Sign up for a new account or log in here:
also @ TechSpot: AT&T unleashes solar-powered phone chargers into New York parks
Apple and Samsung had their latest legal encounter in a San Jose, Ca. court at the end of last week. In April, Apple sued Samsung for "copying the look and feel" of its iPhone and iPad in its Galaxy range of phones and tablets. The Cupertino-based firm then expanded the suit to include another 13 models, such as the Galaxy Tab 10.1, Nexus S and Droid Charge. The full trial is set to start on July 30, 2012 but Apple was pushing for a temporary sales injunction on the contested Samsung devices in the U.S. as that date arrived.
U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh refused Apple's request, however, stating it was an "extraordinary remedy." In making her decision she said she was unconvinced Apple would suffer irreparable harm should Samsung continue sales pending the court case. She continued, "given the evidence Samsung presented, it seems likely that a major beneficiary of an injunction would be other smartphone manufacturers."
Statements of support from U.S. carriers T-Mobile and Verizon did nothing to sway the Judge's decision, who said that should the South Korean technology giant be "infringing upon Apple's patents, it is no more acceptable for third parties to benefit from Samsung's unlawful actions than it is for Samsung itself to benefit."
Judge Koh did comment that she suspected Samsung could have infringed Apple's patents, but it was now the burden of the iPhone and iPad maker to prove the validity of the patents it is contesting. "A size that can be handheld, a screen that encompasses a large portion of the front face of the smartphone, and a speaker on the upper portion of the front face of the product," are more functional features that make sense, which are not necessarily aesthetic features and therefore would be legally allowable according to Koh.
Should Samsung lose in court next year, it could likely still sidestep the ruling by redesigning the contested devices much like it is attempting to do in Germany in order to elude a sales ban there.
On a related note, last week the Australian High Court of Appeals voted unanimously to overturn the injunction put in place by Justice Bennett preventing the sale of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in that country. Apple was nevertheless able extend the injunction for a further seven days as it prepares its appeal.
Related Products from Product Finder
Samsung AT&T Galaxy S 2
Read expert reviews, pros & cons, and product information about Samsung AT&T Galaxy S 2. There are 166 reviews available so far.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 inch GT-P7500 / GT-P7510
The Galaxy Tab 10.1 weighs 595 grams, it supports HSPA+ network speeds of up to 21Mbps, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n connectivity. It also features a 3 megapixel rear camera and a 2 megapixel front camera, providing seamless 1080p HD video. The device is powered by a 1GHz dual core application processor and features a 1280 x 800 resolution WXGA display.
Apple iPhone 4S
The iPhone 4S looks identical to last year's model but comes in a new 64GB flavor and upgrades the camera to include an 8-megapixel sensor with improved low-light performance and 1080p video capture. In terms of performance the new iPhone is reportedly up to 2x faster and is also capable of running on faster HSPA+ networks, reaching theoretical download speeds of up to 14.4Mbps.
Apple iPad 2 3G
The iPad 2 improves on the original in many ways, including a significantly faster dual-core CPU, improved graphics and a thinner footprint. The iPad 2 also manages to shave off 0.2 pounds for a total weight of 1.33 pounds on the Wi-Fi only model. Apple has included two cameras on the iPad 2 – a VGA-quality front facing lens for FaceTime and a rear-facing camera capable of recording 720p video.
User Comments: 9
Got something to say? Post a comment-
Greed vs. Greed, round 53,634,231,294,664,369.
-
How is the Nexus S similar to the Iphone? Apple is just falling behind and is trying to prevent anybody for selling phones. The Iphone 4s is a joke compare to the new Samsung Galaxy SII and Apple is loosing ground fast. Instead of trying to sue everyone Apple should start working on a new phone, oups Apple does not create any new hardware they just put them together.
-
That's happens when they lose their mastermind...
-
"A size that can be handheld" : its a phone... you arent suppose to take 2 hands to use it...
"a screen that encompasses a large portion of the front face of the smartphone" : why a tiny screen when you can make a big one? would be a waste of space otherwise.
"and a speaker on the upper portion of the front face of the product" : one again, its a phone... all phones are like that...
-
Those that can do. Those that can't sue. Apple has been suing far more than 'game changing' of late.
Well, Jobs basically gave up his life so that Apple can be successful. Lets see if his sacrifice will be worth it in the long run.
-
Hey crapple, u mad?
-
Is Apple already nervous about competition already surpassing Apple's products?
-
If you can't beat them then sue them. LOL@Apple ^^
-
Thats like saying Sony should sue LG for making a black rectangular shaped LCD TV with speakers on the back panel...WTF
Most Popular
| Trending | Featured |
Subscribe to TechSpot
Get free exclusive content, learn about new features and breaking tech news.