Samsung secrecy bid denied: Apple gets Android sales stats from arch-rival

Samsung must reveal its sales figures for each device deemed infringing on Apple's patents in the US, after an appeal to have the data sealed was denied by the judge. The disclosure was a part of the $1bn award Apple was granted after Samsung was found guilty of copying technology back in August 2012, Bloomberg reports, though the South Korean company moved to have the requirement postponed until its appeal goes before the Federal Circuit court.

Unfortunately, that argument failed to go down well with Justice Lucy Koh, who denied the appeal. At fault was apparently the way Samsung portrayed the data, and its importance, which was at odds with what information must actually be shared with Apple.

"Samsung's appeal involves pricing information and profit margins," Koh said in her ruling, whereas the instruction for what is required for disclosure "only lists the number of units sold in each of several recent months."

Still, not everything went Apple's way as Koh sifted through the various appeals. Samsung's request to have the reveal of per-unit operating profit for two of its smartphones delayed was granted, for instance.

Access to information previously kept confidential has been an undercurrent in the ongoing legal battle between the two companies. Samsung has attempted to discover details of Apple's contracts with Qualcomm, among others, arguing that the Cupertino firm was not covered by the same licensing deal that the chip manufacturer was.