Judge halts U.S. sales of Samsung Galaxy Tab
By Dan Levine
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A U.S. judge on Tuesday backed Apple Inc's request to stop Samsung Electronics selling its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet in the United States, giving the iPhone maker a significant win in the global smartphone and tablet patent wars.
Samsung's Galaxy touchscreen tablets, powered by Google's Android operating system, are considered by many industry experts to be the main rival to the iPad, though they are currently a distant second to Apple's device. Microsoft and Google are also preparing tablet offerings.
U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, had previously denied Apple's bid for an injunction on the tablet and multiple Galaxy smartphones. However, a federal appeals court instructed Koh to reconsider Apple's request on the tablet.
"Although Samsung has a right to compete, it does not have a right to compete unfairly, by flooding the market with infringing products," Koh wrote on Tuesday, adding the order should become effective once Apple posts a $2.6 million bond to protect against damages suffered by Samsung if the injunction is later found to have been wrong.
Apple has waged an international patent war since 2010 as it seeks to limit the growth of Google's Android system, the world's best-selling mobile operating platform. A decisive injunction in one of the U.S. legal cases could strengthen Apple's hand in negotiating cross-licensing deals, where firms agree to let each other use their patented technologies.
Opponents of Apple say the iPhone and iPad maker is using patents too aggressively in its bid to stamp out competition.
"The relief being given to Apple here is extraordinary. Preliminary injunctions are rarely asked for and rarely granted," said Colleen Chien, a professor at Santa Clara Law in Silicon Valley.
"That this was a design patent and copying was alleged distinguish this case from plain vanilla utility patent cases. Cases involving these kinds of patents are based more on a counterfeiting theory than a competition theory, so I don't expect this case to have ramifications for all smartphone disputes, but rather those involving design patents and the kind of product resemblance we had here."
The injunction against Samsung comes less than a week after Apple suffered a serious setback when a federal judge in Chicago dismissed its patent claims against Google's Motorola Mobility unit. Judge Richard Posner ruled that an injunction barring the sale of Motorola smartphones would harm consumers.
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LIKELY APPEAL
Samsung will likely seek to appeal Koh's ruling to a federal appeals court in Washington, DC, which has exclusive jurisdiction over intellectual property disputes.
"Apple sought a preliminary injunction of Samsung's Galaxy Tab 10.1, based on a single design patent that addressed just one aspect of the product's overall design," Samsung said in a statement. "Should Apple continue to make legal claims based on such a generic design patent, design innovation and progress in the industry could be restricted."
The South Korean firm said it would take necessary legal steps, and did not expect the ruling to have a significant impact on its business, as it has a broad range of products. It brought out three tablet models last year alone.
Apple spokeswoman Kristin Huguet reiterated a prior statement from the company, saying Samsung's "blatant copying" is wrong.
Apple sold 13.6 million iPads in January-March to control 63 percent of the global tablet market, according to research firm Display Search. Samsung sold 1.6 million tablets, giving it 7.5 percent of the market. The global tablet market is set to nearly double this year to 123.5 million units this year, according to IHS iSuppli.
Microsoft last week introduced its own line of tablet computers, making a major strategic shift for the software giant as it struggles to compete with Apple and re-invent its aging Windows franchise, [ID:nL1E8HIFRD] and Google plans to unveil a $199 tablet co-branded with Taiwan's Asustek Computer Inc at its developer conference this week, according to a media report. [ID:nL3E8HQ6MB]
Samsung, which has various tablet line-ups with different sizes from 7 inches to 10.1 inches, introduced the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in June last year and unveiled an upgraded version, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 II, last month.
The company said the U.S. ruling does not affect the updated Tab 10.1 II, and retailers can also clear their existing Tab 10.1 inventories.
In Seoul, Samsung shares rose 3 percent in a flat market, rebounding from 4-month lows early this week amid concerns over second-quarter profit growth.
The case in U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, is Apple Inc v. Samsung Electronics Co Ltd et al, 11-1846.
