Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Nexus US ban: Apple tried to enforce ban

Reports suggest that Apple tried to force retailers to stop sales of Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Nexus following the ban

Apple is playing a vicious game when it comes to competition, especially in its legal battle with Samsung. It was recently found that Apple had been sending out intimidating letters to retailers to keep them from selling Samsung Galaxy Tab and Samsung Galaxy Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

The letters were addressed just after Apple got a favourable ruling from the court in early July. The ruling by a higher appeals court ordered the ban on the Galaxy Nexus to be temporarily lifted pending further hearing.

The intimidating letters addressed to retailer quoted part of the ruling that said that the injunction applies not only to Samsung, but also to anyone “acting in concert” with them.

Samsung responded to the letters and declared that third-party retailers should be “permitted to sell their existing inventory, even without a stay,” because they aren’t subject to the prohibitions of the preliminary injunction.

Despite Apple’s letters, retailers like Sam’s Club and Best Buy continued to sell the tablet as well as evaluated the injunction order.

The news about the letters was revealed during a court filing made by Samsung this week. The letters were dated June 28 and July 3.

During the court filing Samsung argued, “Apple’s menacing letters greatly overreach, incorrectly claiming that third-party retailers are subject to the prohibitions of the preliminary injunction, which clearly they are not

Samsung’s opinion is that retailers “are permitted to sell their existing inventory, even without a stay.”

Florian Mueller of FOSS Patents stated that despite the aggressiveness of Apple’s move, the Cupertino firm fully understands that the injunction against Samsung’s products is “not baseless.”

Apple and Smsung are locked in a tough legal battle over patents which will have its showdown on July 30th when the trial kicks off. Both the tech giants have accused each other of infringing patents and their intellectual property with smartphones and tablets.

In late June, Apple won temporary U.S. injunctions against Samsung’s Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet and Galaxy Nexus. Samsung, however, won a stay on the injunction against the Galaxy Nexus earlier this month.

Then earlier this Friday, the US Court of Appeals granted Samsung’s  request to expedite Galaxy Nexus injunction appeal

Today is the last day for Samsung to file its court brief. It will then be followed by a reply from Apple by July 30 and then subsequent reply from Samsung by August 6.

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Posted by admin on July 17, 2012. Filed under Business. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry