Samsung has been instructed to halt the import and sales of the 61 smartphones that violate patents owned by SQWIN SA, Russia’s RIA news agency reports.
SQWIN SA is a Switzerland-based company that claims Samsung Pay is based on its electronic payment system. The company registered a patent for the technology in Russia nearly eight years ago. Samsung introduced its payment system in 2015 and expanded it to Russia toward the end of 2016.
It is apparently the third most popular contactless payment system in the country (17 percent), preceded by Apple Pay (30 percent) and Google Pay (32 percent). The ruling could encompass these manufacturers too.
For now, only Samsung Pay has been targeted. In July, the Moscow Arbitration Court passed a verdict in favor of SQWIN SA, and today, it revealed the names of Samsung phones that can no longer be sold in Russia.
The list includes 61 models, including some of Samsung’s best 2021 phones like the latest Galaxy Z Flip and Fold flagships and also some budget models like 2017’s Galaxy J5. The decision is yet to go into effect.
Samsung has appealed the ruling. According to Counterpoint Research, Samsung was the second-largest smartphone seller in Russia in Q1 2021.
