Apple wins injunction against Samsung Galaxy Nexus smartphone
Judge Lucy Koh on Friday granted Apple an injunction against Samsung's Galaxy Nexus phone with the ruling coming on the heels of an identical decision to block sales of the South Korean company's Galaxy Tab 10.1.
A tweet and report from Dan Levine of Reuters confirmed the California court's judgment to grant Apple's request of a preliminary injunction against the Samsung handset with the U.S. sales ban to go into effect once the iPhone maker posts a nearly $96 million bond.
In handing down her ruling, Judge Koh cited U.S Patent No. U.S. Patent No. 8,086,604 regarding Siri voice commands and unified search functionality first levied against the Google and Samsung flagship handset by Apple in February.
"Apple has articulated a plausible theory of irreparable harm" due to "long-term loss of market share and losses of downstream sales," Judge Koh said.
The iPhone maker first filed for a preliminary injunction against Samsung's Galaxy Nexus in February on the back of four U.S. patents:
Once Apple posts the necessary bond to cover damages should the injunction later be found unjust, the sales ban will go into effect.
Apple spokesperson Kristin Huguet echoed the company's previous stance regarding Samsung's alleged copying of the iPhone and iPad's "look and feel." Samsung did not release a statement.
A tweet and report from Dan Levine of Reuters confirmed the California court's judgment to grant Apple's request of a preliminary injunction against the Samsung handset with the U.S. sales ban to go into effect once the iPhone maker posts a nearly $96 million bond.
In handing down her ruling, Judge Koh cited U.S Patent No. U.S. Patent No. 8,086,604 regarding Siri voice commands and unified search functionality first levied against the Google and Samsung flagship handset by Apple in February.
"Apple has articulated a plausible theory of irreparable harm" due to "long-term loss of market share and losses of downstream sales," Judge Koh said.
The iPhone maker first filed for a preliminary injunction against Samsung's Galaxy Nexus in February on the back of four U.S. patents:
- U.S. Patent No. 5,946,647 for a "system and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data" which was validated in Apple's U.S. International Trade Commission case against HTC.
- U.S. Patent No. 8,074,172 for a "method, system, and graphical user interface for providing word recommendations" or predictive text.
- U.S. Patent No. 8,046,721 for a system describing "unlocking a device by performing gestures on an unlock image" or the "slide to unlock" function found on iOS devices which was successfully used against Motorola in Germany.
- U.S. Patent No. 8,086,604 for a "universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system" that was the basis of Friday's ruling..
Once Apple posts the necessary bond to cover damages should the injunction later be found unjust, the sales ban will go into effect.
Apple spokesperson Kristin Huguet echoed the company's previous stance regarding Samsung's alleged copying of the iPhone and iPad's "look and feel." Samsung did not release a statement.
Comments
Oh noes...
What a way to end the Google I/O week.
So what are the specific issues in this instance? UI stuff? Packaging? Cables/accessories? The handset hardware itself actually seems reasonably different for once!
(Obviously I realize that the whole thing exists in imitation of Apple regardless... but that’s not the same as specific claims that would lead to an injunction.)
According to Apple PR that accompanied the announcement:
"An Apple spokeswoman reiterated the same statement the company has run with since it took aim at the South Korean technology giant in a patent infringement suit last April. "It's no coincidence that Samsung's latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad, from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging," Apple said."
Pretty much a boilerplate statement since the Nexus has no resemblance at all to any Apple product, at least that I can see. The injunction must be based on a utility patent or two rather than "look and feel" as the statement from Apple would imply.
If I was to make a bet it involves the same data-tapping patent that got HTC nicked.
EDIT: Florian Mueller has posted that all four patents claimed were preliminarily judged as likely valid and infringed, but only the voice search patent qualified for a preliminary injunction.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gatorguy
According to Apple PR that accompanied the announcement:
"An Apple spokeswoman reiterated the same statement the company has run with since it took aim at the South Korean technology giant in a patent infringement suit last April. "It's no coincidence that Samsung's latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad, from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging," Apple said."
Pretty much a boilerplate statement since the Nexus has no resemblance at all to any Apple product, at least that I can see. The injunction must be based on a utility patent or two rather than "look and feel" as the statement from Apple would imply.
Not sure what part of...
Quote:
U.S Patent No. U.S. Patent No. 8,086,604 regarding Siri voice commands and unified search functionality
...deals with look and feel. Or did I miss some nuance there? That patent was filed in December '04. Search via voice. Pretty solid ground there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nagromme
So what are the specific issues in this instance? UI stuff? Packaging? Cables/accessories? The handset hardware itself actually seems reasonably different for once!
