US Patent Office Rejects Apple's 'Pinch To Zoom' Patent

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has reportedly rejected Apple's 'pinch to zoom' patent which plays a central role in the company's patent infringement case against Samsung.

As a result, Samsung Electronics filed a petition in the US District court requesting that all alleged infringement against Apple's pinch to zoom patent be tossed out, citing the USPTO's decision to reject all 21 claims through a final office action. Apple had charged Samsung with violating this patent (along with others) and awarded Apple with $1.05 billion in damages. The jury awarded damages to Apple with regard to all but two products found to infringe the '915 patent, Samsung said in its filing.

Just last December the USPTO analyzed the patent and rejected all 21 claims, but Apple was able to fight that decision, however it does not seem that is was able to hold up for that long.


The patent describes a method by which users can bring their fingers together and separate them to create a zoom in and zoom out effect. Obviously Apple will still try to find ways to appeal the decision so anything is still possible, as it has two months to respond to the decision.

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