South Korean consumer electronics giant Samsung suffered a tough blow on Wednesday when a U. S. Judge issued a preliminary injunction banning sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet computer in the country.
Judge Lucy Koh, of the District Court for the Northern District of California, granted Apple's request for injunction barring the sale of the Samsung Galaxy Tab, saying Samsung has no right to compete unfairly.
In her ruling, Koh said, “Although Samsung has a right to compete, but it does not have a right to compete unfairly, by flooding the market with infringing products.”
The preliminary injunction requires Apple to post a $2.6 million bond against possible damages in case the South Korean manufacturer’s tablet eventually found not to infringe. The injunction can take effect as soon as the Cupertino tech giant posts the $2.6 million bond.
As Apple has more than $100 billion in the bank, no one can expect the Cupertino firm to have any problem coming up with the bond.
Apple sued Samsung in April last year, accusing the South Korean manufacturer of copying its iPhone and iPad devices. Originally, Koh had declined Apple’s request for an injunction barring the Galaxy tablet, but the Federal U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D. C., ordered the judge to look at the case again, suggesting an injunction in Apple's favor may be warranted.
Apple is suing and countersuing its rival manufacturers, including Samsung, in a number of countries across the world, with an apparent aim to protect its dominance in the global gadgets market.