A London judge ordered Samsung Electronics to pay Swatch Group AG $11.6 million after ruling the tech company unlawfully hosted copied watch face displays on its smartwatch app store.
Judge Marcus Smith awarded $10 million specifically for "store display infringements," concluding that Samsung’s hosting of the apps damaged Swatch’s brand interests even if consumers did not download them. The ruling followed a damages inquiry stemming from a 2022 High Court judgment that found Samsung liable for trademark infringement.
Swatch Group, which owns brands including Swatch, Breguet, Longines, and Omega, had sought approximately $170 million in damages. Samsung had argued at trial that damages were not worth more than $301. The infringing apps were developed by third parties and displayed on Samsung’s Galaxy app store between October 2015 and February 2019.
In his ruling, Judge Smith stated that the use of Swatch Group brands on Samsung’s app store shelves was "very damaging" and "demeaning" to the brands, given the low or no cost of the apps. Samsung’s appeal of the 2022 infringement ruling was previously rejected.
The case highlights the legal risks for technology platforms hosting third-party content that may infringe on intellectual property rights.
