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Topic: Smartphones

Samsung ramps up Apple fight: Now seeks ban in Australia, Japan

Summary: As Samsung appeals sales bans in place in Australia and the Netherlands, the smartphone giant is seeking a wider ban of the iPhone 4S in both Australia and Japan.

Zack Whittaker

By for Between the Lines |

Samsung is seeking a wider ban of Apple's recently released iPhone 4S in Australia and Japan, after a series of setbacks last week in the courts, threatening the future of certain Samsung products in the United States.

The South Korean smartphone giant said it filed today for preliminary injunctions on the sale of the iPhone 4S in the Tokyo District Court, and the New South Wales Registry, Australia, in a bid to prevent its alleged infringed patents from reaching the market. The Wall Street Journal reports that in the filings to the Japanese court, Samsung also asked for the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 tablet to be barred from sale in the country.

It follows similar filings in France and Italy, leading to wide speculation that other jurisdictions would be targeted, as Samsung claimed Apple infringed a number of its core networking patents.

The filings highlight the importance of Samsung's smartphone sales to the company, only days after an Australian court issued a temporary ban of sales, requested by Apple, of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in the country. Samsung said it will appeal the injunction.

The tit-for-tat battle has continued since April, when the two companies began suing and counter-suing each other over patents pertaining to the design of smartphones and tablets and wireless networking.

A Dutch ban is still in place, where an appeal by Samsung fell through, with a sales injunction maintaining force in the Netherlands. Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet is currently banned in other parts of Europe after Apple's bid to block sales was successful.

Late last week, a U.S. district judge said during a hearing that Samsung's Galaxy tablets infringe Apple's patents, while at the same time questioning Apple's patent validity under U.S. law. Apple will have to prove that its patents were infringed, while showing that the patents in question are valid under U.S. jurisdiction.

A formal order will be issued soon.

The iPhone 4S, which went on sale last week, surpassed the 1 million pre-order mark within the first 24 hours of sale. Samsung currently holds the highest mobile marketshare in the United States, with many of its smartphones running the Android mobile operating system.

Related:

Topics: Smartphones, Apple, Hardware, iPhone, Mobility, Samsung

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17 comments
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  • As I already said, this is lame useless attempt to retaliate

    The cases are different; while Apple has both letter and merit of their lawsuits on their side (Samsung does indeed shamelessly, like a Chinese no-name, copy Apple's designs -- starting from the package box, cables and charges and ending with certain UI elements and UI behaviour), Samsung's 3G patents lawsuits are just desperate attempt to retaliate, which was obviously lame because:<br><br>1) the fees that Samsung asked in 2010 do not comply with FRAND (fair and non-discriminating) licensing terms, to which Samsung signed when their patents became the part of 3G standard;<br><br>2) Qualcomm, Broadcom, Infinion (now Intel), whose communication chips are used in Apple's devices, already pay to Samsung for these patents anyway.
    DDERSSS
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Samsung ramps up Apple fight: Now seeks ban in Australia, Japan

      @DeRSSS Galaxy S II is better than any iPhone ...
      AdnanPirota
      Reply Vote

      • Except for it is lagging in almost every area, starting from web browsing

        @AdnanPirota: ... speeds, graphics, vector/multimedia FP calculations, camera speed, photo and video quality, twice lower resolution/details/clarity screen, lesser applications and media library, no Siri, no AirPlay, no iCloud, and it is plasticky.
        DDERSSS
        Reply Vote

      • @DeRSSS: proving there is no competition to the iPhone 4S

        After all, absolutely no smartphone can ever have more applications and media library, Siri, AirPlay, or iCloud so by your definition, there can never be any smartphone that competes with iPhone.

        It is a sick market.<br><br>We all lose.
        toddybottom
        Reply Vote

      • For now, 'No' indeed

        @toddybottom: iOS devices have access of all media libraries (including Amazon, B&N, many others), plus have its own iTunes library (the biggest one), as well as iBooks.

        As to applications business, iOS platform is obvious leader in both quantity and quality, but Android platform has good chances to surpass iOS in the future; lets see if and when this will happen.
        DDERSSS
        Reply Vote

      • So you agree that for now, Apple has a monopoly

        You are right.

