Samsung to seek injunction vs new Apple iPhone

Barely had Apple's new iPhone come out when it already faces a legal challenge from legal nemesis Samsung Electronics. On Wednesday, Samsung said it will ask courts in Milano (Italy) and Paris (France) for preliminary injunctions to block the sale of the iPhone 4S. "The infringed technology is essential to the reliable functioning of telecom networks and devices and Samsung believes that Apple’s violation as being too severe and that the iPhone 4S should be barred from sales," Samsung said. It cited two patent infringements related to wireless telecommunications technology, specifically Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) standards for 3G mobile handsets. "Apple has continued to flagrantly violate our intellectual property rights and free ride on our technology. We believe it is now necessary to take legal action to protect our innovation," Samsung added. Samsung also said it plans to file preliminary injunctions in other countries after further review. A separate article on tech site Slashgear said Samsung had already been tipped to be readying a legal intervention against Apple’s fifth-generation smartphone. Slashgear said last month, an unnamed company exec told Korean newspapers that not only did Samsung intend to make as much of a nuisance of itself as possible, but that “for as long as Apple does not drop mobile telecommunications functions, it would be impossible for it to sell its i-branded products without using our patents." Samsung and Apple remain locked in other legal battles in the US, Europe, Australia and elsewhere, with Apple claiming its Korean foe is an arch “copyist" that blatantly borrows from iPhone and iOS stylings. — TJD, GMA News