A judge on Wednesday rejected a bid by Apple to ban US sales of rival Samsung smartphones targeted in a recent $2 billion patent trial in Silicon Valley. The decision was seen as a setback for Apple in its long-running battle with Samsung over features built into Android-powered mobile devices that compete worldwide with iPhones and iPads. The California-based Apple requested an injunction on offending Samsung mobile devices -- which were from the flagship Galaxy line -- after a patent trial that ended with a mixed verdict in May. Jurors awarded $119.6 million in damages to Apple. While the amount of the award is huge, it is only a fraction of the more than $2 billion Apple had sought at the outset of the case.



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