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Apple now going after Samsung in the U.S.

Apple has moved its attack on Samsung back to the U.S., after spending a year trying to take the company down in Germany and other European nations.

The latest complaint directly targets the Galaxy Nexus, the first Android 4.0 device to be released. The company is looking for an injunction on sales of the device in the U.S.



Four patents are in focus, including one for Siri, one for unified search, one for slide-to-unlock technology and word completion for touch screens.

All of the patents are very new, and were issued in the last few months. Patent specialist Florian Mueller says the patents "are the patent equivalent of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse." Because Apple already won its ITC suit for the "data tapping" patent, the company will almost certainly win again this time, adds Mueller.

In addition to the Nexus, Apple is looking to get injunctions on the Galaxy S II Skyrocket, the Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch and the Galaxy 4.0 and 5.0 media players.

The trial could start in July.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 12 Feb 2012 23:10

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• 16 comments

• KillerBug

  You know the funny thing? No android I have ever used has supported "data tapping"...at least not as it is described in the patent. There are lots of siri-like things in Android...but they have been there since before Siri existed, so (logically) Apple is at fault for stealing them from Google.
  
  Apple needs to just make a decent f**king device and stop spending all their time and effort suing Samsung for making devices that are better...not the same; not copies...BETTER. If they did that, they wouldn't need to sue to stop Samsung sales.
  

  
  

  13.2.2012 00:03 #1

• plutonash

  I also wish apple would use their money on something better. They've wasted a lot of money on losing cases, but even the ones they win, the manufacturers just find a work around. These companies aren't just going to bend over and let Tim cook ram them into submission.
  
  With all the revenue they have, they could put more R&D into the iPhone. I mean the 4S had siri, which apple bought, and an 8MP camera which they also bought. iOS 5 just had many features borrowed from other mobile OS's and cydia apps. Minimal effort on their part and with such a large amount of dispensable cash lying around. They could pass some savings onto the consumer, or better yet pay their workers more or let foxconn have a bit more flexibility with profits. Just my two cents.
  

  "Cable thief is a victimless crime."

  13.2.2012 01:39 #2

• DDR4life

  Originally posted by KillerBug: Apple needs to just make a decent f**king device and stop spending all their time and effort suing Samsung for making devices that are better...not the same; not copies...BETTER. If they did that, they wouldn't need to sue to stop Samsung sales. Agreed. Wholeheartedly. This reminds me of when EA locked out other developers (Sega Sports/2K in particular) from making NFL games. "Let's not spend time and resources improving our football games. Let's just prevent everyone else from making any football games at all. Ours will be the only game in town so people will have to buy it." (sigh)
  
  It's the same thing all over again. The only thing that's changed is the players.
  

  13.2.2012 03:34 #3

• robertmro

  I hope Apple wins. 
  

  13.2.2012 07:58 #4

• GernBlan

  That this is the way Apple chooses to compete in this industry pretty much says it all. It's funny because all the Apple zealots seem to forget all the lawsuits that Creative Labs won against Apple for all the blatant patent theft that occurred with the iPod. Apple is about as original as a witch with warts and a big nose. It's difficult to believe that they can actually successfully file for any patents -- they've never actually invented anything.

  13.2.2012 09:22 #5

• pmshah

  In view of this - using purchased patents for suing - DOJ should blacklist the group of companies trying to buy Nortel patents for life.

  13.2.2012 10:00 #6

• Mysttic

  Quote:DOJ should blacklist the group of companies trying to buy Nortel patents for life. That will never happen; it should, but sadly won't.

  13.2.2012 10:21 #7

• Jakesfern (unverified)

  Apple has no right to sue Samsung for the software it provides. Especially due to the fact that Samsung is about the only handset manufacturer that solely use the os provided by google android, there is little or even no software provided by Samsung that improves it's features in anyway.

  13.2.2012 11:16 #8

• hearme0

  Considering the US has its priorities totally outta whack!......wouldn't be surprised if this passed but it shouldn't. I mean......"Slide to unlock"??? While I haven't read the patent description, I'm guessing it's somewhat generalized toward the whole concept. They are touch screen phones and slide one direction or another to unlock is common play.
  
  Anyway.....perhaps a "circular motion" to unlock is best. Hey......maybe I should patent that. Or maybe an "X" to unlock.

