Apple rests patent case as judge tosses three Samsung phones from trial

Apple on Monday rested its case on that Samsung ripped off the design of the iPhone and iPad while building its own mobile products. Meanwhile, three of the Samsung phones that Apple labeled as infringing were tossed from the trial.

It was a minor victory for Samsung. The Galaxy Ace, Galaxy S i9000, and Galaxy S II i9100 were thrown out of the case by US District Court Judge Lucy Koh after questions about whether the phones were even sold in the US. The devices were dropped from the case because they are “world phones that could be purchased in the US., but that weren't sold by Samsung's telecommunications and electronics divisions in the US,” according to CNET.

All Things D points out, however, that the ruling does not affect the US-specific versions of Samsung’s Galaxy S and Galaxy SII phones, which are among roughly 20 devices Apple has identified as infringing its intellectual property. Moreover, the three phones were essentially worthless in Apple's case from a financial perspective. Apple's damages report assigned the three phones a worth of $0, the only phones in the case with such a distinction.