Apple has sued Samsung over patent violation, demanding that the company halt the launch of its highly anticipated Galaxy S III in the US.
The technology giant contends that Samsung infringed on at least two patents related to data-tapping and unified search technologies, and that the phone bears a strong resemblance to the iPhone. The company filed a complaint in a California court earlier this week, which was posted online by patent law blogger Florian Muller.
“It is clear that infringement can be shown with respect to these patents based on the current record,” Apple contends in the lawsuit.
Apple states in its complaint that Samsung has already sold more than 9 million pre-orders of the phone, and that the launch would cause “irreparable harm” to the company.
Samsung, of course, has fired back a counter-suit, and states it still plans to continue with the device’s scheduled launch in the US on June 21.
“Samsung believes Apple’s request is without merit,” a Samsung spokesperson said in a statement. “We will vigorously oppose the request and demonstrate to the court that the Galaxy S III is innovative and distinctive.”
If the court sides with Apple, Samsung’s effort to get a head start on Apple’s anticipated release of the next generation of the iPhone will be dampened. Though Apple has kept mum on its plans for the iPhone, many analysts anticipate the next evolution of the iPhone to be released sometime in July.
The Galaxy S III went on sale in Europe at the end of last month, and will be available to 300 carriers in North America and Asia later in June. By launching earlier than Apple, Samsung had hoped to capture a larger chunk of the lucrative smartphone market. Galaxy’s brand of smartphones have grown in popularity among users seeking Android platforms. Samsung is viewed as the tech giant’s greatest competitor in the mobile market. A number of market research firms state that Samsung outpaced Apple in smartphone shipments for Q1 of this year.
It’s been a long uphill battle, as Apple first sued Samsung for patent infringement in April of 2011. The two companies were ordered by a California court to negotiate, but have yet to reach a settlement.
The companies share courtrooms as well as business dealings. Apple stands as one of Samsung’s biggest buyers of chips and display screens.