Apple Wins Injunction: Bans Sales of the Galaxy Nexus In the U.S. Until Final Hearing

In yet another patent infringement victory, Apple won a court order banning all sales of the Samsung made Galaxy Nexus smartphone here in the US.

U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh sided with Apple, on the premise that the company will most likely be able to prove that the Galaxy Nexus infringes on four of Apple’s patents. According to patent litigation experts, it’s the search engine patent that will cause Samsung the most grief and is what appears to be fueling Koh’s recent decision. The injunction becomes effective immediately as soon as Apple posts a $95.6 million bond securing against the damages that would be inflicted onto Samsung should the injunction be found to have been wrongfully issued.

So what does this mean exactly? Essentially, this particular ruling blocks Samsung from selling the Galaxy Nexus or any other product that is “no more than colorably different” and infringes on the Apple patent in question. However, Koh set a hearing for Monday morning to decide whether to put the injunction on hold pending an appeal by Samsung.

As Apple is no stranger to press statements, here is what the tech giant had to say in regards to Judge Koh’s ruling:

“It’s no coincidence that Samsung’s latest products look a lot like the iPhone and iPad, from the shape of the hardware to the user interface and even the packaging. This kind of blatant copying is wrong and, as we’ve said many times before, we need to protect Apple’s intellectual property when companies steal our ideas.”

Not to be left without a voice a Google spokesperson said the following:

“We’re disappointed with this decision, but we believe the correct result will be reached as more evidence comes to light.”

We’re assuming (and hoping) Samsung will appeal the ruling, but it’s just not looking great for the manufacturer. The timing of this injunction couldn’t be any worse, as Google has just announced the Galaxy Nexus to be its Android 4.1 flagship device. As the patent litigation drama continues to unfold, we’ll keep you covered on everything you need to know.

Update: As expected, Samsung today filed an appeal, moving to stay the injunction. Samsung argues that the ban is “inconsistent with the Federal Circuit’s directive that market share losses must be substantial.” Now the fate of the Galaxy Nexus lies in the hands of the court, as a judge could decide to put the device back on the shelf.

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