Apple Seeks US Samsung Sales Ban, More Money In Damages

Apple is hoping to continue its advantage over Samsung Electronics by seeking a court order on a wider US ban on Samsung’s products, as well as an additional $707 million in damages.

Apple won a massive victory over Samsung last month, and it seems that the tech giant has gone back to the same San Jose, California court that ruled in their favor last month for the additional request, reports CNet.

The court ruled that Samsung’s products had copied several key elements of the iPhone. Samsung, in turn, it seeking a new trial, saying that there were a number of instructional errors and decisions regarding evidence in the trial that should require additional examination.

Apple won the case after the San Jose jury ruled Samsung infringed on a number of the Cupertino, California company’s key patents, awarding Apple $1.05 billion in damages.

After the initial victory, the iPhone maker sought to ban the products mentioned at the trial. Now, however, they wish to extend that ban to any Samsung products that could potentially infringe on its design patents, which could extend the ban to Samsung’s new Galaxy S III.

Reuters notes that Samsung, in asking the US court for a new trial, stated that:

“The Court’s constraints on trial time, witnesses and exhibits were unprecedented for a patent case of this complexity and magnitude, and prevented Samsung from presenting a full and fair case in response to Apple’s many claims. Samsung therefore respectfully requests that the Court grant a new trial enabling adequate time and even-handed treatment of the parties.”

A separate statement by the Korean tech company expressed their displeasure that patent rulings cover issues like the shape of the product, as well as technological points. Samsung added that, “It is unfortunate that patent law can be manipulated to give one company a monopoly over rectangles with rounded corners, or technology that is being improved every day by Samsung and other companies.”

Apple, along with asking for the extended ban on Samsung products in the US, added that it wants the court to award it damages that reflect “a rational and fair effort to address Samsung’s willful misconduct that has and will impose lasting harm on Apple.” Samsung was labeled the world’s top smartphone maker in the second quarter of 2012 after they shipped 50 million phones (almost twice that of Apple’s 26 million iPhone shipments).