Samsung loses Apple suit in Germany

Samsung Electronics Co. said Friday a German court ruled in favor of its rival Apple Inc. in a patent infringement suit over smartphones. The ruling by a court in Mannheim, Germany is the first in the European country in a string of patent suits the two technology heavyweights have filed against each other in 10 countries. Samsung is undecided on whether to appeal to the ruling, the company said. Samsung, meanwhile, said the Friday ruling covers one patent and added it plans to spearhead efforts to prove Apple's infringement of two other mobile technologies. The court is scheduled to rule on one of the remaining patent suits on Feb. 27 and the other on March 2. Samsung and Apple have been embroiled in a legal tussle since April, when the U.S. company first accused the local firm of copying its iPad and iPhone for Samsung's Galaxy series of mobile devices. Samsung fought back with its own claims of patent infringement, causing the dispute to expand to 30 cases in 10 countries in Asia and Europe, as well as in the United States.