• Phone to launch on June 21
  • Apple applies for temporary ban on sales claiming it infringes patents
  • Apple expected to launch rival 'iPhone 5' in summer

By Rob Waugh

PUBLISHED: 02:57 EST, 7 June 2012 | UPDATED: 04:02 EST, 7 June 2012

The Galaxy S3 is the successor to the S2 Android phone, which helped make Samsung the world's largest smartphone maker in 2011

Apple has moved to ban Samsung's new Galaxy S3 handset in the U.S., saying it infringes two Apple patents

Apple has moved to ban Samsung's new Galaxy S3 handset in the U.S., saying it infringes two Apple patents.

The companies have been locked in a patent battle on several continents for years - but Apple's latest move targets a key handset for Samsung, seen also as a 'standard bearer' for Google's Android operating system.

The handset is due to launch on June 21 in America, and has been seen as a considerable threat to Apple's iPhone 4S, as it offers faster processing and a bigger screen.

Apple is widely expected to launch a new iPhone later this summer.

Samsung said it will vigorously oppose Apple's request for a court to ban sales of the Galaxy S III smartphone and still plans to go ahead with the device's scheduled release in the U.S. on June 21.

The South Korean company said in a statement that it will 'demonstrate to the court that the Galaxy S III is innovative and distinctive.'

On Tuesday, Apple Inc. asked a U.S. district court to temporarily ban sales of the S III smartphone before its launch in the United States. The maker of the iPhone accused Samsung of infringing two Apple patents.

The request, if accepted by the U.S. District Court for Northern California, would deal a blow to Samsung's attempt to get a headstart on sales of Apple's next iPhone.

The SIII smartphone went on sale in Europe on May 29 and will be offered by around 300 mobile carriers in Asia and North America later this month.

The early launch puts Samsung in a favorable position to take a bigger chunk of the lucrative smartphone market.

While Apple is keeping mum on its annual iPhone upgrade, many analysts expect the new iPhone to go on sale as early as July.

White iPhone 4s smartphone

While Apple is keeping mum on its annual iPhone upgrade, many analysts expect the new iPhone to go on sale as early as July

The Samsung Galaxy S3 will be able to download at about five megabytes a second

Samsung has become the biggest threat to Apple's clout in the mobile market as its Galaxy series of smartphones won popularity among consumers seeking an Android-powered device

Samsung has become the biggest threat to Apple's clout in the mobile market as its Galaxy series of smartphones won popularity among consumers seeking an Android-powered device.

Most market research firms say Samsung overtook Apple in smartphone shipments for the first time during the first three months of this year.

Samsung and Apple have been embroiled in bitter patent lawsuits in North America, Europe and Asia since Apple accused Samsung of copying its iPhone in April 2011.

Chief executives of the two companies met in San Francisco last month after a court instructed them to negotiate, but the talks didn't produce a settlement.

Amid the legal battles, the two companies continue to do business with each other.

Samsung counts Apple as among its largest buyers of chips and display screens while Apple relies on Samsung for mobile components.

Here's what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.

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The new Samsung is almost identical to the iPhone.

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- Life is a pie chart, UK, 7/6/2012 10:31====== Have you seen Samsung's range of phones before the iPhone was released in 2007? Google image search 'samsung phone 2006' and then replace with 2009 and look at the difference. Apple pioneered the touch-screen smartphone - there's no denying that.

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Patent trolls. Anyone can do this. There are scores of people who wait for new technology to emerge and then file patents on some aspect of the technology that hasn't been patented. Most large companies settle out of court for over a million as it costs about 2 million to go to court. It's sad that apple have to stoop so low, after paying off millions themselves to these trolls.

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Apple came to the Mobile Phone Market last, using every other companies ideas and then some of its own, Samsung and other companies had created the mobile phone market not Apple, pure greed from Apple once again, as the SIII has already broken many of Apple iphone sales records.

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Any mention of what imaginary patents they are breaking? Possibly rounded corners again?

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