(Obviously I realize that the whole thing exists in imitation of Apple regardless... but that’s not the same as specific claims that would lead to an injunction.)
I believe this is Apple's slide-to-unlock feature in Android 4.0. Most of Apple's design patents have been invalidated or thrown out in courts worldwide.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyberzombie
Not sure what part of...
...deals with look and feel. Or did I miss some nuance there?
Apparently you just didn't read the whole last sentence in the quote. "The injunction must be based on a utility patent or two ...
No nuance there that I see.
Dang, I have a Galaxy Nexus and an iPhone; never have I confused one with the other but gotta hand it to Apple for going after the Google branded phone. A bond of almost $100M - risking a much bigger chunk of change than the Galaxy Tab. If they lose this one in the end, I hope Mr. Sewell is prepared to walk the plank.
Boom!
AAPL rose nicely today. It'd be nice to see that continue come monday.
Just face it Fandroids, your phones and tablets in their present form would never even exist, if it weren't for Apple in the first place.
While there are four patents which are the subject of the injunction; the ruling was based primarily on U.S. Patent No. 8086604, which is defined as a “universal interface for retrieval of information in a computer system.” The patent appears to relate to a unified search tool that can be used to find a variety of different items via one indexed database. This could also refer to a unified spoken word interface like Siri, or Google’s voice search.
Additional patents include; U.S. Patent No. 5,946,647, a “system and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data” and the ‘slide to unlock’ patent, U.S. Patent No. 8046721 that Apple used to get an injunction placed on Motorola.
I think "The Copyist" is a difficult assertion to deny at this point. Courts around the globe are supporting Apple's claims of infringement. No reasonable person would want their idea for the next great American novel or a perpetual motion machine stolen by someone else. The courts are supporting the idea the Apple's competitors did exactly that, the alternative conclusion is that the lawyers for Apple's competitors stink (which could very well be the case).
I gotta hand it to Apple. Kudos on the timing. And just as the Galaxy Nexus drops to $350 too.....
I headed over to Engadget for a few laughs, a site which I rarely visit anymore, because the comment sections are infested with ignorant trash and human garbage, but it was pretty funny and also pretty predictable to read some of the whiny and hateful comments being made by the butthurt Fandroids there. Hopefully there are more bans and injunctions coming in the future, it makes me feel good to see other ignorant people mad.
"Apple has articulated a plausible theory of irreparable harm" due to "long-term loss of market share and losses of downstream sales," Judge Koh said.
Wasn't this is the "harm" Apple was attempting to demonstrate to Posner? It's harm that will happen down the line.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Apple ][
I headed over to Engadget for a few laughs, a site which I rarely visit anymore, because the comment sections are infested with ignorant trash and human garbage, but it was pretty funny and also pretty predictable to read some of the whiny and hateful comments being made by the butthurt Fandroids there. Hopefully there are more bans and injunctions coming in the future, it makes me feel good to see other ignorant people mad.
It's amazing how you judge and label a group of people simply because they choose to use a different CE device than you. And you call them ignorant?
Sam-Suck finally gets what it deserves. Apple has 120 Billion in cash and the $$$ keep coming in. Perfect way to end Google I/O week. tiny little country less than the size of California will not beat USA. USA, USA, USA
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dickprinter
It's amazing how you judge and label a group of people simply because they choose to use a different CE device than you. And you call them ignorant?
It's not because they use a different device, it's because of their ignorance, their hatred, their stupidity, their lies and their constant bogus attacks on Apple and Apple users.
I would like to see Android completely destroyed. Windows 8 and other systems can be allowed to survive, because I don't really care about them. Android should die though, because I don't like their users.
Ouch ouch ouch.
The caning is just getting started.......
Oh yeah, the Fandroids will be in an apoplectic frenzy all weekend - plenty of entertaining reading. Cue the "Apple thinkz they has a patent on the rectangle' mantra.
I agree.
Courts around the globe are supporting Apple patent infringement assertions. There are very few possible conclusions:
1. Apple competitors are infringing on Apple patents which further suggests that Apple is the only company innovating.
2. Apple competitors have lawyers who are as "skilled" at litigation as their engineers are at "innovation."
I'd say salvo #1 in Steve's "thermonuclear war" just exploded.........(considering this is the first legal action that actually sounds like it could hurt.....)