Stop using Apple products: Samsung to consumers

Samsung has urged consumers to shun all Apple products as the Korean smartphone manufacturer''s market value plunged after it lost a high-profile U.S. court battle over patent infringement.

An-employee-shows-an-Apple-s-iPhone-4s-L-and-a-Samsung-s-Galaxy-S3-R-at-a-mobile-phone-shop-in-Seoul-AFP-Photo-Jung-Yeon-Je

Samsung has urged consumers to shun all Apple products as the Korean smartphone manufacturer's market value plunged after it lost a high-profile U.S. court battle over patent infringement.

Samsung stock fell 7.5 percent in Seoul on Monday as shareholders reacted to the one billion dollars fine imposed by a U.S. court for copying key elements of the Apple iPhone's behaviour and appearance.

According to The Guardian, in an angry internal memo Samsung said Apple had rebuffed attempts to settle out of court, and urged people to stop using Apple products.

"History has shown there has yet to be a company that has won the hearts and minds of consumers and achieved continuous growth when its primary means to competition has been the outright abuse of patent law, not the pursuit of innovation," the memo read.

"We trust that the consumers and the market will side with those who prioritise innovation over litigation, and we will prove this beyond doubt," it added.

The jury of nine in San Jose, California, determined that the infringement of Apple's patents and designs was 'willful'.

Samsung has, however, said it would appeal against the verdict.

Meanwhile, analysts say that the verdict could result in Apple broadening its attack on other handset makers that use Google''s Android operating system.