How did the UK ruling in 2022 find Samsung liable for trademark infringement?

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A 2022 UK High Court ruling found Samsung liable for trademark infringement connected to third-party apps on Samsung smartwatches that let users replicate Swatch-owned brands’ watch models

In 2022, the High Court in London held Samsung liable for trademark infringement tied to third-party apps available on Samsung smartwatches. Those apps allowed users to replicate popular models by Swatch-owned brands, including Omega and Tissot. The reported court finding was specifically linked to the presence of those apps on the watches, rather than to Swatch’s connected-watch products or Samsung launching its own smartwatch line.
The infringement was linked to third-party apps on Samsung smartwatches
The High Court’s finding related to apps provided by third parties that were available to users on Samsung smartwatches. Those apps enabled users to recreate watch models associated with Swatch-owned brands, including luxury labels such as Omega and Tissot.
The case involved Swatch’s allegations around trademark use
Swatch’s lawsuit frames the issue as Samsung allowing “digital clones” of Swatch watches through the ecosystem of Samsung smartwatches and the third-party apps on them. In written statements filed to the High Court, Swatch accused Samsung of “large-scale appropriation” of “valuable and carefully protected” trademarks.
The upcoming damages decision follows the 2022 liability finding
The 2022 decision on liability is separate from the damages phase, which the High Court is now determining. A judge is expected to rule on damages soon, after the earlier 2022 ruling that Samsung was liable.
The reported record does not spell out the legal reasoning in detail
The available reporting describes the High Court’s liability conclusion and the general mechanism—third-party apps enabling replication of Swatch-owned watch models—but it does not provide the specific legal reasoning or detailed evidence used to reach the infringement finding. It also does not list the exact trademarks the court found infringed or how the court interpreted trademark law for this particular app-based context.

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How did the UK ruling in 2022 find Samsung liable for trademark infringement?

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