Apple vs. Samsung lawsuit: Judges urged to keep Galaxy Nexus in stores

Samsung urges U.S. court to keep Galaxy Nexus on store shelves, despite Apple’s pleas

The year 2012 may be over, but patent wars between Apple and Samsung are as fresh as ever. In the most recent debacle in a slew of ongoing legal battles, Samsung has urged a U.S. appeals court to uphold its decision to deny Apple’s proposed sales ban on the Galaxy Nexus smartphone, according to Reuters.

This follows a decision in October in which a three-judge panel blocked Apple’s request for a sales ban on Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus handset. Apple has asked all nine active Federal Circuit judges to change their mind, but now Samsung appears to be strongly advocating the decision.

The process of reconsidering a ruling, known as “en banc” review, was deemed unnecessary by Samsung in this case because Apple did not provide enough evidence to show a “casual nexus” between its patented search capability and iPhone sales, reports Reuters. In turn, Apple probably won’t be able to justify a ban on the Galaxy Nexus, as Samsung reportedly said in its court filing last Friday.

The Korea-based electronics manufacturer also argued that the ruling against Apple cited “well established” reasoning that doesn’t conflict with U.S. Supreme Court precedent.

Those looking to purchase a Galaxy Nexus-branded smartphone in the near future shouldn’t worry, as a sales ban seems largely unlikely. Legal experts believe that Apple’s chances of persuading the courts to rule in their favor are slim, according to Reuters. Apple’s grudge against Samsung has been seen by some as an outlet for Apple’s own battles with Google, since Galaxy smartphones run on the search engine giant’s mobile operating system Android.

This ongoing mobile feud with Samsung could be an indicator that Apple is feeling the heat from competing smartphone sales. Although its line of iPhones has seen great success, recent rumors have hinted that the company may consider launching a low-cost smartphone or an iPhone in different screen sizes. Android and Samsung own a majority of the mobile market because they offer variety – a strategy that could be holding Apple back in the smartphone industry.

Representatives from Apple and Samsung refused comment to Reuters as of Monday, and the two companies are scheduled to appear in a federal court in San Jose, Calif. in March 2014.

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