Tokyo court backs Apple against Samsung on patent

An AT&T customer tries out an Apple iPhone 4 at an AT&T store in Palo Alto, Calif., in this Jan. 11, 2011 file photo. A U.S. trade agency on Tuesday June 4, 2013 issued a ban on imports of Apple’s iPhone 4 and a variant of the iPad 2 after finding the devices violate a patent held by South Korean rival Samsung Electronics. On Tuesday, the White House issued a recommendation to Congress that it limit the ITC’s ability to impose import bans in these cases. AP

TOKYO—Apple Inc. has won a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung Electronics Co. in a Japanese court, one of dozens of legal battles around the world between the technology giants.

The Tokyo District Court issued a partial verdict Friday in favor of Apple. Damages were not announced. A final verdict is expected later.

Apple and Samsung are embroiled in similar battles in the U.S., South Korea, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Britain, France and Australia.

The latest was over “bounce-back” technology for scrolling on devices. Samsung has since changed its smartphone design to show a blue light, instead of bouncing back.

The two companies are competing fiercely in global markets, and accuse each other of illegally using various technologies.

Samsung said it will study the ruling before deciding whether to appeal.