Apple Sues to Stop Samsung from Releasing New Products

Apple has asked a federal judge to stop Samsung Electronics from releasing an upcoming line of cell phones and tablets that allegedly infringe on Apple products.

Apple wants San Jose U.S. District Court Judge Lucy H. Koh to issue an injunction prohibiting Samsung from importing and selling the Galaxy S 4G, Infuse 4G and Droid Charge smartphones and the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer.

Apple says it iPhone and iPad devices "are among the most distinctive and commercially successful products in the world" and says their success "is no accident."

"The look and operation of the Samsung smartphones and tablet computer that are the subject of this motion are likewise no accident," Apple's lawyer said. "Samsung chose to copy Apple, not innovate."

"Just like an iPhone"

The motion charges that the "message that Samsung conveys to consumers with its imitative smartphone design is simple: 'It's just like an iPhone.'"

Apple says that when it became aware of the "copying," it asked Samsung to stop but said the pleas "fell on deaf ears."

The motion includes photos of the Apple products side-by-side with the disputed Samsung products and quotes press articles that remark on the "striking similarity" of Samsung products to Apple products.

"Samsung is ramping up a massive assault on Apple's market and is doing so with products that blatantly infringe Apple's intellectual property rights," the motion claims.

The motion also alleges that, besides copying the physical design of the products, Samsung has copied the finger motions and other user interfaces that cause documents to scroll and images to appear full-screen.

Apple asserts it is likely to prevail at trial and says it will be "irreparably harmed if Samsung continues to erode the distinctiveness of Apple's design and to take market share."