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AT&T's Samsung Galaxy S2 gets its Android 4.0 update tomorrow
The Samsung Galaxy S3 may be in stores, but thanks to AT&T's Android 4.0 update, its older brother can also enjoy the taste of Ice Cream Sandwich.
Starting tomorrow, the Samsung Galaxy S III won't be the only member of its family to use Google's Android 4.0 operating system on AT&T. The network will begin to roll out Ice Cream Sandwich updates to the Samsung Galaxy S II as well.
Unfortunately for AT&T customers, making the leap from Gingerbread to ICS will take a little more legwork than a simple over-the-air bump. You'll have to first visit Samsung's Web site from your computer, then download the Samsung Kies Upgrade Program to your desktop or laptop.
It seems a bizarre and cumbersome requirement compared with updating over data or Wi-Fi. It'll work on Windows (Windows XP, Vista, and 7) and Mac computers (OSX 10.5 to 10.7.)
For now, the update applies only to the Galaxy S II, not to the Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket.
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Samsung Galaxy S II on AT&T gets Android 4.0
We've seen T-Mobile roll out Android 4.0 for its Galaxy S II variant, and now another American carrier is joining the pack. AT&T has started pushing out Android 4.0.3 (no 4.0.4, oddly) to its near-reference version of Samsung's 2011 range leader. We wouldn't brace for any surprises over the conservative OS updates seen elsewhere in the world, but it will at least give you Chrome for Android without turning to custom firmware. The odd man out among the major US carriers is Sprint's Epic 4G Touch -- it's still humming along on 2.3 for now, and neither Sprint nor Samsung has given any further signs that they're ready to make the leap.
Update: A spokesperson tells us that these initial updates are the real deal, but that they're test postings on AT&T's servers before it officially deploys to customers -- you may want to wait before hunting it down. The full-scale rollout is "live very soon," we're told, and customers can check the company blog if there's ever any doubt.
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Apple's iPhone 4S remains top selling smartphone at Verizon
Though the Motorola Droid Razr Maxx is said to be "gaining ground," the Apple's iPhone 4S reportedly remains the best selling smartphone at Verizon, the largest carrier in the U.S.
The details were provided on Tuesday by Michael Walkley, analyst with Canaccord Genuity, to AppleInsider. He said Motorola's latest Android-based handset is not believed to have overtaken the iPhone in sales at Verizon.
That disputes what competing analyst Anil Doradla of William Blair said in a separate note issued Tuesday. Doradla's own channel checks, according to Apple 2.0, found that the Droid Razr Maxx has been the best selling smartphone at Verizon in June, bumping the iPhone to second place.
But that's not the case, according to Walkley, who said while the latest Razr is "gaining ground," it "hasn't caught iPhone." His own research has found the iPhone 4S as the top selling smartphone at Verizon, as well as AT&T and Sprint, for the entirety of 2012 thus far.
In a research note issued earlier this month, Walkley revealed that in the month of May, the iPhone 4S was the top selling smartphone in the U.S., despite what he called "gradual share losses" at each carrier. The iPhone 4S remained more popular than the Razr Maxx and Samsung Galaxy Nexus, which took second and third place, respectively, at Verizon in May.
At AT&T, the iPhone 4S also proved more popular than the second-place Nokia Lumia 900, and the third-place Samsung Galaxy S II Skyrocket. And at Sprint, the iPhone 4S topped the second-place Samsung Galaxy Nexus and third-place Samsung Galaxy S II.
But the iPhone 4S, which hit the market last October, now faces perhaps its biggest competitor yet in the form of Samsung's new Galaxy S III. It debuted in the U.S. last week with limited availability, but will eventually be available on all four of the largest carriers in the U.S. over the coming weeks.
Samsung said this week it is working to keep up with strong demand for the Galaxy S III, and the company expects to sell 10 million units to its carrier partners in July. Apple is expected to introduce its successor to the iPhone 4S later this year.
TS2R Wireless News: iPhone 4/S Cricket, Bills, Free NYC Wi-Fi, T-Mo/VZW Spectrum & Mobile PPV
Full news stories recently include the high-demand for the Samsung Galaxy S III, the release of the Sony Xperia Ion, our Dare2Compare of the iPhone 5 vs the Samsung Galaxy S III and the ICS update for the Samsung Galaxy S II.
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Here's the news that is "Too Short to Report":
Cricket launched its iPhone on Friday with some people waiting in lines and brisk activity.
Wireless customers who receive their bills electronically tend to be more satisfied with their billing than those who receive bills through regular mail, according to a study commissioned by Sprint and conducted by BIGinsight, a market intelligence firm.
Boingo announced that Google Offers is sponsoring free Wi-Fi across New York City. Big Apple visitors and New York straphangers on the go can stay productive, update their status and surf online while avoiding data overage charges and network congestion via Boingo's Wi-Fi networks from June 25 through September 7, 2012.
T-Mobile USA, Inc. announced an agreement with Verizon Wireless for the purchase and exchange of certain Advanced Wireless Services (AWS) spectrum licenses in 218 markets across the U.S. The the agreement is contingent on the closing of those transactions and is subject to regulatory approval by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Department of Justice.
According to a nationwide survey, by SmithMicro, travelers prefer to access Pay-Per-View (PPV) and video content via mobile devices when staying at a hotel, with 67 percent of respondents citing they are more likely to purchase content that can be accessed via a smartphone or tablet. In addition, almost 75 percent were likely to book a hotel if it offered services and video accessible from a mobile device.
The Wireless History Foundation (WHF) announced the names of four individuals who will be inducted into the prestigious Wireless Hall of Fame during the Foundation's Oct. 8, 2012 dinner at CTIA in San Diego. The 2012 inductees are; Wayne Perry-Service Provider Honoree; Richard Lynch-Technology Honoree. Former Executive Vice President for enterprise-wide strategic technology initiatives at Verizon Wireless; Raj Singh-Industry Associate Honoree and Amos Joel (posthumously)-Pioneer Honoree.
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Android 4.0.3 update out for T-Mobile's Samsung Galaxy S II
T-Mobile subscribers who own the Galaxy S II phone can grab the latest Android Ice Cream Sandwich update, but it's only available through Samsung's Kies software.
Samsung Galaxy S II owners on T-Mobile can update to Android 4.0.3, but they may have to jump through a few hoops first.
The latest flavor of Ice Cream Sandwich launched as of yesterday evening for Samsung's Galaxy S II. Owners of the phone can learn how to install it via a T-Mobile support page. But be forewarned -- the update isn't available over the air (OTA), meaning you can't download it directly to your phone.
Instead, you have to install it via Samsung's Kies software, which requires you to download and install the update on your PC and then sync it with your phone.
Beyond offering ICS, the update promises improvements in performance and stability.
But wait.
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Before you can scoop up a dose of Ice Cream Sandwich, you'll need to make sure you're running at least Android 2.3.6 on your Galaxy S II phone, which is available as an OTA update.
Got all that? Don't worry. T-Mobile's page describes all the steps required to reach the peak of Android. But the carrier does warn that if you run into any trouble, you'll have to call Samsung. "The Kies update through Samsung is not supported by T-Mobile and we are unable to assist with Kies or PC questions," T-Mobile explained.
Though T-Mobile is trying to be helpful by outlining all the steps involved, this convoluted process clearly shows why Android updates are such a mess. With Google, the device makers. and the carriers all involved in the mix, no one party is truly responsible or accountable for the entire chain of events.
Compare that with the process on iOS devices. Apple is the sole party responsible for all updates. The carriers have no involvement. Apple users can download iOS updates to iTunes and sync them with their iPhones and iPads or download and install the updates directly to their devices.
It is any wonder Android users have to wait so long for the latest version of Android and other updates?
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