Even before Samsung could launch its fabled Galaxy S3 smartphone in the US market, Apple is already planning to take a bite out of its market. The Cupertino based tech giant has filed a motion in the California district court requesting to ban the Samsung smartphone in the states.
Galaxy S3 is already slated for release on the US T-Mobile and Sprint on June 21 while other major carriers such as AT&T, Verizon and U.S. Cellular are expected to launch the phone any time in June or July.
The court filing has been posted online by patent blogger Florian Mueller. According to the court document, Apple filed the same complaint against the new phone that it filed against the Galaxy Nexus.
"Apple has been able to obtain the Galaxy S III sold in the United Kingdom and determined that this device clearly infringes on at least two of the Apple patents at issues in the preliminary injunction motion for the exact same reasons as the Galaxy Nexus," Apple wrote in its filing. "Because the Galaxy S III contains two of the exact infringing features already at issue with respect to the Galaxy Nexus, the S III is not more than colorably different from the Galaxy Nexus, and falls within the scope of Apple's current proposed order submitted in connection with its motion for a preliminary injunction."
The Cupertino company has also accepted that Galaxy S3 can harm Apple "on a much greater scale" than the Galaxy Nexus, keeping in mind the reports of millions of Galaxy S3 pre-sales.
In its reaction to the court filing, a Samsung spokeswoman said Apple's case is "without merit" and says "the Galaxy S III is innovative and distinctive."
"We would also like to assure consumers that the U.S. launch and sales of the Galaxy S III will proceed as planned," Samsung continued. "The Galaxy S III has already been highly received in markets where it has been introduced."
The Galaxy S3 has already been released overseas on May 29.
