The U.S Appeals Court ruled on Friday that Apple and Samsung have are not required to disclose confidential data such as financial information, business plans, source codes, and market research reports.
The decision of the court of appeals invalidates the previous ruling of the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California ordering both parties to publicly disclose confidential information related to their patent dispute filed in California in 2012.
Apple won the patent dispute with a $1 billion damage fee but will undergo another retrial in November for other damages.
U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, Calif., handling the case, ordered Apple and Samsung to show transparency to the public by revealing the confidential data so that people would understand the reasons behind the ruling. The court also rejected Apple's request to ban Samsung products in the U.S market.
“We recognize the importance of protecting the public’s interest in judicial proceedings and of facilitating its understanding of those proceedings,” Circuit Judge Sharon Prost wrote for the three-judge panel. “That interest, however, does not extend to mere curiosity about the parties’ confidential information where that information is not central to a decision on the merits.”
Bloomberg, one of the news publication seeking to acquire the confidential data of the two companies, tried to get comments from the spokesperson of each company but got denied. Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet said they have no comment while spokesman Adam Yates for Samsung hasn't responded yet.
Aside from Bloomberg, other publications hoping to get the data include the L.A Times, Associated Press, Wired.com, and the N.Y Times.
The Federal Circuit is the division of the court of appeals handling patent appeals. It would usually allow confidential data to be released in the public but this time it chose to favor the two largest smartphone makers as it may harm the business.