  13.2.2012 12:18 #9

• LordRuss

  100 billion dollars and all it can buy is a huge case of vagina sand & apple WHINE!!!
  
  This is the land of Opportunity, not MISSed opportunity... $%^@ing *&^$headed, misshaped, cork screwed, dipped in maple syrup, hind tit sucking, god king, cretins! Can they not take some of that money & just buy a hooker? Even I have a price for god's sake!
  
  Doesn't Napoleon ring a f*ing bell? I swear, they're starting to sound like a school yard bully that has stolen kids lunch money for so long that they truly believe the money really is theirs & that's due them.
  
  It's like CrApple wants to sit back & go, "Alright world! Make our living for us!"
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  13.2.2012 13:12 #10

• llongtheD

  Monopoly through patent ownership.
  I guess the DOJ in all it's wisdom can't see what's happening with these large tech companies buying up patents by the thousands.
  Would it be so they could sue competition out of the marketplace?

  13.2.2012 19:54 #11

• catfreak

  People just need to boycott crApple
  
  Their whole philosophy of doing business is extremely predatory and benefits absolutely nobody except the freakin' thieves that run crApple !
  
  Back in the mid 70s, we used to sell tons of Apple II and Apple I+ machines and, they wern't bad, especially when you compared them to a Commodore PET or 64 (which were great for keeping time with, not much else).
  
  The whole point is that even back then, crApple was such a p.i.t.a$$ to deal with, it made me quit the business!
  
  If I want a crApple OS, I can always make a Hackintosh out of a custom built PC, for a fracton of what crApple rapes you for . . .
  
  . . . DON'T FEED THE BEAST . . . BOYCOTT crAPPLE . . .
  

  DISCLAIMER: If you find a posting or message from me
  offensive, inappropriate, or disruptive, please ignore it.
  If you dont know how to ignore a posting, complain to
  me and I will be only too happy to demonstrate . . .

  13.2.2012 23:36 #12

• TrinUK

  Originally posted by catfreak: People just need to boycott crApple
  
  Their whole philosophy of doing business is extremely predatory and benefits absolutely nobody except the freakin' thieves that run crApple !
  
  Back in the mid 70s, we used to sell tons of Apple II and Apple I+ machines and, they wern't bad, especially when you compared them to a Commodore PET or 64 (which were great for keeping time with, not much else).
  
  The whole point is that even back then, crApple was such a p.i.t.a$$ to deal with, it made me quit the business!
  
  If I want a crApple OS, I can always make a Hackintosh out of a custom built PC, for a fracton of what crApple rapes you for . . .
  
  . . . DON'T FEED THE BEAST . . . BOYCOTT crAPPLE . . . I totally agree - Stop buying Apple products otherwise technology may end up going the same way food has gone (Monsanto Owned).
  

  Trin - Making Digital Waves

  14.2.2012 05:40 #13

• hearme0

  Originally posted by TrinUK: Originally posted by catfreak: People just need to boycott crApple
  
  Their whole philosophy of doing business is extremely predatory and benefits absolutely nobody except the freakin' thieves that run crApple !
  
  Back in the mid 70s, we used to sell tons of Apple II and Apple I+ machines and, they wern't bad, especially when you compared them to a Commodore PET or 64 (which were great for keeping time with, not much else).
  
  The whole point is that even back then, crApple was such a p.i.t.a$$ to deal with, it made me quit the business!
  
  If I want a crApple OS, I can always make a Hackintosh out of a custom built PC, for a fracton of what crApple rapes you for . . .
  
  . . . DON'T FEED THE BEAST . . . BOYCOTT crAPPLE . . . I totally agree - Stop buying Apple products otherwise technology may end up going the same way food has gone (Monsanto Owned).
  
  NEVER gonna happen...........too many simpletons that can't/won't/don't know how to troubleshoot computers or non-Apple devices.
  
  May I remind one simple fact......remember what it's like to troubleshoot an Apple product that isn't able to remedy itself. You're pretty much F'ed. Not like you can quickly edit a registry or swap out a .dll files or modify an executable with any practical ease.

  14.2.2012 14:22 #14

• DVDBack23

  Originally posted by robertmro: I hope Apple wins.  Still waiting for a response from you Robert. Fanboys never respond though and you are the ultimate one.
  

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  15.2.2012 22:33 #15

• Azuran

  Or he's a troll.
  

  16.2.2012 01:36 #16