The latest chapter in the ongoing court drama between Apple and Samsung is about to be written, with the Cupertino tech giant seeking to ban the Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone from sale in the U.S.
According to online news blog FOSS Patents, Apple has brought a motion in the United States for a preliminary injunction against the Galaxy Nexus, claiming that the phone's OS violates four Apple patents.
The patents in dispute involve such technologies as HTC "data tapping", Siri and unified search, a new slide-to-unlock patent and a word completion patent that provides speed improvements for touchscreen text entry. (Read the full FOSS Patents report here.)
If successful, Apple's lawsuit could have far-reaching consequences for the industry. Because the Android OS itself is at issue, Google cannot deny responsibility for any infringement findings. "The unified search [patent] must be of huge concern to Google with a view to its core business," the FOSS Patents blog explains.
Apple and Samsung have been embroiled in various legal battles since early last year, with Apple seeking to ban the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in several regions, including Australia. In April 2011, Apple hit the Korean conglomerate with 16 claims which included charges of unjust enrichment, trademark infringement and 10 patent disputes in a crusade against the “slavish” copying of the iPhone and iPad. Multiple lawsuits and counterclaims have since been filed by both companies.
Further reading:
Timeline: Apple vs. Samsung – the story so far
Samsung poised to overtake Apple in smartphone sales
Apple sues Samsung for "copying" its tablets and phones
Samsung suffers double blow in patents row with Apple
Samsung to Apple: hand over iPad 3 and iPhone 5
Samsung: Apple ripped off 2001: A Space Odyssey
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