        We don't have real choice between a suite of good phones today. There is only 1 good phone lineup: iPhone 3GS for free, iPhone 4 for $99, and iPhone 4S for $199. All other phones at those price points suck. We don't have real choice.

        As for Android getting Siri, AirPlay, and iCloud, Apple will never allow it so no, the situation will never change. Apple will forever have a monopoly in the smartphone and tablet markets.
        toddybottom
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Samsung ramps up Apple fight: Now seeks ban in Australia, Japan

        @toddybottom... I hope you're being sarcastic there... Monopoly... last time I checked, Android is growing it's 40% share in the smartphone market. I for one, couldn't be happier with my Android device and every time I have to "help" someone with their Iphone.. I am further reminded of this fact.
        wasabitobiko
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Samsung ramps up Apple fight: Now seeks ban in Australia, Japan

        @DeRSSS
        Iphone is uglier, twice the cost, less customizable,small screen, no hdmi out,android has version of siri first with google voice commands and search along with email reading and text reading,more android device choices, iphone no personality,No 4G on the Iphone,No flash on iphone, no extended battery options or quick replace battery,iphones very very fragile, very locked down os....Android clear winner for overall possibilities and ability.
        Fletchguy
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Samsung ramps up Apple fight: Now seeks ban in Australia, Japan

      @DeRSSS
      Yes, we all know iFanboys think Apple owns the rectangle. A triangle soon to come from Cupertino too!
      Now you know for a fact that Apple was ready to pay the fees and that Intel, etc. actually provide the cover for Apple?
      At the end Apple will just pay. They cannot afford one of their few products to be pulled out of the shelves.
      kirovs@...
      Reply Vote

      • Yes, we all know that Rolix and Abibas fanboys think that theirs watches ..

        @kirovs@... ... and shoes are as good as actual Rolex and Adidas, but so what? Lets courts decide.
        DDERSSS
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Samsung ramps up Apple fight: Now seeks ban in Australia, Japan

        @DeRSSS@...
        I bet you have never used Samsung product. For you the world starts and ends with Apple. There are quite a few things you cannot do with any Apple product that I can do with my Linux/Android gadgets. But for you there is only Apple. I am fine with that. But when an entity (being MS or Apple) tries to restrict my freedom to have my own gadget, not controlled or owned by them, then it is war.
        kirovs@...
        Reply Vote

      • RE: Samsung ramps up Apple fight: Now seeks ban in Australia, Japan

        @kirovs@... So your issue is that Apple is trying to block sales of the device you want? You don't have any issue what so ever with Samsung trying to block sales of Apple devices that others might want? You see no issue with companies stealing other companies IP and not paying for it?
        non-biased
        Reply Vote

    • RE: Samsung ramps up Apple fight: Now seeks ban in Australia, Japan

      @DeRSSS if companies cant copy a concept then there will never be competition or a price war in the smartphone market - I have a galaxy s2 and it is no way a copy of the iphone - it has loads of differences and of course similarities, just like my Honda Jazz has similarities to other small hatchbacks. There cant be a smartphone which doesnt in some way ape the iphone ergo if apple win they have a monopoly. Apple simply have a rather stupid and badly managed law on their side which is not being used to defend themselves against exact copies with imitation "apple logos"
      but instead to prevent anyone else selling alternatives to the restrictive apple eco system! Isnt this what we used to accuse microsoft of years ago?
      cymru999
      Reply Vote

  • it's time for apple to get his own medicine

    for messing with android devices.
    the axis of evil software: M$, Apple and Oracle are on the losing steak regarding FOSS.
    The Linux Geek
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Samsung ramps up Apple fight: Now seeks ban in Australia, Japan

      @The Linux Geek

      -1

      At least have your jokes make sense. This is about hardware.
      Badgered
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Samsung ramps up Apple fight: Now seeks ban in Australia, Japan

    So the choice really comes down to an american company's asian sweatshop produced product vs a Korean Company's asian sweatshop produced product.

    At the end of the day, the people making pennnies per month assembling these things, are still getting crippled in their youth by the repetitive strain injuries.
    inkwell
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Samsung ramps up Apple fight: Now seeks ban in Australia, Japan

    A plague on both their houses......
    rick.sheeley
    Reply Vote
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