Android News: Judge Koh Dismisses Samsung Challenge Over Galaxy Nexus
A very bad week for Samsung has gotten even worse. Earlier in the week, US District Judge Julie Koh issued injunctions, barring the sale of the 10.1-inch Samsung Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Nexus smartphone.
Of course, as the flagship device of the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean roll-out, the focus of last week’s Google I/O developer conference, the blocking of the Galaxy Nexus has particular sting. Now, Judge Koh has ruled again, dismissing a multicount suit by Samsung in its entirety that sought to invalidate Apple IP property rights.
“This presumably concludes a dreadful week for Samsung in the Northern District of California, which previously involved a preliminary injunction against the Galaxy Tab 10.1, a far more important preliminary injunction against the Galaxy Nexus, the dismissal of one of Samsung’s patent infringement claims further to Apple’s summary judgment motion, and a clear Apple victory over expert reports,” writes FOSSpatents’ Florian Meuller.
Whatever momentum Google and Samsung built up during the I/O developer conference with the launch of the Galaxy Nexus 7 and Galaxy Nexus Q has been negated by Apple’s clean sweep in the courts this week.
Steve Jobs Takes No Prisoners
Although this latest ruling is bad news for Samsung, and by extension Google and Android, the big blow came on Friday when Judge Koh issued an injunction barring the sale of the Galaxy Nexus. Granted, these things often get overturned, but Samsung can’t sell the device and this state of legal purgatory puts on hold any vendor’s plan to deliver a Jelly Bean-powered smartphone.
Well, when he announced the iPhone at Macworld 2007, Steve Jobs said in a serious deadpan, “And, boy have we patented it.” Later when it became clear Android was copying the iPhone and iOS, Jobs promised to use those patents and “go thermonuclear” in a war with Android.
Steve Jobs is, even from the grave, a man of his word.
What’s your take on the Apple vs Android saga?