Samsung on Saturday accused Apple of resorting to litigation in an
effort to limit consumer choice after the iPhone maker said it was
seeking to stop the sale of Galaxy S III smartphones in the United
States.
Fresh from its $1 billion court victory over Samsung
Electronics Co, Apple Inc., in a separate case, asked a federal district
court in San Jose, California, on Friday to add four more products to a
list of Samsung goods that Apple says infringe its patents.
The
new list of 21 products includes Samsung's flagship smartphone Galaxy S
III as well as the Galaxy Note, another popular Android phone. If the
court finds those devices are infringing Apple's patents and irreparably
harming the U.S. company, it could temporarily halt sales in the U.S.
market even before the trial begins.
The latest accusation is part
of a larger, epic struggle over patents and innovation in one of the
most lucrative consumer electronics sectors that is unfolding in 10
countries.
The biggest stakes are in the U.S., the world's largest
smartphone market in 2011. Last month, a jury in the San Jose court
found that Samsung had copied Apple's design innovations and Samsung was
ordered to pay Apple $1.05 billion. Samsung has vowed to appeal the
verdict, all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.
On
Saturday, Samsung denounced Apple's attempt to halt sales of the S III,
which hit the 10 million global sales mark in July, less than three
months after its release.
"Apple continues to resort to litigation
over market competition in an effort to limit consumer choice," Samsung
said in a statement. "We will continue to take the necessary legal
measures to ensure the availability of our innovative products in the
United States."
The strong sales of the S III were crucial in
driving Samsung's quarterly profit to a record high in the last quarter
and helped it stay ahead in the worldwide smartphone market.
In
documents filed with San Jose federal district court on Friday, Apple
said 21 Samsung smartphones, media players and tablets released after
August 2011 were "copycat products."
"Rather than innovate and
develop its own technology and a unique Samsung style for its smartphone
and tablet computer products, Samsung has chosen to copy Apple's
technology, user interface, and innovative style," Apple said in one
document.
The Cupertino, California-based company claimed that
Samsung is illegally using its eight patents. One patent is related to
the way the device retrieves information in a computer system and
another is about gestures on a touchscreen display to unlock a device.
Apple
and Samsung are the world's two largest smartphone makers and together
they control over half of the global market. They are embroiled in
similar legal tussles in Asia, Europe and the United States.
In
April 2011, Apple first accused Samsung of illegally copying Apple's
design and technology in the smartphones powered by Google Inc.'s
Android technology. Samsung countersued, arguing Apple's iPhone and iPad
used its wireless technology without permission.
