JURIST - Paper Chase: Apple sues Samsung for patent infringement

[JURIST] Apple [corporate website] filed suit Friday claiming that the Samsung [corporate website] "Galaxy" line of products copies its iPhone and iPad technology. The complaint, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California [official website], includes 10 patent infringement charges, two trademark violations, two trade dress violations and accusations of unjust enrichment and unfair business practices. The complaint describes various physical and software features that are trademarked to Apple and are copied by Samsung, including the slim profile of the phones and the application icons. Samsung representatives have vowed to defend against the suit [Reuters report] and protect their intellectual property. Apple is seeking actual and punitive damages and an injunction to stop Samsung's alleged intellectual property violations.

Apple has also been embroiled in litigation with Nokia marked by trading accusations of patent infringement. Last month, Nokia filed actions against Apple [JURIST report] in the ITC and a court in Delaware accusing Apple of violating seven patents. In December, the litigation spread to Germany, the UK and the Netherlands where Nokia filed 13 patent infringement complaints [JURIST report] against Apple. Last May, Nokia filed a complaint [JURIST report] in the US District Court in the Western District for Wisconsin [official website] alleging that Apple iPad and iPhone 3G products infringe additional Nokia patents. Apple counter-sued last December, claiming Nokia had stolen 13 patents from the company.