Samsung made a preemptive move to remove local search capabilities from it’s Galaxy S3 smartphone to avoid the phone being ban. This move is as a result of Apple winning preliminary injunction against the Galaxy Nexus Smartphone last month. The Galaxy S3 is known to have the same unify search functionality.
FossPatent provided an overview of Judge Lucy Koh ruling at the time. The order stated:
On the likely infringement and likely validity of all four asserted patents:
“In sum, Apple has shown that claims 6 and 19 of the ‘604 [Siri] Patent are likely both valid and infringed. Apple has therefore shown a likelihood of prevailing on the merits of the ‘604 Patent.”
“In sum, Apple has shown a likelihood of establishing both infringement and validity.”
“Accordingly, Apple has shown a likelihood of success on the merits of its ‘647 [data tapping] Patent claim.”
“Accordingly, Apple has met its burden of establishing that the ‘721 [slide-to-unlock] Patent is likely infringed by the Galaxy Nexus, and that the ‘721 Patent will likely withstand a validity challenge at trial.”
“Accordingly, Apple has shown that it is likely to succeed on the merits at trial in its claims that the Samsung Galaxy Nexus infringes claims 18, 19, and 27 of the ‘172 [autocorrect] Patent.”
On irreparable harm:
“The Court finds that the full extent of these losses would likely be unascertainable, difficult to calculate, and irreparable.”
On the ability of Siri to drive demand:
“The Court is persuaded by the evidence in the record that the ’604 unified search functionality drives consumer demand in a way that affects substantial market share. Even accepting Samsung’s argument that the intelligent voice-recognition aspect of Siri, as advertised, also contributes to consumer interest in the iPhone 4S, Apple has shown that the ‘604 Patented feature is core to Siri’s functionality and is thus a but-for driver of demand for Siri. Accordingly, the Court finds that Apple has adequately established the requisite causal nexus between Samsung’s alleged infringement of the ‘604 Patent and Apple’s risk of suffering irreparable harm.”
Local search allowed users to look up content and contact details stored on the phone through a unified search interface. Apple sued Samsung over its use of local search, and in July won a temporary sales ban on Samsung’s Galaxy Nexus and Galaxy Tab 10.1.
As a result of the above order, Samsung removed local search from the Galaxy Nexus. They are now removing it from the US and international version of the Galaxy S 3.
A jury trial between Samsung and Apple is due to start this coming Monday in the United States.
Source: FossPatent
