Samsung said today that it would file for a sales ban on Apple's new iPhone with courts in France and Italy as the phone infringed its mobile technology patents, widening its legal battle with the US company.
Samsung said the preliminary injunction requests against the iPhone 4S involve two patent infringements related to its wireless technology and that it would file for sales bans in other countries after further review.
"Apple has continued to flagrantly violate our intellectual property rights and free-ride on our technology," the South Korean firm said in a statement. "We will steadfastly protect our intellectual property."
Samsung and Apple have sued each other in nine countries and in over 20 cases since April.
The latest salvo by the maker of Galaxy smartphone and tablet comes less than a day after Apple's newly introduced iPhone 4S left investors and Apple's fans wishing for more than souped-up version of its previous device introduced more than a year ago.
The new iPhone 4S is identical in form to the previous model. While the device's high-tech wizardry such as voice commands - for sending messages, searching for stock prices and other applications - caught the attention of many analysts, it might not be enough to make it a must-have for consumers.
Asian smartphone makers have a chance to exploit a rare letdown from pacesetter Apple after the new iPhone 4S failed to wow fans and investors, leaving Android rivals better placed to grab market share.
The iPhone - introduced in 2007 with the touchscreen template now adopted by its rivals - is the gold standard in the booming smartphone market, and its sales have dealt a blow to ambitious plans of many competitors.
Shares of Samsung Electronics, HTC and LG Electronics, who all make phones using Google's Android operating system, jumped today.
These companies could now aggressively promote their flagship high-end models ahead of Christmas, potentially helping boost sales in the most crucial shopping season.
"Apple no longer has a leading edge, its cloud service is even behind Android; it can only sell on brand loyalty now," said Gartner analyst KC Lu in Taipei. "Users may wait to buy the next iPhone, if they can't wait, they may shift to brands with more advance specs."
Reuters
