Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 No Longer Banned In The U.S.

By Alexandra Burlacu | Oct 02, 2012 12:15 PM EDT

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Samsung electronics won a court order on Monday, Oct. 1, lifting a ban in U.S. sales of its Galaxy Tab 10.1.

The ban was part of a global patent dispute with Apple Inc. for dominance of the mobile device market. U.S. District court Judge Lucy Koh rescinded the ban on Monday, while the South Korean company added Apple's new iPhone 5 to the ongoing patent dispute.

On Aug. 24, a jury decided that Samsung should pay Apple $1.049 billion in damages for illegally copying iPhone and iPad features. The high-stakes trial was one of the biggest patent cases in decades, and the jury's verdict could have tremendous market repercussions.

The jury agreed, however, that Samsung did not abuse the design patents that made the grounds for a temporary ban on Galaxy Tab 10.1 U.S. sales. Koh had issued the ban at Apple's request in June.

"The sole basis for the June 26 preliminary injunction no longer exists," Koh wrote in her ruling, according to the AFP. "The court finds it proper to dissolve the injunction."

Samsung issues a statement welcoming the ruling, noting that lifting the ban acknowledges the company's position that it did not infringe on Apple's design patent.

"We are pleased with the court's action today, which vindicates our position that there was no infringement of Apple's design patent and that an injunction was not called for," stated Samsung.

Meanwhile, Koh denied Samsung's request for $2.6 million that Apple had posted as a bond to "pay the costs and damages sustained by any party found to have been wrongfully enjoined or restrained."

The bond cash will remain in place until the court resolves post-verdict legal motions that could determine whether the ban was a wrongful restraint. As for the August jury verdict in San Jose, California, Koh noted that it was being appealed, therefore it did not represent a final ruling. According to Samsung, that ruling was "a loss" for consumers and Apple had "manipulated" the patent system.

Meanwhile, Samsung added Apple's new iPhone 5 to the list of products it claims infringe its patents, as part of a second case the two giants are fighting in the same California court.

"We have always preferred to compete in the marketplace with our innovative products, rather than in courtrooms," stated Samsung. "However, Apple continues to take aggressive legal measures that will limit market competition. Under these circumstances, we have little choice but to take the steps necessary to protect our innovations."

Samsung and Apple, the world's biggest and second-biggest smartphone makers, respectively, have been locking horns over dozens of patent lawsuits in a global legal war spanning 10 nations, accusing each other of copying technologies and designs.

The August jury verdict impacted on a range of Samsung products, including some of its Galaxy smartphones. Samsung has repeatedly denied the patent infringement charges Apple made, claiming it developed its devices independently. Samsung's claim that Apple infringed on its wireless patents was unsuccessful, but now the South Korean company is gunning for the iPhone 5.

The case is Apple Inc. v. Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., 11-cv-01846, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California (San Jose).