone functions, including the slide-to-unlock feature that prevents accidental use; word correction when typing; contextual links with contact information; universal search of the phone and Internet; and background syncing of data. Apple is accused of infringing two Samsung patents, including one on remote video transmission and one on digital imaging.