[balding1]

SAN FRANCISCO — A judge late Tuesday ordered Samsung Electronics Co. to halt sales of its Galaxy 10.1 tablet computer while the court considers Apple’s claim the South Korean tech giant illegally copied the design of the popular iPad.

U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh said Apple Inc.’s lawsuit appeared likely to prevail.

“Apple has established a strong case on the merits,” Koh said.

Koh had earlier said the two products are “virtually indistinguishable,” but she declined in December to take the dramatic step of prohibiting sales of the Galaxy 10.1. She changed her mind after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit told Koh to take another look at Apple’s request for an injunction, ruling June 19 that it appeared the Cupertino-based company had a strong case. The Washington, D.C., court handles most patent appeals.

“Although Samsung has a right to compete, it does not have a right to compete unfairly, by flooding the market with infringing products,” Koh wrote in her Tuesday order. She said Apple would be “irreparably harmed” if sales of the Galaxy 10.1 continued.

Samsung said it was disappointed with the court’s decision.

“We will take necessary legal steps and do not expect the ruling to have a significant impact on our business operations, as we possess a diverse range of Galaxy Tab products,” it said in a statement.

Koh ordered Apple to post a $2.6 million bond in case it ultimately loses the case.

The ruling is a small part of a much larger patent battle between the two tech giants, who are scheduled to go to trial next month in San Jose.

Apple filed its lawsuit last year, and the two companies are enmeshed in patent disputes around the globe revolving around smartphones and handheld computers. Samsung, with its Android-powered products, has emerged as one of Apple’s chief rivals.

Apple also accuses the South Korean company of infringing patents related to the iPhone. Apple is seeking a similar injunction barring Samsung from selling one of its smartphones in the United States.

Samsung ordered to halt sales of Galaxy tablet in U.S. after Apple lawsuit - thestar.com

[guerllamo7]

These creeps do everything to fix the game in their favor and if they can't win on innovation they are going to do the Microsoft dance and sue their way to the top. Actually, Apple sues more people than Microsoft does this days. There is no reason other than selling more iPads to restrict the sale of a competitors tablet.

What about e-book price fixing? What a bout carrier price fixing? What about content manipulation via restricting competing apps like Kindle, Kobo, Nook, etc?

If I ever left BlackBerry it would be for a droid. I'll never buy Apple or Microsoft products. They are just despicable businesses organizations.

[kbz1960]

Go figure. It looks like a tablet that looks like most other tablets. It looks like a phone that looks like a lot of other phones. Do we now need triangle tablets so it looks different?

[thebignewt]

I have a Sumsung phone and an Apple iPad. My wife has an iPhone. IMO Apple probably has a very good case about copying their stuff. The Sumsung Android OS is eerily similar to the iPhone iOS that's on my wife's iPhone. There is no reason for Apple to sit there and let other companies copy their patented stuff. As Jobs said: "I don't want their money, I just want them to stop copying our stuff and I'll spend every cent of our $100 billion cash to make them stop." Well Samsung is going to have to stop. Waaaaah!

[kbz1960]

Most OS's look similar. Icons in a grid. Apple didn't invent that. What else is the same? Oh it's a rectangle or more of a square.

BTW no matter how anyone views Jobs he sounds like a total a s s.

[avt123]

Most OS's look similar. Icons in a grid. Apple didn't invent that. What else is the same? Oh it's a rectangle or more of a square.

BTW no matter how anyone views Jobs he sounds like a total a s s.

There are clear similarities though. Yes all tablets and smartphone designs look almost the same. When they look almost EXACTLY the same, then there is a problem. IMO Apple has every right to go after Samsung. The first time I saw TouchWiz, I thought of iOS right away. The first time I saw MotoBlur, Sense and the other skins, iOS was not in my thoughts.

[kbz1960]

Well then I'm going after the next person I see that looks like or sounds like me.

[avt123]

Well then I'm going after the next person I see that looks like or sounds like me.

Hey, if your genetics are patented, go for it.

[kbz1960]

LOL well they are not. Stupid patent laws that allow a word, phrase or look to be patented. Who would think you could be sued for saying/using 3peat. Dang it here it comes.

[hootyhoo]

Go figure. It looks like a tablet that looks like most other tablets. It looks like a phone that looks like a lot of other phones. Do we now need triangle tablets so it looks different?

http://mashable.com/2011/09/30/dunder-mifflin-tablet/

[balding1]

Liked the comment on another site

"if this is stealing from apple...
Then apple stole from Paramount. It's a data pad from star trek afterall... Paramount should sue next for copyright violation."

