Apple's request for a US sales ban on 26 Samsung devices was rejected by a federal judge following a jury verdict in August finding infringement of six of the iPhone maker's patents.
Apple failed to establish that consumer demand for Samsung products was driven by technology it stole, US District Judge Lucy Koh said in her ruling yesterday.
She said it wasn't in the public interest to bar Samsung's devices because the infringing elements constituted a limited part of Samsung's phones.
"Samsung may have cut into Apple's customer base somewhat, but there is no suggestion that Samsung will wipe out Apple's customer base, or force Apple out of the business of making smartphones," Judge Koh said. "The present case involves lost sales - not a lost ability to be a viable market participant."
Only three of the 26 products that Apple sought to block are still being sold according to Samsung: the Galaxy S II by T- Mobile, Galaxy S II Epic and Galaxy S II Skyrocket.
Newer smartphones made by both companies, including Samsung's Galaxy S III and the iPhone 5, already have been added to a related lawsuit in which Apple and Samsung accuse each other of copying products.
That case is also before Judge Koh and is scheduled for trial in 2014.
In a second order yesterday, the judget denied Samsung's motion for a new trial because of allegations regarding the jury's foreman.
Judge Koh is still considering Samsung's request to reduce the $1.05 billion verdict awarded by the jury.
Apple, the world's most valuable company, argued Samsung bet that the benefits of using intellectual property from the iPhone and iPad would outweigh the money damages the jury awarded.
Kristin Huguet, a spokeswoman for Cupertino, California- based Apple, said in an email the company declined to comment on the ruling.
Samsung said in a statement that the company would review the court's orders before deciding whether to take "further measures."
Apple shares rose 1.7 per cent to the equivalent of $520.85 at 8.16am in Frankfurt.
The stock closed at $518.83 yesterday in New York.
Samsung shares rose 0.8 per cent in Seoul today after two days of losses, extending its gain for the year to 43.2 per cent.
Bloomberg
