[JURIST] Apple [official website; Bloomberg backgrounder] requested that the US District Court for the Northern District of California [official website] grant a preliminary injunction against Samsung [official website; Bloomberg backgrounder] on Wednesday, to block the company from selling its new phone, the Galaxy Nexus [official profile]. The smartphone uses Google’s newest version of Android [official website] called Ice Cream Sandwich, which Apple alleges infringe on four patents [Apple Insider report] held by Apple. The patents describe features that allow users to search by using a voice command, slide an image to unlock the phone, an autocorrect function for typing and the structure [patent texts] of the operating system (OS). The Galaxy Nexus is the first phone to use Ice Cream Sandwich, the newest version of popular smartphone OS Android. Samsung acknowledged the lawsuit on Monday and stated that they will continue to defend against Apple’s intellecutal property suits. It is unsure when the injunction request will be ruled on.

Apple brought a different claim against Samsung last year in the same court alleging that Samsung copied certain features and used similar icons to the iPhone and iPad. In December, District Judge Lucy Koh ruled against Apple and declined to issue a preliminary injunction against Apple in its first claim against Samsung. Apple may still prevail on its claims, but needs to prove both infringement and validity. Apple has also been involved in other lawsuits with Android affiliated companies. In December the US International Trade Commission (USITC) ruled for Apple in its suit against HTC alleging patent infringements. In November the USITC found that Apple did not violate four of HTC’s patents. In July USITC ruled that HTC infringed two Apple patents [JURIST reports] relating to the Android operating system.