[kbz1960]

http://mashable.com/2011/09/30/dunder-mifflin-tablet/

Well I'm too late again with that idea.

[TheScionicMan]

A lot of the patents are ridiculous and should be invalidated... Not just Apple, but all through the tech sector.

[kbz1960]

Wow they both look like a tablet. One is slightly different.

[thebignewt]

Wow they both look like a tablet. One is slightly different.

You can probably get the globe and the tray in an app straight from the PlayStore for free!

[Marty_LK]

As long as they don't bother ASUS, I'll be content. I believe ASUS will be the preeminent Android tablet maker soon. The ones they are putting out are more than just sweet. And they won the contract to produce the new Nexus 7 for Google. Mine is purely outstanding. It was buggy when I got it, but I got it from Gamestop and they added their customization to it (basically just adding content). I did a full reset and restore and it has been uber-reliable since. As far as I'm concerned, Samsung can't stand with ASUS in the tablet realm. ASUS also has a sweet phone out that is every bit the counterpart to Samsung's Galaxy S3 spec-wise. But I would still go with Sammy on a phone. They and HTC make the best. But if ASUS ever manages to get their uber-phone on AT&T, I would be able to determine if ASUS can stand with Sammy in phones.

[VIDGMER]

Yes thats very unfortunately!!!! Apple is hall of shame!

[kilted thrower]

Except the galaxy tab is over a year old. Who's buying a tab 1 when the 2nd one is out and a lot of other tablets. Heck, the Nexus 7 is out for 200. Aside from that, there are quite a few products out before the iPod and other apple products that Apple copied designs from and you don't see them suing or blocking Apple

[Marty_LK]

Wow, this is just poor. The Galaxy Nexus is now the next victim of a ban in the US. Although a preliminary ban, it spells trouble all the same. And I was considering trying to come up with enough funds to buy one of these from the Google Play store. These are very interesting phones.

Apple lands preliminary ban against Samsung Galaxy Nexus in the US -- Engadget

[lssanjose]

Wow, this is just poor. The Galaxy Nexus is now the next victim of a ban in the US. Although a preliminary ban, it spells trouble all the same. And I was considering trying to come up with enough funds to buy one of these from the Google Play store. These are very interesting phones.

Apple lands preliminary ban against Samsung Galaxy Nexus in the US -- Engadget

Lucky I got mine, already

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[Pete6]

Most OS's look similar. Icons in a grid. Apple didn't invent that. What else is the same? Oh it's a rectangle or more of a square.

BTW no matter how anyone views Jobs he sounds like a total a s s.

I agree. I am not sure who invented icons but I am inclined to give a fair amount of credit for this to the Catholic Church or,... did I not understand the question? Perhaps we should ask Xerox and see if they know the answer.

IMO anything that “irreparably harmed” Apple has to be a good thing.

[dwaynewilliams#WN]

I have a feeling that if the lawsuits were the other way around the outcome would be different. That's the part that I have an issue with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[avt123]

I have a feeling that if the lawsuits were the other way around the outcome would be different. That's the part that I have an issue with.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yea it sure does seem like all of these judges are siding with Apple all the time. I mean, they do have $100+ billion, so who knows what's going on behind the scenes.

All I know is I will never buy another Apple product again until this nonsense stops (as I type this from a MacBook Pro). Apple has now officially screwed with one of the products I own and enjoy. I will now not purchase anything from them until they stop the anti competitive bs.

I hope Google sues the crap out of Apple when Google is granted the notification patent. iOS notification center is a direct ripoff of Android. If the judges don't ban iPhone sales when this happens, then there is something really shady going on.

It already is shady that Apple is only going after the companies that are actually really direct competition.

From a business standpoint, well played Apple, well played. From a consumer stand point, f u Apple and stop screwing with my smartphone choices. If Apple made it so the iPhone was the only smartphone on the market I wouldn't buy it.

I was interested in the next iPhone, but after this and using Jelly Bean, not anymore. iOS 6 looks like garbage compared to it anyways.

[dwaynewilliams#WN]

I really don't see what it is that Apple believes Samsung is ripping them off about. None of Samsung's devices look like an iPhone. The OS definitely doesn't look like iOS. The only thing that may look similar are the grids of icons. But how else are you supposed to present a group of icons? If I'm not mistaken, the all touch BlackBerry Torch has a very similar grid of icons. Why is that not a problem? And why just Samsung? All of the other Android devices from other manufacturers are in the same boat.


Sent from my iPhone 4S using Tapatalk

[kbz1960]

Apple must be afraid.