Apple sues to block Samsung phones and tablets in Japan

By Geoff Duncan September 8, 2011

Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Apple has filed suit with the Tokyo District Court in Japan seeking to block sales of the Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy S II smartphones, along with the Galaxy Tab 7 Android tablet. Apple says the devices violate patent on its iPhone and iPad devices, and the products are essentially efforts to copy Apple’s popular mobile products. According to Reuters, the first hearing in the case was held on Wednesday, although there’s no word on when the Tokyo court might make a ruling. Apple is reportedly seeking ¥100 million (about US$1.3 million) in damages along with a ban on sale of the devices.

The Japanese lawsuit is the latest front in a broad legal battle between Apple and Samsung over its Galaxy smartphones and Android tablets. The two companies are already engaged in patent battles over the devices in the United States, Europe, Australia, and Korea. So far, Apple has managed to inflict some damage on Samsung, with a recent order barring the Samsung Galaxy Tab 7.7 in Germany causing the device to be pulled from the IFA show floor this week. Apple accuses Samsung of “slavishly” copying Apple products. Samsung, of course, has countersued Apple.

Samsung has had success against the iPhone and iPad in Japan: according to Strategy Analytics, the Samsung Galaxy S sold better than the Apple iPhone in Japan in the first quarter of 2011, and Japanese mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo just launched a version of Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 on its 4G LTE mobile broadband network.

NTT DoCoMo does not seem worried about the suit. In comments to IDG News, DoCoMo chief Ryuji Yamada says Samsung has assured the company that Apple will not be able to win an injunction on sales in Japan.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…

Mobile

5 phones you should buy instead of the Google Pixel 8a

The Google Pixel 8a's screen.

Everyone loves a bargain, and it's hard to argue that the Google Pixel 8a is anything but. With a flagship processor and one of the best phone cameras around, the $499 smartphone has the specs to make it a steal. But Google hasn't just crammed great hardware into the phone, as it also has one of the cleanest implementations of Android 14, all of Google's current AI roster, and an incredible seven years of software updates to boot. It's a cheap phone that can go the distance, and one we are more than happy to recommend.

But it's not perfect. The battery is a little weak, as is its charging ability — and the less said about the cheap-feeling plastic body, the better. So even though it's a strong phone, there are a number of alternatives that could pull your eyes away from Google's latest midrange phone.

Mobile

5 phones you should buy instead of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

A person folding up the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.

Is it 2004 again? Flip phones are back, and they're the perfect blend of retro and futuristic. There's a beautiful nostalgia about the clamshell form, with its closing snap and Star Trek-like flip open. But at the same time, the technology that allows for a full screen to bend almost seamlessly in the middle is clearly some sort of futuristic black magic.

Of all the smart flip phones currently available, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is one of the most polished and capable. Samsung has taken on the burden of bringing the foldable smartphone into the mainstream, and the results are some of the finest pieces of technology we've ever seen. If you're considering a flip phone, then the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 has to be at the top of that list.

Mobile

5 tablets you should buy instead of the iPad Pro (2024)

rear shell of M4 iPad Pro.

iPad Pro (M4) Nadeem Sarwar / Digital Trends

The iPad Pro is Apple’s top-tier iPad model, and Apple finally gave it a big refresh after a year-and-a-half drought. The iPad Pro (2024) comes in two sizes -- 11 inches and 13 inches -- and packs in the latest silicon with the powerful M4 chip. Models with 1TB or 2TB even have a new nano-texture finish over the display, which is more anti-reflective than the regular models.