Samsung is consider legal measures in an effort to ban the sale of Apple’s new iPhone, said a source close to the situation, this step showing clearly that the South Korean company is fighting to defend itself against allegations that it would have copied the design of certain Apple products.
The cited source refused to detail in what country Samsung intends to initiate legal proceedings against Apple. According to the newspaper Mail Business, the company will try to block the iPhone sales in Europe.
A Samsung representative said the manufacturer does not comment on ongoing legal disputes.
The two companies are locked in an increasingly tough legal conflict in nine countries on the production of smartphones and Tablet PCs.
Samsung plans follow the success of Apple to block the sale of the latest Samsung tablets in Germany and of some smartphone models in the Netherlands. Apple’s victory forced Samsung to postpone indefinitely the launch of tablets in Australia.
After Apple won in German court in September, Samsung announced that it will use all legal options.
Apple has not released a new model of iPhone for over a year and the product is essential for Apple to maintain the development of its strong sales in the context of high competition from Samsung, notes Reuters.
In the second quarter, Apple sold 20.3 million iPhones, while Samsung has delivered only one million fewer smartphones.
According to the press, Apple will launch the iPhone5 in October.
Apple has filed the first lawsuit against Samsung in April, charging that its most important competitor copied the design of Apple products. Samsung has launched a series of counter-lawsuits, arguing that Apple violates some of its patents related to mobile phones.
Samsung is also a major supplier of chips and screens for Apple’s smartphones and tablets.