London court orders Samsung to pay Swatch $11.6 million over copied smartwatch app designs

Samsung has been ordered by a London court to pay Swatch Group $11.6 million after the judge found that smartwatch app designs on Samsung’s Galaxy store copied the look of luxury watch brands including Breguet, Longines and Omega. The ruling follows an earlier finding that Samsung was liable for trademark infringement over the apps, which were available between 2015 and 2019. The case matters because it highlights how watchmakers are trying to protect brand identities in the digital marketplace, and it could influence how app stores police third-party designs. Swatch had sought far more in damages, underscoring the scale of the dispute between the two companies.