Samsung told to pay Swatch $11.6 million

A London High Court has ordered Samsung Electronics Co. to pay Swatch Group AG $11.6 million in a trademark dispute over smartwatch applications. The ruling concludes a damages inquiry focused on watch‑face apps available through Samsung’s digital store that incorporated designs and marks from Swatch’s portfolio of luxury watch brands.

The court determined that the contested apps copied Swatch brands and were offered to users via Samsung’s platform. The decision sets the amount Samsung must pay Swatch for the infringement identified in the case.

At the center of the dispute were third‑party smartwatch watch‑face applications hosted on Samsung’s app store. The court found that these apps reproduced the trademarks and designs of several Swatch Group marques, including Breguet, Blancpain, Omega, Longines and Tissot.

The judge characterized the apps as appearing on Samsung’s “supermarket shelves,” where they were downloadable either for nothing or for very little money. The ruling emphasized that this mode of distribution involved Swatch’s brands being offered cheaply within Samsung’s ecosystem.

Swatch Group had sought about $170 million in damages linked to the apps that incorporated its luxury brands. In contrast, Samsung argued at trial that the appropriate measure of damages was minimal, around $300, reflecting what it viewed as the limited financial impact of the disputed content.

In assessing damages, Judge Marcus Smith said that the use of Swatch Group brands in this way was “very damaging” and that making them downloadable for nothing or for little money demeans the brands. The final award of $11.6 million falls significantly below Swatch’s claim while still far above Samsung’s assessment.

The decision underscores that platform operators can face financial liability for infringing third‑party content made available through their digital stores. The ruling highlights the court’s focus on how luxury brands are presented and priced when they appear in app marketplaces.

Samsung said it is carefully considering the High Court’s judgment and will consider all possible countermeasures, including an appeal. Any further steps by Samsung would occur within the established legal process following the damages ruling.